I am Algonquin from the Timiskaming First Nation in North Western Quebec. In the creation of Many Beings I demonstrated my process of carving to the youth at Take A Hike Vancouver and it was an inspirational experience. Through out the process I taught TAH youth how to connect with the tree during the various stages of development. It was a great challenge for me to share and communicate what had previously been an individual understanding. Many Beings represents community, family, tradition and leadership. Many Beings is reflective of how communities connect objects to recognizable beings. Through incorporating our emotional, spiritual, physical and intellectual parts of being objects are given life. Many Beings was already in existence before we started; but unrecognizable before the process of sharing space, time, discussion and action. I named this sculpture after observing the presence of many animal and human beings inside a singular representative body. Recognition of this objects creation can be attributed to my contributions, but it took the collective support and action of a community to development a consciousness of its presence. I always search for the meaning inside each lesson gifted to me by the Great Spirit. Characteristically we remain individual but through the collective action of community we share in a singular body of beauty, Mother Earth.