Sikhs Views on Social Problems
December 1991 / January 1992
by Karan Chagger
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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.

SIKH issues
with
Professor Pritam Singh Grewal is a former College lecturer and Public School Principal from Punjab, India;  in Canada, a local Heritage Language Teacher

Human Race Equality
April / May 1992
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One of the largest visible minorities of Canada, the Sikhs, started arriving at the west coast from the Punjab at the beginning of this century. Of about 170,000 Sikhs settled in Canada, over one thousand reside in and around Kitchener-Waterloo. They can be identified from their outward symbols of unshorn hair, turban and a steel bracelet on the right wrist.

The usual Sikh middle name is Singh (Lion) for males and Kaur (Princess) for females. Known as the youngest major religion of the world, Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak (1469-1539 AD). His birth-place, called Nankana Sahib is now in Pakistan, after the Punjab split in 1947. The world population of the Sikhs is around 20 million. The Sikh faith evolved and developed under the leadership of ten Gurus. The tenth Guru Gobind Singh installed the holy book named Guru Granth Sahib as the perpetual Guru. It is a 1430 page anthology of hymns composed by the Sikh Gurus and some saints from other faiths. These hymns were written in several current dialects and languages including Sanskrit and Persian, and are set to 31 musical scores.

One of the cardinal principles of Sikhism is the essential equality of all human beings. Thus Sikhism rejects all man-made divisions of human race into castes, creeds, colours and classes. In fact, Guru Nanak’s constant companion was a Muslim musician named Mardana.

The famous Sikh temple called the Golden Temple at Amritsar has four doors towards the four directions signifying that all persons are welcome there without any discrimination of creed or clime. The foundation of this Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) was laid by a Muslim saint named Mian Mir.

The Sikh Gurus opposed all forms of oppression and exploitation. They resisted the religious, social and political policies which went against equality and dignity of human beings. An example is when the Brahmins (members of the priestly and highest caste of Hindus) of Kashmir feared persecution at the hands of the then rulers of India, they sought help from the ninth Sikh Guru: Tegh Bahadur. Though they had a different faith, the Guru sacrificed his own life at Delhi in 1675 to defend their right to faith and life.

An important Sikh practice of social equality is ‘Langar’ or common and free kitchen, where every person is welcome to eat irrespective of faith or status. Sikhs recognise the whole human race as one.

The Sikh Community celebrates Baisakhi Day, April 13, as on this day in 1699 A.D., the tenth Sikh Guru GobindSingh created the Khalsa Order by baptising the Sikhs with Amrit ceremony at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. A special congregation to mark this day will be held at Kitchener Gurdwara on April 26, 1992 from 10 am – 2 pm

A Glimpse of the Punjabi Heritage
June / July 1992
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The people of the Punjab, known as the Punjabis, possess an old and rich culture. PUNJ + AB means the land of five rivers, namely Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum. The present Punjab, divided in 1947, forms part of India and Pakistan. The language of this region is Punjabi and has several dialects. The Punjabi people belong to the Hindu, Muslim and Sikh religions. The Punjabi culture and heritage is of the vintage of the famous Indus Valley civilization (third millennium B.C.) whose sites have been excavated at Mohenjo-Daro and Sanghol. The verses of the Rig-Veda, regarded as the oldest scripture, were composed in Punjab.

Historically, the Punjabis had to bear the brunt of numerous invasions of India from across the North-Western borders which began in 327 B.C. with the attack by Alexander the Great of Macedon, from Greece. Invasions continued till 1767 A.D., when the Sikhs finally repulsed the forces of Ahmed Shah of Afghanistan. Such hard times made the Punjabis daring, sturdy, adventurous and open-minded.

The Sikh religion, founded by Guru Nanak (1469-1539), a contemporary of the Mughal emperor Babur, was another powerful factor that influenced the Punjabi way of life. Besides their spiritual regeneration, the Punjabis experienced a strong social and political awakening through the philosophy and practice of the Ten Sikh Gurus, during the 16th and 17th centuries. The Sikh ideal was realized in 1699 in the formation of an egalitarian, monotheistic, self-disciplined and human-rights-conscious community of Saint-soldiers called the Khalsa. Surviving persecution and even genocide at the hands of foreign rulers for a hundred years, these dauntless people established the most powerful sovereign state of the then India, under the Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh who was popular with the Punjabis of all faiths. His cabinet included Muslim and Hindu ministers. His French and Italian generals trained the Khalsa army on European lines. Comprising the whole Punjab and Kashmir, this state flourished till annexed by the British in 1849, after two Anglo-Sikh wars. Please refer to the map (opposite page) taken from the book “The Sikhs and Their Way of Life” by Gurinder Singh Sacha.

For long Punjab remained a melting pot of cultures. The Punjabi language, art, architecture, dress, and food, show Greek, Mughal and Persian influence on them.

The Punjabi language is written in Gurmukhi script (see opposite), but Pakistani-Punjabis use Persian letters.

Punjabi literature has been enriched by Sikh, Muslim and Hindu writers alike.

Baisakhi (April 13) is Punjabis’ main festival, marking the height of spring, harvest of wheat and the birthday of Khalsa.

Folk songs and dances – Giddha, Bhangra – charm and thrill the Punjabis.

A sampling of Punjabi folk songs:

Veiled Beauty:
The fair face and eyes brown, why behind the veil restrain?

Romantic Prank:
A girl wearing anklets the water spilt,
A boy wearing necklace slipped on it.

In-Laws’ Etiquette:
To veil your face and walk with grace
A double trouble at in-laws’ place.

Sympathy in Trees:
The trees though can’t speak
Yet share people’s grief.

Sikh Community Celebration
To mark the Martyrdom Day of their Fifth Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the Sikh Community will hold special congregations at the Sikh temples: Gurdwaras. The celebration includes singing of Kirtan: the Guru’s verses, speeches and Langar: free food for all who attend

Guru Arjan Dev got the foundation of the famous Golden Temple laid by a Muslim saint Mian Mir in 1588 at Amritsar (Punjab) and compiled the first edition of the Sikh scripture, Ad Granth, in 1604. He contributed 2312
compositions himself to this holy book. For the sake of his right to faith and expression, this first martyr Sikh Guru had to face inhuman tortures and death in 1606 at Lahore as ordered by the then emperor Jehangir of India.

Gur + dwara – The Sikh Place of Worship
September 1992
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GUR + DWARA means Guru’s Abode. It is a place for the Sikh congregational worship of God in the presence of GURU GRANTH SAHIB, the Sikh scripture. This 1430 page anthology of hymns composed by the Sikh Gurus also contains sayings of 15 Hindu and Muslim holy men who believed in One God and equality of the human race.

Its first edition was compiled by the Fifth Guru, Arjan Dev Ji, in 1604. Guru Granth Sahib, as the Guru’s Word, holds the supreme authority for the Sikhs. The holy book, reverently covered in robes, is kept on a raised place under a canopy in every Gurdwara. As a mark of respect for the Guru’s Word, the Sikhs bow before this book and then sit cross-legged on the carpet in the hall.

All persons, regardless of caste, creed, colour or age can enter a Gurdwara. They must take off their shoes, clean their hands and feet and cover their heads before going in. Alcohol, tobacco or intoxicants are not allowed there.

The daily worship in a Gurdwara generally consists of the opening of Guru Granth Sahib in the morning, singing of the Guru’s hymns, joint prayer, reading of a passage from the holy book and its exposition. A similar service is performed in the evening before the closing of the scripture.

Sikh women can also lead the service. It may be noted that though the Sikhs highly respect the Guru’s Word in the form of Guru Granth Sahib, yet the only object of their worship is One Eternal and Omnipresent God. The Sikhs call Him WAHEGURU, or the Wonderful Lord .. but according to the Guru one can worship God by any name.

Muslim epithets like Allah, Karim, Rahim; and Hindu epithets like Ram, Gobind, Madhav etc .. for Him, occur in the Sikh scripture.

Another essential part of a Gurdwara is the Guru’s Langar or the free common kitchen where all are welcome to share food for which the devotees voluntarily contribute in cash or kind. The food is prepared and caringly served by volunteers to the Pangat or the people sitting together in rows. In some historical Gurdwaras, the common kitchen serves the visitors round the clock.

Outwardly, a Gurdwara is recognizable from a saffron-coloured triangular flag having the Sikh emblem of swords and circle on it.

Guru Nanak – Founder of the Sikh Faith
October / November 1992
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 Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539) founded the Sikh faith which is known as the youngest major religion of the world. He was born in Talwandi village in Punjab. This place is now known as Nanakana Sahib and is in Pakistan since 1947. The local teachers could not satisfy child Nanak’s quest for truth and curiosity for the real purpose of human life. When his father sent him to graze the family cattle, Nanak would sit in meditation while the animals strayed into wheat crops. Once he spent the money given to him by his father for business, to feed some hungry hermits. The father became unhappy at his only son’s ‘otherworldliness’.

