WHAT A CRUEL WORLD .... by Gehan Sabry "that takes away one who has made such a significant contribution to the welfare of others".. I spoke with Sobhy El Ganzoury several times over the phone in the past three years, but only met him on November 19,1991; he received me with all the courtesy and hospitality of a true Egyptian, and I immediately sensed a very 'human' and sincere person. Within five minutes we were talking as though we had been good friends for years. His pride and joy in life was his 10 year old daughter Andrea (Mona), and he was very fond of his elder brother Kamal, on whom he kept an album of photographs and newspaper clippings.

I wanted to write about the man who arrived in Kitchener in 1969 as an architectural engineering student and steadily worked his way from part time jobs at the Walper Terrace to actually owning the hotel. He modestly and quietly pointed out that he usually does not seek publicity, but that we could meet upon his return from Florida where he was joining his wife and daughter for a short vacation ... so you can imagine my shock when I learnt that he was killed in a car crash just two weeks later ... and it became increasingly painful as I discovered more about that exceptional person from his friends, employees (who were his extended family), and business acquaintances, ... as a tribute to his memory I shall attempt to share what those teary eyed people told me about him ...

Everyone agreed he had many rare and wonderful qualities, and some had incidents to tell; he was extremely generous and benevolent, kind, warm, caring, friendly, compassionate, soft hearted, courteous, reliable, forgiving, ..... HUMAN.

"In his youth, back in Egypt he had been the local Volleyball champion, he was quite a personality, very popular.. we went to the same high school, then attended the same university. His family are all extremely kind and decent people. He accommodated my wife and I for one and a half months in his home, when we first arrived here, and his wife is a sweet lady. If ever we had a special Egyptian meal he would come over and spend the day with us, my kids loved him. He was such a likeable person. I still don't believe he's gone !"

"He was a very successful business man, and had many friends all over Canada and the U.S.A., always willing to share his time to help others, we lost a good friend. He was very honest and straightforward, his word was as good as, if not better than, a signed document. There's a saying that the good ones go first". Another person described him as a flower that shares its beauty and scent, yet dies quickly.

"He was very reliable, you just knew you can call him up and count on his support".

"He was a symbol of faithful friendship, very gallant and noble, and he was simplicity itself".

"Once we dined at his hotel in Fort Erie, at the end he called the chef and very generously tipped him, I said: you're treating him as though you're a client, he explained: it's not his fault we don't get to pay the bill, that man did a good job, and he deserves appreciation!" "He never spoke to anyone about anyone else, or boasted about his good deeds. Once I introduced a person who needed a job to him .. Sobhy made a mental note of it, and never mentioned him again. I only found out when that person came to thank me !"

"You just need to see the people who work with him, how long they've been with him, their loyalty; he cherished and knew most of them since his part time job days. He never treated them as a boss, and never allowed his increasing wealth to get to his head."

"He always treated us as if we were a part of his family, and felt responsible for every one of us".

"He would go out of his way to assist anyone who needed him, was very caring and good to his employees, and much respected by them, he never upset anyone. He will be missed very much at the hotel".

"He had a unique way of resolving internal arguments, he would gather everyone in a family circle and discuss the situation until all were happy again."

"He was the kind of person who not only planned, but he talked and shared his plans and participated in what he thought could lead to the betterment of the community. He has offered something human to the hospitality industry. We will all miss him".

"People of all kinds benefited from him financially, large amounts of money - in excess of $5,000 - were given to people he knew and people he didn't know. He provided jobs for them, he helped them out and made necessary contacts to assist them ... as recently as the day before he left to go to Florida, he donated all his apartment furniture to a family that didn't have anything, and when offered money, he would only take a token gesture. Few people were like him".

"It is ironical that he was in the process of reducing his work responsibilities so he could spend more time with his daughter and wife !"

"He was very benevolent, and it didn't matter if you were Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, he helped you".

"I am extremely honoured to have been able to call him friend. There are very few people who can cross the cultural barriers, who can comfortably associate with people of all nationalities, religious affiliations and financial positions, Sobhy Mohamed ElGanzoury was able to do that with ease and sincerity."  MENNONITE IDENTITY

by Rod J. Sawatsky This article is excerpted from an essay on Mennonite Identity in "Mennonite World Handbook" 1990 - by permission of the author: Dr. Rod J.Sawatsky - Ph.D. in history, president of Conrad Grebel College, University of Waterloo.

Who are the Mennonites? What does it mean to be a Mennonite? These are questions repeatedly asked both inside and outside the Mennonite community.

Mennonites are first and foremost Christians, even "radical" Christians. The Mennonite movement began with the sixteenth-century Anabaptists, who insisted that the main-line reformers such as the Lutherans, Calvinists and Anglicans were not radical enough. Because their radicalism was based on following Jesus challenged both church and state, especially the union of church and state, the Anabaptists experienced extreme persecution.

Although these earliest Mennonites shared common commitments and emphases, they were not united around a common leader. Menno Simons gained considerable authority in northern Europe for some time, but his leadership was not accepted by nearly all, although attempts were made to gain unity around other writings. Neither did the Anabaptists accept any other authority besides the Bible. The tendency to divide into sub- groupings, or at least not to unite - a characteristic of much of Mennonite history - is, accordingly, rooted in its Anabaptist origins. Differences on detail as to what it means to be faithful have divided the Mennonite community and added complexity to defining Mennonite identity.

"Mennonite" is ambiguous in definition for several other basic reasons. Again dating back to its beginnings, the Mennonite tradition embraces an inherent tension between sectarian separation from the world and missionary responsibility to the world. Some of the many Mennonite subdivisions emphasize one or the other of these two, while other Mennonite groups seek a synthesis of them.

Accordingly, the term Mennonite identifies those strictly separatist groups known for their rejection of modern culture including, for some, modern technology. These are the most visible Mennonites, and hence they influence the understanding of "Mennonite" by the general public out of all proportion of their numbers. In fact, sociologists frequently look to them as archetypical sectarians. By contrast, "Mennonite" also identifies adjectivally a number of denominations identified less by their separatism than by their active involvement worldwide alongside many other Christian denominations in education, publishing, mission, and service. Almost innumerable institutions and organizations labelled Mennonite pursue this denominational agenda. The vast majority of Mennonites are of this less separatist and more activist persuasion, yet the former create the more identifiable public image.

"Mennonite" is also ambiguous because it has both ethnic and religious connotations. The quest to nurture their vision of the true church in peace and quiet and to separate themselves from a hostile and evil world has encouraged Mennonites over the centuries to pursue a strategy of relative ideological and geographical withdrawal. Assisted by the practice of marrying within the group and other mechanisms of boundary maintenance, the Mennonites over time developed a sense of being a unique people - even an ethnic group. The fact that frequent migrations, undertaken either voluntarily or under pressure, had robbed them of a national identity further assisted this process of creating a Mennonite ethnicity. Although the ethnicity was based on religious rather than racial or national distinctives, that Mennonite has had, at least until quite recently, both religious and ethnic meanings, particularly in Russia and in North and South America, cannot be denied.

Mennonite ethnicity is, however, not uniform. In the past Mennonites divided essentially into two ethnic groupings - the Swiss/South German/Pennsylvanian and the Dutch/North German/Russian - each with various sub- groupings. Prior to the twentieth century at least two ethnic traditions of Mennonite language, custom, dress, art, food, etc., are identifiable. For various historical reasons, however, in North America the Dutch tradition became the more ethnic while the Swiss remained the more sectarian. But the process of acculturation, especially in the twentieth century, is rapidly transforming both traditional Mennonite ethnicity and sectarianism. Additionally, numerous other ethnicities now share the name Mennonite, with the result that "Mennonite" is increasingly becoming ethnically heterogeneous. If present growth pattern persist, the original two European ethnicities will before long be minorities in the larger Mennonite family.  AN ONTARIO-BORN CANADIAN

by Patricia Bush

Like most people in Canada my culture is derived from lands across the ocean. The difference with me is that according to research into my family history, I am several generations removed from these roots. Members of my father's mother's family have been traced back to the 1700's and my paternal great-great grandfather David was born on a ship somewhere in the Atlantic in the year 1818. As far as we can tell he was of French descent. The family name was changed from Boucher to Bush when the family converted to Protestantism, and it seems that they were of Huguenot background from the area around Alsace-Lorraine. My father's ancestors who were born here in Ontario, were farmers or workers in the lumbering industry who settled around the southern shores of Georgian Bay.

