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O c to b e r 27, 1988, P o rtla n d O bserver, Paç
COMMUNITY FORUM
Sister Zeni (Miriam)
by Dr. Jamil Cherovee
he simultaneous release of
S is te r M iria m M a ke b a ’ s
biography, Makeba My Story (NAL
Books), and recording, Sangoma
(Warner Bros. 25673), marks the
rebirth of one of the world's extra
ordinary talents. Her biography,
written along with James Hall,
presents a tremendous life ex
perience rife with joy and pain.
“ My life, my career, every song I
sing and every appearance I
make,” she writes, “ are bound up
with the plight of my people. I
have been denied my home. We
have been denied our land. I have
watched my family diminish. We
have seen our best blood spilled
in Sharpeville, Sowqeto, and
Crossroads. I am in exile on the
outside. We are in exile on the in
side. “ But, it is too much to ex
pect that some day these wrongs
w ill be righted.”
Sangoma is a picturesque com
pilation of music indigenous to
southern Africa. In particular,
there is a song dedicated to the
distinguished Afrikan conqueror,
Shaka, and his mighty army por
trayed in the song, Unqakanami
(“ How Big Is He?” ).
Sister Zeni (Miriam), born in
Azania (South Afrika), opens her
book with a poignant portrayal of
the everyday life ’s struggle to sur
vive. She exposes countless epi
sodes of brutality and man’s inhu
manity to man. I’m inclined to
believe, S ister Makeba, best
known for her music rather than
diplom atic and business pursuits,
recalls her early beginnings as a
vocalist in Azania to her long time
friendship and association with
Harry Belafonte, affectionately
referred to as “ Big Brother.” Later
she discusses the effect of being
banned from the North Amerikan
music industry; her spectacular
return to the Amerikan scene as a
part of the Paul Simon’s Grace-
land Tour; to her outlook on her
future hopes and aspirations. I
believe, her personal and profes
sional life constantly interweave
themselves in this heartwrench-
ing story. Sister Makeba’s exile
from South Africa in 1961 found
her a woman without a country,
or, at least the so-called Christian
caucasoid oppressors would not
permit her to come back to the
land that rightfully belongs to her
and her people, instead she found
that other Afrikan leaders valued
her association, and she was
given nine different passports
from Afrikan heads of state.
Imagine that!
Foremost in her recollections
of leaders was the late Al Haij
Sekou Ahmed Toure of Guinea.
President Toure, Makeba recalls,
was like a father to her and she
looked up to this great Afrikan
leader, drawing from his personal
strength to help her overcome dif
ficulty and tragedy in her own life.
Sister Makeba recalled all of her
marriages as endearing and tear
ful. For example, her most popu
lar liaison with Brother Kwame
Toure lifted the ire and wrath of
the recording industry against
her. Her husband was labeled a
revolutionary and a dangerous
m ilitant. Subsequently, she was
T
banned from recording by her
N o rth A m e rik a n p ro m o te rs .
Although this maior setback to
her career was damning, she en
dured the ordeal of her exile
through the strength of her rela
tionship with her husband. Sister
Makeba, recalls in contrast, the
pitiful manner in which she lost
the love of her husband to a
younger woman, a fact she dislike
but understands.
Regarding to d a y’s m usical
scene, Sister Makeba makes
some pointed statements in an
exclusive interview given to me
about her role as an artist and an
individual in today’s world of
musical apathy. Sister Makeba
said that “ There are artists who
don’t feel the need for addressing
social problems ... but when you
come from where I come from,
you cannot ignore the fact that
you are still a slave. So we keep
on telling the world about what’s
happening at home. We are hu
man beings first before being art
ists.” “ We are fortuante,” she
continued, “ to have some kind of
talent where people come and
they listen (to us). We should al
ways use that to upbraid others
and help those who don’t have.
You cannot say what we can
say ... of course, we are criticized
for it all the time, especially me.
They say I am political. I think the
very air we breathe is p o litica l!”
In her book, she politely chides
the M ichael J a c k s o n /L io n e l
Richie/Q uincy Jones recording
clique.
“ The United States is rich ... Its
people are concerned about evil
things ... they go out and buy a
record by a group called U.S.A. for
Afrika. All the top singers raise
funds to help the starving people
of Ethiopia. I see the video and
there is Big Brother (Harry Bele-
fonte) singing, and Stevie Won
der, Dionne Warwick, and so
many others. Everyone in Afrika is
thankful for this aid. But we listen
to the lyrics, and we wonder
What is this? "We are The W orld”
the stars from Amerika sing. But
who is the world? Where are the
singers from, Afrika, Europe, and
the East, the Third World? They
are all Amerikans singing, We are
The World, Oh, truly, we say,
"Am erika” is the world!
Sangoma, is named for an
attribute of her late mother,
Nomkomndelo. The name, "San
goma,” refers to a type of doctor
from the Swazi family group (or
tribe). In addition to the mix of
medicine and music are the de
lightful rhythm arrangements by
her former husband Brother Hugh
Masekela. The music technology
of multi-track recording and over
dubbing allowed Sister Makeba to
be her own back-up vocal group.