Nanak was married and had two sons. For some time he worked as manager of Nawab Daulat Khan Lordi’s stores at Sultanpur town (Punjab). His humane and spiritual behaviour made him very popular there. But jealousy led some adversaries to complain to the Nawab that Nanak was not careful about his job. Ther stores were inspected twice but no discrepancy was found. Nanak quit the job.

Now he revealed his real mission, starting with his message: there is no Hindu, there is no Muslim .. all human beings are the children of the same God. Thus Guru Nanak founded the Sikh faith on the principle of human equality. He accepted neither religious rituals nor caste systems. To make individual and social life purposeful and productive he preached the following three things: Remember One Eternal God who is both Transcendent and Immanent; Earn your living by honest work; and share your gains with others.

To spread his message Guru Nanak undertook long and hazardous journeys in India and abroad, reaching Tibet, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Arabia and Iraq. He visited many Hindu and Muslim places of worship.

It is said that when Malik Bhago, a rich but corrupt official of Emnabad town, invited Nanak to his sumptuous feast, Nanak dined instead with a poor but honest carpenter named Bhai Lalo.

During one of his journeys Guru Nanak was confronted with the biggest question of those days: “Who is superior, a Hindu or a Muslim ?” his answer was that without doing good deeds both would repent because God accepts none on the basis of religion alone. He emphasised the practice of the genuine values of one’s faith rather than the performance of mere rituals.
He denounced those who rated women inferior to men, and believed that truth is higher than everything, but higher still is truthful living.

The Guru’s philosophy and teachings are contained in his 947 compositions compiled in the Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib.

Towards the end of his life, Guru Nanak founded the village KARTARPUR on the banks of the river Ravi where he settled as a farmer and continued his preaching. There he passed away at the age of 70, after bestowing the Guruship on Guru Angad Dev Ji. Guru Nanak was succeeded by nine Gurus till 1708.

The following folklore brings out the popularity of Nanak as the prophet of human equality:
Nanak Shah fakir, Hindu ka Guru Musilman ka Pir
which means: Saint Nanak is Hindus’ Guru as well as Muslims’ Pir.

A Sampling of Punjabi Songs
December 1992 / January 1993
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Folk songs are a vital part of a nation’s culture. They depict different phases of development of the civilization of a people or country. Folk songs mirror joys and pains experienced by the people during their long struggle for survival, and are a valuable source of knowledge about their physical and social environment, occupations, mental and physical characteristics, food, dress, art, craft, and family and community relationships. Folklore forms the unwritten literature of a language too.

The Punjabi peoples’ heritage is very rich with a large variety of folk songs. These have been composed and sung on plenty of topics such as the birth of a child, lullabies, engagement, marriage, youth, beauty, parental and in-law’s home, dresses, ornaments, seasons, crops, trees, occupations, festivals, ceremonies, love, pain of separation, chivalry, battles, patriotism, humour, pranks, .. etc.

Aptly chosen words, spontaneous expression and beautiful rhyme and rhythm have made them a precious possession of the Punjabis for centuries, at home and abroad.

Punjab, being the fertile land of five rivers and situated in the path of invaders of India from the north-western frontiers, produced one of the most reputed people of farms and arms. The following sampling of translated Punjabi folk songs illustrates Punjabi life in the context of fields and battlefields.

To begin with, here is a saying that briefly but intensely conveys the cherished wish of the Punjabi people:

Live with dignity though a few days shorter the life be.

The romantic charm of the glittering nose ornament of a Punjabi damsel:
On seeing your nose-pin aglow
The ploughmen forgot to plough.

A chivalrous tribute to the cotton-picking lass:
Give way,, O slender cotton stalk,
Let the slim belle pass and walk.

Subtle flattery of lover to get the lost necklace found:
My necklace fell in the field of millet
Please go, like a peacock pick it.

A request to the soldier husband to come home on leave:
The nights are dark, alone and scared I am
Do come on leave, my serviceman !
A keen desire to be ever in the company of the serving husband:
O my rider of the blue steed, if you go on campaign apace
Hide me in your haversack.
Wherever the night may fall, take me out to embrace.
Husband’s presence as a farmer preferred to his absence as a soldier:
Stay at home and till the land
I’ll regard you as a serviceman.

A mother’s concern for the young men leaving for war:
Over the bridges military trains pass anon
Carrying mothers’ many a soldier son.
A sister’s wish to give dinner to her brother’s fellow soldiers:
Your troops to dinner, O brother, I’ll ask
Tho’ my mother-in-law may take me to task.
Looking forward to visit her parental family but if in-laws permit:
O my dear sister-in-law sitting with your companions of spinning wheel,
My brother on horse and with sword in hand has here come
May I go with him to visit my parents’ home ?

In the middle of the 18th century, the Sikh horsemen challenged and started routing the foreign invader of Punjab. They became strong enough to protect the native wealth and honour from the predators from the north-west. The then governor of Lahore, Mir Mannu, was so upset that he ordered the extermination of the Sikhs. How the Sikhs faced this situation and survived is expressed through the symbols of farming in the following folk song:

We are the crop and Mannu is the scythe to mow
The more he mows us the more we grow.

Pioneer Punjabi Immigrants in Canada
February / March 1993
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The Punjabi immigrants have been in Canada for about a century now. After a decade of the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Sikh ruler of Punjab, the British annexed this last independent state of India to their Empire in 1849 through war and diplomacy. Ranjit Singh had brought the Sikh army among the best forces of those times by getting it trained and equipped on the European models by hiring veteran generals from France and Italy. After the fall of the Sikh state of Punjab, the Punjabi youth joined the forces of the British Empire and were posted to many colonies in the east. From there they came to know about the migration of the Chinese and the Japanese to Canada after the mid 19th century. In 1897, a group of Sikh soldiers were deputed to take part in the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s monarchy in London. From there they returned after traversing the Dominion of Canada carrying with them a keen desire to settle and work in its vast and promising resources.

Being of an adventurous and enterprising nature, hundreds of Punjabis started arriving in British Columbia at the beginning of the 20th century. 98% of them were Sikhs and the rest were Hindus and Muslims. These pioneer Punjabi immigrants had to cope with a tough geographical and working environment. Yet by dint of perseverance, hard work and austere living, they soon found themselves living on the trail of success. They earned a reputation as diligent workers in farms and lumber mills around Vancouver and Victoria.

A few hundred shareholders founded and registered the Guru Nanak Mining and Trust Co. for financial entrepreneurship and they started investing in real estate.

To satisfy their religious and social needs, the first Sikh Temple or Gurdwara in Canada was opened in Vancouver in 1908. Earlier, the body of the first Sikh who died had to be cremated in the jungle at night in the absence of proper facilities for that purpose.

As subjects of the same empire they expected equal treatment, yet they had to face discouraging discrimination. For example, in 1911 a Punjabi resident of B.C. fetched his wife and 3 year old daughter from Punjab – the wife and child were detained in Vancouver, they were allowed to land as an Act of Grace after prolonged litigation.

The clause of Continuous Journey and Through Ticket from the country of which they are natives or citizens appended to the Immigration Act adversly affected the coming of people from India, as to fulfil such conditions then was impossible.

Moreover, a person bringing his family had to show $200 per head.

To overcome the problem of ‘continuous journey and through ticket’ from India, Baba Gurdit Singh chartered a ship named Kama Gata Maru which reached Vancouver in 1914, with 376 Punjabis on board. But after two months of negotiations and privations they had to return. The local press reporters described these passengers as “in good health, certainly clean, well set up and a handsome lot”. Today, thousands of Punjabis are contributing to the progress of Canada and are living in peace and prosperity in this land of diverse cultures. The trail they follow was blazed nearly a century ago.

Stories from Travels of Guru Nanak
April / May 1993
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The founder of Sikh religion and first of the ten Sikh Gurus, Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539) travelled all over India and to many places in China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Middle East with a view to giving his universal message of only One Eternal God, equality of humanity, personal and social values of good deeds and selfless service of others. During his hazardous and long journeys in four directions, he came across countless people of various faiths, ranks, professions, castes, etc.

The following are three stories during those travels:

The Treasure and a Needle
Once Guru Nanak visited the town of Lahore, now in Pakistan. There he saw flags of different colours atop a mansion. The Guru, along with his Muslim companion Bhai Mardana, entered that big house, and were warmly received by its owner Seth Duni Chand.  The Guru asked him about the significance of the flags, and Duni Chand proudly replied that one flag stood for ten million rupees he had – that was his way of telling people how rich he was. Guru Nanak quietly took out a sewing needle from his pocket, gave it to the millionaire saying “please keep me this little property in your custody along with your treasures, I may take the needle back from you in the next world”. The Seth thought awhile and said, “O, holy man, how can I carry the needle into the next world when one leaves everything behind after one’s death ?” On this the Guru commented, “If that is the case, then how can your wealth avail you hereafter. Death keeps no calendar. You may quit this world and wealth any moment. So give up greed and share your treasure with the needy. Thus will you get real comfort and peace here and hereafter.” The rich man acted upon Guru’s advice.

