Lens-Artists Challenge #295 – Rock Your World
Rocks carry the weight of the world without complaint. They’re like little history books holding memories.
Relationship with Rocks …From my album)
1. To the First Nations the Hopewell or Flower Pot Rocks, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick…. were slaves turned into stone by the angry whales and one time residents of Bay of Fundy. The slaves were fleeing their captors but before they could reach the beach the whales turned them into rock formations.
The “rocks as the bones of Mother Earth” were voices of “their ancestors carrying their histories of relationship with the water, land and beings”.
2. Another rock formation that intrigued us, initially, were the Inukshuks in various shapes and sizes. The word “inukshuk” means “in the likeness of a human.” The handiwork of the Inuit navigational symbols in the vast Artic landscape. They worked as GPS for location, food source or safety warning. The Inukshuk or Inuksuit were also used to herd and hunt caribou as women and children would chase the animals towards the rock piles where male hunters waited with bows and arrows. Inukshuks also served as markers of sacred areas or to commentate the loss of loved ones.blog post bay-of-fundy-magic-on-the-rocks
(The top two examples are from Google and the bottom two…one from a Toronto Park and the second from Columbia Icefields, Jasper, Alberta.. probably assembled by tourists or locals).
The most well-known inukshuk formations resemble large humans, referred to as inunnguaq.
3. Hoodoos of Drumheller, Alberta
Hoodoos or pillars of rock in the Badlands of Alberta (the stomping grounds of Dinosaurs), were styled and shaped by wind and water over millions of years. These pillar-like projections, between 5 to 150 feet high, of soft sandtone are protected by hard rock ‘caps’ that slow the process of complete disintegration. To the Blackfoot and Cree … the hoodoos come alive at night to protect the land by throwing stones at intruders.
Imagine the stone throwing by these imposing figures protecting their rocky landscape.
(DINO’S ON THE PROWL….DRUMHELLER )DINO’S ON THE PROWL….DRUMHELLER
4. A lore- wrapped projectile, the Lovers Rock or Yan Yuen-Suk (Hong Kong), is a 9 meter high granite monolith hidden by dense foliage and decked in colorful buntings, lotus flowers and vermillion paints. This pillar is supposedly infused with the power of bequeathing happy marriages to unmarried women especially if they worship it during the Maiden’s Day Festival in mid-August. My friend, who was still single then, insisted that we inspect the Rock, and curiosity over-riding our judgement, we followed the Bowen Road fitness trail, up a zigzag staircase, past coloured shrines, an ancient rock temple and there stood the Lover’s Rock. (This was in 2012 so I don’t know if my friend was guided by the luck vibes).
In addition to the Lover’s Rock, this is a vantage point for hikers as on a clear day, one can see crowded Wanchai, the Happy Valley Race course area and all the way to Victoria Harbour and across to Kowloon.
Folklore: According to the Wikipedia, a tragic love story gave rise to the Lovers’ rock becoming the augury for love. A Japanese soldier fell in love with a local woman during WWII and since their love was forbidden they opted to commit suicide at the same spot. They turned into a Rock and subsequently this Rock appeared in the dreams of local women. The women were told that if they offered prayers at the Rock their wishes for love will come true. It thus became the urban legend that we know today.
Closing with this endearing image of a Chipmunk hiding in the rocks on way to Mount Edith Cavell trail in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.
Travtrails 
18 responses to “Rock-ing Memories”
Oh, that sweet chipmunk to send us on our way was delightful.
I love your quote about rocks being like little history books. So true! Every one from a mountain to a pebble has a story to tell. Loved your first story about flowerpot rocks, and ” inukshuk” was a new word for me. Interesting. And your should call your friend to see if she had any luck with Lovers Rock. A unique look this week at rocking YOUR world! Thank you.
Met friend in 2019 in HK… no luck
Indra, this was such an informative piece with beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing that. I liked the quote about rocks being Mother Earth’s bones. Very interesting!
Thank you
Fascinating selections. Love that chipmunk. He’s saying ‘Rocks r’ my World! I can hide where you can’t!’
😊
A very creative and unique post Indra! I must say the Lovers’ Rock is one bizarre looking thing! Now of course we all want to know if you friend is married but I see you lost track of her. Bummer! Loved the inukshuks, never heard of them so that’s a new one on me! Very cool.
Thank you
It takes all kinds of rocks to make a world…
It sure does
That is a wonderful take on! Beautiful images and information.
Thank you
I love those little towers of rocks. And nature’s towers of rocks too. I have never seen a chipmunk irl but he is totally endearing!
What a tale about the lovers rock entering the dreams of locals!
Oh, Travtrails, you’ve indeed mastered the art of turning stones into storytellers! Your rocks may not roll, but they certainly gather no moss in weaving tales across time and continents. Keep rocking the narratives!
Rocks are rocks … it is the narratives that give structure to them
We arte in agreement
Lovelyyy
Thank you