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From the editor Cavemen at the keyboards One of the greatest benefits of art is that it can introduce us t o ourselves. The h u m a n m i n d is like an iceberg, a n d most of t h e time w e just k n o w about the part a b o v e t h e surface. W e drive cars a n d talk o n cell phones a n d never realize there's a lot more g o i n g on inside us t h a n w e ' r e a w a r e of. Then s u d denly a painting or a piece of music t h r o w s light into the depths. Even if w e can't see clearly, at least w e k n o w there's s o m e t h i n g there. W e ' r e pretty sophisticated in t h e tools w e ' v e devised, especially for t h e e x c h a n g e of i n f o r m a t i o n . But that sophistication is just paper-thin. B e n e a t h it lie instincts a n d responses acquired over aeons of e v o l u t i o n . The figure sitting at t h e keyboard is still a c a v e m a n inside. This is a great blessing, because it s h o w s w e have n o t lost t o u c h w i t h t h e natural w o r l d a n d its processes after a l l . Take o u r response t o myths. O u r ability to find personal m e a n i n g in these ancient stories seems hard-wired into us. Myths address situations a n d problems that must have existed since consciousness a p p e a r e d . W h e n they touch us a n d w e suddenly sense their m e a n i n g , w e feel the same g l o w of understanding that their first listeners felt thousands of years a g o . In t h e context of h u m a n d e v e l o p m e n t , the ability t o respond t o language is relatively new. Forty t h o u s a n d years a g o w a r n ing grunts evolved into different shouts denoting specific dangers. A l m o s t certainly these sounds h a d a rhythmic quality, m i m icking t h e s o u n d of an a p p r o a c h i n g p r e d a tor. (There's a case to be made that poetry w a s t h e first form of language.) Rhythm lies at the very deepest level of our minds, the level at w h i c h the individual dissolves into the universal a n d the universal f l o w s into the i n d i v i d u a l . The pulsing of our mother's heartbeat is t h e first t h i n g w e are aware of. It always has been, since t h e first flickering d a w n of consciousness. Hence the almost irresistible p o w e r of rhythm as a w a y of celebrating, of c o m i n g together. The title of the cover story is Traces. That could be the title of t h e w h o l e issue, because there are stories in these pages that touch o n the deepest a n d oldest of our b e i n g . Enjoy t h e m ! levels Michael Boxall artsalivc@telus. net Simply Captivating Kids Crafts! I Captivating Kids Crafts First S a t u r d a y o f E v e r y I N o o n - 4 p m in f r o n t o f Month Lewiscraft Capilano Mall and Lewiscraft are pleased to offer FREE Kids Crafts. Your little ones will be captivated by the artistic fun and our great projects are sure to keep t h e m busy! Join us for simply great craft fun... the first Saturday of 935 M a r i n e Drive, North C u s t o m e r Service: 2 May | June Vancouver each m o n t h ! C a p U a n O ^ M a l l 604-980-8561