P age A2 IV lu iiiv u iiu r c iu m ii. . . . » ----------------------------- p e r s p e c t i v e s Along The Color Line In The Beginning Was The Word:Spoken, W ritten And, Now, Electronic BY DR. MANNING MARBLE In recent years, a national debate has erupted among educators, politi­ cians and scholars over the controver­ sial concept of "m ultculturalism .” White conservatives such as William Bennett attack the term for undermin­ ing the centrality of traditional west­ ern culture and civilization within school textbooks Conservativesclaim that multiculturalism highlights the diverse ethnic contributions of vari­ ous cultures, fragmenting and divid­ ing American. Some of these con­ cerns arc now being v oiced by liberals n iiiiH i in n American librar» of color f found libraries today is still influenced by racism and assumptions of racial inferiority of nonwhite people. We need new text­ books and cultural events which re­ construct the racist assumptions and theories which pretend to pass for “objective scholarship.” Finally , a multicultural perspec­ tive in education should insist upon the empowerment of oppressed people and the transformation of society - to abolishdiscriminationandunequa lty Theories of cultural and social reality which stop short of addressing basic human problems experienced in the every day world for people of color in America are useless, A theory is only important in the amount of human “reality” it explains or defines. Criti­ cal ideas about culture, history, soci­ ety, and human development can truly “empower” a people who have experi­ enced discrimination and social injus­ tice. The task of educators here is to nurture and foster a critical conscious­ ness and constructive self-awareness, pride and the values of excellence among young people of color, helping indiv idual and groups to make posi- ------- — . live contributions to their comnui - r s * ______ t h n r v r - tlf»C a n d SOClCtV. of "nonwhite” peoples with the per ties and society. Multiculturalism also plays an spectives and experiences of the white majority. We need to explore any invaluable role for white Americans commonalities which make all of us at well, Because no genuine “dia­ logue” between ethnic groups can ever “Americans” and a any / y n i e n u a i i b 5 iu u HJ, alsocom pareandcontrastthecultures Christianity throughout the land for Written language began w ith the Anglo Saxon tradition and language I 've the purpose of converting the pagan Afrieans of the northeast section of Anglo-Saxons This movement, be­ that great seminal continent W ritten read Take the following quotes for sides giv ing a strong impetus toward in stone and on papy rus, it antedated instance, an immense help in exami­ unification, introduced to the native nations for an Afncan presence in sim ilar efforts in Mesopotamia and vocabulary many new domestic and C h in a-b u t more on that later in this early Europe “The prehistoric inhabitants of ecclesiastical terms derivcd from Latin series. Todav. we will begin with a the B ritish Isles and Greek: alms, altar, balsam, beet, d isc u ssio n of probably left little belt, candle, clerk, creed, cross, dea­ m odes th a t fo l­ oftheir language to con, devil, fig, hymn, lentil, lily, mass, lowed on the Afri­ millet, minster, monk, myrrh, nun, E n g lish speech can foundation— as well. Their relics, which place, plant, pope, priest, psalm, relic, the bewildering, set In a recent Washington Post ar­ excite our wonder­ rose, saint, school, shrine, stole, fascin atin g , cre­ ticle, Harvard University sociologist land speculation, temple, turn, Christianization, how­ ations of the Greek Orlando Patterson warned that there consist chiefly of ever, did not uproot some long-estab­ a n d L a tin la n ­ were serious problems in what he lished pagan customs, a few of which stone, clay, and guages with which termed was “the current glorification bronze implements, persist in modified form to this day. we are forced to diversity.” By emphasizing the 01 aiversu y. For example, the w inter solstice, fall­ of unique cultural heritage of African deal if we are going to make it in this kitchen m iddens burial m ounds ing or about December twenty-first, „ world It is surprising how relevant (cairns, barrows, tumuli), and mega­ being a turning in the astronomical A m erican people, for exam ple, lithic monuments comprising isolated “ety mologies” can be year, was the inspiration for the an­ Patterson believes that blacks might The Greeks are said to have had a stones (monoliths, menhirs), simple nual festival of Yule, in which the actually “divert attention from the dis- word for every thing and any thing 1 tombs (dolmens), and stone circles holly. Yule-log, and wassail-bowl proporuonate contributions” they have like that little things of theirs where, (cromlechs) such as Stonehenge, in play ed conspicuous parts Our Christ­ made to America’s "common culture. ” respectively, epos and logos denote Wiltshire, England, and the Ring of mas has inherited much of the spirit Troubled by what he terms the "sepa­ rqte but hut t truly m lv eaual ideology m a i an an the spoken and written word And Brogra, near Stromncss. in the Orkney equal ideology that and outward trappings of the Yule rate increasing number ofyoung, educated from the latter was derived the term Islands These aborigines were either celebration. The word jolly, said by ® . II “ logotechnes” m eaning a person absorbed or destroyed by who came some authorities to be from Yule, may African-Americans are embracing," from the Continent during the first skilled in the use of words, wordsmith/ Patterson insists that the genuine goal millennium B.C., and, seizing the be regarded a s-a reminder of that of the black freedom movement should wordcook cheerful season In the spring of the How about a "politician” . Now, ports, spread out over the good agri­ year, at the time of the vernal equinox, be "social