Haitian paintings available at Kafe Kiskeya by Mona Augustin

THREE SPIRITS


NATIVE CHIEF


THE WEDDING DREAM


THE KING SERENADES HIS QUEEN


TOTEM POLE

Jan 5th, 2008 Multi Cultural Traveling Extravaganza

The upcoming Multi Cultural Traveling Extravaganza should interest folks, as it will include several Kansas City artists. The venue is Kansas City KS Community College.

Kafe Kiskeya will host a 1st Thursday event on January 3rd from 6 to 10pm as a Preview of the Multi Cultural Traveling Extravaganza. Artists will be available to visit with folks over coffee. A few pieces of artwork will be on display, we may have some poetry reading and/or live music, depending on which artists are available.

Hope YOU can join us!

Jsun Jasper @ Dream Studio DEC 15 @ 8PM

THURS DEC 13 @ 6pm - 1st Thursdays postponed to 2nd Thurs

Due to the snow last week, 1st Thursdays has been postponed to 2nd Thursday THIS MONTH only ... hope to see you ALL this week!!

--- 1st Thursdays Event on Dec 13th from 6 to 10pm ---

Michael Bushnell, publisher of THE NORTHEAST NEWS will be the speaker at the premiere of the “1st Thursday” Northeast Literature and Art Series at Kafe Kiskeya, 3226 E. 12 th Street in Historic Northeast. Bushnell will speak at 7 P.M., Thursday evening December 13 on 'The History of the Northeast News' and on his acclaimed newspaper feature 'Postcards from Old Kansas City'. Copies of his book will be available for purchase.

Also, Harold Dellinger of Harold's Bookstore will have many interesting books for sale, some as inexpensive as $2! Check out his website for details about what he has to offer.

Paintings by Erlene Flowers will also be on exhibit that evening. Erlene currently resides in Lee's Summit, but has traveled to Mexico where she studied and toured extensively. She has also traveled through Africa and Europe. She has been fascinated with spirituality and religions of the world. Often, her inspiration comes from exposure to the many religions of the world as she seeks truth in her paintings. She loves watercolor for directness and purity. She appreciates acrylic and the feel that this paint gives to the subjects that she paints.

Upcoming 1st Thursday Events:

Jan 3rd – Preview of A MULTICULTURAL TRAVELING EXTRAVAGANZA IN ART AND SPOKEN WORD

Haiti/DR Update, 1st Thursdays Dec 6th, Upcoming Events, Etc!!

--- HAITI/DR Flood Relief Update ---

Thanks to a few dozen folks, who have responded to my plea to help those in the Dominican Republic & Haiti affected by recent flooding, over $1000 have been collected so far!! These funds have helped buy new beds, replace roofs, feed those whose crops and fishing waterways have been destroyed, and more! I thank you on behalf of our friends & Neighbors for your generosity!

As you can imagine, the need is still great. Should you wish to send more, or know of others who may be able to contribute, please do so through Kafe Kiskeya,

~ Kafe Kiskeya ~
Coffee, Books, Music & Art
with an international flavor!

3226 East 12th Street
Kansas City, MO 64127

KafeKiskeya@hotmail.com
816-914-5096
http://www.KafeKiskeya.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/KafeKiskeya

or the following organizations, with whom I’ve worked in the DR & Haiti and have great respect for, designating your funds to go towards storm relief efforts:

In the DR: COPA Schools, 4726 Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234

In Haiti: Beyond Borders, P.O. Box 2132, Norristown, PA 19404.

~~~~~~~~~~

--- 1st Thursdays Event on Dec 6th from 6 to 10pm ---

Michael Bushnell, publisher of THE NORTEAST NEWS will be the speaker at the premiere of the “1st Thursday” Northeast Literature and Art Series at Kafe Kiskeya, 3226 E. 12 th Street in Historic Northeast. Bushnell will speak at 7 P.M., Thursday evening December 6 on 'The History of the Northeast News' and on his acclaimed newspaper feature 'Postcards from Old Kansas City'. Copies of his book will be available for purchase.

Paintings by Erlene Flowers will also be on exhibit that evening. Erlene currently resides in Lee's Summit, but has traveled to Mexico where she studied and toured extensively. She has also traveled through Africa and Europe. She has been fascinated with spirituality and religions of the world. Often, her inspiration comes from exposure to the many religions of the world as she seeks truth in her paintings. She loves watercolor for directness and purity. She appreciates acrylic and the feel that this paint gives to the subjects that she paints.

Upcoming 1st Thursday Events:

Jan 3rd – Preview of A MULTICULTURAL TRAVELING EXTRAVAGANZA IN ART AND SPOKEN WORD

~~~~~~~~~~

Mosaic Brain
Fourth Annual
Holiday Art Sale!

10am – 4pm
Saturday and Sunday
December 8th & 9th
(10% of sales benefit Mosaic Brain)

Old Northeast Historic Home
3010 E 6th Street
Kansas City, MO 64124
(Goggle address for directions)

ART make a great gift!

Ceramics, Fiber Art, Jewelry and more!