In summary, Sister Makeba has
found that, like her mother, her
life ’s musical contribution is like
a healing medicine to the sick
world and that she is "Sangoma
too. Makeba My Story, the book,
and Sangoma, the album, gives
her audience a double dose of
strong medicine to heal an ailing
and oppressed people moving
into the 1990's.
ANNOUCEMENT
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mr. Useni Eugene Perkins,
executive director of the Urban
League of Portland will be auto
graphing copies of his new
book, Harvesting New Genera
tions on Saturday, Oct. 29, from
2-4 p.m. at the Talking Drum
Bookstore located at 1634 N.E.
Alberta St., Other titles by Mr.
Perkins will also be available.
Profits from books sold at this
event will be donated to the
B lack E d u ca tio n a l C enter
School. For more information
p le a s e c a ll 284-9552 or
282-9465.
Les Femmes is hosting their third annual "Scholarship Luncheon
Honoring Mr. John Chism.
Mr Chism has been named the new Executive Director of the
American Heart Association, Oregon Affiliate.
Chism graduated from Iowa State with a Bachelor of Science in
Sociology and Physical Education. After graduation he served as the
District Scout Executive of Cleveland’s Boy Scouts. He then went on to
get a Masters of Social Science Administration from Case Reserve in
Cleveland
Afterwards he worked as a fund raiser for United Way. He has been
with the American Heart Association since 1980, first at the Cleveland
Affiliate and as a National Program Representative at the National Center.
For the past three years he has worked as an Affiliate Management Con
sultant. Chism joined the Oregon Affiliate full time the first part of May
4 \
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M r . U s e n i E u g e n e P e r k in s
Reception For Students
C
phone. None, however, will have
ity Commissioner Dick Bogle
met face to face until the introduc
has invited 50 students from
tion ceremony.
three North and Northeast Port
land middle schools, their parents,
and adult mentors to a “ get-
acquainted" reception at 5:30 p.m.,
Thursday, Oct. 27 at the King
Neighborhood Facility.
The reception marks the start of
the Commissioner’s Mentor Pro
gram, and adjunct to the Albina
M in is te r ia l A llia n c e ’ s S elf-
Enhancement Program which pro
vides “ at-risk” youths with alter
natives to gang participation,
drugs and crime.
The mentor program is design
ed to link sixth, seventh and eighth
graders taking part in the Self-
T o n y H o p s o n a n d R a y L e a ry
Enhancement Program with posi
tive role models from the commu
F o llo w in g
in tr o d u c tio n s ,
nity. Students are drawn from
refreshments will be served by
Ockley Green, Whittaker and Har
M c C o rm ic k and S c h m ic k ’ s
riet Tubman middle schools.
Seafood Restaurant.
Following a welcome by Com
Leary said the Commissioner’s
missioner Bogle, former Trail
Mentor Program "gives profes
Blazer Maurice Lucas, chairman of
sionals a chance to become ac
the Self-Enhancement Program's
quainted with the problems of
advisory board, will acknowledge
today’s inner city kids."
individuals who have contributed
He added the program allows
to the program's success.
adult mentors to assist “ on the
He will be joined by advisory
front line in our current efforts to
board member Terry Baker, a Port
stem the tide of drugs and gangs,
land attorney who won football’s
and build a brighht future for our
Heisman Trophy as an All-
young people.”
American quarterback at Oregon
State University. Baker had led the
Bogle, who signed on as the
Jefferson Democrats to the state
program's first volunteer, is seek
AAA football title.
ing to recruit 25 additional men
Ray Leary and Tony Hopson, co
tors per month over the next four
directors of the Self-Enhancement
months. Persons interested in
Program, will then introduce each
joining the program should con
youngster to his or her mentor, a
tact Bogle's office in City Hall.
person selected on the basis of
Leary said the time involvement
common cultural background, and
and personal contact is "up to the
such common interests as sports
individual," but mentors are being
or hobbies.
asked to make at least two phone
Each mentor and student will
calls each week, and to get to
have received a profile of the per
gether with their young people at
son he or she is matched up with,
least once every other week.
and most will have talked on the
Weatherization in King Neighborhood
120 homes to be weatherized in
King neighborhood. The Block-By-
Block Weatherization Project will
be implemented again in 1988/89
in King neighborhood. This project
offers free weatherization to resi
dents of the neighborhood. To
qualify you must live in King
neighborhood, attend the Energy
Fair to be held Nov. 5, 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. at King School and meet the
income guidelines.
The free weatherization can in
clude attic insulation, heating duct
wrap, weatherstripping, exterior
caulking up to a value of 500 dol
lars. The work done on your resi
dence will depend on what actual
ly needs to be done to make your
home energy efficient as deter
mined by an energy audit.
A target area will be canvassed
door-to-door beginning Oct. 29.
but all residents of King neighbor
hood who meet the income guide
lines are eligible to apply for the
free weatherization program at the
Energy Fair.