Remain Rooted, Be Uprooted
Guru Nanak once reached a village where the people were so discourteous that they neither greeted him nor listened to his message. The Guru blessed them thus, “May you remain comfortably settled here for ever !” Then along with Mardana he left for the next village. There the residents were hospitable and open-minded. They heard his words attentively. Before departing Guru wished them thus, “May you be uprooted from your homes and hearths and be scattered far and wide !” Mardana wondered why Guru had blessed the bad people and cursed the good ones. He explained – “My friend, let a disease remain localised lest it should infect the healthy cells of the body. The wellness must course through as many parts of the body as possible. That is why the people of bad conduct should remain settled and those of good conduct be on the move in society”.

The Brimful Bowl and the Flower Petal
Once Guru Nanak visited Multan which was known as the town of fakirs or holy men. On hearing of his arrival, the fakirs felt a little jittery. They sent the Guru a bowl brimming with milk with a messenger. The Guru easily understood their message that there was no room for him in Multan which was already full of holy men as the brimful bowl. He gently floated a flower petal on the surface of the milk and returned the bowl to the fakirs. The Guru’s symbolic reply was that his presence there would not displace any of the holy men, and would also spread love and goodness like the inoffensive fragrance of the flower petal.

by Eliseo A Martell

Education and Culture

December 1991 / January 1992

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.

A Dream

June / July 1992

“I had a dream about many people leaving their countries, children, parents, grand parents, uncles, friends. Migratory birds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of them adopting different and capricious forms … planes, ships, people. I dreamt that whales were stranded on the beaches, people looking at them with astonishment, and they were the people I love and had gone”.

These are some lines that my brother sent me in a letter. He describes the feelings of those who stayed when we left our native countries. As new Canadians we can also interpret his words. We are as migratory birds, flying from south to north, from east to west. People coming to Canada, looking for a better future or escaping from a dangerous situation to a safety place.

New immigrants move, change, can take the form of planes. They learn how to fly, to live better, to reach new horizons. They are the ‘successful’. However, others can adopt the form of ships, always in movement, going from Quebec to Kitchener, from Toronto to Vancouver. Never finding a place of stability. But both are people. Souls with feelings, fears, illusions and frustrations. They are eager to learn and to share their knowledge with other immigrants and born Canadians. They live in Canada, but part of their being is in other places. As the whales in my brother’s dream, we get stuck in our perceptions of the country we left, in memories of friends and relatives, in visions of places and events.

These perceptions do not change, they are fixed in our mind. Yet friends, relatives, places and relations change with time, and our memories, like the whales, become a contradiction. Although they are real, they are also a mirage because life is not there any more. There is a lack of dynamism on it that is difficult to perceive. These memories change with time, they acquire a new dimension, they become bigger, and more pleasant. This change translates into nostalgia, homesickness everything was better there”. It is so difficult to accept that the whale is not able to return to the sea any more.

These attitudes have an explanation: It is so demanding to deal with a new situation, to learn a new language, to make new friends, to change behaviours that were considered acceptable before. It is so difficult to deal with racism, and to be accepted with respect. It is so hard to find that our knowledge and experience are not valuable because they are not ‘Canadian’.

I dream of immigrants and born Canadians working together, changing the whales stuck on the sand into whales alive, and happily swimming in the sea, discovering new reasons to live and to grow. Canada is so beautiful and special that it deserves to be great!

Edwin W.D. Laryea  an educator- high school teacher and Vice Principal, former lecturer at Erindale College, University of Toronto.   President of “THE LEAD”, an educational Consulting Agency based in Kitchener, Ontario

 

EXTRA POINTS !

December 1991 / January 1992

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]

*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!

April / May 1992

Changes in attitudes and increased participation in the restructuring of the 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 identify positive examples as well as barriers.

Teachers and Administrators:
Answering 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?

Parents:
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 the names of your child’s teacher, Counsellor, Vice-Principal, and Principal?
3. When you visit the schools, do you feel welcomed?
4. Are you familiar with what your child is learning?
5. Are you monitoring your child’s progress?
6. Is your child happy in his or her school? If not, what steps have you taken?
7. Do you attend all school functions?
8. Do you communicate regularly with teachers and administrators?
9. Do you feel that the school communicates regularly with you?
10. Do you feel that your opinions are valuable in the decision-making process?
11. Are you satisfied with the role parents play in the running of the school? If not, what suggestions will you make?

Yes, the time has come for school administrators, teachers and other educational leaders to share some decision-making power with others in the community. The changes that will be made in the empowerment process should be tangible. They must be accompanied by training sessions for the parents, on how to interact effectively with the school

 

Minority Students and Self Esteem
June / July 1992

Shifting paradigms and recent events in Los Angeles and in Toronto make self-esteem discussions mandatory among people of colour and members of other minority groups. The escapades of the crowd after a peaceful demonstration in Toronto are still fresh in our minds. What were the underlying causes ?

Alienation, negative self-image and low esteem may have been contributory factors. (Let it be stated categorically that this writer does not condone violence in any way!). Some members of certain minority groups consider themselves at risk and disadvantaged.

What is the meaning of at risk? It is a term used to describe students who usually exhibit signs of distress and failure. “Youths at risk are usually identified by the .. signs .. such as alcohol and drug abuse, unwed pregnancies, attempted suicide, street crime and delinquency, truancy from school and dropping out” (Improving Education for the Disadvantaged: Do we know whom to help? by John Ralph, Phi Delta Kappan, Jan.1989,p. 345)

Well, I suggest to you that the minority status and the subsequent exclusionary practices in our society, low proficiency in English, and lack of self-esteem experienced by some minority group members are major reasons for feeling different and disadvantaged.

Why do they feel different, you ask? Discrimination, stereotyping, offensive jokes and above all the look. If you do not know what I mean, ask a member of a visible minority how it feels to be stared at in public! For those with a low self-esteem, the pressure can be devastating.

In schools, it is a fact that names of culturally different students have been read over the P.A. with a chuckle in a very insensitive manner. No attempt has been made to pronounce these names correctly; Actually, the word “whatever” has often been added to the mispronunciation – an over-exaggeration of kindness and courtesy extended to you by a member of a majority group.

Feeling different makes you look and act like an outsider. In a resource document by the Guidance and Physical and Health Education Departments of the Waterloo County Board of Education (1990) the writers Maynard Snider and Dave Schlei, expanded on the five sequential components theory of self-esteem as espoused by Michele Borba1 et al. they stressed “the sense of security, identity, belonging, sense of purpose and a sense of personal competence”.  Another writer adds “a feeling of belonging and contributing motivates children to abide by and uphold the norms and values that the school community has decided are important”. [2]

It is apparent then, that those who feel different have very little in common with the society in which they live.  There is no bonding whatsoever and as such these disadvantaged youth often place themselves at risk by engaging in behaviour such as truancy, violence and disorderly conduct.

In the humble opinion of the writer, the time has come for us, as a society, to take a stand. We must all make a concerted effort to improve and solidify all students’, and especially minority students’, self-esteem. Schools should lead the way!! In fact, numerous educational policy documents, such as OSIS (Ontario Schools Intermediate and Senior) and the Formative Years, recognize the importance of self-esteem”.  It is the policy of the government of Ontario that all children be offered a curriculum that will provide opportunities to develop and maintain confidence and a sense of self-worth”(p.4). Dr. William Mitchell, who has developed a program entitled POPS: (Power of Positive Students) states: few things are more crippling in life than a negative self-image. For kids who have a defeated view on life and a negative view of themselves, school is never much fun. It is something they endure, with the addition of a lot of avoidance behaviour. The handwriting is on the wall as far as their school life is concerned, and the word ‘success’ does not appear in it anywhere”. [3]

The big question is, what should the schools do to enhance minority students’ self-esteem? We all know that when kids have a better self-image, they do better in school.

Here are some suggestions:

1- Promote multicultural education in all schools (I will discuss this topic in the next issue)

2- Establish a school/ethnic-parent support team. Some parents of disadvantaged students have a fear (=reverence) of the school system and of the people who run it. Such a support group could educate the parents on the structure of school organization (attendance procedures, course selection, school expectations and career choices). A workshop in early September and another early in the new year could be planned

3- Select a teacher(s) as the contact person(s) for the parents of their at risk students. It is quite clear that most of the immigrant parents who are unfamiliar with our school system, are suspicious or uncomfortable with administrators. It will be less stressful when dealing with a teacher representative, especially when such a person is frequently in touch with the parents in question

4- Establish Advisory Groups for minority students who display at risk tendencies. This group, to be formed after the student has been in the school for 2-3 months, could provide periodic conferences for feedback and positive reinforcement.  The student should be allowed to select a teacher, since it may be easier to talk to a person you select.  The Guidance Counsellor and the teacher selected will be the Advisory Group for that particular student

5- Promote active participation of culturally different students in school clubs. (Advisory Groups can make suggestions)

6- Form a World Club – made up of students from different cultures and backgrounds

7- Select a Multicultural or Community Representative for Student’ Council. The mandate being the promotion of intercultural activities

8- Encourage minority students to run for positions in the Students’ Council. It would appear that most elections for these positions are nothing but popularity contests !! As such, minority students do not stand a chance. Schools should therefore find a way to give the at risk students a chance

9- Promote ‘Multicultural Days’ in the schools – not the usual song and dance routine – Let’s have more meaningful activities such as panel discussions, conferences, celebration of important days and of national days of numerous countries

10-Provide opportunities for minority parents to participate in school activities, such as the supervision of certain school events, school social committees, parents night, library supervision, some clerical chores and the collection of pedagogical materials

11-Provide role models for minority students. It is not enough to have policies and affirmative action laws where all the people in the position of added responsibility do not look like you !! The Ontario government in its wisdom, has mandated that 50% of school administrators must be female by the year 2000. Yet, the affirmative action laws target 4 different groups, females, minority groups, the handicapped and Native peoples !! Why are there no such requirements for the other 3 groups?

