Diaspora – the aggregate of groups living outside their original homeland • Summer 2002
Cultural Pride
Emperor Haile Selassie!
Chicago Car fête parade will be August 24, 2002.
Teenstar Presents Byron Lee & the Dragonairs When: Saturday September 7th Where: White Eagle Banquet Hall 6839 N. Milwaukee Ave Niles, IL
Attention Jamaicans! Please come out and support the Jamaican community by either marching in the parade, or standing at the sidelines with your Jamaican flags. If you would like to march with our group, call: 847 663 1598. To learn more about the Chicago Car fête 2002 parade, call United Caribbean Nationals:
773 509 5079. This event will be located at Midway Pleasant, behind the University of Chicago.
Everyone is welcome to celebrate the birthday of the 225th and last Judaic Kings of Kings, Lords of Lords, Conquering Lion of Judah H.I.M. Haile Salasie
Time: 9:00pm-5:00am For more information, call: 847 452 2038
When: Saturday and Sunday July 20th-21st 2002 Where: Washington Park across from the Du Sable museum, Chicago IL Seven Hills location It is free to the public, so bring your family and friends to this festive occasion. For more information, call: 773 768 7463.
Vacation Hotline is a full service travel agency. 1501 W. Fullerton Chicago IL Phone: 773 880 0030 Fax: 773 880 5373 Email: ledwardsvh@aol.com
Consider wearing this t-shirt to show Jamaican pride at the Chicago Car fête 2002 parade.
Ask for Lynda Edwards
Ethiopian flag
Jamaican flag
To purchase the above t-shirt call: 847-663-1589.
Jamaican Diaspora is a free forum newsletter. If you have a business, poems, essays, satire, op-ed pieces, recipes or any vital information for the community, please call 847 663 1598 or email JamaicanAmericanclub@yahoo.com Everyone is welcome to join us in moving towards a positive direction.
JamaicanAmericanClub@Yahoo.com • www.geocities.com/jamaicanamericanclub/island.html • www.clubs.yahoo.com Jamaican American Club
Caribnation Presented Caribfest
Jamaican & American Food West Indies Bakery & Restaurant 841 E. 79th • Chicago, IL 60619 Phone 773 651 7917 Catering service is available.
Jamaica's Flag Flew High During Skokie's Festival of Cultures 2002
I Am My Mother's Child
On May 27th the Caribbean student organization called caribnation of Northwestern University held their 3rd annual Caribfest on campus. Performances by NAYO, Caribdancers and the Indinka Band entertained the crowd. For more information, contact caribnation-nu@hotmail.com
On May 18th and 19th, the village of Skokie held its 12th annual festival of cultures. At the opening ceremony, Jamaica was represented in the precession of countries.
The West Indian Folk Dance Company featured the story of what happened to Africa's children once they arrived in the Caribbean after the Trans Atlantic slave trade. Despite the long separation, the motherland-Africa will always be remembered. This presentation took place at Malcolm X College on May 24th & 25th 2002.
A booth was at the event, which displayed food products indigenous to the island for the public viewing. African TV Chicago highlights Caribbean & African events. It is on regular TV every Saturday on channel 23 at 10:30 pm. For more information, call
Leona Davis Lester Davis Gloria Bowlin Norma Fier
847 319 3614 or Email AfricanTVChicago@hotmail.com
JAHCAP Presented Spring Extravaganza
The Jamaican Association of healthcare professionals (JAHCAP) held their annual dinner on June 1st at Annie Tiques in Burbank, IL. Attendees dined and danced the night away. All proceeds benefited the Musgrave Girls Home in Kingston Jamaica, the American Cancer Society and a scholarship went to a student living in the United States of Jamaican heritage.
JamaicanAmericanClub@Yahoo.com • www.geocities.com/jamaicanamericanclub/island.html • www.clubs.yahoo.com Jamaican American Club
Big Up Lady Saw
(L) Kaye Maxwell (R) Valerie Wilson Wesley
Live and direct from Jamaica, dance hall sensation Lady Saw made her debut in Chicago June 1st at the Radisson hotel in Lincolnshire, IL. Reggae music has made many transitions in the sound and beat, which includes a style call dancehall. While many find Saw's lyrics controversial, others embrace her raw honesty as female liberation. As expected, her invigorating words and stage presence electrified the audience.