Contact Wolfgang at 816.810.8991
Or email info@mosaicbrain.org

Mosaic Brain is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to inspiring underserved youth
Through arts outreach programs.

~~~~~~~~~~

A MULTICULTURAL TRAVELING EXTRAVAGANZA
IN
ART AND SPOKEN WORD

KCK Community College at 7250 State Ave. in KCK
Deli Area---Lower Level Jewell Bldg.

Sat. Jan 5, 2008 from 10:00am-5:00pm

~~~~~~~~~~

JSUN & JUAN-DRE MUSIC GROUP @ DREAM STUDIO
Acoustic Music & Spoken Word
2 Musical Powerhouses Join Together
711 East 31st Street, KCMO 64109
December 15 @ 8pm, Doors Open @ 7:30pm
$7 for Adults, $3 for Kids (under 15)

1st Thursday event Dec 6 from 6 to 10pm

Michael Bushnell, publisher of THE NORTEAST NEWS will be the speaker at the premiere of the "1st Thursday" Northeast Literature and Art Series at Kafe Kiskeya, 3226 E. 12th Street in Historic Northeast. Bushnell will speak at 7 P.M., Thursday evening December 6 on "The History of the Northeast News" and on his acclaimed newspaper feature "Postcards from Old Kansas City". Copies of his book will be available for purchase.

Paintings by Erlene Flowers will also be on exhibit that evening. Erlene currently resides in Lee's Summit, but has traveled to Mexico where she studied and toured extensively. She has also traveled through Africa and Europe. She has been fascinated with spirituality and religions of the world. Often, her inspiration comes from exposure to the many religions of the world as she seeks truth in her paintings. She loves watercolor for directness and purity. She appreciates acrylic and the feel that this paint gives to the subjects that she paints.

Ideas for speakers and artists for future 1st Thursday events are being accepted. Other Northeast writers and artists and the general public are invited to attend these special events.

Kafe Kiskeya will be open from 6 to 10 P.M. on all 1st Thursday events. For more info, email kafekiskeya@hotmail.com or call 816.914.5096.

Update from Connie in LaHoya, Dominican Republic today Nov 5th

Dear friends,
So many of you have written asking how things are going and assuring us of your prayers which we really appreciate.
We had a good day of sunshine yesterday so had hopes of going to begin the cleanup in Bombita but it rained all night. The water in La Hoya is still the same. There is no where for the water to go as the main road acts as a dike holding the water on our side of the street.
Contact was made for the first time to other sugar cane villages further out. It is amazing to understand how those villages could have been 3 1/2 feet under water as well since the land is flat and goes as far as you can see. I just can't understand the amount of water and have become to understand a bit how the people in Noah's time must have felt as they watched the water rise and rise and rise.
Food is the immediate need here. Rice, beans, oil, etc. Our hardest struggle right now is trying to cope with being disaster relief workers while at the same time being victims. I am quite sick of the three outfits I have! I went to church last night truly looking like a refugee! I feel confident that COPA will recover and replace damaged items, but the burdens of the people weigh heavily on my heart.
I know that much help will come from many countries, but I know that the weak will receive little. It will be our goal to watch for those that are getting lost in the rush as they cannot fight for themselves.
I am not sending more pictures because houses under water all look the same! Please keep us in your prayers. My team here consists of 10 people. Four of them are girls 18 years old and this is tough for anyone to deal with, but ones so young, yet they are doing so well and are wonderful helping the children in the centers to cope.
Blessings to you,
Connie

Can you spare $20 (or more) for Dominican/Haitian relief efforts?

My dear friends,

Recent flooding in my beloved Island of Kiskeya/Hispaniola has wreaked havoc all over the island, especially in areas where I've spent considerable amounts of time over the past 15 years: the southwestern coast of the Dominican Republic near Barahona, and the southeastern area of Haiti near Jacmel. In fact, many of you may know that for several years I have been building a simple concrete block house just to the east of Barahona in the Dominican Republic. Three photos are posted here so that you can see what the storms have done to my village of LaHoya. And a couple of notes from the director of the school where I volunteered 12 years ago follow this message. She took the photos.

Currently, all residents of LaHoya, which include hundrends of friends of mine, are now "living" in a school building several miles away. Estimates indicate that it will be two or three weeks before waters subside enough to being cleanup efforts. In the mean time, these folks must eat good food and drink clean water, and know that the world is here to support them. So here's my question:

Can you spare $20 (or more) for Dominican/Haitian relief efforts?

If you can, please mail a check made out to Kafe Kiskeya to PO Box 633, Liberty, MO 64068. I will personally Western Union the funds to those in charge of feeding and clothing those who are most in need on both sides of the island right now, as well as those responsible for assuming the overwhelming cleanup tasks in the weeks and months ahead.

Please call or email me with any questions.

Sarah Cool
816-914-5096
coolsarahs@hotmail.com
http://www.kafekiskeya.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/kafekiskeya

Sorry Sarah,
But Domingo asked me to send you a picture of your house. It is so sad here. Yes the other was Daisy's house and ramada. Not much time right now. Love, Connie

Dear Friends,
In case you have not seen or heard, we had a very unexpected storm on Sunday night. We made it through that with minimum damages, but you can imagine there were a few roofs taken off. On Monday night the rains started and never stopped. Bombita was evacuated in the early hours of Tuesday and was flooded within one hour. Two days later, La Hoya flooded. This had never happened before in La Hoya. Everyone is astounded.
The waters have subsided in Bombita and we will begin our clean up on Monday. Our losses are not as great as we first thought, thank God though there is total loss in the village.
La Hoya is a different story. We are still under water up to our roofs. (Yes, ours as I live there as well.) The school, the clinic, the volunteer’s houses, the COPA office and every house in the village is under water! The water keeps rising and has no where to go. They tell us we must simply wait. Never been one of my strong suits!
Please keep us in your prayers as we try to cope and to help others cope and then rebuild! I will attach a picture or two to help you see what is happening. Blessings, Connie

1st Thursdays (Nov 1st) @ Kafe Kiskeya‏

You're invited to come down to Kafe Kiskeya at 3226 E 12th St (12th & Benton) for our next 1st Thursdays event on November 1st from 6 to 8pm.