My mother's family has also lived in North America for several generations. Her paternal grandmother moved to Canada from the United States sometime in the 1800's. Her grandfather's parents emigrated from Dumfries, Scotland during the 1850's and settled in Quebec, where my great grandfather was born in 1862. The family moved to Ontario in 1895 and have lived in the city of Hamilton since that time. My great grandmother on my mother's side emigrated to Canada from Newcastle-on- Tyne, England in 1910. I have a "great" Uncle Jack who was born in Hamilton not long after their arrival in Canada, and he has become a source of much family information and stories about family members and what it has been like to live in the Hamilton area through the years. Both of my grandfathers were tradesmen. One was a carpenter and the other a plumber. Both of my grandmothers raised families of 6-8 children so I have a large family of aunts, uncles, and several cousins. My "culture" then seems to be the results of these four streams: the French, the English, the Scottish and the American as they merged and flowed throughout the early development of this province.

As I was growing up it seemed very important to know where the family came from and we have tried to keep family ties strong through regular visiting. The most important gathering for both my mother and father's families was during the Christmas holidays, when we travelled from our home in Cambridge, then called Galt, to Hamilton and Burlington to visit with our grandparents and extended family. We had the traditional turkey dinner at my maternal grandparents' house.

My grandfather would dress up as Santa Claus and distribute the gifts from under the tree to everyone who had gathered for the holidays. This tradition continues to this day in the home of one of my aunts or uncles and someone always surprises the rest of the gathering by coming down the stairs dressed as Santa (or Mrs. Santa Claus) carrying a sack of goodies for the children. All of us, adults and children alike, have to endure the customary sitting on Santa's knee to answer the yearly question of whether we have been good or bad before we can receive our "goodie" or special kiss. The Christmas meal is not eaten around the table as it was when I was younger. As the family grew a second table was put into service for the younger members of the family. Moving from the "kid's" table to the "big" people's table became a rite of passage for my sisters, brothers and numerous cousins. Eventually even this second table was not sufficient to accommodate everyone and the meal is now served buffet style to whoever made it to the feast. Over the years relatives by marriage and their families, as well as my aunt's and uncle's friends have become welcomed additions to this family celebration. It has been a tradition that the men play cards after dinner. Some brave female members of the family have tried to infiltrate these cards games but without much effect. There is often a time set aside for stories or joke-telling, and there is always lots of carol singing in which both adults and children participate. The songs we sing and the Christmas food that we eat reflects our connection to our English and Scottish heritage and culture. Since most of the family are Presbyterian church members, there are always a few Christmas hymns to sing. A traditional nativity scene with figures of Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus is set up by my aunt and uncle and their children in their living-room for everyone to enjoy. The women of the family out-do themselves every year with the variety and distinctiveness of the potluck dishes they prepare. These family dinners mean very much to me and it is when I am amongst family and friends in this way over Christmas holidays that I feel the most appreciative of my 'culture' because it is expressed in and through the intimacy of my family group. Such celebrations keep us connected, because, it is during these times that we hear about our great-grandparents, and we see the next generation growing up around us, greeting Santa, singing the same songs, eating the same holiday food, and enduring the same teasing and joking from their elders that we endured when we were young. I have learned a lot by talking to the older members of my family about our origins. Keeping family stories alive from year to year is a precious gift that we pass down from generation to generation, I am so glad to have received my portion from the elders, and I cherish the opportunity to pass them on to my own daughter. Top right hand corner photograph: My mother's family after World War II, taken in Hamilton, Ontario. My 'nan' is in the back row, second from the right. My mother is on the far right beside her. In this photograph my grandmother is in her late forties. The older man is my grandfather. It was his family that came from Scotland. Below left hand corner photograph: My great grandmother (at age 5/6) and a great aunt; this photograph was taken in Newcastle, England at the beginning of the century. Note: my mother was 10 when they came to Canada.  EXTRA POINT !

Edwin W.D. Laryea is a local high school teacher and former lecturer at Erindale College, Univ. of Toronto.

Welcome to my new column. Primarily dealing with cross-cultural issues, it will also suggest ways of improving the self-esteem of our children. The topic for today is "User-friendly Schools".

In this world of fast-foods, video-games, race-relations policies, and new political parties, many people find quick ways of eliminating their sorrows. And yet there is a segment of our society: the so-called visible minority group, for whom such a luxury does not exist.

These are the people who are faced with linguistic, cultural, economic, social, demographic and emotional difficulties. Several of them have gone through a change of status. The respected positions they had in their native countries are no longer recognized. They are unable to obtain jobs that will match their skills. Instead they find themselves relegated to menial jobs. This change of circumstances is very devastating. Some do not know where to seek help. Forced to stay aloof from the new country they now call home, they become marginalized. Sadly enough, these are the role models for second- generation kids. They are the founts of knowledge and the reservoir of values for these children who hope to participate actively in the re-shaping of their own country.

One can indeed appreciate the cultural limbo in which these youngsters find themselves. How can they compete fairly with their 'Canadian' counterparts ?

In my humble opinion, a stronger partnership between immigrant parents and the schools frequented by their children is imperative. I am not talking about the habitual definitions of parental involvement which is "limited to traditional activities such as attendance at open house nights, routine parent-teacher conferences, monitoring of reinforcing of school discipline policies. These tend to 'involve' parents in one-way communication: from school to home, rather than in a partnership where each partner is truly respected as having something valuable to contribute." 1

One of the best ways to establish this alliance with the parents is to make the schools user-friendly. Unless we bring the schools to the parents, schools will remain sacrosanct to them. We cannot allow this to happen !

Schools must find better ways of communicating with immigrant parents. For some of these parents, the English language is the biggest stumbling block ! Several parents have painfully recounted horrid experiences they have encountered as they tried vainly to communicate their ideas to others. They have been humiliated, abused and made to feel stupid ! The ability to communicate clearly in English has suddenly become the yardstick (meterstick?) of intelligence ! Indeed, my career has been adversely affected by my apparent inability to communicate clearly during interviews for positions of added responsibility.

What I really find curious is the fact that most, if not all, immigrants are polyglots (capable of speaking several languages) ! How many 'Canadians', I wonder, are able to speak another language ? Let us therefore not condemn those who are making a valiant effort to communicate in another language.2 to be continued in the next issue .... *1 Cochran,Moncrieff & Dean,Christiann,"Home-School Relations and the Empowerment Process."The Elementary School Journal,Vol.91,#3,Jan.91. *2 A Caveat to our Critics: Please do not dwell on our grammatical errors, concentrate on the message instead!  THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN ISLAM Dr. Mohammad Elmasry is the President of the K-W Islamic Association. He is also a professor of computer and electrical engineering and Director of the VSLI Project at the University of Waterloo. This article is excerpted by permission of the author, from his essay in Al-Islam (Summer 1991)

The status of women still seems to be an important issue in the public conscience in the 1990's. Issues of equality, role of motherhood, women's rights, lack of women in the field of sciences and engineering are constantly discussed. The subject was an important one for thousands of years and it appears that it will stay with us as long as men and women constitute the two basic building blocks of any society.

As a Muslim Canadian, I would like to put to rest the stereotyping by presenting how Islam deals with the status of women, it is an integral part of the Islamic world view, value system and the rights and duties of men and women.

Over 1400 years ago, Islam established spiritual equality by categorically stating that men and women will receive equal reward for their efforts.

Islam also teaches that men and women are born free from sin. Adam committed the first sin, his wife is not blamed for his sin.

Intellectual equality comes next. "The search for knowledge is a duty for every Muslim, male or female". Knowledge is not divided into sacred and secular, it is comprehensive; making a living is a byproduct not an objective. Man and woman should pursue his or her education as far and as long as it is possible "from the cradle to the grave". As a result of this teaching, throughout history, many Muslim women became famous religious scholars, writers, poets, doctors and teachers. Today, in many Muslim countries women are half of the university student population in most areas of study, including medicine, sciences, engineering and law. Women can take any career they choose, as long as it is moral. This also applies to men; no double standard. Thus women were given the independence to learn and to work.

