The theory stuff at school seems to be over, the last days are dedicated to pure “interpretation training”. The six principles of Freeman Tilden are kind of the holy grail for interpretation in the NPS, if not overall for interpreters. I really wonder if there is a basic translation into German available for this (“tour guide” or “outdoor guide” doesn’t really fit and I don’t really like the translation “Natur- und Kulturinterpretation”), and if things are done similarly in continental europe or non-English speaking Europe.
Beck and Cable’s more modern version will be, we understand, given to those of us who sit through the entire three-day deep-dive interpretation session. Ted Cable himself was invited to present, but honestly, I don’t think these were the most moving or interesting sessions, but it was really the interpretive examples and hands-on stuff from our HAVO Park Rangers themselves (most of them have a long history in the NPS and can recall examples from anywhere in the US!). And boy, do the “Youngster in Park” kids, that do this as a paid summer job, know a lot about their backgrounds and heritage, I am really embarrassed. If people asked me about local fishing tradition in Lake Constance and how they made good rope 500 years ago, or what the sugar trade meant between the Swiss and German side of the lake or why the railway is running where it currently is running and not to another place, I would be scratching my head and feel sooo lost.
We had our last hike through Halema’uma’u Crater today, 400 feet down and scrambling back up in quite a heat – summer seems to have come to Pele, too. While the demonstration of the Park Ranger was sometimes a bit too cheesy and over the top, the content and topics were really good and important and I have scribbled many notes on the back of the trail guide that I took with me. The “holistic” part and the general guiding theme really were outstanding, and going from Pele and the fighting with her sister to ‘Ohi’a lehua tree and the meaning connected to Pele to catastrophic land changes, invasive species and their problems and how they affect the landscape to earthquakes, landslides and climate change and even to Mars and back in all one short “journey in time” hike was really cool. Well well, high expectations to stand up to, I assume.
Tomorrow I will have to get my uniform at seven, so off to bed now. Oh, wait. The eye flash, I forgot about that one. Always make brief eye contact when dealing with newcomers at the visitors center. You can be sure to get the longest live of people queuing just for your advice! Small things seem to make the difference.
Interpretive Hike - Park Ranger in Action