12-Establish Evening Study Centres – a place for the students to come after school for help. The present curriculum is so complex that some minority parents may not be in a position to provide the academic help needed.

For many disadvantaged students, it is clear that the school is certainly not an inviting place and their inability to identify with the system may represent the first failure in their lives. What a great introduction to a life-long learning !!

Let us conclude by saying that it is now critical for our schools to become caring communities because when students
feel that they are valued members of the school family, their chances of success increase tremendously.

(1) Building Self-Esteem, Robert W.Reasoner 1982. Esteem Builders by Michele Borba 1989
(2) “Schools and Classrooms as Caring Communities”, Eric Schaps and Daniel Solomon, Educational Leadership, Nov.1990, p.38
(3) “The Power of Positive Students”, by Karin. Porat, Teaching Today, Nov/Dec 1991, p.27

 

Promoting Civic Responsibility in our Schools
February / March 1993

In this article I will discuss the role our schools can play to prepare students for citizenship.

What is “civic responsibility” anyway ? Civic responsibility may be defined as:
“the ability of the individual to participate thoughtfully with fellow citizens in building and protecting a society that is open, decent and vital” (1)

In order to participate thoughtfully, an individual must learn the skills necessary to make sensible choices, to think critically and to participate actively in the democratic process.

The question is, what kind of citizens are we producing through education? Are our schools preparing our youngsters to participate fully in our society?

Many people believe that our educational institutions are failing our students. Cynicism and individualism reign supreme in our world and there is a feeling that we have lost our sense of community.(2) Newspapers, parent-associations and the business community decry the apathy, ignorance and malevolent behaviour of our students. “Adolescence seems to be accompanied by alienation, resistance to authority, senseless fads, excessive egocentrism and lack of concern” (3)

Even though our society may be culpable for most of the negative behaviour of our students, this writer believes that the schools are in a position to restore a measure of altruism.

After all, our schools are not neutral instructional sites. They have an obligation to improve society by graduating healthy, self-activated and productive individuals who are ready to carry on the responsibilities of citizenship.

If we agree that education for citizenship should be the primary goal of the schools, then, we must discuss the strategies necessary to respond to this important civic mission. Before doing that however, it is important to issue two caveats. First, it is unrealistic to expect the schools to be solely responsible for civic education and secondly, citizenship education should not become the exclusive domain of any one subject area in the school. In fact, it should permeate the whole curriculum ! !

Here is what I suggest the schools should do:

In the first place, schools must concentrate on the students’ pro-social development. That is “their kindness and considerateness, concern for others, interpersonal awareness and understanding, and their ability and inclination to balance consideration of their own needs with consideration for the needs of others” (4)

Secondly, students must be given a chance to learn through actual experience because social responsibility cannot be taught in a vacuum. Many students spend years in their ivory towers without getting a chance to come face to face with the problems outside the walls of their educational institutions.

Schools must emphasize participation by encouraging our students to become involved in community projects. By so doing, students get a golden opportunity to form partnerships with the communities they serve. In fact, it is my sincere belief that community service should be a mandatory credit for all students, before they graduate from High School.

Thirdly, our curricula must emphasize the social skills of cooperation, sharing, tolerance, leadership and problem solving. It is indeed gratifying that the strategies (co-operative learning, collaborative learning and independent learning) which are being recommended in the Restructuring Process emphasize these skills.

Fourthly, critical thinking skills must be a high priority in all our schools. Students must be encouraged to critically question the knowledge and the information given to them. Critical thinking will definitely enhance their problem solving skills. It will allow them to analyse and discuss their differences in a reasonable manner. In this way, students will begin to realize that cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual and ideological differences are not indicators of a deficiency, inferiority, chauvinism nor inequality. Instead, these differences allow them to become border-crossers capable of interacting with people with divergent opinions, mannerisms and cultures.

It is evident that we live in a time of increasing public pessimism. Our youth is lost in a mass of culture which promotes materialism, selfishness and individualism. “As educators, our responsibility is to educate our students to learn to make better choices, think critically and believe that they can make a difference”.(5) This means that the school curriculum must be more attentive to the issues, problems, and histories that construct the experiences of their students. At another level, this suggests that schools need to reconstruct their relations with the communities that they allegedly serve. “Schools need to reach out into these communities and learn about their traditions and struggles, share power with the parents who live in them, and use their resources to empower not only dominant members of the community, but also those individuals and groups that are generally excluded from school life”(6)

Our students are counting on us to prepare them for the future that they have to face. Let’s live up to their expectations. We can do it ! !

(1) William G.Wraga, “The Return of Citizenship Education”, The Clearing House, July/August, 1991
(2) Mary S. Harbaugh, “Kids Can Make a Difference”, Instructor, February, 1990, p 45
(3) Jonathan C.Cutler, “A Student’s View of Youth Participation”, The Education Digest, April, 1989, p 45
(4) Eric Schaps, “Schools and Classrooms as Caring Communities”, Educational Leadership, November, 1990, p 39
(5) Henry A.Giroux, “Beyond the Ethics of Flag Waving: Schooling and Citizenship for a Critical Democracy”, The Clearing House, May/June, Vol.64, 1991
(6) Henry A.Giroux, “Beyond the Ethics of Flag Waving: Schooling and Citizenship for a Critical Democracy”, The Clearing House, May/June, Vol.64, 1991, p 308

 

Encouraging Student Involvement in the Community – A SUCCESS STORY!
April / May 1993

Last time I discussed the role the schools should play to prepare today’s youth for the world of tomorrow, and I indicated that the schools had a responsibility to provide their students with ample opportunities both in the cognitive and in the affective domains.  Students, I said, needed to come face to face with the realities of the world. I felt that there were certain values which could not be learned in a vacuum and that students had to be given a chance to experience and practice these values. (Altruism, tolerance, caring, justice, equity, etc.). It was not enough to isolate students in their present pristine environment, commonly known as the SCHOOL !

Today I want to tell you about Grand River Collegiate Institute, a school in the County of Waterloo, that has about 1400 students, and which encourages its students to participate actively in their community. There are numerous clubs within the school; One of these clubs, the Key Club, is continuously focused on community service. In fact, the KEY CLUB at G.R.C.I. is a service organization for High School students.

The word KEY is an acronym for Kiwanis Educating the Youth. The club is part of a world-wide youth group made up of over 3,600 Key Clubs, with approximately 140,000 members in over 13 countries. The G.R.C.I. KEY CLUB became a reality in 1991, with the generous support of the Twin Cities Kiwanis Club. Twenty-six students, from grades 9 to 11 are officially registered as members. Mr. Ron Harris and myself are the club’s Faculty Advisors.

Its strength lies in the initiative and the resourcefulness of the members, affectionately known as Key Clubbers. Operating with a motto of “Caring .. our way of life”, the students embrace projects aimed at making their school and their community a better place to live in. Their involvement in these activities makes it possible for them to link their learning with concrete examples in life.

They have completed such community service projects as: collecting eye glass frames for a third world country, selling environmental Christmas balls, making Christmas cards with Senior citizens, helping handicapped children celebrate Valentine Day by visiting them and making cards for the occasion. They also participated in the Senior citizens’ Tea, held at GRCI in December, in a very unique way. With a little bit of coaching, the students visited the malls around our school and solicited prizes for the event. These were awarded to the lucky winners of numerous draws and contests.

Other forthcoming events include a clothing drive, sponsorship of a child overseas in the Foster Parent program, helping students bring up their grades (The BUG Program), an attendance improvement program aimed at helping at-risk students and the establishment of a service club at the Senior Elementary School near G.R.C.I.

However, there are three special accomplishments which I would like to tell you about. The first is the Reading Program, set up entirely by the Key Clubbers. Through their own initiative, they convinced an Elementary School Principal in our jurisdiction to allow them to visit the Grade 1 class as reading Buddies. About 8 students visit the children every Thursday for half an hour. What an excellent learning opportunity for both parties !

The second accomplishment arose out of the realization that the Elementary school in question was in dire need of books. The students rose to the occasion by organizing a Children’s Book Drive at their school. Even though the drive was not too successful (only 60 books collected), I think that the students’ ingenuity must be applauded !

The third one is related to fundraising activities. With the financial support of our parent Kiwanis Club (with a donation of $2,000), the Club was able to purchase a pop-corn machine. It is available to all clubs in the school at a nominal fee of $20 per week. The money raised will help the Club become autonomous.