Arts in Prison (artsinprison.org) & John Paul Gallagher (jpgallagherphoto.com)will be featured.

Arts in Prison's mission, as a non-profit organization, is to facilitate personal growth through the arts for the incarcerated and their families in several facilities in Kansas.

John Paul Gallagher is an artist, activist and social worker committed to documenting the human condition of underprivileged peoples of the world in order to advocate for social change.

I look forward to seeing you this Thursday night, November 1st!

Oct 19 @ 7pm ~ Oh Blessed Thought @ Kafe Kiskeya Open Mic!

Kafe Kiskeya is BLESSED to have Oh Blessed Thought play for us TONIGHT ... Friday evening Oct 19 @ 7pm. Here's their most recent Bulletin from http://www.myspace.com/ohblessedthought . It's Open Mic, so others are welcome & invited to perform after Oh Blessed Thought does their thing. Hope to see YOU tonight! Sarah
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey everyone! Here is our weekend show update!

Friday night, Oct. 19th, we are playing an acoustic set at Kafe Kiskeya. Kafe Kiskeya is a fair trade coffee shop in Northeast Kansas City. It is a sweet little place to hang out. So definitely come and check it out. You can find information on Kafe Kiskeya at myspace.com/kafekiskeya

After that we are going to head over to Main Street Cafe and play a show we were asked to be on kinda last second. We are playing with this really sweet band called The New Frontiers. They are on The Militia Group (Copeland, Appleseed Cast, The Rocket Summer) and are about to head out on tour with Manchester Orchestra soon! So we'll be playing there around 9:00 approx. So come see us play acoustic then follow us over to mainstreet for a full band sound! It will be a good time.

Saturday night, we are playing at The Record Bar with Story of the Sea (Minnesota) and The Belated (Another KC band)... so that will be fun as well. This is a 21+ show, so all of you who are under 21 should come hang out with us Friday. Older crowd is welcome Saturday night. This show will start at 10:00 and we are playing first so come out early and hang out!

Sorry for the long bulletin, but we have a lot going on this weekend! Hope to see a lot of you at one of the shows!!

-Mark for the guys

Life is Fair by Sam Davidson

In honor of Fair Trade Month, make sure you shop a bit differently this weekend. Fairly traded products allow those involved in the process to earn a fair wage. As such, your choice to choose a certain kind of coffee, chocolate or clothing means that someone else can live a little bit better, send their children to school, and afford adequate medical care. However, 'fair trade' means more than pricing. It also means that democratic processes were used in the negotiating process, and that the environment was taken care of properly during production. Celebrate by shopping with a conscience.

From Cool People Care

A message from my friends at Mosaic Brain

Hey! Come by Kafe Kiskeya (12th & Benton Blvd) in the Historic Northeast Neighborhood and paint a coffee cup for Mosaic Brain's Annual Cups for a Cause Event. Saturdays, September 29 & October 13, 2007 from 2- 6pm.

You make a donation of $5.00 and paint a cup. Actually, you glaze it. We fire it and put it with dozens of others into our Silent auction, Cups for a Cause, on November 8, 2007.

Then you get a bunch of friends to come the event and bid for the cup. We'll also have lots of art and goods and services on hand to bid on as well!

See you Saturday!

Wolfgang
Executive Director, Co-Founder
Mosaic Brain

Kafe Kiskeya Fall Update #2

Many exciting things are happening at Kafe Kiskeya, located in Historic Northeast Kansas City MO at 3226 East 12th Street, which I want to share with you! So, I hope to see you soon at the following events. Be sure to check the blog and myspace sites often for more happenings Kafe Kiskeya Blogspot & Kafe Kiskeya MySpace !

Open Mic Night Friday September 21

Ernie Henderson will perform!

3 Innocents & A Spirit

Dream Studio Presents 3 Innocents & A Spirit

All the way from Haiti, this production by the N a Sonje Foundation explores 700 years of history in less than an hour, and offers a post-production discussion between cast and audience.

Dream Studio and Kafe Kiskeya present "3 INNOCENTS AND A SPIRIT", a historical drama depicting the interactions of the people from the Americas, Europe, and Africa, on September 28th at 7:00 pm at Dream Studio, 711 East 31st Street, KCMO 64109. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling 816-914-5096.

"3 INNOCENTS AND A SPIRIT" is performed by two Haitian men representing the Native American and African cultures, respectively, and an American woman representing the European culture. Dressed in era costumes, the three actors weave together mime, interactive participation, authentic historical texts and music to demonstrate the progression and effect of historical events.

