MARCH 11,1998
Page B4
{Elje IJnrtlaub ûDbserüer
Some “Snapshots Of Egypt” Of Our Own
B y P rof . M c K inley B urt
I u n d e rsta n d th a t th e P o rt­
land A rt M u seu m is p re s e n tin g
a su rv e y o f 4 0 c e n tu rie s o f E g y p ­
tia n a rt ( “d o n ’t m iss th e p h o to ­
g ra p h s in th e b a s e m e n t” ).
T h a t is ju s t w o n d e rfu l b u t I
a lw a y s fin d m y s e lf a little n e r ­
v o u s at th e se tim e s , a n tic ip a t­
ing th a t o n c e a g a in th e re w ill be
an a tte m p t to p e rs u a d e A m e ri­
c a n s th a t E g y p t is n o t in A fric a ,
a n d th a t th e r e a re n o b la c k
p e o p le th e re .
A t th e m o m e n t I h a v e b e fo re
m e th e la v ish 175 p a g e c o lo r
p o rtf o lio th a t a c c o m p a n ie d th e
fam ed 1 9 7 6 -1 9 7 7 “ T re a su re s o f
•Tutan K h a m u n ” to u r sp o n so re d
by T h e M e tro p o lita n M u seu m
o f A rt.
H ig h ly r e p u te d c o s p o n s o rs
w e re . N a tio n a l G a lle ry o f A rt,
F ie ld M u se u m o f N a tu ra l H is­
to ry a n d T h e U n iv e rs ity o f C h i-
c a g o , N ew O rle a n s M u se u m o f
A rt, L o s A n g e le s C o u n ty M u ­
se u m o f A rt, a n d T h e S e a ttle
A rt M u se u m .
H e a v y w e ig h t p a tro n s , r ig h t?
T h e g e n e ra l p u b lic is n o t lik e ly
to q u a rre l w ith th e p ro fo u n d
e d ic ts h a n d e d d o w n by th is n o ­
ta b le a sse m b ly from th e ir e s ­
t a b l i s h m e n t ‘ M t O l y m p u s ’,
r ig h t? W rong!
A ll us m ere m o rta ls a re n o t
q u ite th e fo o ls th a t th e a lle g ­
e d ly e ru d ite c u ltu ra l e lite s u p ­
p o se u s to be, a n d o u r r e s e n t­
m en t a n d a n g e r is g ro w in g by
le a p s a n d b o u n d s.
F o rtu n a te ly , im p ro v e m e n ts in
c o m m u n ic a tio n s lik e th e W o rld
W id e W eb h a v e p a ra lle le d o u r
e m o tio n s and w e a re e ffe c tiv e ly
c o u n te rin g th e r a c is ts s o o n e r
th a n th e y w o u ld h a v e th o u g h t.
F o r in sta n c e , o n p a g e 109 o f
th e d is tr a c tin g ly b e a u tifu l p u b ­
lic a tio n d e s c rib e d a b o v e , th e
v e ry e p ito m e o f a u th e n tic ity in
a p p e a ra n c e , w e h a v e an u g ly
ra c is t c a n a rd s n e a k ily sh o v e d
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Em pire sty le chair from King
T ut's Tomb
Egyptian King Tutan K ham un, no problem finding h is look-alike a t
J e ffe rso n High S c h o o l"
$
M arble copy o f G reek original dating from the 4 th Century B.C. '
M u se o Capitolino, R om e.
be an unprecedented, phenomenal
event; very few authors with success
comparable to John G ray’s have ever
taken to the stage in a one-man pro­
duction. The magical evening will
be both funny and informative, as
Gray recounts witty anecdotes, role-
plays both genders and interacts with
the audience using the new language
that he created to make it easier for
men and women to communicate.
Tickets are available at all Fred
Meyer FASTIXX in Portland, 800/
992-tixx outside Portland. There
will be a relationship seminar the
following day. Tickets for the work­
shop (led by Michael Najarían) on
Saturday, March 14th are $89 (with
a price o f $89 for both John and the
workshop).
Blazers Boys & Girls Club
Spring Break Activities
C o n tin u e F rom F ront
“Vote for Jessica Chinh as secre­
tary. Thank You!!!” -- a reminder
that the leadership Torch Club for
children ages 11 -13, is preparing for
its upcom ing election o f officers.