Women's relationship with men in Islam is one of interdependence. Both men and women have rights and duties; his or her obligation to be kind, to love, to cherish: is first, second and thirdly towards the mother, fourthly to the father, and then to the wife/husband, and so on. As a result, a Muslim mother has a great feeling of fulfilment and considers that being a full-time mother is a great blessing. She feels secure about the care she can expect from her children when she reaches old age.

The relationship between women (as wives) and men (as husbands) within marriage is one of mutual care, consideration, respect and affection. It is one of co- operation, not of confrontation. The rights and duties of the husband and wife is aimed at preserving the family unit in such a way that the atmosphere of tranquillity, love and mercy can develop to the benefit of husband and wife, their children and society at large. A Muslim woman keeps her legal identity and maintains her surname after marriage. Anything a wife earns is her own, either to use it herself or to contribute it to the family budget in all or in part, if she wishes. The man has full responsibility for the maintenance of the family. Meanwhile, the wife is responsible for the welfare of the family and management of the household. The husband is the head of the family unit and should consult his wife in all matters to reach a consensus; If consensus cannot be reached, he is responsible for making a decision, and his wife has an obligation to follow that decision for the harmony of the marriage relationship.

More than 1400 years ago, Islam advanced the rights of women, giving them political rights: to vote, to nominate and to run for public office. Women were also given full rights to refute the legitimacy and constitutionality of the laws, to own property, to be full partners in trade and commerce, to sell and buy and to sign legal documents .. all without referring to any man.

Women in Islam are entitled to inherit, without a will, half of the share given to a male counterpart. This may appear to be unfair, if taken in isolation. However, it must be remembered that men in Islam have moral and legal responsibilities towards the maintenance of all the women in their families. The half share that a woman inherits is her own without any financial obligation at all, moral or legal.

Now what is the relationship between women and men, other than their husbands and close relatives? Islam teaches men to look upon women as sisters, and sex outside marriage is not only a sin but a crime against society; both men and women held accountable. Dissolution of marriages through divorce is allowed only when all methods of reconciliation have been exhausted. Some types of divorce are husband-instigated, others wife- instigated, still others are the result of mutual agreement or judicial process.

Islam allows man to have more than one wife, up to four, requiring full equal treatment between wives and their knowledge and consent as necessary conditions for the marriage to continue, allowing the marriage to end in divorce if equality is not fulfilled. Thus monogamy is the norm and polygamy is the exception. (Polygamy, or more precisely polygyny or plurality of wives was practised long before Islam but without limits or assurances). Although the practice has been abused, it may be considered as the lesser of two evils.

If Muslim women's status has been compromised in any Islamic society, for any period of time, it is because that society has not followed the Islamic teachings.

WEIHNACHTSMANN WEIHNACHTSBAUM

Part of Our Christmas Tradition This article was presented by Marcia J. Shortreed of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo's Heritage Resources.

Telling the story of Christmas is like peeling away centuries of wallpapers. Here in Canada, extra layers have been added as the traditions of the various European nations have been accepted into the way of life. To residents of Waterloo Region of German ancestry, Christmas is Weihnachten symbolized by the Christkindl, Advent wreaths and calendars and the beautiful Christmas tree.

Germany is land of forest and the German character in literature and music has always been linked to the mysteries of the woodlands. It is no wonder that the evergreen tree became linked to the nativity of Christ. Legend has it that Martin Luther brought a small tree into his home and decorated it with candles and glittering decorations to teach his children about the shining starry skies on the night when Christ was born. The first actual written description of a Christmas tree came in 1605 from Strasburg, "they set up fir trees in the parlours and hang theron paper roses, apples, wafers, gold foil and sweets". Later the Christmas tree became part of the literature of Goethe and Schiller.

The Weihnachtsbaum Christmas tree became part of every German home by the nineteenth century. In the towns throughout Germany, Christkindlsmarkts in the marketplace were set up at the beginning of Advent. Hundreds of fir trees were offered for sale by women wearing their treasured regional costumes. The surrounding stalls offered all manner of candles, wooden toys, glass ornaments and sweets to hand on the tree.

The Nuremberg market was famous for its gingerbread made into shapes to hang on the tree; And the gold angel who greeted visitors to the market became a tradition. The lifesize angel was always played by a child, but the angel was reproduced by the toymakers and became a traditional ornament to hang at the top of the tree in countless homes. It is believed that the gold angel represents the Christ child in the nativity and miracle plays of medieval times.

German Canadians often put a candle in the window on Christmas Eve to welcome the Christkindl who will bring presents to the children. As time went on in North America and as popular literature became widely read, the figure of the Christkindl became confused with other gift bearing figures such as the Dutch Sinterklaas and the English Father Christmas. Pennsylvania Germans had a Belsnickle or Peltznickle who wore a fur coat, a mask and a beard and rattled chains or jingled bells and chased children who have forgotten to say their prayers.

Saxon Germans in Kitchener had the Weihnachtsmann, a green coated figure with a beard who carried a small fir tree on his shoulder.

By the early twentieth century all of these had been distilled into the American Santa Claus whose figure came to life in the drawings of Thomas Nast in Harpers Weekly (1863-1886).  SIKHS VIEWS ON SOCIAL PROBLEMS

by Karan Chagger

The Golden Temple - Amritsar, India

The Sikh faith is one of the youngest, it is only 500 years old. It can thus be said to be a 'modern' religion.

The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji said: "Suffering is the remedy and comfort is the disease". What this really means is that the mind of man is more prone to evil than to good, and accordingly, all the so- called MODERN SOCIAL PROBLEMS are nothing but necessary evils created by our Maker to test the character of man.

The radio, television and print media keep harping about the modern social problems in our daily lives, but what are the solutions ?

Sikhs identify five evils as the root of all modern social problems, and are required to understand them in order to avoid them. They are: Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment, and Pride.

The first evil, Lust (Kam) is a grave sin because it results in nothing but shame and misery. We hear daily of problems caused by lust: AIDS, prostitution and teenage pregnancies - to name a few. Sikhism promotes a monogamous relation with one's spouse, and forbids promiscuity.

The second evil, Anger (Krodh) is a passion of the mind which is charged with destructive power. It has been known to lead to perversity in an individual because it draws its strength from evil thought. It produces problems such as violence in the home, on the streets and between nations of the world. Anger can be conquered by cultivating the virtues of patience and forgiveness. Sikhs believe that God dwells in every heart and one should not hurt the God in another man.

The third evil, Greed (Lobh) is an obsessive desire for money or a love of selfish gain. It causes problems such as : dishonesty, disloyalty and unfairness. Sikhism admonishes to keep greed in check, stressing the need for contentment to conquer greed, because it creates a desire for needless luxury and other selfish evils, and so the excessive love of money, and money obtained by fraud and unfair means is to be resented.

The fourth evil, Worldly Attachment (Moh) springs from disregard for the fact that people and things do not remain forever. If human kind were not so attached to their worldly possessions, they would not fear death, for death means losing the things and people dearly loved; therefore by controlling the temptation of attachment, Sikhs should triumph over the ghosts of fear that drive to failure or death.

Finally, the fifth and greatest evil that every Sikh must guard against is Pride (Ahankar); it is probably the worst of all the evils combined together. Sikhism teaches that the remedy for pride is to cultivate selfless humility; because humility, forgiveness and compassion go together.

According to the Sikh faith, if we can control these five evils, we can lessen if not prevent the social problems in the world, and help ourselves and those around us.