The play exposes the destruction and acculturation of the Native Americans and the enslavement of Africans, which resulted in a transfer of wealth and natural resources to Europe. During the drama the Native American, European, and African characters experience a transformational awakening through which they realize their physical and spiritual losses, as well as their mutual need for one another. The three characters then offer each other gestures of compassion and forgiveness, ultimately recognizing the need for healing and reconciliation.

The cast will engage in a post-production discussion, creating an open forum for ideas and solutions that can help towards the healing of our fractured societies. Further information can be gathered at the following sites: 3 Innocents, N a Sonje Foundation, and Memory Village.

For more information about the play contact Sarah Cool at 816.914.5096 or coolsarahs@hotmail.com. Visit Meaningful Communications to download a flyer.

1st Thursdays at Kafe Kiskeya

Mauricio Zuniga kicked off Kafe Kiskeya’s 1st Thursdays series of events on September 6th, 2007. His paintings will be on display and for sale throughout the entire month. The following artists have confirmed their participation in the months ahead:

October 4th Maurice Copeland, painter & poet

November 1st Arts in Prison, paintings and photographs AND John Paul Gallagher, photographer

Trip #3

This time I got to take my two daughters, ages 5 and 17, with me, spending two weeks in Haiti and one week in the Dominican Republic. It just so happened that while we were in Haiti, our hosts had a group of youth visiting. The following is a description of that part of our trip. My 17 year old got to participate along with the youth group, while I tried to keep up with my little one as she played all day long from sun up (before 6am) to sun down with several little kids living in and near the compound where we stayed up in the mountains above Port au Prince. It was a wonderful trip for all three of us. And TNH Television Nationale D'Haiti filmed the group of American and Haitian youth as they spent their week together, broadcasting pieces of their experience on national television each evening that week. TNH is creating a documentary movie of their week!

The youth group arrived Sunday at Noon. They were met by Carla, Ari & Djaloki of Haiti Travels in a bus that transported them to Gwo Jan, after getting a tour of downtown Port au Prince. Upon arrival in Gwo Jan there was an immediate welcome reception and introduction of "twins", as Haitian youth were paired with American youth for the week. Then they all got a tour of the compound and met key people who live there. They ate a large lunch of rice, beans & chicken around 3pm and then washed their own dishes. They had time to get settled into the Guest House. At 7pm in the evening the group met again and made more in-depth introductions of one another, and the week’s schedule and “rules of the yard” were discussed. They had dinner together afterwards and then played games, listened to folks in the house play guitar and drum music, visited, and finally went to bed around 10pm.

On Monday morning an optional activity was planned, as was each morning, at 6am. The group participants were invited to watch their lunch, a goat, be butchered. Some watched, some didn’t want to, which was fine, of course. At 7am each morning a group Kreyol lesson is offered, which everyone chose to attend each time. Breakfast was always around 8am. One day the group went into the village to eat with some local residents. Later on Monday morning there was a group sharing of what each believed about the other (American vs. Haitian). And then a discussion began in regards to an historical orientation of Haiti and the world. There were a couple of hours of free time before lunch, which was served around 4pm. After dinner the group broke up into three small groups and got to tour Gwo Jan and visit some of the residents’ homes. Dinner was offered around 8pm with a debriefing meeting afterwards. Again they went to bed around 10pm.

On Tuesday, the optional 6am activity was learning to “sweep the yard” and then wet it down with water. They also learned how to carry produce on their heads. And a drumming lesson was offered. Kreyol at 7am again. Then breakfast. Later in the day, each participant got to choose to roast coffee, make peanut butter, cook lunch, and finally bathe in a waterfall on the property. After lunch, the group played traditional games such as dominos, parchesi, goats knuckles, and circle games. Dance and drum lessons were offered in the afternoon before dinner and debriefing.

On Wednesday the optional 6am activity was to milk a cow. Then Kreyol at 7am. Breakfast at 8am. At 9am the group visited downtown areas such as St. Marten, St. Vincent, an artisan workshop, and a souvenir shop. A snack was offered on the bus. Lunch was scheduled at 3pm. Then free time, debriefing, and a small evening meal.

Thursday morning was spent in a similar way as other mornings, with Kreyol lesson and then breakfast. Then we all went to a beach resort for the day called Moulin Sur Mer, which means Mill on the Sea, referring to the slavery era sugar cane mill exposed on the property which itself is a former slave operated sugar cane plantation. There is a colonial history museum located there that we did not have time to visit. It was a 2 hour drive north to get to Montrouis, which is on the Coast of the Arcadins, near St Marc. The beach was not real clean that day and the kids ended up being bitten by sea urchins, so we all spent most of the afternoon in the pool, which was very nice. The meal was great! When we got back to Gwo Jan there was a debriefing session for about an hour and a half and then a light dinner.

Friday was spent with twins in their homes doing chores, eating the main noon meal with the twins’ families, and then a dance performance by a group of youth called Basalik Kreyol in Port au Prince that evening at the Rex Theatre.

Saturday morning was spent in Croix des Bouquets at the cut metal artists’ shops. In the evening we all went into Port au Prince for a concert by 2 Rasin and the play 3 Innocents & A Spirit at St. Joseph's Boys Home.

Sunday was spent eating lunch at the Montana Hotel, the nicest resort in Port. Then the Americans spent their last night there, flying out the next morning.

