dialogue for Cultural Literacy

Selected Articles & Editorials of DIALOGUE a bi-annual journal of culture

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Keeping channels of communication open

WE ALL POSSESS THE TOOLS
TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS THAT SEEM TO BESET US
WE ARE IN CONTROL OF OUR LIVES...
WE ARE ALL BLESSED WITH CREATIVE THOUGHT
LET US BE
OPEN TO LEARNING
WITHOUT PREJUDICE
LET US PURSUE
CULTURAL LITERACY
AS OUR SURVIVAL
AS A SPECIES
DEPENDS ON IT
ALL THAT WE SEEK, SEEKS US
LET US ALL EMBRACE CHALLENGES
AS OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW
MAKE A HABIT TO LEARN
ANOTHER IDEA, CONCEPT,
ANOTHER VALUE
EACH DAY
BUT MOST OF ALL...
BE GRATEFUL
take time and open dialogue

so good reason may prevail
---

WInter 2005/Spring 2006 Issue Cover & Editorial

Editorial

The necessity of keeping all channels of communication open, without hindrance, remains the standard of conscientious people. Yet attendant promotion of “Cultural Literacy” is oft time challenged by unwarranted unscrupulous attacks on ideals of Tolerance and Unity.

dialogue exists so thinkers can explore and share their views in a spirit of understanding. No attempt has been made to curtail opinions that question the validity of biased notions of Development, Progress, and Justice or for that matter Civilisation.

Honesty and Impartiality are the measures by which knowledge is pursued, as our unselfish contributors painstakingly examine issues ranging from Economics, Politics, Culture, Literature, Spirituality, and the untold True Story [aka HISTORY].

RAKA Books is justified in continuing the mission of Cultural Upliftment and Socio-Cultural Rehabilitation exercises in joint co-operation with BEMBE Productions (est. 1977, Trinidad). Collective experiences over past heady unsecured years have borne much success to date worthy of celebration. Despite the recent challenges.

Our correspondents are working assiduously in many parts of the world, sincerely convinced of eventual victory over IGNORANCE and the scourge of RACISM that plagues our world today.

We are particularly pleased to include exciting archaeological news of recent discoveries of “TA-MERI-KA” predating Pre-Columbian Americas. As the story unfolds, readers will understand what necessitated its inclusion. An excerpt of “About the Caribbean” (now in its seventh edition) provides the invaluable list of original names of the region as a complement.

Featured poets are Mishu Barua, and Roy McFarlane both recently published by RAKA.

Congratulations are due to the IAAR on their Third Anniversary and “Writers Without Borders” for their consistent efforts to build bridges with poetry over the years.

Appreciation to all who have supported our collective in Europe, Afrika, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Canada, USA and Latin America.

dialogue is indebted to our kind, patrons and well wishers. We include among these our close friends who shared their facilities over time as well.


Walk well…. UPWRITE

Spring/Summer 2006 issue Cover & Editorial


Editorial

Yet another endeavour to redress the balance. dialogue never presumed, to possess the solutions to all the problems that beset our “global village”, however we won’t be part of the growing apathy. Responses to our previous issues have convinced us to continue pursuing cultural literacy.

Regrettably, apocalyptic conflict, violent crime, social cataclysm and censorship are being touted as solutions to humanity’s dilemma. Even as we go to print, many errors of judgement by predecessors are being repeated. Nevertheless, there remains a core of creatively inclined workers who still dare to independently think and trust in the need for continued dialogue, regardless of the weather forecast.

Communication is based on engagement as we continue with inimitable themes, focusing on efforts by Youth in Africa. Readers are introduced to AFRICA SPEAKS, an emotive short story from Congolese writer, Dicho Ilunga, and salient paintings by Gintinji from Nyeri.

A new voice from urban America: the personage of NURI EL provides us with more than an insight. While curious alternative perspectives on religion, fashion and “politricks” are offered by the daring DJ ADAMISSIMO, our own roving underground correspondent.

dialogue is privileged with a guest editorial and poetry from Italian publisher/ writer Renèe Ballerini-Sigel. Witty as per usual, Lennox Raphael twice this time jogs our memory, as we welcome back since 1994, Trinidadian Editor (Profile 96), Social activist: Esuseeke Ololade with a new series on Ancient Grace.

Our Poetry feature is multilingual from Writers Without Borders. This collective have grown from strength to strength and co-founder Cathy Perry keeps us up to date. Greek poet/writer Efi Antoniou in her native tongue and English makes some astonishing comparisons between the work of Manolis Anagnostakis and new Caribbean poetry.

Persistent efforts in Africa and across the Diaspora for Peace, Transparency, Development and Unity by PANAFSTRAG are featured in a complementary supplement. While Ras Jahaziel debates the sacred rights of Africans abroad. Two ancestors associated with dialogue are also celebrated by way of incisive articles on Sudanicology plus a bridging of two cultures, still at a distance.

This season’s issue is quite a serving, with AFROETS commemorating thirty-two years of fortitude in addition to a commentary on controversial plans for 2007 Bicentenary celebrations.

Let me again thank those of you who continue to support this mission, those with their kind words of encouragement, our Guest Editor, all our contributors and especially you the reader.

Happy and intuitive reading.

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