Sikh culture advocates that each individual has a right to develop their human potential to the utmost, and achieve a perfect personality by learning to control those evils. DORMAA - MAN : STATE - DISTRICT

by Nana Gyamfi-Kumanini The book Dormaa-Man will appear in a sequel in Cross Cultures; by permission from the author: Mr. Nana Gyamfi-Kumanini of Wamfie, Ghana. "Nana" is a title to address or refer to a Chief, King, Queen, His/Her Royal Highness ... and is used in that context throughout the book (but in other instances could mean grandmother or grandfather). Mr. Nana Gyamfi-Kumanini has dedicated this book to his mother, Nana Abenaa Afima, the Queen of the Mansin State, (who recounted the great contribution of the women in the society), and her brother, his uncle, Nana Kwasi Ansu-Gyeabour, the chief of Wamfie alias Mansinhene (who narrated the history). The sole purpose of the book is to provide a chronologically recorded document on Dormaa-Man, its history, culture and the 20 years crisis. The author immigrated to Canada in 1971 and completed the book in 1989 during his studentship at Wilfrid Laurier University, in Waterloo. Introduction:

Dormaa-Man is geographically situated in the western part of the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. Being the second largest in the region after Nkoranza, Dormaa- Man is separated from Berekum by the Amoma river. Similarly, the Ntaabene river forms the boundary between Drobo and Dormaa-Man. The estuary of the Atroni river, the Nyinakonton and Twiwaa rivers, Ntotoroso and Tadieso all bar Dormaa-Man from Sunyani. The rivers Mintimini and Bia also separate Ahafo from Dormaa-Man. The word "Dormaa" is the coded form of the main sentence 'Do wo man' : love thy state or be patriotic. Dormaa-Man comprises the people who migrated from Dankyira, now known as the Mansins (Mansinfo) and those from Akwamu now called Dormaafo. Even though the two groups met and became one, forming the present day Dormaa state (Dormaa-Man) they still exhibit equal autonomy. Wamfie and Wam Pamu became the traditional capitals of the Mansins and the Dormaas, respectively. However, Wam Pamu was renamed Dormaa Ahenkwo after it was accorded the status of district capital.

When the two groups met, it was realized that it would be in their mutual interest to form an alliance. The leader of the Akwamus was a man, while the Mansins had a woman as their leader. Also the Akwamus outnumbered the Dankyiras (the Mansins). Because there was an urgent need to unite to contest with the surrounding warring states, the Akwamus were allowed to lead the new alliance. The female leader of the Dankyiras was to help in administering the state. From Ashanti, the new state (of Dormaa-Man) moved to Bomaa and Maaban. From there the people pushed westward to Chiraa and finally in the 'Wam area' the present day Dormaa-Man.

For the following decade and a half the new state was blessed with prosperity and peace. This period was also characterized by inter-marriage between the Dankyiras and the Akwamus. With this stable base, the Dormaas became very powerful and were able to defeat the Ashantis, killing the then Ashantehene Obiri Yeboa during a war and keeping his skull in the traditional capital of the Dormaa-Man. However, the Ashantis had their revenge in a later war during which they were led by Osei Tutu, a nephew and successor of Obiri Yeboa.

The victory was largely attributed to the efforts of Okomfo Anokye, Osei Tutu's aide-de-camp, who, it was alleged, cast a spell on the Dormaas. (It is known that it was not magic but a shortage of gunpowder which caused the defeat).

Thus the Dormaas became the subjects of the Ashantis and had to pay homage and tributes to the Ashanti stool. This, then, was the situation until the Borong Ahafo Region was created in 1959. As a result of the creation of this regional autonomy, the Dormaas were discharged of their obligation to the Ashantehene.

Tension arose between Wamfie and the Dormaa Traditional Council around the time a branch of the Convention Peoples Party was formed in the area in 1950. In order to develop the area, the Traditional Council decided to levy a charge on the sale of each load of cocoa. Unfortunately, this noble intention was defeated as the money was misappropriated and the few projects undertaken were situated at places favourable to the Dormaas as well as to uneconomic areas. All the complaints lodged by the chief and the elders of Wamfie went unheeded. This situation forced the people of Wamfie to join the National Liberation Movement, founded by Baffour Akoto, which was later incorporated in the United Party with the Northern Peoples Party. This developed into a crisis with the brewing of political tension between the two main political parties in the country at that time. The people of Wamfie were not spared the political divisions which characterized politics in the pre-Independence years. In 1952 the Dormaa people attacked Wamfie. The chief of Wamfie, Nana Kwasi Ansu, and some of his elders were arrested and sent to Sunyani. The trial and the subsequent trials found the Dormaas guilty, but the C.P.P. government felt that there would be peace in the area only if Nana Ansu and some of his elders were exiled, and so they were in 1958.

In 1961 the exiled elders of Wamfie were allowed to return home, except for Nana Ansu and the late Nana Kofi Agyei-Mumifie, then the Benkumhene of Wamfie, and Mr. J.M. Yeboa. They tarried in Kumasi and Takoradi until November 6,1966 when the N.L.C. lifted the ban and Nana Ansu returned home to a grand and colourful durbar organized by his people to welcome him. His return, however, did not reduce the tension between the people of Wamfie and Dormaa.

The irony of the situation is that the Wamfiehene and the Dormaahene are cross-cousins. It was Nana Ansu who insisted on Nana Agyeman Badu's enstoolment as the Dormaahene in 1950.

On October 7th, 1970, Dr. K.A. Busia, then Prime Minister of Ghana, finally reconciled the two chiefs, after all previous attempts had failed. I personally appreciated this deed by Dr. Busia and endorsed it. The Dormaas were found to be at fault by Busia's arbitration tribunal and Nana Agyeman Badu was asked to compensate Nana Ansu, who used the money to settle state debts.

On April 7th, 1971, a grand durbar at Dormaa Akenduro took place marking the people's thanks to the Prime Minister and their first formal gathering after the settlement. This day was also the official inauguration of the Government transport system to the area.

I took no mean role in these activities and the reconciliation processes as a whole. Peace having been restored, there was an accelerated development in Dormaa-Man and Wamfie in particular.

Nana Kwasi Ansu-Gyeabour died of old age on the 23rd of April , 1980. to be continued...  The Rain Doesn't Know Me

Anymore I, who for so long, shaped the forgotten metaphor: curved tusks, howdah and mahout of elephant. Who splashed the Bird of Paradise against a cemetery of cars, sought the root in cabook earth, the dream that meandered, got lost in an orgasm of blood. I, who held the palm-tree's silhouette against the going sun, a woman, a child long enough to divide a continent, have new revelations: I have circled the sun. The white marshmallow land is now mine, conquered, cussed upon, loved. Look at this other dreaming face, these new muscles, tempered bones, black eyes blue with a new landscape, legs dancing the white slopes like a dervish. Against paddy-bird havocking in tall grass, bluejay raucous, cardinals the colour of blood. For the slow deep rhythms of the home-coming catamaran, 747 screaming, wounding the night like a spear. The monsoon rain doesn't know me any more: I am snow-bank child, bundled, with snot under my nose, white fluff magic in both hands. Once, rice and curry, passiona juice, now, hot dogs and fries, Black Forest Ham on Rye. So what's the essential story? Nothing but a journey done, a horizon that would never stand still. (with acknowledgement to Toronto South Asian Review). with kind permission from the poet Rienzi Crusz, who was born in Srilanka, and immigrated to Canada in 1965; he is now a Canadian citizen, and is a Senior Reference and Collections Development Librarian at the University of Waterloo. His next book (by the same title of the poem will be out in the Spring of 1992.  EDUCATION AND CULTURE

Eliseo A. Martell

The New World Webster's Dictionary (Second College Edition), defines Education as "the process of training and developing the knowledge, mind, character, etc., esp. by formal schooling; teaching; training". The way this process is developed in third world countries is, in general, very similar, but what are the differences between these countries and Canada?

I come from El Salvador and after one year in Canada I can identify some differences, at least in the High School years. The El Salvadorian educational system is more authoritarian than the Canadian system. High schools in Canada have more facilities related with technology subjects. El Salvadorian schools are more crowded, and although there are different options once you are in high school, these options offer less freedom than in Canada, at the moment you have to choose the subjects every year. Yet maybe the biggest difference is that, in El Salvador, if you have enough money, you can attend very expensive schools that offer a lot of facilities to their students, this situation is not so common in Canada where the general population has equal access to a similar educational system, so I could say that Canada has a more democratic educational system than El Salvador.

However, when I see my children studying at home, and I have three children in high school, I don't find too many differences between El Salvador and Canada. In both countries they have to study hard to succeed in their studies, sometimes I think that teachers aught to explain more to their students, and the same situation existed in El Salvador. Nevertheless, our high school students in El Salvador and in Central America in general are more world oriented and more politically involved than Canadian students. Here in Canada the big issues are internal issues and in general there is a poor understanding of other cultures, even on some occasions, you find a misunderstanding of these cultures.

I consider that the educational system is designed to serve the society and to reinforce the system; In Canada it works very well, Canadian students in general do not challenge the society, they challenge their parents. In El Salvador society's contradictions are so many and so clear that the educational system is not enough to convince them that they live in a fair and democratic society, and that is why you so frequently see and hear on the news of students participating in sometimes very violent manifestations against the government.

