Spirit Transformed: A Journey from Tree to Totem

Spirit Transformed: A Journey From Tree To Totem is another stunning portrayal of the work of First Nations artist Roy Henry Vickers. A series of beautiful colored photo essays are complemented by the chapters describing the emerging of a 30 foot totem pole of cedar crafted by the artist. Also included is the real-life story of the artist himself. No stranger to pain, Vickers has much to teach. In the end, he is a voice for many: "The winter of our discontent is gone. And, for me, the time of being a victim of wrongdoing is gone. It is not time to be a victim anymore. It is time to be a leader; it is time to be a supporter. It is time to show others that it is possible to come through everything we have endured, and, in the words of Chief Dan George, 'to build our race into the strongest, proudest segment of our society.' And so, with the birth of the Salmon Totem, a journey came to an end that had begun eight centuries ago when that cedar had first sprouted in the good earth of the Pacheenaht people. It was joyful and sad at the same time. When you think of living, if you are centered, if you have achieved that balance, you feel both joy and pain. It is a balance of life and death, red and black. I think that is where those tears of joy come from (p.77)." Not only will Spirit Transformed share great beauty of spirit with each reader, it shows the resources of unimaginable strength and faith to reanimate the generation to come. Recommended for general audiences.Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer