Page A5
^ J ln r tla n b (Ohsem er
March 30. 2005
C o u n tr ie s
o f A fr ic a
m R on W eber
In front of a Portland restaurant
is a sign bearing the name, “T ogo’s
Eatery .” Although there is no con­
nection, "Togo” is also a Western
African Nation. While the local res­
taurant serves up great submarine
sandwiches, the five million people
in Togo, one of A frica’s smallest
countries, surely survive on a dif­
ferent menu.
The average annual income for
an entire Togo family ($270) would
only buy a few dozen of the local
eatery’s fine sandwiches. Dire pov­
erty in this country is obviously a
key issue.
W hile French is considered
Togo’s official language, the most
commonly spoken language is Ewe.
French is more prominent in the
capitol city of Lome. Il is the only
large city in the country. While
Togo’s mere 40 miles o f ocean
shores may seem incidental, it is
pivotal to the countries economy.
Free access to the Atlantic is
only enjoyed by about two thirds
of African nations. Besides the
coastal fishing and tourist indus­
tries, Togo’s chief gross national
product includes agriculture (ca­
cao, cassava, coffee, com , cotton,
millet, palm kernels and oil, pea­
nuts, sorghum, yams) and mining.
The majority of T ogo's African
inhabitants are sustenance farm­
ers, growing only enough to feed
their families. Many people of Eu­
ropean background are business
owners, vacationers or government
officials. Nearly three quarters of
children attend primary school.
Only about 20 percent go on to
secondary school. The University
of Benin in Lome is the country’s
Togo-Tiny Country
Ready for Change
only college. Se­
vere poverty in
most regions pro­
h ib its fam ilies
from sen d in g
their children on
to higher educa­
tion.
While land is
extremely scarce,
the climate is also
hot and humid.
T hus, harv ests
are small and in­
come is low. Al­
though some citi­
zens group their
farms together to enhance financial
growth potential, many families still
go it alone or survive under a share-
cropping system, with European
landlords.
In recent years, angry mobs have
driven white farmers out. Tradition­
ally over the last several centuries,
wealthy Europeans took large par­
cels of good workable land, leaving
only rocky dry soil for Africans.
Frustrated and poverty stricken
black farmers are now forcing
changes.
Like most African countries Togo
suffered oppression under Euro­
pean rule for more than 300 hun­
dred years. It won its independence
in 1960. Today, this country is a
republic and the people vote for
their own leaders. With more than
21 different ethnic groups in a coun­
try slightly smaller than the state of
West Virginia, this can sometimes
be a real challenge. The country
still suffers from a lot of internal
strife between these many ethnic
groups.
Most of Togo’s citizens are black
Arts Scene Flourishes
on Alberta
continued
from Front
Guardino said that events like
Last Thursday have also made
Alberta Street feel like a safe place
to relax and enjoy the view.
“The neighbors are really glad
that w e’re here because they re­
member what it was like eight years
ago when it was uncomfortable on
the street,” Guardino said. “1 see a
lot of families and children. I see a
lot of people from out of the area
who are coming ooh and ahh.”
Diversity wanted
and more than two thirds of the
population practices local tradi­
tional African religions. Muslim
and Christian religions account for
only about one third of the church­
going population. European influ­
ence is seen mostly in the south,
near Lome, where most of the
country's nearly one million Chris­
tians are gen erally C atholic.
Togo’s one quarter of a million
Muslims mostly live in the North.
R e c e n tly ,
G n a ssin g b e
Eyadem a, considered A frica’s
longest ruler died, and his post
was temporarily given to his son.
This spring a vote by the people of
T o g o w ill d e c id e w h eth er
Eyadema’s son or someone new
will become the official leader.
Many Africans feel this will be a
good time for change.
During Eyadema’s rule, brutal­
ity marked much of his time in
power. Amnesty International has
accused Eyadema and his follow­
ers of using excessive force to
break up protests against his tyr­
anny.
The atmosphere is a bit different
from the rest of the area surround­
ing it, having been renovated a little
less than a decade ago. Between
Martin Luther King Jr. BlvdandSS"'
Streets, boarded up buildings were
rented, painted and given a facelift.
While the atmosphere is diverse,
African American residents who
still live in the area will sometimes
walk around the neighborhood as
though it’s become another planet.
“I would love to see more black
owned businesses. W hat’s hap­
pening is a purely financial issue,”
Guardino said. “The buildings that
were finally left were buildings that
they had to put an enormous amount
of money into.”
Allan Oliver, owner of Onda Arte
Latina and co-founder and presi­
dent of Art on Alberta, said that a
well-rounded ethnic representation
is something the street has always
been plugged into.
“We have always been very
conscious about desiring and keep­
ing that kind of diversity,” Oliver
Dear Deanna!
Honoring Fallen Soldiers and Citizens
like to have your child go over to tinue growing as the death tolls
Iraq as an idealistic young person rise and has stopped in more than
Although visiting the boots is and die or come back traumatized in 40 cities since January of this year,
usually a solemn experience, Segall body and spirit. W e’re removed including Chicago, Boston, New
from it. It often times takes some­ York, Washington D.C., Philadel­
said that this is just the point.
"It really has helped us recon­ thing that’s visual that you can see phia, Austin and Atlanta.
