Canadian Pavilion and Inuksuk
An Inuksuk, a great stone sculpture in the tradition of the Arctic Inuits, was installed in the International Zone by the Canadian Pavilion Group in 2009. It is seen as a metaphor for humanity looking to find its way towards a new consciousness.
Right now, rather than having a building that requires ongoing financial support to cover its maintenance, the group aspires to have the Canadian Pavilion be a focus for cultural activities such as student exchanges.
“Someone was here”
“You are on the right path”
To reaffirm Canada 's participation in Auroville's development, AVI Canada along with Aurovilians born in Canada have created in the International zone, a granite monument inspired by the “Inuksuks” of the “Inuit” of Canada.
For this special occasion, a message of peace and unity from William Commanda, one of the great spiritual leaders of the first nations of turtle island (North America), was read.
A traditional ceremony to celebrate with us the wisdom of the first people of America was performed.
“Inuksuks (the actual plural is inuksuit) are stone figures created by the first inhabitants of the Canadian north, the Inuit.
The Inuit have lived in the areas now called Canada, Alaska, and Greenland for thousands of years and inuksuit can be found in all these regions. The word “inuksuk” is an Inuktitut word meaning “to act in the capacity of a human” and comes from the word “inuk” which can be translated as “human being”.” The rock Inuksuk embodies the spirit and persistence of the Inuit who live and flourish in Northern Canada, one of the world's harshest environments.
“Symbolic of the act of an unselfish nomadic people, they were built by the Inuit as guideposts to make the way easier and safer for those who followed.”
In New York, one reads under the beautiful Inuksuk of the United Nations: “These stones figures, silhouetted against the horizon, welcome and guide the traveler on his or her journey…
In this time of accelerating global change, the Inuksuk could take on a meaning far beyond its use in the Arctic regions, becoming a metaphor for all humanity looking to find its way.”
The Canadian Aurovilian Inuksuk is turned towards the soul of Auroville and the light of the rising sun.
“Venu du fonds des âges, l'Inuksuk marche
en quête d'une nouvelle conscience pour l'humanité.”
Andrée and Christian F. / AVI Canada
Japanese PavilionThe Country of Beauty
For the Japanese Pavilion a model design was created already in 1968 by Antonin Raymond from his studio/workshop in Japan. The Japanese Pavilion Group is in contact with the firm in Japan to see how to move forward with this concept today. The Group also supports a range of activities such as Tea Ceremony, Japanese language class, Ikebana class, calligraphy class, martial arts class, art exhibitions and Japanese dinner evenings.
Italian PavilionPadiglione Italiano
The Italian community in Auroville, with its some 170 members, is the 4th in quantity, after Indians, the French and Germans.
Italy's geographical form itself suggests the idea of a bridge: in the shape of a big boot walking across the Mediterranean Sea (the “Mare Nostrum = Our Sea” for the Romans), it appears to be reaching out from Europe to Africa, from the East to the West, from the North to the South of the planet.
Pavilion of Tibetan CultureExpressing the Soul of Tibet
Located in the International Zone adjoining the Bharat Nivas complex, the Pavilion of Tibetan Culture was completed in January 2009. For 20 years, the Pavilion has been a major host of Auroville’s activities, such as lectures, workshops, art exhibitions, cultural events, Tibetan festivals, student exchanges, vocational training and Tibetan medicine consultations, as well as an annual Light Mandala on New Year’s Eve.
For more info or appointments with the Tibetan doctor, contact Kalsang Dolma, and Claude Arpi Coordinators of the Pavilion of Tibetan Culture.