You won’t find it on a map and its not recognised by the UN! Yet this slither of land between the Dniester river and the Ukraine is home to 500,000, has a government, army and passport (that is not recognised outside of the territory). Transnistria proclaimed independence from Moldova in 1990 to remain part of the Soviet Union (who also don’t recognise the country). Sadly this has given rise to it being “a major haven for smuggling weapons and women” (Wall Street Journal). The good news – the only place I have come across that doesn’t have a McDonalds!
Sometimes an unexpected moment happens that says much about a people. Whilst in Moldova last year we took a boat trip up the river – a fun time where pop music blared out from the Captains playlist. Now and again youngsters would dance to the DJ type music but as soon as this piece of music was played; dance exploded amongst the old and young – it seemed to be deep within their souls. Always interesting when a ‘sound from the land’ moves people to express themselves. I have heard that Moldovan weddings are a spectacle of dance and people singing very loudly.
One of the poorest countries in Europe with an average wage of $250- but most on around $1- a day! Read More
120 First Nations hand drums warming up before I recorded them at the Stikine Valley Gospel Music Festival (a few days ago). For many of the Tahltan people this was a return to the drum – even today a part of their culture that is not accepted in many mainstream churches. Read More
We left the Alaskan Highway just south of Toc and travel along a 25-mile dirt road that snakes its way into the bush. We are heading to the Tetlin community, home for 120 Athabaskan people.
Our next stop was Whitehorse, where we met an amazing 91 year old lady, Annie Smith (Kwanlin Dün) who made these moccasins ……. Read More
So where is Tahltan country, I hear you ask? Its in a remote and beautiful part of northern BC with the north/western border running parallel to the Alaskan/Canadian border, including part of Yukon Territory. The south/eastern border includes the upper Nass tributaries and western half of the Stikine plateau, including the sacred headwaters of the Stikine, Nass and Skeena rivers.
We traveled up from Vancouver, a team representing many different nations, a trailer full of supplies and gifts of food and utilities for the First Nations communities we were going to meet In a car convoy, it took over 18 hours to get to our first stop – Stikine Canyon about 30 mins from Dease Lake BC!
We are enjoying a fish supper at the mouth of the Fraser river in Vancouver – tomorrow we head north as we have been invited on a trip to Northern British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska by Grand Chief Lynda Prince of the Carrier Sekai Nation. Our first stop is at a music festival with the Tahltan people where we will be recording 120 First Nations drums!
Interesting trailer to a documentary called The Pass System that tells the story of a 60 year period when First Nations people of Canada had to have a pass to leave their reservations. For those in Canada check out the screenings on Facebook.
We were back in the mountains of Moniatis with the Gateways community for another year of sharing with the 2nd years on culture. This year we had also been invited to a wedding of one of our previous students. Read More
This morning I was stopped in my tracks by this powerful piece of art in Chichester Cathedral from Paul Benney called ‘Speaking in Tongues.’ He has ‘”depicted the apostles as people who are known to him – friends and contemporaries. ……………… from different ethnicities and religious backgrounds together, as they collectively experience a profound spiritual awakening.” Read More