It is quite clear from the activities described above that the students care very passionately and they are willing to extend their help to those in need. What is really commendable is the fact that these youngsters go beyond the passive care rampant in our society of today. They translate their care and concerns into reality. They organize hands-on activities. Their curriculum includes action and it emphasizes participation not passive learning. In the process, the students enhance their interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. Just listen to the answers of some Key Clubbers to the question,
Why did you join the Club?

“I joined because the Club is the only democratic one in the school. It is not built on popularity nor on prior experience. Anybody can become a member.” ” I enjoy the positive and the safe environment the Club provides. This encourages experimentation and risk-taking”. “I get a chance to hone in my leadership skills”. “For me, the Key Club Conventions are fun. Meeting peer groups from the United States, the Caribbeans and from other parts of Canada, allows me to broaden my horizons. This kind of networking may develop into numerous friendships”. And finally this comment “The Club helps me understand pressing societal issues and it shows me how I, as a citizen, can become involved in these issues”

Very encouraging statements indeed, wouldn’t you say ?

You may be wondering how I got involved with the Key Club. Well, I personally started the Club because, like Judy Starr, who teaches in Corrales, New Mexico, “I wanted the students to become aware of their community. They needed to realize that they could make a difference regardless of their age, sex, religion or colour”1 I wanted them to develop a can-do attitude ! In my opinion, the Key Club experience promotes the importance of co-operation, sharing and social justice. It helps develop the character of the participants. It provides the students with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to become better citizens and skilfull border-crossers, capable of interacting with people, irrespective of their beliefs, origin or status. Above all, these kids get more out of doing something like this than the people they help.

In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to promote more active student participation in their communities.

“Programs in civic education must find ways to sustain active participation and promote public forms of civic talk. That will require moving beyond the traditional classroom models of the active teacher talking at passive students about the virtues of good citizens. We need programs that require students to perform community service, that empower them in pertinent school decision-making processes, that give them practical experience, and that make them responsible for developing public forms of talk and civic forms of judgement. These will not be found in (classroom) lessons alone. If we can develop such a curriculum, it will be a powerful incentive to citizenship, for it will provide an education that is aimed not only at participation but (one) which works through participation” [2]

1 Harbaugh,Mary S.,”Kids can make a difference!”,Instructor,Feb.1990, p.45.
2 Barber,Benjamin R., Public Talk and Civic Action: Education for Participation in a Strong Democracy, Social Education, Oct.1989, p.355

 

Minority Leadership in the Educational System
September 1993

Do you remember the explosive riots in L.A. and in Toronto and the subsequent measures instituted by government officials? We were so hopeful. Finally, we said with a sigh of relief, those in positions of responsibility would respond to the wake-up call. We allowed our naivete to convince us that we were about to rise above the problems in our society.

Unfortunately, however, recent events at home and abroad have dampened our high hopes. Reports of vandalism, arson and physical attacks perpetrated by skinheads and readliners against minorities, racial slurs and threats in some of our schools, and stereotyping prevail. And who can forget the resurgence and proliferation of hate-groups such as WAR (White Aryan Resistance), Skinheads in the United States1 and the Heritage Front in Canada? How can we as a society indirectly condone (by our inaction) the existence of such organizations?

Imagine how difficult it must be for minorities to exist under such adverse conditions! Of course, we are expected to carry on oblivious of the existence of these hatemongers. Come on, we are told, detractors are everywhere. There are people who can’t stomach fat or short people! Discrimination is not restricted to minorities!

Comments like these bring a very wry smile from this writer. It is surprising that people can make such unreasonable statements. How can we equate hatred of fat people with racism? Let me tell you something .. racism cuts deeply into one’s psyche. It denies your existence and challenges your integrity. It is a negative experience which completely saps your energy. It is a very destructive force indeed.

Take, for example, the children of minority families. They are expected to lead a normal life knowing fully well that there are individuals out there who hate them because of their colour and origin. Conscious of the negative depictions of minorities in the media and the “traditional stares” reserved for those of us who do not look like and act like the majority, they endeavour to compete equally with their peers. And guess what? If their performance is not up to snuff, they are immediately condemned as proven examples of Rushton’s theory of hierarchical intelligence.

What can we do to correct the present situation? Who are the perpetrators of these insidious incidents? Paradoxically, “those who dominate and those who tolerate discrimination are graduates of our schools. We had a chance to teach lessons of equity and to them a priority but it appears we have failed“. [2]

Even though this writer is not as pessimistic as the quotation above indicates, he still believes that the problem of racism demands the immediate attention of our schools. After all, our educational institutions deal with youngsters when they are at a very impressionable age. “Education is their best hope for breaking racism’s chains. Yet although such issues as equal opportunity .. and inequities in educational achievement have received considerable attention in recent years, very few schools have developed deliberate and systematic programs to reduce prejudice. The prevailing attitude seems to be that society (will do) away with the problem of racism through legislative action and special programs” [3]

In this article, I suggest that Boards take a look at minority leadership as another way of tackling the problem of racism and promoting educational equity in our schools.

There are many reasons for my insistence on this kind of leadership. The first and the most fundamental one is that such a move could help eliminate the negative images and feelings people have about minorities.

Many people never see minorities in leadership roles. Take a look at the institutions in our society – the government, the business world, the movies and of course, the educational system. As such, Caucasians come to look at minorities as a group of people who serve in subservient roles only. Surprisingly, many minorities share similar feelings. In fact, a lot of students, both black and white, have reacted with disbelief and a subdued chuckle upon meeting me for the first time, as Assistant Supervisor, in charge of the Grand River Collegiate Summer School.

To many, minorities are only good for certain types of jobs – baseball, football, basketball, porters at airports and VIA Rail. When was the last time you saw a black quarterback other than in the CFL? I am told that aspiring black College quarterbacks become disillusioned the moment they enter NFL.

Minorities are shut out when it comes to activities that require a lot of money. Hockey, golf and to a certain extent, tennis. Next time you go to a game, take a good look at the people around you. I bet you will not find a lot of minorities around you.

On the other hand when it comes to suffering, the minority representation is quite high. Those starving children in Somalia, in Arab countries and in Africa .. don’t they look like you, the minority members? How do you feel when the faces of these poor souls are shown on TV? How do you feel when the media presents shows like COPS with reggae music as its theme? Do you feel comfortable when you notice that those arrested look like you? And what about drugs and AIDS? Take a good look at the pictures that accompany the stories.

Another situation which fosters the feeling of inferiority is the usage of the word MINORITY. It has a negative connotation and it just makes it possible for others to dump all non-whites into a big basket irrespective of any special characteristics which distinguish them. It is nothing but a “holding tank”! Furthermore, the word minority has a tendency to destroy reality and to give delusions of grandeur to one group of people. Personally, I find the use of the word very despicable and would highly recommend that our society should not be divided in such a way.

The conditions described above help formulate unjustifiable and negative feelings about minorities. What is rather unfortunate is the fact that these ideas are passed on to future generations. Children are very vulnerable in these situations because these negative concepts become part of their world. “As the ideas from a child’s social world are brought to bear through the guidance of the older members of the community, children come to know, to expect, and to share meanings with their elders. Children acquire scripts (sequences of actions and words) for various interactions with people and things .. Gradually, children internalize the adult rules for ‘making meaning‘” [4]

Unless we are prepared to correct these misconceptions by creating a totally different context, these youngsters may grow up to become future perpetrators of injustice towards minorities. “Several studies have shown that individuals maintain great social distance from those identified as having a social stigma or marginal status in society than normal peers“. [5]

Additional reasons will justify the need for minority leadership. In the first place, we have to prepare ourselves for the impending changes in our society. In an article entitled “Beyond the Melting Pot“, (Times Magazine, April 9,1990 p38) the following statement was made: “In the 21st Century – and that’s not far off – racial and ethnic groups in U.S. will outnumber whites for the first time. The “browning of America” will alter everything in society, from politics and education to industry, values and culture“.  In fact by the year 2015, there is a strong possibility that the same situation will exist in Canada. For reasons of common sense it is time for us to not only eliminate the bias but also to learn how to take advantage of everybody’s talents.

The need for positive role models is another reason for minority leadership in our schools. Minority students may have higher expectations for themselves if they see role models who look like them.  In a study conducted by the Congress of Black Women in Kitchener-Waterloo, many of the Caribbean and Black students indicated that they felt alienated from school because the people who ran the place did not look like them. They also indicated that they felt uneasy about going to seek help from people who did not share their values.

Most of these students indicated that they were completely ‘disengaged’ from school because “the curriculum and the personnel constitute a ‘conceptual separation’ for minority students. They were ‘universal strangers’, disaffected and alienated” [6]

Another way of enhancing the self-esteem of minorities and changing the negative views that others may have is to expose them to minorities who have succeeded in their communities. These individuals should be invited into the schools. Their presence will provide positive examples to all students.

Proportional representation is another reason for minority leadership in the educational bureaucracy. The existence of administrators from different racial backgrounds is in itself an equity lesson for students who must be taught respect for and understanding of people from groups other than their own. [7]

For minority leadership to be successful, the following beliefs and attitudes must be challenged: affirmative action benefits those less competent and less deserving; minority people take advantage of their minority status and attempts to ensure the promotion of minorities is reverse discrimination.

