On Sunday, March 29, 2009 our artist team set out to meet the community where we are placing the Talking Poles. We built a mock up of the Pole (see white tube in picture) and asked people to write a word they could tape to the surface. Since the most common languages are Panjabi and Hindi we hired TJ Grewal to work with us and translate the project goals and to ask people to participate in decisions around the Talking Pole surface. We asked questions like; What would you like future generations to know? and what stories can you tell us about walking along the greenway? For many people who where out on this sunny day running, biking and walking their dog - the idea of stopping to talk was not of interest. There were people though, who were strolling along and wanted to investigate why we were standing beside a this white structure with words taped onto the surface.
TJ was excellent at engaging people in discussion and we would wait to hear the translation. One translation that comes to mind, was when TJ asked an older man what word he would use and he said "love - because if you don't have love in your family, then you won't have unity, and if you don't have unity, the you will not be able be apart of a community".
Another women who I talked to briefly, works for a community outreach program in Vancouver she told us that "to be inspired" was an important message.
At the end of the day we meet over 2o-25 people and had learned a great deal more about the community where the future Talking Poles will live.
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