Tattoo, a life-sized horse statue, was viciously attacked as he stood grazing in Langley’s Brookswood Park. Put back together by volunteers, vandals preyed upon him again and this time, he succumbed to his injuries.
Artist Marilyn Dyer-Seidel, Tattoo’s creator, realized the source of these criminal attacks was bullying. Using her artistic ability, she illustrated the damage wreaked on Tattoo and wrote the story of his plight. The book has had province-wide attention by government and school boards. It has reinforced powerful statements about bullying.
“Tattoo addresses an ugly and very disturbing problem in modern society,” said Mari. “I wanted to start a conversation between children, their parents, and the community about bullying.”
Bullying has been identified among school-aged children and young adults as having the potential to lead to serious, lasting problems for kids who are bullied and those who bully others. Whether in person or over the internet, this unwanted, aggressive behaviour can be so damaging as to lead to loss of life.
What Tattoo, the painted horse, has taught us about bullying is the topic of Mari’s discussion this Saturday, April 25, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the White Rock Community Centre. The public is invited to attend the presentation, hosted by CFUW White Rock/Surrey Club.
More information about the Tattoo Anti-Bullying project is available at this website: http://www.brookswoodvillage.com/tattoothehorse.html