here’s a teaser image that will be part of our next book- sorry but first printing available only in Korea

More later

These photos were taken on October 30 at the Museum of Natural History in New York where we opened up a show curated by my Nangitlgada (Clan Chief) Edenso- Jim Hart.

In this first photo i’m singing at Museum of Natural History in New York with the group.

Here I am placing some eagle down, the symbol of peace, between sea lion whiskers on a traditional Haida head dress of a Chiefly dancer. The dancer is the well known artist Simon Dick. As Simon begins to move the eagle down will waft out of the head dress throughout the air and fill the room.

Challenging the audience is a key part of the tasks facing a cartoonist. And here below the great stone walls the brass plated words of President Theodore Roosevelt’s promise that he would choose righteousness over peace seemed a very appropriate place to help spread gentle floating wafts of peace.

These photos were taken by Farah Nosh, a photographer known and well respected by Haidas for her work amongst the urban battlefields of Iraq.

The trip was an intense week filled with dinners with the City Mayor and a host of senior managers of Korea’s cartoon and animation industries. I had my first experience with fans. They had lined up for an hour just for an autograph- school children, mothers with babies even an old man who turned out to be somewhat of a cultural treasure, a cartoonist whose hands are cast in bronze at the Institute. 55,000 Koreans walked through the exhibit in three days but only after the military brass band had finished a rather lengthy but sparky set of tunes.

What was most remarkable was realizing that in Korea and perhaps in Asia a cartoonist is a member of a respected profession and as such there is an expectation that we dont over indulge in the fermented rice whiskey or ever pass on the Kimcii. I am happy to report I did neither.

Back only 4 days and i was invited by the French consulate to participate in their manga/bande D contribution to the Writers Festival. I believe that I have received a second serious option to illustrate a book, one in Korean and one in French. Where are the English? Mon Dieu just when the Indians finally want an Englishman they’ve all buggered off.

Anyway after the good reception by the French hosts- Vancouver’s Sophia Books and the Consulate I came home and booked my hotel room for January at the comic book fair in Angouleme, France.

And just in case my head gets to close to my body I’m off with a plane load of Haidas to New York this weekend to sing at an opening at the Museum of Natural History. It is my intention to slip in either Jimmy Durante’s theme song or a cheeky Aria from Don Giovanni amidst the drum beats and carrying on of our national Haida incantations.

Haida manga will also be attending the Intenational Comic Book festival in Busan South Korea-

Haida Manga challenges fundamental cartoon elements. Typically comics show time and space as an empty white gutter, an absence longing to be filled by the reader’s imagination. In Haida manga time/space is a twisting expanding and compressing flow that has no unnamed spaces.

Monumental Art! Such a grand description coined by Claude Levi Strauss and borrowed by George MacDonald. While useful for promoting the business and appreciation of totem poles as a significant creative achievement the term hides the wonderful human nuances that characterize a Haida point of view. Does Monumental Art really just cover UP all the naughty bits ?

Canada’s flagship national newspaper says that Rocking Raven in fishnet stockings is “actually quite naughty”

HOW YOU WIN
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ONE ENTRY WILL BE SELECTED ON AUGUST 21 2004!

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