Mauricio Zuniga Opening Thursday Sept 6 from 6 to 8pm

Mauricio Zuniga will display his paintings at Kafe Kiskeya during the month of September; the first of many local artists to be featured! Please join the artist at his opening on Thursday evening, September 6th from 5 to 8pm at Kafe Kiskeya. A variety of fair trade coffees and appetizers will be available as you visit with the artist and meet others interested in his work. Besides having several of his reasonably priced paintings available for sale, he will also offer a limited number of original, hand-painted greeting card sets.

Why Fair Trade? Why Kafe Kiskeya?

Kafe Kiskeya was born as an answer to the call to help create a more just and peaceful world, by offering fairly traded art and coffee made in countries that have experienced oppression and strife. The artwork and coffee currently available is produced by individuals, some of whom friends of mine and I have met and spent time with. They live in Brasil, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Haiti and Mexico. These artisans and coffee farmers support their families with the income they are able to generate by selling their products to Westerners who can afford them. Sojourners Magazine reported in May 2007 that “fairly traded goods equal ethical consumerism; consumers using their buying power to challenge inequality. Producers get a fair return on a fair day’s work. Not a handout, but respect; not exploitation, but genuine trade. It’s good for the developing world, and it’s good for us as a society, too.”

Kafe Kiskeya signifies even more that this. Kiskeya is the Taino Indian name of the island where Haiti and Dominican Republic are located in the Caribbean Ocean; a place where my daughters and I have made dozens of trips over the past 15 years. Prior to Columbus “discovering” the island, renaming it Hispaniola, and initiating African slave trade, all of the inhabitants on that island lived in harmony with each other and with nature. Since then, an extreme divide has occurred between Haitians and Dominicans, much like the animosity felt between some who are from the U.S. and some who are from Mexico or other countries who migrate here, legally and illegally, due to the lure of the “American Dream”. So, it is in the spirit of reconciliation that Kafe Kiskeya strives to bring together all of us who live here, regardless of race, ethnicity or social class. I feel strongly called, as others involved with Cherith Brook, Kansas City's newest Catholic Worker House, to do my part to undo poverty, racism and militarism. Kafe Kiskeya is a tangible expression of that desire and effort.

Resources on the topic of fair trade include: U.S. Interfaith Trade Justice Campaign tradejusticeusa.org, Global Exchange globalexchange.org, United Students for Fair Trade usft.org, Student Trade and Justice Campaign globaljusticenow.org, Fair Trade Resource Network fairtraderesource.org, and Oxfam oxfamamerica.org. At Cherith Brook, we have recently been discussing buying things conscientiously, and considering our level of consumption in all areas, including natural resources. When each of us does our part, we will together make this world a better, more just and peaceful planet to live on.

Kafe Kiskeya Invites Community June 29

Meet Historic Northeast author/editor and historian Harold Dellinger Friday, June 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. when he signs copies of "Jesse James: The Best Writings on the Notorious Outlaw and His Gang." at Kafé Kiskeya, 3226 E. 12 St.

Kafé Kiskeya is open weekend nights for art, entertainment and coffee. Proprietor Sarah Cool hosts Open Mic Night every Friday evening, and local artists and residents are welcome. Sign up by 7 p.m. and claim your 15 minutes of fame. “Anything” (family friendly) goes – acoustic instruments, a cappella vocals, poetry, comedy, soap box, etc. "Bring friends. Drink coffee. Enjoy!"

Kafe Kiskeya Invites Community

Trio Juju to play Friday June 22 @ 7pm

Trio Juju has offered to play during Open Mic this week! We'll be looking forward to hearing their Brasilian samba & bosanova tunes!

So who's next?

Kafe Kiskeya is in search of ...

... artists to display art for one month beginning with September. Opening nights will occur on every first Thursday of each month.

... musicians, vocalists, poets, comedians, etc to perform during Friday Open Mic Nights.

Contact Sarah 816.914.5096 or kafekiskeya@hotmail.com.

Weekend Highlights

Open Mic was a great success this Friday! Oh Blessed Thought, a band consisting of 5 students from Mid American Nazarene College in Olathe, played all of their own original songs. They use a wide range of instruments, even an accordion! And their stage set up includes several pieces of yard art, such as a really cool looking gnome! They are in the process of recording a CD at a studio in Kansas City with 5 songs completed and 5 more in the works. We had about 3 dozen folks in and out through the evening. I'm looking forward to others coming in on this Friday to reveal their talents!

I spent all day Saturday at the West Bottoms Urban Bazaar. What a great venue for what they (Foundation) call an eclectic shopping experience! I met tons of interesting people. And I probably purchased as much as I sold! Oh well. I found earrings, a wine rack and an ankle bracelet that I just couldn't do without. The Bazaar is scheduled for two more weekends this summer, July 20/21 & August 17/18. That's where you'll find me on those two Saturdays.

Saturday night after Kafe Kiskeya closed, I checked out the Downtown Neon Gallery at 1921 Truman Rd. Very cool! I even got to meet Russell Easterwood, recently featured in The Star, a local artist who has his artwork on display there. I just missed The Frontier Brothers. But I did pick up a CD of some of their music entitled Solar Power Struggle.