Professional Braiding Call Sicola at: 847 965 1424
Book Club News
Our summer book club selection is: Where Evil Sleeps By Valerie Wilson Wesley
We had the pleasure of interviewing the author and here is what she had to say: Where Evil Sleeps is one of my favorite Tamara Hayle novels for several reasons. For one, it allowed me to bring back Basil Dupree, whose character I love to explore. He also appears in The Devil Riding, my latest Tamara Hayle novel, which came out in hardcover two years ago and will be out in paperback in May. Q: How and why did the Tamara Hayle mysteries start? A: I wrote my first Tamara Hayle mystery in 1994. The first one was When Death Comes Stealing, which was the first mystery with an African-American female private investigator. I felt that Black women could have a particular place in the world of mysteries, and I wanted my character, Tamara Hale, to be in her thirties, a single parent struggling to raise a child, and a professional PI. There are quite a few now, but I'm proud to say, Tamara was the first who filled all three categories.
A: No. Basil Dupre and Johnny, her dead brother, are not from my past. I have a sister, who is very much alive, and I've been married for thirty years to the same marvelous man. I always mention my husband, Richard Wesley, in my acknowledgments, and Where Evil Sleeps is dedicated to him. My next book, Always True To You In My Fashion, a non-mystery that will be out in November, is also dedicated to him. Q: Did you spend a lot of time in Jamaica when you were writing this particular novel? A: I spent about a week and a half in Kingston and two days in a resort in the mountains outside of Kingston, which was the inspiration for the place where Basil and Tamara go for the romantic evening. Q: Do you have any up coming works? A: I have another Tamara Hayle in the works, which will be out in a couple of years--I had to take a break--and the new non-mystery coming out in November. To learn more about the Tamara Hayle Mystery novels, visit: www.TamaraHayle.com. To speak to the author, email: valwilwes@aol.com Interested in joining a book club that meets quarterly? Call 847 663 1598 Our fall book club selection is:
Q: Why did you use Jamaica as the backdrop for "Where Evil Sleeps?" A: I love Jamaica, and my husband and I often vacation there. I chose that island because I love going there, and what better place to hook up again with Basil Dupre but in Jamaica.
This book can be purchased at popular bookstore chains, checked out at the library and is also available on audiotape.
Q: Basil Dupree is Tamara's Jamaican love interest and her dead brother Johnny appears in other Tamara Hayle mystery novels. Are those characters based on personal experiences?
The Lunatic by Anthony C. Winkler This book can be purchased at popular bookstore chains and is on video.
Recipe Corner
Healthcare Habits not diets!
Easy Ital Stew 1-tablespoon corn oil 1 tablespoon Jamaican curry powder 5 whole allspice (pimento) 1 small Scotch bonnet chilies, seeded and minced 2/3 cup chopped onions Teaspoon minced garlic 1-1/2 lbs diced mixed vegetables 4 cups coconut milk 2 spring fresh thyme In non-stick skillet, heat oil and add curry powder, allspice, chilies, onions and garlic. Sauté for a minute or two then add remaining ingredients. Stir will, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes until vegetables are almost tender. Uncover and cook over high heat until sauce thickens slightly and vegetables are tender. Serves 6 Per serving: 148 calories, 19 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 7 grams fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol.
Shop 'til you drop ...Some of those pounds And you thought supermarkets were just for shopping. You can get some exercise while you shop-or "shoppercise," according to a program developed by popular grocery food chain in cooperation with the American Heart Association. An average person weighing 150 pounds pushing a grocery cart can burn 240 calories in 15 minutes! Selecting and putting away groceries burn 85 calories per 30 minutes. What if that's just not enough for you? Here are a couple more tips: • Do deep knee bends while deciding between brands and looking up and down the shelves. • Walk down aisles you normally do not go down, but beware of impulse items and displays. • Lift cans or containers above your head and then down before putting them into your cart (one gallon of milk weighs at least eight pounds; a can of vegetables weighs about one pound). • Park far away from the store. And while you're shopping, it wouldn't hurt to pick up those products you know are good for you. One of the smartest things you can do is make a list before you shop to cut down on impulse purchases. Here are a few more tips from the ADA: • Switch to nonfat milk and buy cheese, made from part-skim milk. • When buying meat, look for the words "loin" and "round", meaning leaner cuts. • Choose low-fat or nonfat versions of your favorite salad dressings, mayonnaise, yogurt and sour cream. • Try fat-free preserves and jams instead of cream cheese, margarine and butter. • Look for the whipped, lower-fat versions of butter or margarine. Remember that they are still concentrated sources of fat and should be used in moderation.
