Cross-Canada Art Seeking Journey

Around this time last year, I was still on the road. Time really flies - and now it’s Indigenous Peoples Day again. It’s also almost been a year since I completed my cross-Canada journey to explore Indigenous art and culture.

The original intention behind this journey was to deeply learn about Indigenous craftsmanship and cultural expression in Canada—and to explore meaningful connections between Indigenous cultures in Canada and China.

So, here’s a little reflection on my solo trip: one person, one car, three cameras, over 20,000 kilometers, and countless beautiful encounters with artists, elders, and kindred spirits.

To experience life more freely (and economically!), I car-camped and stayed in national parks, which redefined for me what freedom truly means—and allowed deeper connection with both people and place. From language barriers and rejections at the start to unexpectedly co-creating art with local artists I met on the road, the journey was full of twists, magic, and growth.

The trip unfolded in two parts:

• Part 1: Toronto → East Coast (Quebec, New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia) — 2 months
  

• Part 2: Toronto → West Coast (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia) — another 2 months
  
  

In Quebec, I met Jason, CEO of Bastien Moccasins—the last handmade moccasin factory still operating on a reserve in Canada, with over 100 years of history.
Then came Cathy, a stone painting artist who welcomed me warmly and even invited me to join her family camping trip.
Through Tara, I connected with a vibrant community of East Coast Indigenous artists and learned about ash basket weaving, wood mask carving, shell and silver jewelry, and Indigenous pottery.

On my West Coast leg, I crossed the heart of Canada and met textile artist Claire and her mother Coral, a renowned sash weaver. I interviewed the last Nuu-chah-nulth grass basket weaver in a small Vancouver Island village and also learned from a local totem pole carver. The journey concluded with a powerful interview with Jennie Krauchi - the matriarch behind the revival of Métis beadwork.

From struggling to land my first interview to eventually speaking with more than 20 Indigenous makers and local artists, this trip transformed me. I’m endlessly grateful for every encounter, every story shared, and all the love and support from friends and family. Though I traveled alone, I never felt alone—because I carried so many of you with me in spirit.

Though I’m now back to my usual daily life, I know I’ve changed. This journey sparked a deep, lasting transformation. I now carry a sense of calm, trust, and openness to the unknown. Trust the universe. Embrace the unknown.

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去年的这个时候，我还在路上。时光飞逝，转眼又到了一年一度的土著文化日。距离我完成那场“跨加寻艺”的旅程，也快整整一年了。感恩这一路上遇到的每一位人、每一件事。

这次旅程的初心，是想深入了解加拿大土著文化与手工艺，也希望在中国与加拿大本土文化之间，找到一些共通之处。

一个人、一辆车、三台相机、两万公里，一场与灵魂碰撞的奇妙旅程，就这样开始了。

为了更自由地体验生活，也为了节省成本，我尝试了全程car camping和国家公园露营。那种在自然中醒来的日子，彻底重塑了我对“自由”的理解，也让我和当地文化与朋友建立了深刻的连接。从一开始语言不通、采访屡屡碰壁，到后来与艺术家偶遇、共同露营、共创作品，这段路途充满了惊喜与感动。

整个旅程分为两个阶段：

• 第一段从多伦多出发，前往加拿大东海岸，途经魁北克、新不伦瑞克、爱德华王子岛、新斯科舍省，为期两个月。
  
  

• 第二段从多伦多再出发，穿越曼尼托巴、萨省、阿尔伯塔，一路到达不列颠哥伦比亚和温哥华岛，也为期两个月。
  
  

在魁北克，我遇见了第一个接受我采访的艺术人——Bastien Moccasins 的 CEO Jason。那是加拿大保留地上仅存的一家手工鹿皮鞋工厂，已有百年历史。后来又遇到了热情洋溢的石头画艺术家Cathy，不仅接受了采访，还邀请我和她家人一起露营。

通过Tara，我有幸结识了一群东海岸的土著艺术家，深入了解了白蜡木编织、木雕面具、贝壳雕刻、陶艺与银器手工艺。

往西行途中，我认识了纺织艺术家Claire和她的母亲Coral——一位传奇的sash编织师。我采访了生活在温哥华岛的最后一位会编织Nuu-chah-nulth草篮的老艺人，也结识了当地的图腾柱雕刻师。旅程的最后，我采访了Métis珠绣复兴的灵魂人物Jennie Krauchi，为这段旅程画上圆满的句号。

从一开始四处碰壁，到最终采访了20多位加拿大本土手艺人，这段旅程带给我的收获无法用语言尽述。感谢每一次奇遇、每一位愿意与我分享的人，也感谢一路默默支持我的亲友。虽然我是一个人上路，但我一直觉得，有一群人在精神上与我同行。

虽然旅程早已结束，生活也回到了原本的轨道，但我知道自己已不再是从前的我。这是一次由内而外的蜕变。我开始真正相信宇宙，相信生命的流动，内心充满平静与勇气，去迎接未知的可能。