Sunday was fairly mellow. Several of the regulars stopped in for coffee or tea and conversation. I've finally figured out that I do have A/C and how to operate the controls. No more sweltering summer nights inside the Kafe. Although I prefer to have the door proped open, or better yet, sit outside. I can now offer a cool place to visit, should the weather continue acting as it has this weekend.

Gretchen Weible to visit Kafe Kiskeya Friday, June 15 from 6 to 10pm!

My sister and her children will be in Kansas City next week. Please come visit with them on Friday evening June 15th. She says coffee, soft drinks and refreshments are on her!

Keep in mind, every Friday is Open Mic Night. If you want to claim your 15 minutes of fame, sign-up by 7pm. "Anything" goes ... Acoustic instruments, A cappella vocals, Poetry, Comedy, etc. Bring friends. Drink coffee. Enjoy!

Photos from the Grand Opening

Pre-Grand Opening Success!

This week has been full with several activities at Kafe Kiskeya, including An Evening with Djaloki (http://djaloki.blog.com/) on Monday night where 18 folks learned about Memory Village (http://www.memoryvillage.blogspot.com/), a project in Haiti, and a play which supports it, 3 Innocents and a Spirit (http://www.3innocents.blogspot.com/).

Transformational Journeys (http://www.tjourneys.com/) held their monthly meeting on Tuesday evening at the Kafe.

And last night 14 people participated in a UMKC Communiversity course (http://www.umkc.edu/commu/) with Djaloki called Ancient Selves, New Consciousness. We also enjoyed live Haitian music from a local group called Kompa Unlimited!

Kompa Unlimited will perform again next week for Kafe Kiskeya's Grand Opening on June 1st from 8 to 10pm. Look forward to seeing you then! Bring friends. Dance. Drink coffee. Enjoy! :)

Coming to Kafe Kiskeya Friday May 25th from 6:30 to 8pm

In cooperation with UMKC Communiversity, Djaloki Dessables will lead the following course at Kafe Kiskeya. Contact Communiversity to signup: http://www.umkc.edu/commu/. Refreshments will be available during the hour prior to the course. Live Haitian music will follow the program from 8 to 10pm!

This event will mark the GRAND PRE-OPENING of Kafe Kiskeya!

http://www.umkc.edu/commu/catalog_summer2007/features.pdf

Course Title: Ancient Selves, New Consciousness

Course Description: We will briefly examine the concept of ancestral spirits in primordial tribal cultures, before engaging in a guided imagery session that will introduce us to an old primordial part of ourselves. We will then share and discuss our experience.

Also, a workshop called ANCIENT WISDOM AND SPIRITUALITY FOR 21ST CENTURY SEEKERS will be offered at Kafe Kiskeya on Saturday & Sunday May 26 & 27. Please email or call for more details: kafekiskeya@hotmail.com or 816-914-5096.

Workshop Summary: During this workshop, we will review concepts common to many shamanic and animistic cultures. Using a modern paradigm and language, we will interpret how the spirit worlds interact with the human world in these cultures. We will then examine how these ancient pieces of wisdom apply to the global shift of consciousness currently in progress, and how they can help us navigate its waves. We will use a combination of mini lectures, questions & answers, group discussions, guided imagery, and time for reflection and personal journal entries, in a friendly atmosphere.

Bio: Jean Luc Dessables, also known as Djalòki, is an international consultant and lecturer from Ayiti (Haiti) in cross-cultural awareness and paradigm shift coaching. His intention, through his consulting, workshops and lectures, is to help create a sustainable multicultural global society showing reverence for the diversity of life and valuing inclusive excellence among people and institutions. He believes that the time has come for the shift of global human consciousness prophesized by many ancient people.

Born in 1961, Djalòki grew up between Ayiti, Belgium, France and Senegal. After his graduation in France as an engineer, he started a career in the corporate world in the fields of Total Quality Management and Organizational Development. He soon felt that, instead of enriching relationships, cultural differences between institutions or people often prevent good communication and mutual respect. He then shifted his career focus toward raising cross-cultural awareness, more specifically between the modern Western culture and the traditional Ayitian culture.

His current activities and positions include: - founder of "21 Jenerasyon", which raises cross-cultural and cross-spiritual awareness through international public speaking and workshops, and coaches people in the process of paradigm shifting; - co-founder and vice-president of the "N a Sonje" Foundation, which aims at healing the historical wounds between the peoples of Africa, Europe and the Americas; - associate of "DOA/BN", which specializes in transformational cultural tourism in Ayiti; - individual and group Guided Imagery.

For the last three years, Djalòki has been speaking at several educational institutions in the US, including Saint Mary's College of the University of Notre Dame, Keystone College, University of Southern Maine, Earlham College, Naropa University, Temple University, Indiana University in South Bend, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, New York University, the New Seminary Center for Interfaith Studies, and other community and spiritual centers. His speaking engagements also took him to Europe. He has been published in the Black Arts Quarterly of Stanford University.

Djalòki lives in Port-au-Prince, Ayiti. He speaks French, Ayitian Kreyòl, English and Spanish, and is currently studying at the New Seminary of New York to become an ordained Interfaith Minister.

Some of the cut metal art pieces available.

A few views of the new shop!

2 Rasin (2 Roots) performing Timoun Yo

Timoun Yo, written by Mona Augustin about Haitian street children, is performed here in Kreyol by Mona, Welele, Ron, Nicole, Carla and Levy.

