Wild Children 4: Emily Carr

Notallchildrenwhogrow up inside a culture are completelyinfluencedbythat culture.

Someyoungpeoplefindthatthey are more interested in natureorthe culture
ofotherpeople at a veryyoungage.

Themostfamouspainter in Victoria'shistoryis Emily Carr. Shewasborn in 1871 and,

as a child, shediscoveredthatwalking in
thewoods appealed more to herthanplayingwithotherchildren.
Shediscoveredthatshewas more interested in roaming thestreetsofold Victoria
thanplaying at home withdolls and spendingher time brushingherhair and
puttingprettyribbons in it.

Emily was a chubby littlegirlwhospentmuchofherchildhood in Beacon Hill Park,

whichwasveryclosetoherfamily home. Drawing fascinated her, and
shealsolikedtoplaywiththeanimalsshekept as pets. Shehadducks and chickens, and
even domesticated a crow. In laterlifeshehadseveraldogs and a petmonkeytoo!
Sheoftenwanderedaroundthestreetsof Victoria and wasparticularlyinterested in
theFirstNationspeople and theChinesepeopleshesaw in Victoria's Chinatown. Their
culture and wayofdressingseemed so distinct fromherown.

At theageofsixteenshebegantostudydrawingseriously. Sheeventuallytravelledto San

Francisco and Paris tostudy art,
butalwaysreturnedtoherbelovedforestsofthePacificNorthwest in the Victoria area.

As shebecame a young, strong and independentwoman Emily begantogoonlonger

and longertripsintothe uncharted foreststopaint and drawwhatshesaw.
Shelovedthe free and simple lifestyleshesawtheFirstNationspeopleliving. In
thesummerof 1895 shewentonanexpeditionwithtwootherwomento explore
thewildernessalongtheCowichanRiverthatrunsthrough Duncan, justnorthof
Victoria.

Some time latershetravelled up thecoastbyboattovisit and

drawthenativevillagesalongtheway. Thisrequiredgreat daring and strength.
Thiswildernesswastruly wild; therewere no policeorCoastGuardifshegotintotrouble
- and no radio tocallforhelp.

TheFirstNationspeoplecalledher "Klee Wyck", whichmeans "LaughingOne", and

sheknew more abouttheirlifestyle and theforestsof B.C.
thananyotherEuropeanwoman. Whenyoulook at herpaintings, you
can sense theatmosphereofthesedark, mysteriousforests. Herpaintings are
nowveryfamous and, althoughthedarkcoloursmaynot be attractivetosomepeople,
they evoke thebeauty and mysteryofthedeepwoods and theskillof a greatartist.
Emily was a verybrave and independentwoman. Shewalkedforkilometer after
kilometerthroughthewoodsalone, eventhoughsheknewthatbears, cougars and
wolvesmight be heronlycompanions.

Showquestionsonebyone

1. "Appeal to" means:

A.   ?    callfor

B.   ?    interest

C.   ?    ask

2. "Roam" means:
A.   ?    clean

B.   ?    avoid

C.   ?    wander

3. "Chubby" probablymeans:
A.   ?    A littlefat

B.   ?    oftenafraid

C.   ?    beautiful

4. "Fascinate" means:
A.   ?    bore

B.   ?    annoy

C.   ?    interestgreatly

5. "Domesticate" probablymeans:
A.   ?    kill
 B.   ?    eat

C.   ?    tame

6. "Distinct" means:
A.   ?    different

B.   ?    similar to

C.   ?    free

7. "Uncharted" probablymeans:
A.   ?    dangerous

B.   ?    notincludedonmaps

C.   ?    well-known

8. "Daring" means:
A.   ?    assistance

B.   ?    bravery

C.   ?    paintingskill

9. "Sense" means:
A.   ?    feel

B.   ?    avoid

C.   ?    ignore

10."Evoke" means:
A.   ?    reason

B.   ?    discover

C.   ?    makeyoufeel