Canadians born here have to learn more about other cultures, and in this case how educational systems work in other countries, before manifesting attitudes of superiority about these issues.

INVITING NEW CANADIANS

Yvonne Roussy

Canadian culture .. even those born and raised here have a difficult time defining exactly what this is. For someone new to Canada, our customs and traditions must seem strange and sometimes intimidating. Friends of mine from different countries have told me that Canadians seem cold, conservative and lack a sense of humour; in short: "standoff-ish".

I'm sure that this is not the image we wish to project. Yet, if I am honest with myself, I know that this image is a realistic one. Not too long ago, a fellow Council member who hails from another culture was a guest in my home. During his visit, we discussed the music and poetry of my guest's native culture. He sang for me as we sat at the kitchen table. Suddenly I felt very uncomfortable. How was I to react, to show my appreciation? What was considered polite in his culture? This experience taught me that, as a Canadian, I must indeed seem aloof and cool - not the image I wish to project. At that moment, I also experienced some of the sense of alienation and isolation that must be commonplace for new arrivals to this culture. I began to imagine how it must feel if this type of situation occurs throughout the course of a day.

On that day, I learned a little about the plight of those who are new to Canada. I realized that this same feeling of being set apart from others can only be increased by the inability to converse in the language of one's new home.

As a response to this problem, the Literacy Council of Kitchener-Waterloo at which I am a volunteer, offers speakers of other languages an opportunity to learn to speak, read and write in English. The Council is a non- profit, community based organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life in our community by enhancing self-esteem and social skills through increased literacy levels.

We offer one-on-one, student centred tutoring according to the Laubach system motto: "Each one teach one". This alternative to traditional classroom settings allows total privacy and confidentiality, and guarantees individualized attention for each student. In this way, we hope to break down some of the cultural barriers, and help new Canadians fulfil their basic need to communicate in our sometimes complex society.

Tutors are matched individually with students to provide the maximum potential in learning and growth for both.

Speaker of other languages who are interested in improving their communication skills in English are invited to visit our office, located at 26 College Street in downtown Kitchener, or call 741-0900.

YESTERDAY AND TODAY A note of acknowledgement and appreciation is due here, to the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Ottawa .. specifically to the Cultural Attache : Dr. Al Jasser for providing this wealth of information and his willingness to share it.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoys a long and rich history. The region's ancient nomadic peoples developed a deep love for the land as well as a strong sense of independence.

The Arabian peninsula has supported agricultural, herding and hunting cultures for thousands of years. Living on important ancient trade routes, the ancestors of the Saudi Arabians were touched by diverse civilizations, including those of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Byzantium, India, Persia and China.

It is one of the regions that historians know little about. However it is rich in old historical monuments narrating the history of the old man. The first studies or excavations started only in the sixties; and although there are some different evidences, it is clear that the region known today as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was populated for intermittent periods since earliest human history. Permanent settlement dates back to 5000-4000 B.C.

In prehistoric times, the Arabian peninsula was very different from what we know today. There were lakes and inland streams, where now, there is desert and saline rocky plains. Stone age implements found on the edge of the great desert, the Rub Al-Khali, indicate that hunters and fishermen once reached the area.

The people of the Arabian peninsula were a mixture of various semitic tribes who used each others' customs and dialects. Trade exposed them to many different ideas and sciences, most important of which were mathematics and the alphabet. This tradition of accepting, and promoting human achievements was especially useful to the Arabs as they entered the next major period of historical development, the Islamic Era. With the advent of Islam in the 7th century, the various tribes and clans were unified under the new religion.

The Qur'an (Kuran), the holy book of Islam, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the western Arabian cities of Makkah (Mecca) and Madinah (Medina) beginning about 610 A.D.

Islamic rule had flourished in many countries throughout the 16th century, and it had significant cultural, artistic, and scientific impact.

The Muslim Arab civilization remained vigorous for centuries, providing stability and advancing human knowledge. The Arabs made extensive and original contributions to chemistry, physics, optics, astronomy, medicine, mathematics literature, and philosophy. They invented Algebra, they also transmitted the number system, called Arabic numerals, to the West.

In the 13th century, the Mongol invasions dealt a devastating blow to the Arabs' eastern lands, and their empire began to decline.

The modern Saudi Arabia begins with Abdul Aziz Al- Saud, known in the West as Ibn Saud. The Al-Saud family had reigned over much of Arabia in the early 19th century. It lost part of its territory to the Turks later in the century, however, and was driven from its capital, Riyadh, by the rival House of Rashid.

In 1902 Abdul Aziz recaptured the city and began to reconquer and reunify the country, which he completed some three decades later. In 1927 he was officially proclaimed king, and the country was named the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932.

Since the discovery of oil (petroleum) in commercial quantities in 1938, rapid economic development and rising prominence in world affairs have dominated the most recent chapter in Saudi Arabia's history.

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY - LET'S MAKE IT COUNT

As a leading employer, the Royal Bank continues to maintain our commitment to the principles, goals and objectives of Employment Equity. Due to the dramatic change in representation of the employable workforce, this commitment has prepared the Royal Bank to actively pursue goals in the field of Employment Equity.

It was only recently, in 1986, that the federal Employment Equity Act (Bill C-62) became legislation. Specifically the Bill requires national corporations to report statistics reflecting the hiring and career progress of staff of four target groups: Aboriginal Peoples, Persons with disabilities, Women, and those who, because of their race or colour, are a Visible Minority in Canada.

This past June, the Royal Bank became the first Bank to sign an Employment Equity agreement with the Canadian Human Rights Commission consolidating our commitment to employment equity. Ironically, the deal was not essentially different from the program already in existence at the Royal Bank with regards to hiring practices. This agreement has set targets and timetables for the hiring and promotion of the target groups.

This review came about as an effort to improve employment equity in general in the private sector. The assigning of specific quotas has not superseded the need for quality human resources in the private sector. Hiring and promotion for all target groups remains based on skills, availability of jobs and qualifications. Quotas, on the contrary, have sparked a sort of "new revolution" especially in the local market. Enlightened employers have expanded their recruitment efforts into the non- traditional sectors. Attaining specified quotas, then becomes an expected result.

The real benefit is the true selection of the best possible employee for any particular job. By expanding the scope of human resources, employers increase their chances of finding the "optimum" employee.

We, then, as employers must determine ways to infiltrate these non-traditional resource groups, and convince them to apply for jobs in the areas that they have previously avoided. As a viable employment equity mentality becomes the norm, the barriers to employment, specifically in the four target groups, will crumble.

But it will take time. Many traditionalist views remain thoroughly entrenched in our society. But the move is on ! For employers still striving for productivity and service excellence in this strained economic environment, human resources within a company has taken on a new meaning. The progressive, innovative management team will adapt more quickly to the changes around us. An effective employment equity policy will largely shape the foundation for personnel administration. This new mentality will introduce the concept of "diversity" to the private sector. Being actively involved in the employment sector in this community, I have seen a dramatic change in representation in the labour force. I have witnessed this diversity, and it is through diversity that we become stronger as a corporation. As a leader in the financial field, it is essential that the Royal Bank, as a role model, maintain our commitment to employment equity as a "way of life" and not simply a task to meet specific quotas. We take a progressive and action-oriented approach, not a re- actionary approach to diversity. Thus, the challenge becomes effective management of this new diversity. A subject we will explore in future articles. Rick Weiss is Customer Service & Operations Manager with the Royal Bank, and serves on the Board of Directors of both the Employment Skills Centre and the K-W Oktoberfest Inc. IRISH HORIZONS & THE FIFTH PROVINCE

Sean O'Seasnain

Irish Horizons - our very own radio program - has been on the air every Tuesday evening since July 3,1990. It is brought to you by Liam Rafferty, Stephen Todd and Sean O'Seasnain. If you have been tuning in, then you are familiar with the variety of music - from popular Irish to Irish pop, trad and rock. It's all there.

Irish Horizons is unique in cultural broadcasting. The popularity of Irish music and the international standing of a myriad of Irish singers and musicians makes it possible to bring listeners - Irish or not - a pot pourri of musical expressions. The varieties of style and musical form in Irish and Celtic music also make it possible to produce a programme which appeals to the tastes of a wide range of interests.