TIMOUN YO (lyrics)

Gad timoun nan lari yo
Y ap viv tankou zanimo
Pèsonn pa pran penn pou yo
Dirigan pa fè anyen pou yo
Paske se ed timoun sa yo
Ki fè yo antre gwo mago
Nan men etranje ki fè lacharite

Ref:
Timoun yo
Ede yo
Timoun yo
Ede yo

Si n pa vle yo fè sak dwòl
Fòk nou mete yo lekòl
Pou yo aprann li ak ekri
Demen pou yo gon meye vi
Si non nou k ap premyè viktim
Lè anpil nan yo ap fè krim
Mwen pa yon pwofèt
men m konnen sa ap fèt

Ref.

Timoun se lespwa de demen
Tanpri trete yo kòm imen
Sa yo ki rich ni sa k ki pòv
Yo dwe toujou jwenn lòv
Lòv, lòv, lòv, lòv..........

Gad timoun nan lari yo
Y ap viv tankou zanimo
Pèsonn pa pran penn pou yo
Dirijan pa fè anyen pou yo
Paske se ed timoun sa yo
Ki fè yo antre gwo mago
Nan men etranje ki fè lacharite

Ref.

THE CHILDREN (lyrics)

Look at the children in the streets
They’re living like animals
Nobody is caring for them
The politician aren’t doing anything for them
Because it’s the money the children bring in
Which gives them lots of loot
From the foreigners who are giving charity

Refrain:
The children
Help them
The children
Help them

If we don’t want them to do what’s wrong
We need to put them in school
So they can learn to read and write
Then they will have a better future
If not, we’ll be the first victims
When so many of them will become criminals
I’m not a prophet
But I know this will happen

Refrain

Children are the hope of tomorrow
Please treat them as humans
Those that are rich as well as those that are poor
They should all find love
Love, love, love, love

Look at the children in the streets
They’re living like animals
Nobody is caring for them
The politician aren’t doing anything for them
Because it’s the money the children bring in
Which gives them lots of loot
From the foreigners who are giving charity

Refrain

Music/text by: Mona Augustin 2005

Meet the Artists

Serge Jolimeau was born in June 1952 in Croix des Bouquets, Haiti near Port au Prince. He began his cut metal art career 35 years ago.










Jolimeau and about 10 apprentices and helpers, three of whom are pictured here, can craft nearly anything out of recycled 55 gallon metal oil drums. A dozen of his pieces will be on display and for sale at Kafe Kiskeya.
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G. W. "Herbie" Marshall (right) was born in August 1961 in Jacmel, Haiti. He started working in papier mache 18 years ago. He uses recycled cardboard and brown paper sacks, and other locally found and produced materials. He is pictured here with Beyond Borders staff, Tim Murphy.








One of Marshall's three children, Herbison age 16 pictured here, works with him, as well as several other apprentices and helpers.










Personally, I really like Marshall's masks, although he can create any type of creature, real or imagined! Look for them at Kafe Kiskeya.
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Thomas Oriental was born in October 1958 in Jacmel, Haiti. He has painted and done papier mache, also using recycled and local materials, for 15 years with the help of 10 to 12 others.

Besides the gigantic masks pictured here, he also creates placemats, trays and coasters with various flowers, bird, and food designs. Having no way to transport his masks to the US on the airplane with me, I had to bring back the later, several of which you'll see at Kafe Kiskeya.
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Here I am, with a friend and painter who lives in Port au Prince, William Louissaint, on Saturday as I was leaving Gwo Jan for the Port au Prince airport. As soon as I get his paintings back from the framer, I'll post some photos of them. William also plays the guitar and writes poetry!

Grilling Coffee

This afternoon I watched as Jinya and her neighbors Haitian roasted/grilled the raw coffee beans we purchased at the market on Saturday. What an amazing process! Before any of the roasting/grilling begins, the beans are cleaned and washed over and over again.

The following steps shown here in these photos include roasting/grilling the beans over hot coals in a very hot pot, then adding a couple cups of raw brown sugar, then stirring and stirring the beans and sugar mixture until the sugar crystalizes, then pounding the crystalized beans into a fine powder, which finally produces coffee to be brewed!

Trip #2

I'm well into my second trip to Haiti now, having spent a few nights in the mountains above Port au Prince in Gwo Jan. Besides visiting with cut metal artists in Croix des Bouquets, I also shopped for arts/crafts in Port au Prince. We ate lunch one afternoon on the veranda at the Hotel Olaffson (pictured here), a famous gingerbread Victorian hotel near the center of the capital. It was the setting for "The Comedians" by Graham Greene. I also purchased 25 pounds of raw coffee beans at an open air market which are being Haitian roasted/grilled for me this week! I can already see that it will be a challenge for me to get everything home that I’ve found on this trip.

I received a rare treat on Saturday night, as I got to experience a jam session of the band 2 Rasin (2 Roots) with their six members Carla, Welele, Mona, Ron, Nicole and Levy (pictured here). They have a great repertoire of more than a dozen original pieces written in Kreyol on current Haitian social and political topics with a blend of Haitian and American rhythms. I know they would be well received in the States, should they choose to tour there!