Another room houses step aero­
bics, hip hop dance and movies, whi le
across the hall is the airway science
remote control model airplane group
that is a separate program borrowing
space from the club.
F u rth e r dow n th e hall is a c o m -
p u te r room and th e O reg o n M u­
seum o f S cien ce an d In d u s try ’s
sc ie n c e room w h ere y o u n g ste rs
can e ith e r b u ild a h y d ro p o n ic
g ard en from scratch o r tak e ap art
a c o m p u te r to se e w h a t g o es
w here.
OMSI representative Mohamoud
Hassan said a special presentation is
being planned som etim e during
spring break.
In the gym, children get involved
in games about the cycle o f life.
A long list o f other activities in­
clude photography, drama, arts and
crafts, exercise, African dance, a
young w om en’s group for teenage
y / : J
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An Evening with
John Gray
The Men Are From Mars, Women
Are From Venus Phenomenon Contin­
ues as the Author of the Biggest Book of
This Decade (only outsold in hard-cover
by the Bible!) comes to Portland
Not only is John G ray’s Men Are
From Mars, W omen Are From Ve­
nus the most successful book o f this
decade, and not only is John Gray the
w orld’s leading authority on rela­
tionships, but now he headed to Port­
land for a one-man show. This is an
intimate evening with the author that
will entertain your emotions and in­
spire your mind. John is slated to
appear in Portland on Friday March
13, 1998 at the Portland Center for
the Performing Arts, Arlene Schnitzer
Concert Hall at 7:30 PM.
An Evening with John Gray will
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girls, Keystone Club for leadership
skills, a prevention program to com ­
bat drug use and sexual involvement,
basketball and more.
W hen the club opened during
spring break two years ago, it was
named for the Blazers basketball
team, which was its largest single
financial contributor.
Members o f the team occasion­
ally visit, such as last Halloween’s
carnival when Gary Trent, Rashid
Wallace and J.R. Rider joined the
festivities. “They had a good time,
helped deeorate the gym and hung
out at the haunted house,” recalled
White.
This is a membership club, with
dues o f $15 per child for the aca­
demic year.
“We don’t turn away kids if they
cannot pay," said White, who told
The Portland Observer that young­
sters whose families are on public
assistance or families with several
children may be eligible for scholar­
ships.
For more information about spring
break activities and membership, call
the clubhouse at 282-8182.
“Young lady in 'Em pire s ty le '
d re ss. "
“D ove Tail" is s h a p e d like a
d o v e 's tail:w edge-shaped that
fits into a corresponding
indentation to form a joint.
b e tw e e n an u n s u s p e c tin g
r e a d e r ’s rib s - th in ly d is g u is e d
a s a g e o g ra p h ic m is s ta te m e n t.
R ig h t in th e m id d le o f a p a ra ­
g rap h g lo w in g w ith e ffu s iv e d e ­
s c rip tio n s o f E g y p tia n a b ility to
c o m b in e e s th e tic g ra c e an d s u ­
p erb c ra ftsm a n sh ip , w e h a v e the
fo llo w in g ; “ T h e w o o d is sa id to
b e e b o n y , a m a te ria l th a t T h e
E g y p tia n s Im p o rte d F rom A f­
r ic a .”
“ G ro ss, u g ly , o b s c e n e , h a te ­
f u l,” y o u m ig h t sa y , an d “ c o m ­
in g rig h t from th e to p , to o .” M y
frie n d , yo u ju s t h a v e n ’t b een
n o tic in g .
A t th e p re e m in e n t u n iv e r s i­
tie s , E g y p tia n s tu d ie s a re a l­
w a y s fo u n d in an “ O rie n ta l D e­
p a rtm e n t” , th e sa m e w ith m u se ­
um s, all to e in g th a t ra c ia l lin e
o fd e m a rc a tio n w h ic h E u ro p ean
c u ltu r e d e m a n d s ; “ A fric a
a b o v e ’ th e S a h a ra a n d A fric a
’b e lo w ’ th e S a h a r a .” “ N o rth
A fric a is “ M id d le E a s te r n .”
A m e ric a n s (n o t E u ro p e a n s)
w e re a b s o lu te ly s h o c k e d w hen
an A fric a n A m e ric a n a c to r w as
s e le c te d to p la y th e ro le o f
A n w a r S a d a t in th e H o lly w o o d
m ovie.
