Recently, a handful of us at Tellwell made a day trip out to the Detroit Lakes area to partake in a day of troll hunting. While this may just sound like a fun way to spend a Friday (which it was), there was a deeper meaning behind these trolls and why we see ourselves in them.
Trolls, you say?
If you are unaware, let’s give you the context. Thomas Dambo is a Danish recycling artist with the mission to “waste no more.” He uses recycled materials many would view as trash to create beautiful sculptures, most famously his trolls. With art in over 20 countries across 5 continents, his art’s popularity has grown over the years.
This summer, Dambo made a visit to the lakes country of Minnesota and created the largest installation of trolls in the United States, named “Alexa’s Elixir.” Each troll is unique and has its own story, which brings even more life to the materials once seen as trash.
On the hunt
In the Detroit Lakes area, there are five trolls and one hidden rabbit, which is the finale to the hunt. Along the way, you must gather symbols that are represented on each troll to spell out the location of the rabbit. With this in mind, the group started out the morning along the shores of Detroit Lake at our first friend: Alexa.
Alexa
Alexa is the starting point for all troll hunting journeys, as she holds an oversized wooden book describing the path that lies ahead.
Alexa is described as the wise old traveling brewer of potions. In her story, Alexa needs our help to create an elixir that will save the people of a small village from the greedy Golden Rabbit.
There are several “ingredients” you must gather along the way to create this elixir, which ultimately leads you to the golden rabbit. With our directions clear and our intentions set, we left for our next troll: Ronny Funny Face.
Ronny Funny Face
We found ourselves walking along the shores of another lake while on the hunt for Ronny. Tucked behind a tree up a short path, we found him!
Ronny is meant to remind those who visit him to let loose, have a fun time, and not be afraid to smile. We felt his infectious attitude and silly expression and decided to join in on the fun. With two trolls down, we were off to find the next: Jacob Everear.
Jacob Everear
Jacob Everear brought us to the beautiful prairies of the area, taking us on a lovely walk through the fields deep into the woods.
When we found Jacob, he fit right in with the Tellwell crew. Here is his story:
“Trolls have been telling stories since the beginning of time, and Jacob had heard them all. He didn’t have a lot of his own stories, but would just sit around the campfire and listen to the other trolls speak of things big or small. Over time, his ears grew bigger and bigger, so he could hear even the small human voices! Now he can listen to human stories too! He awaits patiently under a tree, for the next humans to come by and tell him a story – big or small. His gift to Alexa’s Elixir is the power of patience and listening.”
As storytellers ourselves, we related to his story. We are passionate about listening to the stories of those within our community, within our world, and within our own four walls. And with listening, comes telling. We believe story is the most important way to share your brand, cause, and mission.
Because he loves to listen, we climbed up to Jacob and told him a story, and wow is he a good listener! With those big ears, there is nothing he loves more. And with that, Jacob became an honorary Tellwellian and we went on our way to the next troll: Barefoot Frida.
Barefoot Frida
Barefoot Frida is described as an outdoorsy type that enjoys building small yet fun challenges for those who visit her, which explains the trek to find her!
The trail to find Frida was a bit more adventurous, bringing us up and down hills, through the woods, and even having to hop along the path of rocks that goes through the creek. As outdoorsy people ourselves, we were up for the challenge. And with this, we were one step closer in our journey. Next stop: Long Leif.
Long Leif
Long Leif is said to have learned the secret of growth from the trees that surround him, which makes him the tallest of all the trolls we visited at a staggering 36 feet!
Long Leif can be found along the hiking trails of Detroit Mountain, who happens to be one of our Story Makers. We explored the beautiful trails Detroit Mountain has to offer and savored the last bit of summer weather.
With our journey slowly reaching an end, we had run out of trolls to find. The last stop on our journey? The Golden Rabbit.
The Golden Rabbit
With the location of the Golden Rabbit a secret, we were set to crack the code.
We went off on our adventure to find the rabbit, following even more of the beautiful Detroit Mountain trails. Without spoiling the location, we finally reached the end of our journey!
To reach the Golden Rabbit, we had to go through the woods, over hills, through valleys, and much more before arriving. We would call this troll hunt a success!
Our adventure continued
With the hunt bringing us to Detroit Mountain, the team decided what better time to explore the mountain biking trails! With a mix of mountain bike aficionados and a few first-timers, we had a great time making our way through the woods together as a team.
Our troll hunting takeaways
Our day filled with troll hunting, mountain biking, and team bonding taught us a lot.
We learned that these trolls have independent personalities, much like our teammates, our Story Tellers, and our Story Makers. Our job is to hunt for the meaning in each person, brand, and organization we work with to elevate their stories within our communities.
We learned that finding the pieces of the puzzle together as a team will ultimately lead to achieving your end goal. In this case, our end goal was to hunt down the Golden Rabbit. In our day to day work, our goal is to help brands and causes connect with their audience through story-based design and film. It’s all about putting the pieces together to create the best end product.
We learned how important it is to have team bonding activities outside of work. Being able to let loose and grow closer is beyond meaningful and will create a closer team that will, in the end, create the best work environment for everyone.
We learned that the addition of these trolls to the Detroit Lakes area is so valuable, we highly recommend everyone hosts a troll hunting day. Whether it be a solo mission, a fun friend afternoon, or a full team adventure, get out there and have some fun in Lakes Country!
To learn more about the Trolls in D.L. and Detroit Mountain, click the attached links!