Yesterday I rode with friends some 6 hours or so up to the north coast. We are now in Cape Haitian for a few nights. It was a beautiful drive through, up, down and around many mountains. We passed the Citadel (pictured here in the distant center), built by Henri Christophe as a stronghold against the French if they should attempt to re-conquer Haiti in the early 1800s. I found a good article on this topic, if you'd like to read further: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5018/.

This short video gives you an idea of what most of our 6 hour ride from Port au Prince to Cape Haitian was like, especially the through-up-down-and-around-many-mountains part!



Towards the middle of this week I'll be in Jacmel for a few days again, meeting more artists and enjoying the south coast, before starting home on Saturday. I will then be posting pictures of the artwork I found, which will be on display and for sale in my shop once it opens in early June, and the artists who created it.

Trip #1

Tables Turned

A recent humanitarian trip to Haiti allowed me the chance to accept acts of mercy and hospitality from others.

The group I went with had no special project to complete, nor did we bring anything with us, other than a willingness to complete our “mission”: to listen, learn and be changed. And that’s what happened.

The changes began the day I left on the trip when accepting a $20 bill from a stranger, after the first of several flights I’d be on that day. She’d overheard my conversation with the bank about how I’d realized that I'd forgotten the PIN to my debit card just before leaving, and so I’d left home without any cash. As I hung up my cell phone, with no resolution from the bank, this stranger pressed a $20 bill into my hand, insisting that I just couldn’t be without any cash. I didn’t want to take her money. $20 seemed like too much. I wanted her to give me her address so that I could return it to her as soon as I got back home. She refused, telling me to just pay it forward. I assured her that I would, as I was on my way to Haiti for a week.

The group I went with stayed with Haitian families for several nights in the mountains where there was no electricity and little running water. These families shared everything they had with us: food, water, time, and friendship. In fact, they slept on straw mats on the floor while we were given their beds. That was the most difficult for us, but what were we going to do, refuse to accept what they had to give?

Again and again we were treated like royalty, from wonderful meals, to visits with local artisans to see and even learn their crafts, to lessons with the elders of the community about their rich history, culture, economy and politics. Songs were prepared and sung for us on several occasions. We were treated with hospitality beyond anything I’d ever experienced. We were included in their daily activities and fellowship like we’d lived amongst them for all of our lives. We were cared for and looked after as if we were their own. And yet, we’d only just met. We were strangers and family all in the very same instant.

It’s as if I was plopped down in the middle of what my associates and I hope it’s like for our neighborhood friends visiting Cherith Brook, the new Catholic Worker house we’ve recently opened in downtown Kansas City. I was at the reverse end of all the hospitality and acts of mercy we’ve been offering in our new community. Now I was the one receiving rather than giving. It felt somewhat awkward, but reassuring too.

I tried to pay that $20 forward several times over during the trip, both monetarily in the purchases I made from artists that I might not have otherwise, and also in the attention I paid to those around me, and in the extra awareness I had of my surroundings.

And now, being back on the other side of giving, I have a different appreciation of what it feels like to receive. Although uncomfortable at times, it’s very inspiring to know that God puts folks in our path to take care of us when we’re most in need. And likewise, God puts us in the path of those who most need us.

What more did I receive from Haiti?

I went on this trip with such misconceptions about the country, her culture, and her people. I imagined that what I’d been told by the media and others was true, that most of the land was brown from deforestation, that most people lived in stick and mud huts, that I should be fearful of disease and for my safety, and other misinformation I dare not even repeat. Once there, the only thing I feared were the armed UN officers patrolling the streets in their tanks.

In fact, after having arrived, I was almost instantly ashamed of myself for not having gone to Haiti before to find out the truth for myself. It feels as though something powerfully evil has been at work, poisoning the world’s view of Haiti and therefore her ability to turn the tide. And for what purpose must the world persecute this tiny speck of an island? The bible verse that comes to mind is the parable of the laborers in Matthew 20:16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. In the end, I envision that Haiti shall be first, and the rest of the world, especially the US, last. Haiti will be, must be, chosen.

On the contrary to my false impressions, I found Haiti to have an atmosphere of peace and calm beyond anything I’d felt before. Her people were genuinely interested in getting to know us, and in us getting to know them. We hiked up into mountains covered with lush vegetation and trees full of fruits, some I’d seen before and some I’d never heard of. We experienced waterfalls, swam in the bluest ocean waters, and saw the most beautiful palm trees. We learned of her struggles and of her triumphs. What a strong people she holds!

Haiti revealed to me the most deeply spiritual and genuinely honest people I’ve ever encountered. Things I’ve wondered about all of my life became crystal clear during my short stay on her sacred ground. I feel a profound gratitude towards Haiti and her people for accepting me, embracing me, taking me as I was, in the midst of all the negative notions that I had, and helping me to see her in a new and clear light. What a gift!

And what will I give back?

I’m committed to telling her story, the true version, to as many as will listen. I will encourage others to do as I did: go and see it, experience it, feel it for yourself. I will share the lessons that I learned, carry her in my heart, speak well of her, sending positive vibes with all that I say and do. These are my responsibilities, now that I know better. To do less or otherwise would be reprehensible. It’s as if I’m bound by a contract, one more powerful and obligatory than if it were written, to uphold the truths as I’ve seen them, to promote a different consciousness about Haiti, to do my part to turn the tide.

For more information on Haiti, please visit http://www.beyondborders.net/ or http://www.haititravels.org/.