Victoria, BC
When I was in Columbus Ohio the other week it was my great pleasure to work with Silas Lusias from Kufunda village in Zimbabwe and a young woman from Columbus, Sam Werner. Sam spent nearly three months in Kufunda last year, and the story of her trip there was recently published in a local Columbus paper. Worth a read to see what these two people have been up to.
Campbell River BC
Constantly on the road these days. Just did a weekend strategic planning session with the VIATT Board – a very interesting session. We are at the point in our planning where we are developing the structures that will govern this system once we begin to assume full authority next year. This is a tricky set of questions, involving money, leadership, turf and control as we try to find the best structure that will run the system in line with deep community values. And so as we confront this moment, the Board decided to have a strategic planning session to get some insight on which direction we need to go in. However, wise as they are, instead of just inviting themselves to crack the question, each Board member brought two or three guests with them: family members, friends, associates, all of whom are like eagles themselves to each Board member. As a result we had forty people here, all devoted to suported their friends and loved ones in doing this work. The circle of eagles has been called.
We began with some appreciative inquiry into organizational systems that work, following on from the story of VIATT’s emergence and development over the past five years. Then we went into a World Cafe on the subject of what VIATT should be doing, once the Authority becomes a full fledged thing, next year. Finally, we ended with a more or less full day of Open Space during which we talked about the relationships we need to build and strengthen.
It was a rich session, and there is much deep content emerging.
Today, I am back up in the north Island and heading out with mates to the wild west coast. We’re visiting three communities way off the grid tomorrow, one of which, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h, is boat access only. I’ll post photos and thoughts when I’m back near a web connection.
You know how it is when you are so busy that you don’t have time to even think about your blog much less compose an erudite post about everything you are learning?
That’s me right now. But here’s a bit of what I have been doing and some things I’m thinking about:
All of this is rich and fresh and finding the time to sit and reflect is hard. But if these inquiries interest you, drop a comment in the box and let’s get started on the conversations. What questions are alive for you with respect to the above?
At the Council of Hosts gathering I helped co-convene last November, friends Thomas Arthur and Ashley Cooper gifted us with the most beautiful harvest I have ever seen. Visit the new World Cafe blog to view this short film that says more about our work together with images and music than any written report could ever have done.
And this is a lovely tribute to our friend Finn Voldtofte, who was at this gathering, his last conference, and who held space for us to be better and deeper and more clear at ever turn. Finn’s voice is the only one on the film.