T h e E g y p tian g o v e rn m e n t and
h is w id o w in s is te d u p o n it, a
h e a te d c o n tr o v e r s y k e p t c a r e ­
fu lly h id d e n fro m th e A m e ric a n
p e o p le - lik e je t- b la c k , w o o ly -
h a ire d o il m in is te rs a re h e a d s o f
‘A r a b ’ s ta te s.
W hen 1 ta u g h t at P o rtla n d
S ta te U n iv e r s ity , m a n y o f m y
A ra b s tu d e n ts sa id th e y fo u n d
w h ite fa c u lty a s “ a b s o lu te ly
sc h iz o p h re n ic ” in th e ira tte m p ts
to d e a l w ith ra c e in A fric a and
th e M id d le E a st a s th e y w e re in
d e a lin g w ith th e q u e s tio n at
h o m e.
I h a v e in c lu d e d so m e p h o to -
g ra p h s h e re th a t w ill su p p o rt
o u r te x t. R e m e m b e rin g th a t so
m u ch o f th e A fric a n sp le n d o r
re v e a le d by th at T u ta n K h am en
e x h ib it w as first sh o w n to the
w o rld w h en N a p o le o n re tu rn e d
fro m h is 1798 e x p e d itio n to
E g y p t (A fric a , s m ile s ), 1 h a v e
in c lu d e d h e re m a te ria l r e la tiv e
to th e ir m a rv e lo u s fu rn itu r e ­
m a k in g 4 0 0 0 y e a rs ago.
T h e “ E m pire sty le ” that sw ept
th e w o rld . In fact Ja c q u e lin e
K en n ed y re d e c o ra te d p art o f the
W h ite H ouse in th is m ode (T im e
M ag a z in e ).
A m o n g re v e a lin g p h o to ­
g ra p h s and illu stra tio n s here you
w ill fin d th a t o v e r 4 0 0 0 y e a rs
ag o A fric a n g e n iu s had a lre a d y
g iv e n th e w o rld th e u b iq u ito u s
to n g u e and g ro o v e jo in t (d o v e
ta il), d o w e l, ra b b e t, m ite r, m o r­
tis e , te n o n , la th e - all fo u n d in
K in g T u t’s to m b , to g e th e r w ith
th e ‘m o d e rn ’ fu rn itu re it m a d e
p o ssib le , c h a irs, c h a ise lo u n g es,
fo ld in g sto o ls and b e a u tifu l, in ­
tric a te c h e s ts - and a fo ld in g
sto o l.
A s o n e o f m y E g y p tia n s tu ­
d e n ts re m a rk e d , “ w e w e re s it­
tin g a ro u n d on c o m f o r ta b le ,
lu x u rio u s fu rn itu re w h e n th e
G re e k s, still in b e a r s k in s, w ere
s ittin g on sto n e g e ttin g h e m o r­
rh o id s (s e e illu s tra tio n ).
N ex t w eek w e w ill v iew m ore
o f th e m a rv e lo u s c o n trib u tio n s
o f th e s e A fric a n p e o p le .
N ap o le o n bro u g h t back m uch,
m u ch m o re th a t c h a n g e d the
w o rld , a rts, sc ie n c e s, m a th e m a t­
ic s , d r e s s , a r c h ite c tu r e , yo u
n am e it. A n d w h a t th e G re e k s
rip p e d o ff.
F o r re fe re n c e see: “ T h e N ew
E n c y c lo p e d ia o f F u r n itu r e ” ,
A ro n so n , C ro w n 1967; “ T he A rt
o f F u rn itu re : 5 0 0 0 y e a rs o f F u r­
n i t u r e a n d I n t e r i o r s ” , O le
W a n s c h e r , R e in h o ld , 1 9 6 6 ,
“ F u r n i t u r e In T h e A n c ie n t
W o rld .”
HE HORERR AriERICfln flSSOCIRTIOR ÛE OREGON
LeRho Chateau, L.T.D. DBA King Food Mart
3510 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Portland, OR 97212
(503) 281-0357
C.L. Inc.; DBA Prescott Corner Market
1460 N. E. Prescott
Portland, OR
(503) 284-7418
Alberta St market
915 N. E. Alberta
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 281-6388
Ainsworth Market
5549 N. E. 30th Ave.
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 281-0479
Boston Market
726 N. E. Killingsworth
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 282-6776
Dekum Food Market
800 N. E. Dekum
Portland, OR
Owner: Sonny Kim
(503) 283-1240
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