It is never too late for us to change our attitudes towards minorities and to prepare ourselves for the radical changes we will face in the 21st century. To do this, however, we must expand the definition of leadership to include minorities; we must eliminate the narrow definition and screening methods that limit access to leadership of marginalized groups.8 We must reverse the barriers that keep minority candidates out of leadership positions. We must increase the pool of minority students, teachers and other personnel in positions of added responsibility within the schools.

In the final analysis, minorities must realize that nothing will change unless they learn to challenge and question those in the position of authority. We cannot afford to be silent any longer!

Regardless of the consequences, I strongly believe that our voices must be heard. The future of our children is at stake. They desperately need role models. And remember, “if you don’t get a chance to bat, you don’t get a chance to hit”9 Whether we strike out or hit a home run is immaterial! All we ask is our chance to bat. That is the only healthy thing to do.

1 TIME magazine, August 9,1993 p 38
2 “Rx for Racism: Imperatives for America’s Schools”. Phi,Delta,Kappan April,1990 p 594 by Gerald J.Pine & Asa G. Hilliard
3 Gerald J.Pine et als. op.cit. p 594
4 Barbara T. Bowman, “Educating Language-Minority Children: Challenges and Opportunities,” Phi Delta, Kappan October,1989, p 118
5 Aaron Wolfgang, “The Silent Language in the Multicultural Classroom” Theory into Practice, Vol XVI, Number 3
6 “Rx for Racism …” op.cit. p 596
7 “Rx for Racism …” op.cit. p 597
8 “Rx for Racism …” op.cit. p 597
9 Mary M. Frasier, “Poor & Minority Students Can be Gifted Too!” Educational Leadership, March, 1989 p 16

 

Educational Reform .. is anybody listening?
Volume 5 #1  1996

Don’t begrudge me for the topic I have chosen. Of course one could write about the prevailing cynicism around the world, the triumph of social conservatism and the politics of fear. Comments about how the Harris government followed the US Republicans’ November script of scare tactics to a tee and how those who voted for him may have gone into hiding would be a popular topic for discussion.

Other topics did cross my mind: Chretien’s pugilistic skills, O.J.Simpson’s exculpation and the reluctance of the American population to accept the verdict, the Million-Man march, the resurgence of xenophobia around the world and the demographic changes that are forcing us to re-examine our goals, our values and how we define success. Interesting subjects indeed, but not for today!

The topic that won the day was Educational reform. Unless you have been on an inter-planetary visit you must be aware of the public outcry for educational restructuring. The climate of change and uncertainty has elevated the cry for accountability to a crescendo. Our educational institutions are under siege. They are being blamed for everything! This kind of attack is deja-vu. History tells us that education has always been society’s whipping boy (person?). People want vigorous standards, quality programs and quality results. All this to be done on a shoestring budget, of course.

Our legislatures have responded to public demands by establishing Royal Commissions and issuing several guidelines and memoranda. With each succeeding government, new “great” ideas have been advanced, ostensibly to enhance the cause of education. Presently, we all know what Snobelen is up to. True to his word, he has created a “crisis”. He has adopted the old colonial rule of “divide and conquer”. He has pitted the “haves” against the “have-nots”.

His calculated tactics of dropping “info-bombs” in his wake, conducting biased surveys and attempting to disregard some provisions of the Education Act have contributed to a malaise in many academic circles. People are walking on pins and needles. Is this the positive environment needed to create learning organizations?

The reaction to the provincial government’s attack on education has been fast and furious. It all culminated in the February 24th Rally held in Hamilton. Apparently, over 100,000 people (including teachers), participated in the march.

Amid this environment of negativism, it is easy to jump on the bandwagon of anti-government pronouncements. Do not for a moment doubt my total rejection of Harris’s educational policy (assuming he has one!). But rather than expending my energy on attacking him, I would like to offer some food for thought.

Snobelen’s no-sense revolution presents a wonderful opportunity for teachers to take a serious look at what is happening in education. It is time for reflection and self-examination. Our support base of previous graduates and parents is quickly disappearing.

Listen to the words of the Executive Director of the National Schools Public Relations Association “Our large base of national supporters – parents – is dwindling and some have also become our most vocal and organized critics. This increasingly hostile climate for public education is heightened by a growing competition for the for-profit privatization movement, charter schools, schools of choice, home schooling, private schools and special interest groups”.  (How Smart Schools Get and Keep Community Support, Susan Rovezzi Carroll et als).

The Harris government like other governments before him, have successfully exploited the public’s discontent with our education system. Their actions and words continue to validate the criticism leveled at us.

Listen to what Snobelen is saying about the College of Teachers. “At last we have a College to develop and enforce rigorous standards for teachers, and help to improve accountability, as well as public confidence in our educational system. This reform is long overdue“. And again, “through the College, the public will know what standards of performance to expect for teachers and how teachers are upgrading their professional development“. And finally, “the College will coordinate and monitor [mandatory] career-long accredited professional development“.  (News Release Communique, Nov.21,1995).

Dastardly words indeed! What, pray thee, have we been doing in the last 25 years? Waiting for a messianic deliverance from the abysmal depths of educational ignorance? Hallelujah!

We cannot stand idly by and watch this government exploit the climate of fear and ignorance. Our credibility is at stake. We, as teachers, may be able to inject some optimism in this seemingly pessimistic environment. What we need is an attitudinal reform by everyone concerned with schools: boards of education, parents, educational leaders, teachers, students and the community. The lead role in this renewal process must be the responsibility of those who are always on the front-line, teachers and administrators. The job will not be easy but like the mythical Sisyphus, we will continue to defy the odds.

Suggestions for Self-Renewal

What kind of strategies do we need to restore our image?  The actions of Snobelen convince me that most governments take our educational leaders for granted. Look at what is happening in New Brunswick with the abolition of School Boards, and in Saskatchewan with the establishment of Super Boards. One does not high jack the authority of those one respects. Does the government ever adopt this highhanded approach with other professional organizations? I don’t think so.

To counteract this condescending attitude, future educational leaders must command the respect of our politicians and the public at large. In addition to an extensive knowledge-base supported by research, these leaders must be capable of implementing change from within the organization. For too long our schools have relied on “outsiders” to lead the way. Never mind the fact that some of these experts have never set foot in a “real” pre-University classroom. We flock to their workshops, we listen attentively to their innovative ideas. Like Charlotte’s spiders, we return to our respective sites. In most cases, however, these experiences “boil dry” because there is no systematic process to ensure the smooth transfer of these new ideas.

Please don’t get me wrong. There is nothing improper about seeking information from those who are more knowledgeable than we are. It is our willingness to continue to rely mostly on these external customers that I find unacceptable. Why can’t we find a way to direct our own renewal process? It may take a couple of years to accomplish this by why not start now? That is one way of gaining respect.

Another way to restore public confidence is to make sure that all our academic institutions provide quality learning experiences for all our students. This may already be happening in most schools. Unfortunately, we do not communicate our success to the public. We allow the media to concentrate on the negative aspects of our jobs.

These quality experiences can be created by requiring each school, under a board’s site-based management structure, to set up Continuous Improvement / Renewal Teams. They will monitor the performance of staff, students and administrators, set stringent standards for everything that happens on the campus and develop a plan for implementation. The minutes, the working papers and the action plans of these committees will be shared widely with the community. The public will know that we affirm the value of discipline throughout the school: disciplined teaching, disciplined learning, disciplined administration, disciplined conduct by staff and students. (Ditto., M.Donald Thomas)

In fact, this sharing is vital. For, although the accomplishments of public education exists and are growing, these positive messages are not being heard in many communities. We must find a way to create and retain parent and community support. If we, as educators, had done a better job promoting what we do well, the Harris government would not have succeeded with their negative campaign against the schools. Their success is attributable to our inability to be advocates for the excellent work we do.

Our educational leaders must participate in more public forums, radio talk-shows, curriculum workshops, community info-sessions. This is a good way to convince our stakeholders that public education works. The strong partnership that will be created as a result of our efforts will be beneficial to everyone. The public will get a more realistic picture of the purpose of schooling, and educational personnel will get a chance to work in supportive and collaborative environments.

Such environments do not exist right now. Teachers are always under attack.

Undoubtedly, some of these criticisms may be warranted. There is however, a belief out there that we are easy to replace. The most painful thing is that the very people we are trying to educate are exposed to this condescending view about their role-models.

One of the most fundamental elements in the teacher-student rapport and in the delivery of quality education is what I call “teacher essence”. Broadly defined as the sum total or the embodiment of the teachers’ actions, behaviours, personality and philosophy of education, it is the sine qua non in the establishment of a positive classroom environment. What is happening to education is affecting teachers’ morale and contributing to a tarnished “essence” of our teachers. With all the negative comments our students are exposed to, how are we supposed to command their respect?

Finally, there is no doubt that teachers need support, empowerment and the involvement of parents. Our success, however, will depend on three things: our willingness to design new modes of inquiry into the purpose of schooling, our ability to provide quality and authentic experiences for all our students and a meaningful two-way partnership with our external customers. When one considers the odds against us, this may be a formidable task indeed! We cannot give up. Let us refine what we do, promote it and teach our adolescents, future politicians maybe, that the best way to deal with people is through collaboration.

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 life size angel was always played by a child, but the angel was reproduced by the toy-makers 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.

Easter in Zehlendorf
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Katrin Wolters was born and lived in West Berlin – Zehlendorf, spent most of her youth in Luneburg, and came to Canada in 1980, and is presently a German Heritage Language teacher

Easter reminds me of my childhood when I lived in Zehlendorf, the then west side of Berlin.

Easter preparations in our family started long before Easter Sunday. Weeks in advance, my mom would remember not to break the eggs when baking a cake, but to blow them out.

Blowing eggs out is not an easy task. You poke a little hole in each end of the egg and then blow as hard as you can into one hole, hoping the egg comes out of the other side.

Since it was very strenuous, other members of the family had to help in blowing. You can imagine how many eggs survived this harsh treatment, especially in my hands, as I was only 4 years old. But it was fun! If we didn’t have any whole eggs to show for, we tried again another time.

These blown out eggs were rinsed and dried, and on a quiet afternoon, we, my mom and my younger sister and brother would paint them in different colours and hang them onto a pussy willow bouquet. This made a pretty decoration on our Easter Sunday’s breakfast table.

It gave me great pleasure to be the chosen one of three children to help decorate the Easter breakfast table. That morning my mom would boil five eggs. Eggs were a treat in those days in my family! After they were ready, we drew faces on the shells to make them look like bunnies – that was a lot of fun! Then we would all sit down and enjoy a table full of fresh warm buns, home-made jam and the eggs.

After breakfast my parents would invite us to go on an Easter hunt; If the weather permitted it, we had it outside, otherwise it was indoors. I remember that the ones that were the most fun were the ones in the garden. We would look beside the trees and inside the bushes to see if there were any signs of the Easter bunny having been there; And sure enough, after a while, we would come up on some yummy chocolate Easter eggs, with nugat or marzipan filling. Sometimes the Easter bunny even left some clothes or toys for us.

At noon time we had a festive hot meal that we enjoyed with my grandmother and my uncle and his family. We then often went for a walk through the woods around one of the big lakes in Berlin. It was great to run around in the woods. To our surprise we would find the chocolate eggs throughout the woods … was the Easter bunny here today too?

At the end of the day, after light dinner, we would have a big fire in the garden, where all the branches and bushes that had accumulated from the fall were burned, as we all watched on.

It was a spectacular ending for a great day in the circle of our friends and family. In bed I would fall asleep with the warm feeling of happiness, and wandering how I could have missed seeing this hard working Easter bunny all day!

Rick Weiss is Customer Service & Operations manager with the Royal Bank of Canada, and serves on the board of directors of both the Employment Skills Centre and the K-W Oktoberfest Inc

 

Employment Equity – Let’s Make it Count
December 1991 / January 1992
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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 reactionary approach to diversity. Thus, the challenge becomes effective management of this new diversity. A subject we will explore in future articles

 

Why Use a Bank
April / May 1992

Chartered Banks in Canada
Canadian Chartered Banks form a major part of the financial web in this country. They act as the medium for the majority of individuals’ savings, and arrange lending facilities for individuals and businesses alike.  Chartered Banks are the predominant deposit taking institutions in Canada. In total, Canadians alone hold over 31 million personal savings accounts. These deposits are important to the money supply of the country as they form the basis of funding to meet the wide ranging credit needs of the nation’s borrowers – both business and consumer.

So it is beneficial for the consumer and the country to deal with a bank. In fact, people have been dealing with banks in Canada for more than 160 years. Currently, the banking industry in Canada offers in excess of 7,000 branches coast to coast.

But who regulates this intricate and complex industry? The Federal Government, operating under the provisions of the Bank Act, provides the industry’s policing. To keep current economically and socially, the Act is evaluated approximately every 10 years. Recent changes have concentrated on the providing of Insurance products through the extensive branch network of the Banking Industry. Also, in 1987, the Bank Act changed to allow Chartered Banks to be more participative in investment advice and portfolio management services. Most of the Chartered Banks associated themselves with a major Brokerage House and expanded their delivery network.

Introducing Schedule “B” Banks
A major change occurred in 1980, which had an impact throughout the industry: Schedule “B” banks were introduced. These include all foreign and Canadian owned Banks and Trust companies whose shares are controlled by a single or small number of shareholders. They differ from Schedule “A” banks, Charter Banks, whose shares are widely traded on the major stock exchange, and where no one interest may hold more than 10 percent. There are about 8 schedule “A”, and 55 schedule “B” banks in Canada today.

As mentioned earlier, bank deposits make up the major portion of the official money supply in the country. These deposits, subsequently, are used to fund loans to businesses, farmers, and individual consumers. Some of these monies are also used to finance development in other areas of Canada. Since the primary business of banks is to make loans, attracting these deposit dollars becomes a very important function. The banks encourage Canadians to save by providing a unique range of deposit and personal services. It is a well known fact that Canadians, as a group, are a nation of savers. There are more personal savings accounts in Canadian chartered banks than there are people in this country. Once you make the decision to deal with a bank, take your time and choose your deposit vehicle carefully. Talk to the banker. Ask about interest rates and the different benefits the various types of accounts can offer. The banks handle such large volumes of transactions so effectively that Canada is regularly complimented on having one of the most efficient banking systems in the world. The banking industry is an important one in Canada.

Heritage Language Schools
December 1991 / January 1992

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.

DORMAA – MAN : STATE – DISTRICT
by Nana Gyamfi-Kumanini

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).  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. The book Dormaa-Man will appear in a sequel in Cross Cultures; by permission from the author

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.

A Brief History of the State:

In times past there were greater distinctions between classes of men. The lords ruled and the common people obeyed despite hardships. The old static traditional rules were followed period after period in history because there was something similar to a dynasty of rulers who were known beforehand and no matter who they were, they ruled according to laws already laid down. In traditional Dankyira, as was the olden days and it is today, ascendance to either the stool of chieftaincy or to be a Queen, one had and has to go according to the set laws. These laws involve the knowledge of which female royal gave birth to which male or female royal, as well as who therefore is the legitimate royal to be selected as chief or queen to the traditional stool. Retrospect chronologically the maternal royal lineage of the 17th Century Dankyira royal generation, the first Queen of Dankyira, Nana Yaa Dakwa, had a daughter Nana Abenaa Bansua, who also gave birth to Nana Akomadoma, the mother of Nananom Afra Aso Kani Ntiroakoma Akua and Basua.

After her death, Nana Akomadoma was to be succeeded by her eldest daughter, Nana Afra Aso Kani but because of the ever present fractionalism and corruption, Ntirakoma Akua, the youngest daughter was given the place as the Queen, due to the influence of her (Ntirakoma Akua’s) husband, who as the ‘Korontihene’ of Dankyira. The people of Dankyira became polarized, one group on the side of each contestant for the stool. Afra Aso Kani and her supporters sought asylum in a new land away from Dankyira. The pleas of Ntirakoma Akua’s people could not change their minds.

How could they prevent them from leaving Dankyira? The pleas merely made Afra Aso Kani retort, “leave me alone”, insisting on her separation. They made for the forest area close to Ashanti, prepared to dedicate themselves to any other king they would encounter who would accept their company. They went as far as the present day Asumja where they found people and learned of the presence of the king of the area (the Asantehene) at Kokofu. They went there and paid homage to the Asantehene who permitted them to camp on the banks of a nearby asua bi agya river. They called the camp Asuogya, which has become the present day Asumja.

After camping for a month at Asuogya, Nana Afra Aso Kani and her group were approached by another group which was led by a man. The very reason which compelled Nana Afra Aso Kani and her people to leave Dankyira had also brought this group out of Akwamu. The leader of the group, Atta Panin, the elder of the twin nephews of the chief Nana Ansa Sasraku of Akwamu, was, according to tradition, to be the heir after his father’s death, but Nana Ansa Sasraku, judging Atta Panin to be clumsy and stupid, asked that Atta Kuma, who was regarded as witty and intelligent, inherit the stool. The elders of Akwamu were alarmed at this wish of Ahinsaku (short for Ohene Ansa Sasraku), and favoured Atta Pain; but the youth leader Nkwankwaahene
and the youth supported Atta Kuma and made him chief of Akwamu. This rivalry resulted in a situation very much like the one in Dankyira, a conflict which brought Atta Panin and his followers to Asuogya. They came along with the Queen Mpobi Yaa, Atta Panin’s mother, and some members of maternal royal family.1 The Akwamus camped at present Suntreso near Kumasi.

They met the Dankyiras who had migrated, and who were not willing to return to Dankyira and could bear no other name but the remark “Ma me nsen” (leave me alone).

