nicholaslongstaff.ca

[JULY 2008]

My Partner in this process at the Canadian Film Centre is Rea McNamara, and together we’ve been working out excatly where our interests and skills and passions overlap.  Here’s some of what that process looks like:

This is all regarding the first prototype - launched in August at the Canadian Film Centre.  The second phase of the project was launched (after refinement and redevelopment) at NUIT BLANCHE, Toronto, October 2008

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Project Brief
Form: participant-driven multi-channel audio-visual art installation.

This interactive audio-visual installation encourages participants to get into a sticky situation at the crossroads of light and shadow.  It is within this space that ‘trickster’ - the god, spirit, man, woman and animal - emerges. With the combination of digital projection, shadow screens and sound poetry, participants seek, discover and defy one another as the increasingly complex rules of the trickster take effect upon their silhouettes.

Participant Experience Brief

2 PARTICIPANTS step onto RISERS, one on either side of a WHITE WALL (see Fig 1).

They discover, and move in response to, a PROJECTED VERSION OF THEIR OWN SHADOWS.

When both shadows OVERLAP the same area of both sides of the wall, each participant sees the other’s silhouette within the bounds of her/his own shadow.

Based on criteria like: the amount of the overlap, OR: the duration of the overlap, the physical rules governing the behavior of the two projected shadows, their relationship to each other - and to the boundaries of the screen – are manipulated in ‘Tricky’ ways, playfully defying the logical model each participant is creating in her/his mind regarding how the shadow responds, and what the shadow is.

It is within these moments that sound plays a vital role in shaping the participants’ experience, giving a sense of “oh! when I do this my shadows does that” or “hey, something important is happening – I don’t understand why, but the rules seem to keep changing”.

Over the course of the participant’s interactions, the audio should also deepen their improvised gesture narrative giving voice the many inceptions of the Trickster (from Eshu to Br’er Rabbit).

We believe this folkloric figure has transformed throughout the years from a spiritual deity, to an anthropomorphic animal, to an existence within our very selves (hence the shadow-in-shadow effect) and the technology we use to communication.

Physical Description:

Fig. 1 – The physical components of the installation

* Single room, divided in-half by a (9’ wide x 8’ tall) WHITE WALL.

* On either side of the wall is a 1’ tall RISER (measuring 8’ wide x 4’deep)

* The room light is low, with most of the illumination being cast by reflected light from a VIDEO PROJECTOR aimed at either side of the white dividing wall and from the backlight cast by a REAR CURTAIN, strung behind each of the two risers.

* TWO CONCEALED CAMERAS, built into the centre of either side of the wall, aim outwards capturing the participants’ movements on the risers

* Computer software separates the video signal into two parts (Silhouette & Background) and projects the processed image onto the white wall

* SEVEN + ONE SPEAKER CHANNELS (not included in Fig. 1) are arrayed near the ceiling of the room in the following pattern:
1+2 - Rear Curtain A: Left/Right

3+4+5 - Wall: Left/Centre/Right

6+7 - Rear Curtain B: Left/Right

8 - Two Sub-woofers: beneath the risers

THE SHADOW:
The darkness that cannot be perceived without light. The shade – both in us and around us –which we fear for what it obscures. The obscurity in which we shroud ourselves, that we may risk less, hide more, and thus make ourselves ‘safe’ from the clarity of light.

Our mimicking mate on our travels – the transient impression we cast on the matter we happen
to block from the light.

The realization we hope to make possible for the participant: that we are all of us forever moving through shadows in this life, and as soon as we think we have reached the light (that “oh I get it!” moment) the Trickster changes the rules (or twists the kaliedescope, or shifts our perspective) and we find ourselves back in the dark again

THE TRICKSTER:

“This world can not be understood. Nor can it be controlled. It can only be experienced; and to what degree is not even always our choice. And as soon as one believes s/he comprehends, or takes power, everything changes – for everything changes anyway.

Advice: Be vulnerable, honest, & alive, and strive anyway!”

Present here, are but a few of the rich abundance of stories available concerning crows and ravens. Presented first are stories of the trickster. The trickster is an element of oral stories in almost every known tribal people. In the north, Raven and Crow are joined by Coyote, Beaver, and Wolverine. Trickster is not just a jokester or magician, but can present itself in such realms as love and education. Trickster may be the fuel behind the man who cannot control his lust, or more benignly, the one who teaches another how to exalt in life and find beauty in even the most commonplace things.

