A Very Wise Man...

Every single one of my business meetings cancelled today.   Fortunately, I was able to get them all rescheduled for next week.  That gave me some time to work on a new interview/presentation I'll be doing on Ben Towne's MaxValue podcast.  The topic will be on increasing business valuation through digital transformation.

Given the change in my schedule today, we changed our plans accordingly.   We took off on a ferry ride across the channel to visit the town of Alert Bay on Cormorant Island.

According to local tradition and culture, Alert Bay is the home of the Namgis First Nation People, also called Kwakwakaʼwakw, if I understood correctly.  

It is also the birthplace of the Killer Whale!

We hiked the town, going to the original Namgis Burial Grounds that was filled with Totems.  Tall ones, short ones, some elaborately carved, some simple.  Most of the Totems were standing and a few had fallen down.  A fallen Totem does not necessarily mean neglect; it just means that the spirit has left the Totem for a different plane.

A remarkably well stocked lending library.

Along the waterfront at the other end of town is the Cultural Museum.   We stopped in there to learn more about the First Nation's people and their history.   The museum requested no pictures be taken, so we honored that.

Here is a view of fishing boats on the beach.   To be clear, most boats were neatly tied up along the docks, but a few were beached.

We got home just in time to watch the Stanley Cup Finals, Game 4.   After fighting with the various Internet services, I was finally able to devise a way to stream the game.  So frustrating that I have to finagle the system to watch the streams I've paid handsomely for just because I'm on a mobile platform (boat).  Anyway, the game went into overtime where the Oilers took it.   Now the series is tied 2-2.  This is some great hockey indeed.   Go Panthers!

There is a quote, which I will likely mis-quote from a Namgis Chief.  He was asked by a Reporter in the early 1900s if he and his people were poor.   His reply was along the lines of "What an odd question.  How can we be poor when we are living the life we choose, doing the things we like to do, surrounded by nature and our families and friends".   That struck me as extraordinarily wise.

I was going to leave you with a "Good Night" in Kwakwakaʼwakw, but there is no documented equivalent.

Good Night...