parade of life

Paula Jardine

 

Parade of Lost Souls

Parade of the Lost Souls, in east Vancouver, was a public dreams event that addressed my own personal need for my children to understand the deeper traditions around hallowe’en. The depth of meaning that time of year holds for so many cultures underscores our beautiful human habit of reinforcing our connections to nature through art and celebration.

First called The Party of the Lost Souls, it was an annual Commercial Drive neighbourhood celebration to honour the dead, wake the living, and chase away bad luck. A journey through the streets and alleys, the colourful procession was based on the Russian folktale “Vasilisa’s Journey”, about a young girl’s triumph over fear in search of wisdom.