Also at the Energy Fair partici
pants who meet the income guide
lines will receive a certificate of
free do-it-yourself weatherization
materials. So come to the Energy
Fair which again is being held
Nov. 5, at the King School.
The free weatherization is paid
for by Portland General Electric,
Pacific Power & Light, Northwest
Natural Gas. The Oregon Depart
ment of Energy and the City of
Portland, Energy Office.
For more information about the
free weatherization please call the
Community Energy Project at
284-7868.
1988.
Chism is married and has two daughters age 16 and 21.
Les Femmes are extending this invitation to you to join us. The
“ Scholarship Luncheon" will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5,1988 from 12:00
Noon to 2:30 p.m. at Shenanigan’s Restaurant, 4575 North Channel (Swan
Island), Portland, Oregon. The cost of the luncheon is $15.00 your support
at this affair would be appreciated. If you would like to attend please con
tact Sherra Neal on 283-0061 or Ethel Waters on 287-8546.___________
The Portland Pro-AM Basketball League will be having a basketball
preview, featuring: Seattle, Kent, Vancouver, B.C. and Portland.
The dates for the preview will be, Nov. 5 & 6,1988.
Four games will be played at PCC Cascade from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. (Sat. & Sun.) and four games will be played at the Salvation Army,
from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Sat. & Sun).
There will be a poolside dance at the Coliseum Ramada Inn on Satur
day, Nov. 5, from 8:30 p.m. to 12:00 Midnight. Cost for the dance will be
$4.00
_____________________
Vancouver Men’ s Club, Vancouver, Washington, invites
you to their Annual Halloween Dance Celebration, Saturday,
October 29, 1988 ■ Time; 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Royal Esquire
Club, Portland, Oregon, 1708 N.E. Alberta, (206) 256-4287 - (503)
287-5145 - Info. (503) 222-6471. Donation - $7.00.
Red Cross Enhances Outreach Efforts
In the 1987-88 American Red
Cross Annual Report, Sharon Rit
ter, Red Cross executive director,
reported that the Oregon Trail
Chapter now has 14.7 percent
minority employees and that 30
percent of the volunteers placed
during 1987-88 were minorities.
"We are proud of our hiring
practices for employees and vol
unteers,” said Ms. Ritter. "We
have also expanded our outreach
efforts with minority populations,
especially the Black community
where we are providing even more
health, safety and educational
programs.”
Along with more AIDS educa
tion programs, a combination
blood pressure and cholesterol
screening program is conducted
at several locations in north and
northeast neighborhoods.
The Red Cross also provides
educational training programs for
pre-schoolers, school-age child
ren, teenagers and childcare
providers. First aid, CPR and
emergency disaster classes are
available to help individuals avoid,
prepare fo r and cope w ith
emergencies.
The Black Outreach Committee
of the Red Cross meets on a
regular basis to access the needs
of the Black community and the
best means to meet those needs.
If you would like to learn more
about the programs available in
your community, call the Red
Cross, 284-1234.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Zeta Sigma Omega Chapter
1988 Emerald Awards Banquet
Dr. R. Y. W o o d h o u s e
Executive Director
Seattle Urban League
D ate:
MRS C’S WIGS
N o v e m b e r 5, 198 8
P la ce :
Tim e:
H o lid a y Inn, A irp o rt
6 :0 0 C o c k ta ils * 7 :3 0 D inner
D o n a tio n :
WHOLESALE & RETAIL
$ 2 5 .0 0 p e r p e rs o n
HUNDREDS OF WIGS
FOR YOUR EVERCHANGING LIFESTYLES
...Fashion Show & Art Display.
NAOMI SIMS • BORNFREE
• M ICHAEL WEEKS
B E T T Y CABINE
P R O P R IE T O R
Cleo’s
ANO OTHER NAME BRANDS
TUIS-SAT
11 i 3O-6KX5
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23 1-6525 1
Scott. Michael “Chappie” Grice, Charies Stroogher and Ken Berry.
- Ruth Out»*
Chitterlings • Meatloaf • Mix Greens • Beef Stew
Catfish • And Many Other Southern Dishes
HAD BEADS 4 BEAUTY SUPPLIES
ZURICOSMETCS
W) Stan
Stan
Standing tai at the Kappa Alpha P» Fraternity Black and White Bar are (left to right)
it HOUSE SPECIALTIES *
UNDUE HAD ORNAMENTS
MRS C’S EBONY ESSENCE C 0S M E TTS
7th & FREMONT (707 N.E. FREMONT)
3041 N. W illia m s • 284-7150
Ethnic Cuisine Southern Style
EVERYTHHG FROM CURRENT STYLES TO SPECIALTY WIGS
BEAUTICIAN
& STUDENT
DISCOUNTS
Including: Cleo's Zesty Ribs In Sauce
10 0*/, HUMAN HAD
FOR
BRAIDING
WEAVMG
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presents the
S p e a ke r:
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— H O M E C O O K E D D E S S E R TS —
Come See 'L u h e ria ' L o r Some Down Home Cookin
MEMBERS & QUESTS
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