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Doug and Deb Pawis are pictured in their home near the Shawanagan Healing Centre. Doug is a Traditional Healer within the Ojibway Community and Deb is a musician who partners up with her aunt, Andrea Hansen to present STRINGS ACROSS THE SKY at the Festival of the Sound.(an annual musical event in Parry Sound).
I cycled down Louisa Street, stopping at THE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE on Bowes Street(my first time). I walked into the overwhelmingly warm feeling of creative musical instruction. Andrea Hansen, retired from TSO, has taken on volunteer violin instruction with her niece, Deb Messer-Jones Pawis, with the purpose of instilling a musical discipline and appreciation. The perfectly attentive children were harnessed well into Hansen’s spell.
“No chewing gum, clean hands….” One frisky boy said “It’s not gum, it’s an elastic band”.
Andrea managed to get him under control with her violin.
It was a Monday morning and orientation was taking place.
“A song is like a potato, it may be served up differently. There are different VARIATIONS. It could be a baked potato, fried or scalloped potato….so it is with a song. It may be a presented as a sad song , a happy song even a funny song….”..Then she proceeded to play Twinkle Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in various ways.
The 30 aboriginal students, with daily violin practice, would be presenting Amazing Grace at the Stockey Centre on July 20th, 2013.
They did so, in their uniform black T-Shirts, receiving a standing ovation from the packed house.
A footnote: Graham Campbell(viewed next to Deb) has helped in the production of STRINGS ACROSS THE SKY, as well as performing his own composition: “Stockey Centre Blues’ with his dad, director James Campbell, at the Festival of the Sound.
2012thislandisyourlandseatosea 