Education Someone You Should Snow
Summer Spotlight While commercial dancehall may have been more marketable entering the 21st century, few reggae artists stayed true to the roots path, as did Xcdus Records' recording star Osezua, whose name means, "Blessed". Born in Mandeville-Manchester, Jamaica, the enlightened singer delivered two albums: Lessons of Teachings (2000) and Lord Anointed (2001) which, brought praises from devout believers of God and fear from the evil doers of the world.
"The struggle of a roots man delivering a true Rasta sound is tough one, but far from impossible. Because with the almighty Creator on your side, one can never loose", said Ozezua, explaining the fight to suppress pure, liberation and enlightening roots reggae. Fellow Rasta Everton Blender bellows "Jah Never Fail I Yet". The Creator has called me to this cause and I will deliver." continued on next page
Osezua continued
the difficulties that women faced, Somali women also supported and helped each other in undermining the power that men exercised over their lives. In this poem, an aunt advises her niece how to deal with an old husband:
Osezua believes that life is a mission of completion. To that belief, he breathes every breath. Always a great father to his two wonderful children, son Tafari, and daughter Sakara, the blessed musician also finds time to assist in the family catering business. "To some, the Creator gives many talents and gifts. A man must not sit on those gifts of God or they will be taken away. I'm first a servant to the Almighty. If that being true, the blessed words of the Father's guidance say the charity begins at home. This is how a man must live-to share the gifts that God has given with those closest to him and those farthest from him," Osezua says in his trademark philosophical delivery. A hard working artist, Osezua is a constant figure on the concert and summer festival trails. He has shared the billed with some of reggae's biggest names such as Inner Circle, Everton Blender, Rita Marley and many more. Look for Osezua's third CD Beneficency to be released in the summer of 2002. The world is encouraged to look, listen and learn from Jamaica's up and coming rising star. For more information on Osezua and XCDUS Records contact: XCDUS Records P.O. Box 286462 Chicago, IL 60628 Phone: (773) 223 0191 Fax: (773) 779 5065
Women of Somalia Travelers have noted Somali women's dominant and extraordinary personalities since ancient Egyptian times. Although, they live in a patriarchal society, Somali women are considered the backbone of their society. This vital role has recently increased with the outbreak of the civil war in 1991 leading to the collapse of the Somali state. Somalia's population is estimated at about 8 million people, 60% of who are pastoral nomads. Despite their heavy responsibilities, most Somali women engaged in some small-scale production of pottery, cloth, basketry and leather goods. Additionally, Somali women were respected and valued by their own communities and were often economically independent from their husbands. However, this changed with the arrival of the colonial powers (Somalia was colonized by Italy, Britain, France and Ethiopia), Somalia was dismembered into five parts. When colonialism arrived, women's significant contribution to their societies and their sense of independence was diminished due to the concepts brought by Christian missionaries and colonial administrators, of women's appropriate place in society. The colonial powers brought also introduced new laws and institutions that restricted women's rights. Although, many of these laws were revoked at independence, however, many of the institutions that favored men were left intact. Although, Somali women have achieved some parity with men, they have not been able to regain what they lost with the arrival of the colonialism. Despite
“Oh aunt how does one deal with an old husband; throw him the Aloolmat?” “Oh niece, you deal with him the way I do, if he complains about how hard it is.” “Oh aunt will you kindly tell me how?” “He who head is large like a python. Say niece - if he asks for milk (You fling a hard one at him). You milk an old goat for him may God's curse be on him. When he comments on the plentiful ness of it, you snatch the Alool-mat from him. You help yourself to half of it you make him lose his composure.” "The ink of a scholar is more holy than the blood of a martyr." --The Prophet Muhammad-Submitted by Ladan Affi Somali student in the MA program at Northeastern University
Rootsman Corner Jamaican Restaurant 2131 W. Howard St Chicago IL Phone 773 743 6689 Mon-Sat 8:00 am-11:00 pm Sun 11:00 am- 7:00 pm