Since September of this year we have gone to a new time slot: Irish Horizons now starts at 6:00 pm and goes 'til 8:00 pm every Tuesday. The station is CKWR - FM 98.7 -Canada's first community radio station.

The first hour is hosted by Liam Rafferty. This segment of the programme is designed for easy listening. Liam, with his relaxing and modulating intonations, provides you with an ideal way to wind down after a busy day, music for dining, and information and reflections on all kinds of events.

We are calling the second hour "The Fifth Province". This segment is hosted by Stephen Todd and Sean O'Seasnain. The idea of the title comes from the address given by President Mary Robinson on the occasion of her inauguration at Dublin Castle. This is part of what she said: The recent revival of an old concept of the Fifth Province expresses this emerging Ireland of tolerance and empathy. The old Irish term for province is coicead, meaning a "fifth", and yet, as everyone knows, there are only four geographical provinces on this island. So where is the fifth ? The Fifth Province is not anywhere here or there, north or south, east or west. It is a place within each one of us - that place that is open to the other, that swinging door which allows us to venture out and others to venture in. Ancient legends divided Ireland into four quarters and a 'middle', although they differed about the location of this middle or Fifth Province. While Tara was the political centre of Ireland, tradition has it that this Fifth Province acted as a second centre, a necessary balance. If I am a symbol of anything I would like to be a symbol of this reconciling and healing Fifth Province.

Immediately following her description of the Fifth Province, the President made reference to a model of community which encompasses not only residents of the country but the vast community of Irish emigrants. Our own community in Canada consists too of descendants of Irish immigrants as well as lovers and admirers of "things" Irish. We are the Fifth Province.

The Fifth Province on Irish Horizons explores the varieties of Irishness, the unique cultural resonances of all Irish peoples - north, south, east and west. We listen to Celtic music in all its expressions. We examine Celtic spirituality, myth and magic in all its dimensions. We will ask questions, and sometimes provide answers, about Ireland's history, and the history of the Irish, wherever they may be. Through the hosts- Sean, Stephen, guests and music - the Fifth Province will explore and formulate the aspirations of all Irish people and people who like Ireland and the Irish.

Sean O'Seasnain is an Irish-born former Dominican priest who is married to a Trinidadian, and is active in the K-W multicultural community. He is a rehabilitation counsellor with the Workers' Compensation Board.

CKWR - FM

VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY

CKWR - FM was established in 1973 and is Canada's first licensed community radio station. The mandate of CKWR is to provide the community with programming that is neglected by other radio stations in the region. Broadcasting at a power of 2,220 watts they serve the communities of Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Stratford, Guelph and Brantford. The station is primarily run by volunteers from the region of Waterloo who represent different special interest groups. They offer programming that reflects the needs of many area residents. Programs are available in English, French, Portuguese, German, Spanish, Greek, Serbian, Croatian, East Indian, Polish, Romanian and Chinese. They also offer programming appealing to people of Irish, Carribean and Native ancestry. They also offer specialty music and arts programming as well as programs of an educational nature.

CKWR is available at 98.7 on the FM band and 97.7 on cable. They publish a bi-monthly program guides that details their programs. These guides are available at select local merchants or at the station located at 51 Regina St. North in Waterloo. MIXED-UP PRIORITIES

As they say "Life is but a journey from cradle to grave". It is simple and straight. Then why do we see all the complications ? I remember a farmer's story my good friend used to tell me: "This farmer had a dog that followed his master every day from the house to the farm and from the farm to the house. One day when the farmer was returning home from the farm, as usual, his dog was with him. The dog was totally exhausted and gasping for air. Seeing the dog half-dead, a passer-by questioned the farmer, "How could you make your dog run all the way? Don't you have any mercy ?". The farmer replied, "My good man, the farm is not too far from here and this dog is not tired because of that short distance. He had many distractions on the way, he chased so many cats and dogs and rabbits in his path, that he is now exhausted."

Ours is a similar situation, isn't it ? Life is simple and straight and yet we also run after every attraction and distraction, exhausting our lives. We all ask ourselves, "Why do we chase and fall in the ruts ?" "Mixed-up priorities", you say ? Right, but I am not mixed-up. I know exactly what I need and I don't sit quietly until I get it. You may ask me, what do I do when I get what I want ? Well I think about something else I want and try to get that. This means an endless pursuit to get one thing or the other. Sometimes it seems that I am after something even though I have no real need for it. I am driven by the mere desire or just because others have it, whatever "it" may be. This 'not knowing what is good for me' really keeps me at it. Sometimes it keeps me so occupied that I forget to do the right things. The famous saying "Simple living and High thinking" starts twisting to "High living and Simple (or worse): NO thinking". This leads to no peace of mind. You may have heard me quite frequently saying "I don't have time". In reality, I don't have time to do the right thing at the right time or even anything at anytime. Prompted by further dissatisfaction, I am driven towards the pursuit of aimless tasks, leading to more dissatisfaction ... an endless cycle .....

I know that I am like that farmer's dog who was exhausted due to useless chases. I must break this endless cycle. Satisfaction is the key to peace of mind. I must learn to work hard but be happy with what I have, recognize what is important in life and pursue only that. I know everyone is contemplating the same problem. All I can say is, let's straighten out our mixed-up priorities ! Arvind Vyas came to Canada 17 years ago, originally from Gujarat, India. He is an Engineer, speaks 3 languages and loves sports, painting and teaching.

THE REAL SICILIANS !

Maria Insalaco

What is your first thought when I tell you I'm originally a Sicilian? The reaction I've been getting is something like: "Do you have Maffia connections, relatives..?" as if jokingly. The truth is, most Sicilians do not condone the actions of the Maffia, because of the reputation it gives the rest of us. It's amazing how such a minority can give an entire culture such a bad name.

Sicily is a country with a Mediterranean climate, which is very warm and moderate. The warmth of its people reflects the climate of their country. They are loving, hospitable and highly emotional.

I might stress that they are very demonstrative in expressing their emotions. I'm sure anyone who has ever been at Pearson Airport when a flight from Sicily arrived would agree. It is not uncommon to see groups of teary eyed families kissing and hugging and talking, with everyone doing these things simultaneously. It might appear as just a lot of commotion to the onlooker.

Sicilians also demonstrate a strong love for the land. They are very attached to it; Probably because their entire way of life has always revolved around farming.

It is so picturesque to see the olive groves, the almond and pistachio trees, and the grape vines. The countryside is very scenic and panoramic.

The family unit is very important and family ties are very strong among the Sicilian people, with each member taking a keen interest in the others' affairs.

Most Sicilians have a great love of life, preferring to live a simple, uncomplicated lifestyle. The types of things they would consider to be important are good friends and good food. Religion plays a key role in the life of the average Sicilian, with Catholicism predominating. They pay homage to their saints by holding feasts in the town and village squares, and also by having religious processions.

Honour and respect seem to be the order of the day when friends deal and interact with one another.  HERITAGE LANGUAGE SCHOOLS Offered by both school systems to all children attending regular day school, it is open to everyone who wishes to acquire an extra language. LATVIAN SCHOOL -by Peter Lasmanis

Hello and greetings from the Kitchener Latvian School at Sheppard School, 270 Weber Street East.

We have been meeting here since October of 1989, when we started our Latvian school, which now consists of about 20 students ranging in age from 7 to 22 years. Most of them come not knowing the Latvian language since either one of their parents is non-latvian or both Latvian parents did not pass on their language to their children. This makes teaching this age group a real challenge. We are also offering a Latvian credit course this year, and so far have attracted both high school and university students.

As you may know, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have recently claimed their independence from U.S.S.R. Now Latvia must build a strong nation after having been unjustly overtaken by U.S.S.R. in 1938.

Facing Latvia today is the fact that Latvians are a minority in their own country. Under the Soviet "Russification" programme, many foreigners arrived in Latvia since 1938. The granting of citizenship is both a sensitive and urgent problem.

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to outline a little about the Latvian Heritage School to you.

This magazine is an excellent idea, and I hope to be able to speak more about Latvia and the Latvian culture in future issues. PERSIAN SCHOOL -by Zahra Madani

A new Persian School starts on December 14,1991 at King Edward School at 709 King Street West in Kitchener, from 9:30 to 12:00 noon.