inclusion” into the main­ study ing the ety mology or the origina- cultural lands The Celts, besides prac­ the goddess Eastre was worshipped. stream. tion/history of particular w ords can be ticing agriculture, are said to have Although Patterson is a black lib­ From those rites another Christian a fascinating, even revealing subject brewed beer, mined tin, and intro­ eral, indirectly he prov ides intellec­ festival has deriv ed much of its out­ Being a person ever vigilant for hints duced the use of iron To the English tual ammunition for reactionary con­ ward form and a name, Easter. Fi­ of African roots in any aspect of cul­ vocabulary, through contact with their servatives like Bennett By attacking nally, in the names of the days of the ture or tradition 1 have been well Roman and later contemporaries, they “multiculturalism” as divisive, both week, as Monday (mona, noon), Tues­ rew arded by my investigation of contributed bard, bin, crag, and many day (Tiw, god of war). Wednesday Patterson and Bennett for divergent geographic names, such a Comball, WORDS. (Woden, chief of the gods), Thursday reasons make it difficult to transform The following book has really Dover, Kent. London, Thames, York; (Thor, god of thunder), Friday (Frigg, the deep patterns of racism, sexism turned me on in this respect, though 1 avon. river, in Stratford-on-Avon, and classism which still exist within goddess of marriage), Saturday (Saeter purchased it for a different reason Avondale; bryn, hill, in Bry n Mawr; our educational process Part of the cumb. valley, in Duncombe; and dun, [L. Saturnus], Saturn), Sunday (sunne, problem here is the distorted defini­ “Composition sun), orthodox Christians, as well as of Scientific W ords,” Roland hill, town, in Dundee, Dumbarton, tion of “multiculturalism” and its ob- unbelievers, harmlessly perpetuate Wilbur Brown. Smithsonian Institu­ Doncaster Our May Day and Hallow­ religious traditions of Anglo-Saxon tion Press, 1956 revised edition I een rivalries are reminiscent of less heathenism purchased this 800 page text because re sp e c ta b le C e ltic c erem o n ies. The author informs us: “The al­ in my scientific research I discover a Like wise our custom of kissing most homogeneous Early English has number of new and original concepts under the mistletoe is said to date from now become heterogenous Modern (Black Inventors) which I will eventu­ those barbaric days when that plant English havingderived materials from was held sacred and druid priests ally publish, patent or copy right In Letter To Editor many diverse sources and adopted naming these, it will expedite accep­ “with voices sad and prophetic” of­ Recently I had an opportunity to them with or without change as illus­ tance if the nomenclature follows the fered up human sacrifices and chanted preview POSSE, the new Black West­ trated by the following examples; Af- tradition used by scholars in the par­ about the tran sm ig ratio n o f the ern by Mario Van Peebles. 1 had two rican-Chim panzce, goober, gorilla, ticular field However, for this discus­ soul One tribe of southern Celts was immediate reactions: (1) This is a guinea, gumbo, oasis, okra, simba, movie that all African Americans sion let’s just say it has been an eye c a lle d B ry th o n s or B rito n s, a voodoo, yam, zebra, zombie” . opener in the fashion previously de­ name perpetuated in the words Brit­ should see and (2) I hope we, as pub­ There arc many, many more of ain, British. Brittany, Briton, and lishers, can help it get a fair deal at the scribed course and next week we will examine box office by encouraging our readers The author of this book is so Breton.” “Near the close of the sixth cen­ some "borrowings” in that wonderful to check their tickets when they go to knowledgeable and thorough in his book by African author, CheikAnta investigations of sources that this writ­ tury (597 A D ) Augustine, the mis­ see it so that Van Peebles does not Diop, The African Origin of Civiliza­ sionary, arriv ed from Rome and, aided become a victim, like Spike Lee’s ex­ ings prove also to be one of the best tion short (and accurate) histories of the by native Celts from Ireland, preached perience with Malcolm X. You w ill re c a ll th a t w hen M alcolm X w as released. Home Alone II came out along with the ¿Setters to the (3LS/ter, ‘Dance Of Anger’ Author Harriet Goldhor Lerner, Ph.D. To Speak On ‘Dance Of Deception’ May 25 Dr. Harriet Godlhor Lerner, Best­ selling author of "The Dance of An­ ger” and “The Dance of Intimacy" will speak on her new book, “The dance of Deception: Pretending and Truth Telling in W omen's Lives. Tuesdav, May 25, 7:30 to 9:30pm. at the Northwest Serv ice Center, 1819 NW Everett. Portland. Tickets are $17 through May 20: $20 from May 20 until day of event Tickets arc available though all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone or credit card th ro u g h New R enaissance Oregon Lottery Results O regon M egabucks Wednesday Mav 12, 1993 • 2-9-13-26-27-31 Saturday May 15, 1993 «4-6-7-17-19-29 O regon Powerball Wednesday May 12. 1993 • 10-24-35-36-39 PB 13 Saturday May 15, 1993 • 15-27-32-40-41 PB 30 OREGON LOTTERY Bookshop at (503) 224-4929 (add $1 service fee), or mail order by check or money order to Park Productions. P .0. Box 55266, Portland, OR (Please pro­ vide return address to receive tickets by mail.) Dr. Lerner’s lecture is presented by Park Productions, and co-spon­ sored by Legacy Women’s Services A book signing will immediately follow. Legacy Health System includes Emanuel Hospital & Health Center, Good Samaritan Hospital & Medical Center, Holladay Park Medical Cen­ ter, Meridian Park Hospital. Mount Hood Medical Center, Legacy Visit­ ing Nurse Association and CareMark/ Managed Healthcare Northwest PPO ■ m Wlje ^ o rtla n b ©bscrucr (USPS 959-680) OREGON'S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION Established In 1970 by Alfred L. Henderson S ubscribe I