“His presence demands, cries out for, compassion and generosity toward existence itself. Trickster is a celebrator of life, a celebration of life, because by rallying against him a community discovers its own resilience and protective skills.” ~ Howard Norman

Précis: Blackfoot (Western Canada)

Raven stole all the buffaloes, antelope, deer, moose, and rabbits–leaving nothing for themselves. Once, the Old Man; the creator, turned himself into a dog for the purpose of trying to retrieve these animals and recruited the help of the chief’s son. When they found all the animals hidden away in a deep cave, they freed them all, and attempted to run the buffalo of a cliff as a clever hunting technique. But just when they thought they were going to be successful, Raven appeared from the edge of the cliff, driving them back into the cave.

Excerpt: Blackfoot (Western Canada)

“No, I am afraid I will fall into the water,” said Fox.

“Oh, no, you can’t fall into the water,” returned Raven. “Surely you can jump as well as I can.”

Mr. Fox was not to be outdone by a mere raven, however wise. If Raven could do it so could he. Down, down he slid so fast he couldn’t stop and landed right in the center of the pond.

Mr. Raven’s plan worked well. He threw his head back in wild laughter. “Help! Help!” shouted the fox. “I am sinking!” But Mr. Raven only laughed and laughed as if he would die laughing and didn’t stop until long after the fox had drowned.

Excerpt: Dena’ina Indian

Robber came along and saw him lying there, half rotten and full of maggots. He blew into his friend’s nose, saying, “Come back as a new animal.”

Crow came back to life. He was itcy. “Here I was just sleeping,” he said to Robber. “You woke me up!”

Robber told him, “You were stealing fish, and that boy put an arrow into you. You were destroyed. You drifted ashore and got maggoty. That’s why you needed new life. I fixed you up.”

He told the Crow how he had dipped water and said, “Let it turn to medicine.” He spilled it on his friend. “Shake yourself,” he told Crow, and Crow shook himself. The maggots fell off and he was healed.

ABOUT TRICKSTER TALES

In oral traditions worldwide, a story featuring a protagonist (often an anthropomorphized animal) who has magical powers and is characterized as a compendium of opposites. Simultaneously an omniscient creator and an innocent fool, a malicious destroyer and a childlike prankster, the trickster-hero serves as a sort of folkloric scapegoat onto which are projected the fears, failures, and unattained ideals of the source culture.

~ ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITTANICA

The trickster character is common in stories from many cultures. Trickster stories have a long history and were originally passed down through oral tradition. Through story telling tales are often passed between cultures and so the tale changes over time.

While trickster tales are entertaining because we enjoy the foolish behaviour that gets the trickster in trouble, they also convey meaning. They provide insight into human nature and human behaviour. We recognize what motivates the trickster and know that sometime we are tempted to act in a similar way. The trickster often looks like the underdog and we can sympathize and appreciate his wit. The trickster can be both very clever and very foolish.

In some stories the trickster is a smaller or weaker animal who uses cunning to outwit a stronger, more powerful animal.

There are differences between the trickster of European origin and those of most other cultures. Only in European stories does the trickster often have no redeeming qualities.

Think of the Wolf in Little Red Riding. It’s difficult to see any good in that character. But the Trickster from most other cultures, include the First Nations, is capable of both harm and good.

~ SOUTHERN ONTARIO LIBRARY SERVICE

In the Native American oral tradition, the vulgar but sacred Trickster assumes many forms.  He can be Old-Man Coyote among the Crow tribes, Raven in northwestern Indian lore, or, more generically, “The Tricky One” (such as Wakdjunkaga among the Winnebago or Manabozho among the Menomini), to mention just a few of his manifestations.

…Trickster alternately scandalizes, disgusts, amuses, disrupts, chastises, and humiliates (or is humiliated by) the animal-like proto-people of pre-history, yet he is also a creative force transforming their world, sometimes in bizarre and outrageous ways, with his instinctive energies and cunning. Eternally scavenging for food, he represents the most basic instincts, but in other narratives, he is also the father of the Indian people and a potent conductor of spiritual forces in the form of sacred dreams.

~ PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
Dr. K. L. Nichols

Trickster tales are great favorites in many cultures. They often use an animal, who represents the underdog, that uses skill and cunning to outwit a superior. Black slaves often used trickster tales in their storytelling. They identified with the small but cunning animal that fooled a more powerful bully such as the plantation owner. People around the world find trickster tales both entertaining and amusing and receive satisfaction from knowing that a smaller, and often weaker, creature has bested a larger and more powerful adversary.

Sometimes the trickster animal is characterized as being himself greedy, imitative, stupid, pretentious and deceitful. In the Native American mythology, he attempts trickery in many forms but very often gets tricked himself. Sometimes, though, the people in the community benefit by the trickster’s thievery and deceitfulness. But usually the trickster is clever enough to come out a winner.

In the North Pacific Coast, Trickster may be a Raven, Mink, or Bluejay. In the Plateau, in the Great Basin, in California, in the Southwest, and in parts of the western Plains, the Coyote is the trickster par excellence. He is the best known of all North American Indian tricksters. Coyote stories also abound in the Hispanic culture. Other animals that are used in these stories are the rabbit along with the hare and Wisakedjak (Whiskey Jack). In South America, a fox plays the major role in many of their stories. The trickster’s companions are also very important because they sometimes serve as stooges for the trickster and at other times completely outwit him. These roles are played by the Fox, Wolf, Wildcat, Lynx and other animals such as the alligator.

Black folk tales, including the Trickster tales, were brought to the United States by Africans, who had been captured in their homeland and then brought to this new country where they were sold as slaves. They were separated and isolated from their people. They were not supposed to speak their own languages. They weren’t allowed to learn to read and write. They were compelled to do hard labor and were warned never to run away. Out of these dire circumstances arose a spirit that made life bearable. This was often expressed in the riddles and jokes made up and in the tales that were told. The stories were often an expression of the experiences which they underwent. In the introduction to her book The People Could Fly , Virginia Hamilton tells us that “the slaves created tales in which various animals—such as the rabbit, fox, bear, wolf, turtle or terrapin, snake, and possum—took on the characteristics of the people found in the new environment of the plantation. (p. x)” Brer or Bruh Rabbit became a favorite of the storytellers. He was “small and apparently helpless compared to the powerful bear, the wily fox, and the ferocious wolf. But the slaveteller made the rabbit smart, tricky, and clever, the winner over larger and stronger animals. Still, Bruh Rabbit sometimes got into trouble, just as the slaves did, which made him seem all the more human.” (p. x).

These tales were once a creative way for an oppressed people to express their fears and hopes to one another. They were created out of sorrow, but the stories transcended their environment and turned many an unbearable day into one of smiles, chuckles, and rollicking laughter.

One of the stories which I have chosen for this unit is the “Leaf Monster” which is told by Teresa Piojan de van Etten in her book Spanish-American Folktales, in which she has collected folk tales enjoyed by the Spanish-speaking people in the south-western area of the United States. There are more trickster tales in this book.

Coyote is the trickster in this story. He creates so much havoc in the village, by chasing the chickens, scaring the pigs, etc., that the village men decide to capture and cage him. In order to avoid this, Coyote offers to help the shoemaker by delivering some special shoes to the beekeeper’s daughter. He sets out and hears the beekeeper making his way down the path. He drops one shoe at a time and distracts the beekeeper. The beekeeper lays his container of honey down beside the road while he tries to locate the two shoes. Coyote steals the honey and eats it. A fly gets stuck to his honey-covered snout. He tries to shake off the fly but to no avail and so he rolls on the ground in an effort to get rid of it. Somehow, the fly escapes but meanwhile Coyote’s sticky fur is now matted with sticks, leaves, dirt, and other debris from off the ground. As he tries to escape this mess, he meets the men with the cage for him. The men see this monster, drop the cage, and run screaming in fear. Meanwhile, Coyote is very tired and goes to the river to get a drink and swim. The river assuages his thirst and washes off his excess baggage. When he comes out of the river, he finds the whole village looking for the monster and when they see that the monster is no one but coyote, they laugh and declare that they cannot take Coyote away because he makes them laugh.

The second story is from a Virginia Hamilton’s collection of Black folk tales and is entitled “Bruh Alligator Meets Trouble.” In this story Bruh Rabbit teaches naive Bruh Alligator what trouble is by playing a trick on him. The story also explains how the alligator got its skin looking the way it does and why it lives so close to the river.

~ YALE UNIVERSITY