This is an open invitation to all Iranians to bring their children for registration. K-W CHINESE SCHOOL -by Susan Chan

Hello, I am the junior class Mandarin teacher. Two of my own children attend the Chinese School, it gives them the opportunity to learn about their heritage and culture. There are many advantages to learning Chinese. For example, it can help to bridge the generation gap between our children and our elders. Also understanding another language will help them expand their opportunities in the future.

According to the World Journal, the Asian economy is gradually growing and in time to come, will prove to be a prosperous economy. Since one fifth of the world's population is made up of Chinese people, the earlier we expose our children to the Chinese language, the more open doors there will be to greet them as they enter the working world. Thus, learning Chinese is not only an ideal, but a great asset for the futures of our children.

In my class, there is a total of 19 students ranging from age six to twelve. They come from a variety of different backgrounds, and as a result, their ability with the Chinese language also varies. I recognize that the achievements of my students in regular day school is very good. Since children are capable of learning many languages at a young age, now is the perfect time to teach them, and help them develop new learning skills.

Western education and traditional Chinese education methods are very different. Thus, to meet each student's needs, the best of both teaching methods are adopted. The result of learning is not always apparent, so with the effort of teachers and students, we can make learning Chinese an easier journey. A NEW EXPERIENCE

by Elsa Torre

I am delighted with the launching of the magazine "Cross Cultures" especially because this community hosts an enormous diversity of ethnic groups, and Cross Cultures will provide an excellent way to communicate with everyone, and help us all know and understand each other better, and that is why I am writing to tell everyone about the organization I am working with: the K-W Intercultural Women's Group. It was created by a committee of dedicated volunteers who felt many immigrant women's needs were not being totally addressed. Our goal is to help them integrate into mainstream Canadian society.

We have organized support groups for those women. Each group is formed of a few members who are encouraged to interact, to be self motivated and to direct the program according to their own needs. Our groups are headed by volunteer leaders who have a genuine interest in helping these women adapt to their new country. Many of the leaders are immigrants themselves, and are well aware of the obstacles faced by newcomers. Others are volunteers who wish to put their time and skills to a worthy cause. Together they form a very cohesive team.

A few of the short term goals we wish to achieve: * Provide an atmosphere where the members feel free to

talk and express their ideas and concerns. * Implement those ideas into programs. * Organize activities in which members get better

acquainted and develop lasting friendships and acquire

broader knowledge and understanding of other cultures,

races and points of view. * Develop a program that is flexible, dynamic, creative,

educational and recreational. * Inform members of community events and services

available for them and their families. * Provide as many learning experiences as possible,

through group members or by hosting speakers. * Provide a comfortable atmosphere to practice their

English skills. The groups meet regularly. Babysitting is at no cost. Groups meet at different locations: Multicultural Centre 62 Queen St.South, Wednesday evenings 7 - 9 pm First Mennonite Church 800 King St.East (at Stirling) Thursdays 1:15-3:15pm Welcoming Centre in Waterloo 653-6311 St. Louis Adult Learning Centre: 75 Allen St.East. Wednesdays at 12 noon.

If anyone wishes to join the groups, call Elsa Torre the Program Co-ordinator at 571-1943 62 Queen St.South, 2nd Floor

MULTICULTURAL CENTRE !

prepared by Indrani C. - Program Co-Ordinator

The K-W Multicultural Centre was founded in 1970, and is the oldest agency serving immigrants in the area. To learn more about the Centre's work, read on! If you already know the Centre, read on anyway .. you may learn something new about our services !

Moving to K-W can be confusing for anybody: how can you explain King Street, that runs north, south, east and west ?! Or streets like King and Weber, that are sometimes parallel, and yet cross each other in two places ? For someone new to the country, adjusting to life here can be even much more confusing.

The Centre focuses on two main areas in its work. First it tries to help immigrants with whatever they need in order to participate in their new life. Second, it helps community members to adjust to its changing face.

To achieve the first goal, the Centre provides what are called settlement services to newcomers. These include helping them in areas such as looking for housing or work, filling out immigration forms, finding a lawyer or a doctor, giving information about English classes or job training possibilities. In the winter, the Centre has a supply of used clothing available to people who need this service. Every day, the Centre's staff answer many questions and help people in these and many other areas. The Centre also has pamphlets and brochures on a wide range of subjects. The publications are available in many different languages.

The Cultural Interpreter and Translator program enables people who have not been in Canada long enough, to communicate in English at an appointment with a doctor or lawyer, for example - by providing an interpreter (usually a volunteer), who is fluent in their first language and in English to go to the appointment with them to interpret. A Translation service for documents from many different languages into English is also available.

To help the community welcome those new to the area, the Centre provides seminars and workshops for community groups, businesses, and schools.

Just in case you are getting the impression that it's all work and no fun, let me remind you of the Multicultural Festival, which is held every year at Victoria Park during the Canada Day (July 1) weekend. For two fun-filled days, the whole family can enjoy crafts, traditional dancing and especially foods from around the world ! This event is something Kitchener-Waterloo always looks forward to.

The K-W Multicultural Centre is at 62 Queen St.S.in Kitchener, and is open weekdays 9:00-5:00 (except Wednesday 9:00-12:00).For information or any of our services, please drop in or call 745-2531. WHAT .. WHERE.. Babytime: Babies from 8 to 23 months. Mondays, Jan.13-Feb.24 at 10:30 am Tuesdays,Jan.14-Feb.25 at 10:15 or 10:45 Register before Jan.7th KPL Main. KPL Players: Ages 9 years and up. Mondays, Jan.20-Mar.9, at 4:15pm KPL Main. Call: 743-0271 x-261. Time For Twos: Children 2 years old. Stories, songs, fingerplays. KPL Main: Thursdays Jan.16-Feb.27

10:15 or 11:00 (743-0271) Stanley Park: Thursdays, Jan.16- Feb.27

10:00 (896-1736) Forest Heights: Mondays Jan.13- Feb.24

10:00 or 11:00 (743-0644) Pioneer Park: Mondays, Jan.13- Feb.24

10:05 or 10:45 (748-2740) Preschool Storytime: 3 - 5 years old. Seven week series of 45 minutes KPL Main: Wednesdays, Jan.15- Feb.26

10:30 or 2:30 (743-0271) Stanley Park: Tuesdays, Jan.14- Feb.25

10:30 or 2:30 (896-1736 Forest Heights: Wednesdays, Jan.15- Feb.26

10:30 or 2:15 (743-0644)

and Thursdays, Jan.16-Feb.27, 10:30 Pioneer Park:Wednesdays, Jan.15- Feb.26

10:30 or 2:15 (748-2740) Bookmobile Storytime: Half hour of stories, songs, crafts. Belmont : Tuesdays Jan.14-Feb.18 at 2:30 Victoria Hills: Wednesdays, Jan.15- Feb.19 at 2:30. (Register:Forest Hts bookmobile) Owl's Nest Special: Kids 6 - 9 years Wednesday January 29, 7:00 KPL Main. Manic Mondays: Kids 6 and over Mondays Jan.20-Feb.17, 4:00 Forest Hts. Daring Dragons: Every other Thursday, Jan.16-Feb.27, 4pm Stanley Park (896-1736). Wizards of Winter: Ages 7 and over, Every other Thursday, Jan.16-Feb. 27 Pioneer Park (748-2740) from 4-5pm Holiday Film Fest - for the whole family Saturday December 21, 10:30 at KPL Main. Christmas Films Monday December 30, at 2:30, Stanley Park (Children under 5 with adult please). Holiday Film Special: ages 6 and up. Thursday, January 2, at 2:30, KPL Main. Registration: WLU: (Hist 112*) The History of Contemporary Canada - Professor Shaun Brown Wednesdays, Jan.8-Mar.25, 7-10pm For Credit call:884-1970 x-4447, Audit students :743-7502 KPL Main. Registration: WLU: (Psychology 226*) Developmental Psychology III - Professor Peter Wyngaarden Mondays, Jan.6-Mar.23, 7-10pm For Credit call:884-1970 x-4447, Audit students :743-0644 KPL Forest Heights Branch. Accounting Basics for Small Business Russ Weir, Manager, BDO Ward Mallette. Tuesday January 21 at 7:15 KPL Main. It's Not Quite Fifty-Fifty Charles A.Morrison, Zinszer Cooke & Pinchen Wednesday January 22 at 7:00 Forest Hts. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Miriam Gallacher, Betty Hunter, Ken Nightingale.Pioneer Park (748- 2740) Monday January 20 at 7:15. Self-Protection for Women: Forest Heights, Wednesday Jan.15, 7:00 466 Queen Street South, Kitchener.