Friendship developed between the two groups and Nana Aso Kani suggested to the Akwamus that they move furtherto the forest away from the Ashantis, but the Akwamus refused. Nana Afra Aso therefore said “I am leaving you here if you fear to move ahead” se mo suro a mo mma me nsen, thus the group became known as ma mensin or MANSIN as posterity came to know it.

Subsequently, the Mansins moved to Aburaso but maintained their association with the Akwamus. the Akwamus outnumbered the Mansins; besides, they had a male leader who could mobilize them in case of war. It was therefore negotiated that the leader of the Akwamus should lead the two groups, assisted by the female leader of the Mansins. Trouble arose between the Akwamus (Atta Panin’s followers) and the Ashantis, and with the support of the Mansins they defeated the Ashantis and kept the skull of the Asantehene Obiri Yeboa, which is still at Dormaa Ahenkura. Osei Tutu, who succeeded Obiri Yeboa sought revenge for the earlier defeat and even though the Ashantis were driven back seven times, they finally won the battle because their enemies (Akwamus-Mansins) ran out of gun-powder. As the Ashantis controlled the road to Cape Coast, Nana Adikowam,, the then chief of the Mansins, had been sent to the present day Ivory coast to buy some gun-powder, but before he could return the Ashantis had won the battle.

Legend also suggests that the two groups were unable to combat the Ashantis because a woman revealed the antidote of their war juju to Okomfo Anokye, who succeeded in weakening the power. The Ashantis captured Nana Kyereme Sikafo then chief of the Akwamus group and sent him to the palace of the Asantehene and made him the bearer of Busumuru and thus became the Okradwareni (the soul purifier of the Asantehene).

The Akwamu group scattered as a result of this defeat. Some of them fled to the Huans, but others stayed behind to watch the graves of their ancestors. It was the timid ones who fled and came to be called “Gya wo man fo” as that was the first time any of the Akwamus had retreated in a battle. Thus it was referred to as “the first flight” Gya wo man (Gyama) Kan. When the war ceased, the Asantehene promised not to harass the people again and even encouraged the scattered ones to come back.

One of the first tasks of Nana Kyereme Sikafo, the captive Busumuru bearer for the Ashantis, was to go to Bahore to cast a spell on the people so as to weaken them for easy conquest. It was rumoured that the Queen of Bahore was very rich and so the Asantehene wanted to conquer her and thus gain her wealth. Abenaa Poko, the Queen, being clever, discovered the Asantehene’s tricks, and in order to prevent a war sent loads of gold dust through Nana Kyereme Sikafo and his company to the Asantehene. When Nana Sikafo was returning to Kumasi, a couple of his scattered band saw him. He convinced them to go back to his people and ask them to meet at their former place. A group of them went with him to a place where his own son, Kyereme Gyana, and some of the remaining Akwamus were camping. As more people followed them, the place was called Boa wo man ano “gather or mobilize your people”, which became Bomaa.

Those who came to Bomaa were said to have had love for their clan, for they responded to ‘love your clan and come back’, the message Nana Kyereme Sikafo sent to them; and were then Dormaafo “those who love their clan” after they returned.

Nana Kyereme Sikafo sent Kyereme Gyana and Oheneba Darebo, the then chief of Tepa to Asantehene with the gold and with a message: he was trying to bring his people back home , but they were afraid to stay near the Ashantis.

The Asantehene swore that nobody from those groups (Dormaafo and Mansinfo) would be tortured in Kumasi and pledged that even if anyone from the two groups cut himself in Kumasi or anywhere in Ashanti, any Ashanti being near should dress the wound, for no blood of a member of the two groups should be shed on Ashanti land. However, they were to promise to be his people forever.

Meanwhile the leader, Nana Adikowam and his Ma mensen people at this time were at Neonsome where a message was sent to him by Nana Kyereme Sikafo. His reply was that they would come after their corn was harvested.

But before the harvest was over, Nana Adikowam passed away and Nana Daako took charge of the Ma mensen people.

He also joined his ancestors after a short reign and was succeeded by Nana Tutu Baffour who led the Mansin people from Nsonsome to join the Dowoman people at Bomaa. The Dowoman people at Bomaa had by this time established another settlement called Mmaaban (women’s own settlement), now called Maban.

At Bomaa a two-storeyed house was built for the chief which was called Aban – a mansion. The chief had a drum called ‘Aprede’ which was played every night and people went to enjoy it. So the people of the time would say they were going to enjoy the ‘aprede’ at the mansion: ye reko aban aprede ase; which nearly became the town’s name.

Thus originated Abanprede ase, the present name of the Dormaahene’s 40,000 palace.

Status of Women in Islam
December 1991 / January 1992
(This article is excerpted by permission of the author, from his essay in al Islam (Summer 1991) Dr. M.I.E, President of the K-W Islamic Association, also a professor of ECE and director of the VSLI Project at the University of Waterloo
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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 fulfillment 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.

Fasting of Ramadan
April / May 1992
(This article is excerpted by permission of the author, from Extracts published by the Toronto Star, April 25,1987)
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Canadian Muslims, and Muslims worldwide, are presently fasting the month of Ramadan. For 29-30 days they fast during the daylight hours of each day (from one hour before sunrise until sunset). The keynote to all observances is self-discipline, self-restraint and flexibility. It is not an ascetic or self-mortifying practice.

On the material level, the fasting – during the fasting hours – involves total abstinence from all food, drink, tobacco and marital intercourse. On the behavioral level, abstinence from quarreling or engaging in angry talk, and wrong behavior of any sort. It is a time for reconciliation.

Fasting is in no sense an excuse for neglect of work or obligations, idleness irritability or outbursts of temper, but, on the contrary, should be a totally inner state leading to patience and inner peace. Muslims must carry on their work and other activities even though they may be hungry, thirsty and tired.

The basic rules of fasting are quite simple: every day of Ramadan is a fasting day. The very elderly, the very young, and the insane are permanently exempt from fasting; while travelling or sick persons, women during menstruation and up to 40 days following childbirth, pregnant and nursing mothers, and any other condition where fasting could cause harm, are temporarily exempt. Instead, he or she would feed a needy person or give a sum equivalent to the meal.

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic Hijra Calendar, and is followed by Eid al Fitr, the festival of Fast-Breaking.

It should be noted that because Islam uses a lunar rather than a solar calendar, any given date falls 12 days earlier each year than in the preceding one. Consequently, Ramadan, (and all other dates), rotates throughout the seasons, completing the cycle of 12 months in about 33 years. So Ramadan can be in the spring, summer, fall or winter.

Fasting is naturally quite easy during the short days of winter, but can be extremely taxing in the heat of tropical summers. Under such conditions the fasting Muslims learn that food and drink are indeed precious gifts to be accepted with thankfulness and not taken for granted. They also learn to feel with the poor who are frequently in the same state of hunger they are now experiencing, and become even more charitable during Ramadan.

The most difficult time is the first 3 days, when the body is adapting to the new system of no food, no drink, and no smoking for so many hours. The body learns to survive, and spends its time cleaning up and putting its internal functions in order without the daily duties of consuming food. It possesses fantastic mechanisms whereby it can deposit and store fuel during periods of availability and it possesses the ability to mobilize this fuel at times of need. During fasting for example, the liver must provide glucose for tissues requiring this fuel, primarily the brain; This it does mainly by synthesizing new glucose from glycogenic amino acids released into the circulation from the muscles. This results in a fast rate of fat breakdown.

Does one lose weight during Ramadan? Yes, if one does not indulge at the time of breaking the fast!

In spite of the apparent hardship of fasting, Ramadan is a very enjoyable period to which Muslims look forward year after year, when a special family and social atmosphere prevails throughout.

Eid al Adha
June / July 1992
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On Thursday June 11th, Canadian Muslims join their fellow Muslims worldwide in the celebration of Eid al Adha: The Feast of Sacrifice, commemorating Abraham’s obedience to sacrifice his son Ishmael, and the offering of the lamb to replace Ishmael – thus signalling an end to human sacrifice and holding human life at the highest level.

Families celebrate by sacrificing farm animals to feed the poor and the needy.

The day starts with an early morning prayer followed by festive activities that include visiting relatives and friends and enjoying a Canadian summer day outdoors. Children wear their best traditional clothes and enjoy games, sweets and cake; and would probably receive a present or two from parents and grandparents.

Close to two million Muslims, on that day, will have just finished assembling in a state of devotion, on a mountain top near the city of Mekka in Saudi Arabia. The assembly occurs at the end of the annual Islamic Pilgrimage to Mekka : al Hajj.

The Hajj at least once in a life time, is required of every Muslim, if he/she is financially and physically able.

The Ka’bah itself, the focus of this act of worship was built by the prophets Abraham and his son Ishmael; It is a cube-like building measuring about 35 feet on each side and is 50 feet high, and stands today in the centre of Al Haram mosque, the largest in the world, accommodating more than 600,000 people at a time.

Hajj is a spiritual experience, when Muslim men and women, rich and poor, from all races, gather from across the globe, clad in simple dress of white. The men wear two white sheets, the women are dressed in a simple light colour dress mostly white. Every member of this great assembly sets out from home, on the journey of Hajj, concentrating his or her devotion on the Creator, not in solitude, but in the company of others.