The exhibit is free from 10a.m. to
nect with the grief that is very easy and touch and move and I certainly
6
p.m.
at the First United Method­
felt
that
reaction
myself
when
1
saw
to be removed from,” she said. “We
ist
Church
at 1838 SW Jefferson
don’t see the fighting and carnage the exhibit.”
Street
on
April
6 and 7.
The
exhibit
has
plans
to
con­
day to day. We don’t see what it’s
continued
from A5
Clown Princes o f Basketball
My m other doesn’t trust me and
my feelings are hurt. I have to
stay home all the time. I’m not
allow ed to go to parties, the mall
or my friend’s house. My mom
alw ays things I’m going to do
som ething. I feel this is really
wrong. W hy does she act like
this? -Ja sm in e, Toledo, Ohio
and that there have
b een
s tru g g le s
made by small busi­
n e sse s, b u t th a t
keeping corporate
presence out is one
of the most impor­
tant ideals.
“It’s been some­
thing that a lot of
people have dedi­
cated energy and
creativity to make it
a more interesting
d y n a m ic h e r e ,”
4 colorful mural on the wall of Bohio Studios Oliver said. “(Art)
makes Alberta Street eye-catching.
adds an aspect of
life
that
is
very
important to the
said. "There’s a lot o f presence of
emotional
and
spiritual
quality of
Hispanic businesses and various
businesses that are owned by Af­ people’s lives. It has a transcen­
rican Americans like the Portland dent kind of pow er.”
For those not featured in galleries,
Arts Pavilion, Annie Maes, House
of Umoja, and The Black United. Oliver said Last Thursday is “a free
They’re very important to the qual­ enterprise. It’s for people that have
ity of the street. There are also quite arts but can’t afford a physical loca­
a few wom en-ow ned and gay- tion. It’s something that creates a
kind of free like. People like seeing
owned businesses.”
According to their mission state­ alternate things happening.”
Art on Alberta is also looking
ment, “Arts on Alberta was made to
enrich the cultural life of the corri­ forward to the Art Hop on Satur­
day, May 14, which will feature a
dor.”
“It is one of the things that tradi­ parade, art, music, dance and the­
tionally, in neighborhoods where ater. The Alberta Street Fair gener­
there are urban problems, there’s ally takes place in the fall and show­
been an area where artists have cases three performances stages, a
been able to drive a new vision of variety o f food and m erchant
the community, to set their sites booths, and children’s activities.
higher and to elevate new goals,” The organization is also looking
Oliver said. "We thought it was into beginning a kinetic sculpture
important to have a non-profit on contest and race.
For more information on volun­
the promotion of art and making it
teering for Arts on Alberta during
part of the community.”
e v e n ts,
v isit
Oliver said that the growth of the th e se
community has not be exponential www.artonalberta.org.
Ask ö
back. H e’s in counseling but I
w ant to know if he can really
chance and be a real man to me
and my d a u g h ter. - A n o n y ­
mous, Queens, N ew York
Dear Anonymous:
Dear Jasmine:
T here are tw o sides to every
story and you only told your
m om ’s side. S he’s strict because
you probably did som ething bad
that made her less trusting. Enjoy
your youth because yo u ’ll have
tim e to rip and run when yo u ’re
older. Be thankful for a caring
m other that gives tough love be­
cause she’s preventing teen preg­
nancy, keeping you off drugs
and out o f jail. Do w hat’s right
and earn your m om ’s trust with
your actions.
Real People, Real Advice
An advice column known fo r
its fearless approach to
reality-based subjects!
L ose the g u ilt about le a v in g
w ith the baby. Y ou had to do
w h a t’s safe fo r you an d the
child. I ’m sure you lo v e each
o th er, but if he really w a n ts to
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w o rk .
to me w hile pregnant with our
daughter. Before getting to this
point, I adm it that I called him
names, w ithheld sex and slept in
the other room. A fter I left, he Ask Deanna is written by Deanna
said he realized how much he M. Write Ask Deanna! Email:
hurt me and wants to work things askdeannal@yahoo.com or 264
out. A lthough I d id n 't feel em o­ S. LaCienega Rlvd. Suite 1283
Dear Deanna!
tions when I was leaving, I real­ Beverly Hills, CA 90211. Website:
I left my boyfriend because he’s
ize I love him and w ant to go www.askdeanna.com
verbally abusive and was mean
H arlem G lo b etro tters:
The Team That Changed The W o rld
I lie im ti >hl story ot how the to.ini helped break the color
barrier m A n ie rit an sp o ils, w h ile inlro d nt ¡ng in t it h ot the
w orld to the game ot basketball.
.»
Tuesday at 11 pm
1-5 Delta Park to Lombard
Widening Project
Project Open
House
April 5th
4:00pm-8:00pm
Meetings are held at:
OAME
4134 N Vancouver
Portland, OR
(Bus #40 services this
area)
Environmental
Justice
Focus Group
April 6th
5:30pm-8:00pm
Please come to either meeting, learn about
the following topics and give your input...
( h a n n c l 10
t
oph.org
r
• Transportation Performance
• Cost
• Right of Way Needs
• Air Quality
• Biological Resources
• Historical Resources
• Socioeconomics
For m ore inform ation, please
contact:
K ate D eane, O D O T
(5 0 3 )7 3 1 -8 2 4 5
K ate.h.deane@ odot.state.or.us
Pcxtland ' Vancouver
Partnership
5: Delta Park to Lombard Project