742-7752 Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Christkindlsmarkt: Dec.7- Jan.5,1992 German Christmas Market - recreated at Joseph Schneider Haus Museum. (Punch & Judy every weekend at 2 pm) Joseph Schneider Historic House: Dec. 14,15: Christmas cookies,pretzels Dec. 21,22: Saint Martin's Goose Dec. 28,29 and Jan. 4,5:

Whimmy Diddles, Tops and Toys. Doon Heritage Crossroads A Country Christmas, traditional style: Sundays Dec. 15, 22, 1:30 to 4:30 pm Saturday Dec.28: Hogmanay Ceilidh University of Waterloo Theatre Centre: Jim MacMillan Saturday Jan.18, 1 pm Ballet Jorgen Friday Jan.24, 8 pm Dead Serious Saturday Feb.15, 8 pm Centre In The Square "Bach's Christmas Oratorio" Sunday Dec. 22, 2:30 pm.(578-1570) The Seagram Museum Champagne: Special Museum Tour December 29, at 2:00 pm Wilfrid Laurier University HAMLET: Jan.16,17,18 at 8 pm

Theatre Auditorium NEW ART QuARTet Jan.24 at 8 pm

Aird Centre Recital Hall 'Art in the Heart' of Guelph Mardi Gras March 6-7-8,1992 The Carden Place Hotel,106 Carden St. Juried Show 'Theme: Beyond the Mask' Deadline for Entries: February 17,1992. at the Jofriet Studio and Art School 105 Wyndham Street N., Guelph, 767-2411 K-W Art Gallery 101 Queen St. North Kitchener 579- 5860. "The White Line: Canadian Wood Engravings" continues through Dec.22. "The Human Forms" till December 29th. "Michael Boss" till January 5, 1992. Arts on View This profile continues on Rogers Cable TV to be aired: Dec. 21, 3:30 pm

Dec. 30, 7:30 pm Homer Watson House & Gallery 748-4377 "Cartooning-Brian Fray" 10-12 noon Saturdays, starting January 11,1992. Entries OR Audition Please call WRAC for details (744- 4552). "Second Witold Lutoslawski Composers Competition". Deadline: Dec. 31,1991. "Grawmeyer Award For Music Composition 1992" Deadline: Jan. 24,1992. "International Competition in Composition For Choral Music" Deadline Jan. 25,1992. WHAT .. WHERE .. WHAT .. WHERE .. EXHIBITIONS & SHOWS International Psychic Fair, Jan.3- 5,1992 Cleary Auditorium & Convention Centre, 201 Riverside Dr. West, Windsor. The Kitchen, Bath & Window Show, January 10-12,1992 Ottawa Civic Centre, Lansdowne Park, 1015 Bank St., Ottawa. ART AND CRAFTS Gingerbread House Contest & Exhibition, December 4-22,1991 Mackenzie Hall Cultural Community Centre, 3277 Sandwich St., Windsor. Christmas Craft Sale, December 12- 22 Ottawa Civic Centre, Lansdowne Park 1015 Bank St., Ottawa. Winter's Harvest, Jan. 19- Feb.9,1992 Juried exhibition of Crafts. Cream of Barley Mill, Simpson Ave., Bowmanville. ART EXHIBITIONS Art Rental: New Works, Dec.19- Jan.5, 20 Grand Ave. North, Galt, Cambridge. Free Worlds: Metaphors & Realities in Contemporary Hungarian Art, till Jan.5, Art Gallery of Ontario, Between McCaul & Beverley St., Toronto. Latvian Photographers in the Age of Glasnost, Nov.22-Dec.22, also Walter Bachynski: Life Stilled, Jan 10-Feb 9, MacLaren Art Centre, Mulcaster St., Barrie. Masters of the Crafts, Jan.12- Feb.16, Burlington Cultural Centre, Burlington. 425 Brock Ave., at Lakeshore Rd., Across Cultures, till March 15th, also Inuit Prints & Sculpture, Nov.10- Feb.23,

also Print-Making in Quebec 1900-1950, Nov.17-Jan.26, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, University Ave. at Queen's Cres., Kingston. The Beauty of Persian Art & Calligraphy, Jan.2-Feb.9, University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Modern Languages, Theater of the Arts. Cheryl Sourkes: Of Differences Lost & Received, Nov.29-Jan.5,

also Richard Nixon: New Sculptural Works, Jan.10-Feb.9, Art Gallery St.Thomas/Elgin 301 Talbot St., St.Thomas. Fireworks '91, clay and glass, Dec.19-Jan. also Cells of Ourselves: Drawings by Tony Urquhart, Jan.19-Feb.23, Grimsby Public Art Gallery, 25 Adelaide St., Grimsby. Paintings by Vicki Easton- McClung, Dec.6-Jan.5, also Quilts & Carvings by Susan A.Rankin, Jop Knetchel and Tom Hodgson, Jan.10-Feb.2, Lynnwood Arts Centre, Lynnwood Avenue, Simcoe. Contemporary Art Furniture, Nov.29-Jan.6, also Alan Smutylo & Dino Bolognone: Printmaker, Jan.10-Feb.10, Gallery Lambton, 124 Christina St.S., Sarnia. Terry Torra: Still Lives, Dec.4- Jan.5,

also Jack Macaulay: Minimal Landscape Photography, Jan.8- Feb.2, The Library, Preston Branch, 435 King St.East, Cambridge. Back to the Beginning: The Original McIntosh Bequest 1942, Jan.9-Feb.9, McIntosh Gallery, University of Western Ontario, London. Barbara Hepworth, Dec.8-Jan.12, also Brian Burnett, Jan.17-Feb.16, also Subjectivity and Memory, Jan.17- Feb.16, Chatham Cultural Centre, 75 William St. North, Chatham. Re Turning: Works by Stephen Hogbin and John Massey Photographs, Jan.5-Feb.2, McMaster University Art Gallery, Togo Salmon Hall, McMaster University, Hamilton. Artists' Greeting Cards, Nov.16- Jan.5,

also Charles Comfort's Lake Superior Village Nov.16-Jan.5, also Kim Moodie: Recent Drawings, Nov.23-Jan.5, also The Image of Winter in Canadian Art, Nov.30-Feb.23, also Book Illustrations: Franklin Carmichael for the Thorn Apple Tree, Nov.30-Feb.23,

also Recent Acquisitions, Jan.1- Dec.31,1992,

also Brenda Pelkey: effect of the imagination on the world, Jan.7- Mar.1, also Lucille Oille: The Owl Pen, Jan.11- Jun.1

also David Meritt: Habitus: Unswept rooms Jan.11-Mar.5, Art Gallery of Windsor, Riverside Dr. and Church St., Windsor. Seven Nana Sept: Selected Works of Moriyama & Teshima, to Jan.5,7 also Donald Forster Sculpture Park, Inuit Art Exhibition, and Canadian Historical Art.... ONGOING. Macdonald Stewart Art Centre 358 Gordon St., Guelph. Arts Alive: On View, Permanent Collection Recent Acquisitions, Costume Sketches from the Permanent Collection. Dec.20-Jan.26. The Gallery/Stratford- 54 Romeo St. CONCORDIA CLUB: CHESS GROUP 429 Ottawa St. S.,Kitchener 745- 5617 Every Thursday night from 7 pm - 1 am  

 school program, can be initiated through a co-operative effort of immigrant parents, teachers and administrators. Each group must clearly define what they mean by parental involvement, and if possible, identify positive examples as well as barriers.

In conclusion, your answers to the following questions will help you determine the extent of the parental involvement in your school: 1. What does this school mean by parent involvement? 2. What examples can you find, of parents, in decision making roles, in this, and other schools?

3. What structural barriers exist in this school to equal partnership between parents and school staff? 4. Who else has an interest in increasing parents' role in this school? (locally, countywide)? How can

they help? 5. What special efforts do you make to involve immigrant parents?

For the parents, you will find out how involved you are in your child's education by answering the following questions: 1. Have you visited the school? 2. Do you know

This article was originally published in Cross Cultures Magazine in Volume 1 - Issue 1 - 1991. Unauthorized copying, distribution or other usage without express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.