On Monday August 6, 2012 (Canada Heritage Day) Larkycanuck Productions officially launched the White Hat Project in the City of Calgary, Alberta.
Photo Credit: Smithbilt Hats – The Official Hat maker for City of Calgary and Tourism Calgary
The iconic white hat symbolizes the spirit of the new west (viz. the City of Calgary) and its entrepreneurial cred and warm hospitality. For over 60 years, Calgarians have welcomed visitors officially by presenting them with white hats. You can read more on the heritage and history of the white hat directly on the official hat maker’s page.
Recognizing the enduring symbolism of the iconic white hat and the importance of the continued preservation of the City’s cultural heritage among its own residents and also with people around the world, Larkycanuck Projects developed the White Hat Project in late 2011.
The Project mission is:
To deliver an official white hat to a person of unique disposition in life || during the personal travels of the Larkycanuck Productions team members || for the purpose of || exchanging the hat with an item of personal value to the recipient || establishing a first point of friendship || and creating awareness of the heritage of the new west
The concept is a modern play on the historical custom of the early pioneers of a gift exchange with a local leader, establishing first point of contact with local community and sharing their own cultural legacy with the local populace.
The first such exchange took place on New Years Eve 2012 in the local Siona Community within the deep Amazon jungle in Ecuador. The hat was delivered to a local Shaman (spiritual healer and community leader) and exchanged for the Shaman’s personal prayer bead (considered extremely sacred and only parted to an heir of Shaman’s choosing). You can read more on this on a post here [A Walk on the Amazon River (Day 3 of 5)]
Hat exchange
The second exchange took place on September 22, 2012 on the Meditteranean Sea on board the Norwegian Epic. The Hat was given to Captain Sverre Sovdsnes of the NCL Epic. Check out the entire story at Travel Adventures | White Hat Project on NCL EPIC’s Captain
Ship’s Captain Sverre Sovdsnes exchanging the model ship as part of culture exchange
Related articles:
- What the 100-year-old Calgary Stampede means to Canada (theglobeandmail.com)
- Yahoo! Calgary streets full of cowboy boots, hats as Stampede kicks off (theprovince.com)
- Iconic white-hat maker honoured with plaque (calgaryherald.com)
- Iconic white-hat maker honoured with plaque (calgaryherald.com)
So who will be your next white hat recepient?
Hi Dave
well watch for this update. Its a surprise. A clue is a floating paradise.