Friday, June 9, 2006

“Navigating Through Chaos” Lecture Tour, US Fall 2006

This is the promotional flyer of my upcoming lecture tour in the US (September-November 2006).

A better version (with a better readable bottom) can also be viewed on this blog in the “Navigating Through Chaos” album, placed just below the advertisement square at the top of the right hand side bar.

The flyer can be emailed upon request in JPG, TIFF, PDF or Microsoft Word version.

For booking dates, contact Anny A. Koffler aakoffler@comcast.net

Posted by Djaloki in 20:50:33 | Permalink | Comments (6)

Sunday, June 4, 2006

New (definitive?) lecture title

The final title for the main lecture of my upcoming US tour is:

NAVIGATING THROUGH CHAOS WITH VODOU KEYS
Finding balance in times of shift; a non-conventional approach.

~Djalòki~

Posted by Djaloki in 17:27:02 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Systemic Vodou Mending

Working at planning my next US Lecture Tour: September-November 2006, with one main lecture whose tentative title so far is:

SYSTEMIC VODOU MENDING

And a possible sub-title:

Introduction to Vodou Keys as restorative tools to the fragmentary modern ways.

Comments welcome.

~Djalòki~

 

Posted by Djaloki in 05:13:28 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Thursday, April 7, 2005

University of Southern Maine

I spoke yesterday in a class of around 15 students at the University of Southern Maine (http://www.usm.maine.edu/), in Gorham, near Portland, ME.

Respect to the First Nations of Maine: Sepayik (Passamaquody), Pennobscott, Maliseet and Micmac, regrouped under the Wabenaki denomination.

~Djaloki~

Posted by Djaloki in 18:55:02 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Djaloki’s next speaking engagements (March-April 2005)


March 28-31, 2005 - Pittsfield, MA (lectures at Mount Greylock and St Joseph High Schools)
 
March 31-April 6, 2005 - Philadelphia, PA (no speaking engagement)
 
April 6-10, 2005 - Portland, ME (classes at the University of Maine and lecture at the “Haiti, Time of Crisis, Time of Hope” event)
 
April 10-18, 2005 - Richmond, IN (Earlham College: classes and panel discussion at the Black Studies Conference)
 
Posted by Djaloki in 04:32:50 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Friday, March 18, 2005

Djaloki in Portland, Maine - April 9, 2005


HAITI

 

TIME OF CRISIS, TIME OF HOPE

 

University of Southern Maine, 206 Payson Smith Hall

April 9, 2005       9:30 am – 3:00 pm

 

A Forum on Haitidesigned to

 

·         Contribute to an awareness of Haitian culture and Haiti’s long struggle for independence

·         Review recent political developments affecting Haiti

·         Encourage the formation of a Maine campaign of solidarity with the Haitian people

 

10:00 am:  Featured Speaker – Djalòki Dessables

 

A political activist and scholar, Djalòki Dessables lives in Haiti and travels extensively in Europe and the United States. His interests range widely and he is an experienced communicator of Haitian history and culture. He has long been involved in developing historical preservation projects and in implementing programs that foster leadership skills among Haitian citizens. Exemplifying the long ties between Haiti and the United States,  Djalòki Dessables is a descendant of the eighteenth century fur trader and explorer who founded the city of Chicago. He is presently on a lecture tour in the United States.

 

Noon: bring a bag lunch – other refreshments provided

 

1 P.M. Interactive Panel Discussion

 

Several people concerned with political, humanitarian, and cultural aspects of Haitian life will join a panel moderated by Wells Staley Mays of Portland. The panel includes Tom Luce, a Haiti solidarity activist from Vermont, Victoria Szatkowski, member of Maine Haiti Solidarity and former resident of Haiti,  Jim Harney, a photojournalist who visited Haiti last year, and Reg Gagnon, a veteran humanitarian volunteer.  This will be the occasion for a full discussion among panel members and all others as they share knowledge, experience, and ideas. The search is on for just how Maine people can enter into solidarity with the Haitian people and work politically for democracy in Haiti. 

 

3:00 P.M. Wrap up - Victoria Szatkowski

 

And more!  Preceding and during the noonhour, the Kevin Pina film Haiti: Killing the Dream will be shown. At 2:30 PM, Jim Harney will show images taken during his recent trip to Haiti

 

The Forum is sponsored by Maine Haiti Solidarity, Peace Action Maine, Maine Foreign Affairs Education Fund, NAACP, Pax Christi Maine, and USM student groups.

 

For more information, contact Victoria Szatkowsk at 772-2622 or Tom Whitney at 743-2183
Posted by Djaloki in 23:04:57 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sunday, March 6, 2005

Keystone College

The Keystone College Concerts and Lectures Series will host cultural expert Djaloki Dessables, Thursday, March 10 at 7 p.m. in Evans Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public.

For more information visit the Website at
http://www.keystone.edu/TPA/SpringConcertsLectures05.htm#Djaloki Dessables

Posted by Djaloki in 06:16:21 | Permalink | Comments (3)

Saturday, March 5, 2005

New York city

I am in Queens, New York for a week or so. Everything is fine under the snow. I will be “preaching” at Jan Hus church (351 East 74th St., NY 10021, 212-288-6743, www.janhus.org) on Upper East Side Manhattan, on Sunday morning; the service starts at 11:00 am.
Posted by Djaloki in 18:51:32 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

Haitian scholar brings awareness in St Mary’s College

Article written by Lynn Sikora, Friday Feb. 25, 2005, in the Observer, Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College community newspaper, on Djaloki’s lectures.

Link to the article:

http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/news/2005/02/25/News/Haitian.Scholar.Brings.Awareness-877855.shtml

Text of the article:

Haitian scholar brings awareness

Activist visits campus in order to ’stretch minds and hearts’

By Lynn Sikora

Haitian scholar and activist Djaloki Dessables has been visiting Saint Mary’s campus this week to deliver a series of interactive presentations to discuss the importance of cross-cultural awareness and the vital need to establish cultural diversity for our own survival as human beings.

“I am here to stretch minds and hearts out of the comfort zone,” Dessables said. “This requires us to be in touch with cultures with non-Western roots.”

Dessables hopes to help people understand the world is diverse. There are many ways to experience the understanding of humanity such as through life, reality and truth.

“I am coming with a gift - an unexpected gift for people who don’t know they need to receive it,” he said. “I hope they will accept it because it is something that cannot be forced.”

Dessables believes some of the answers for a sustainable future can be found in forgotten civilizations because they are considered to be poor, primitive and backwards.

Saint Mary’s is the first stop on Dessables’ American speaking tour of schools and churches. The College established a contact with Dessables when the justice education program held a Haiti immersion course during Fall Break 2003. Dessables said he felt very honored to receive the invitation to speak on campus.

“The future of humanity lies in the hands of women,” Dessables said. “I am very supportive of what women can do for a new real world.”

Dessables’ visit is sponsored by the Center for Women’s InterCultural Leadership, Sisters of Nefertiti, Justice Education Program, InterCultural Studies Program, the department of religious studies, Anthropology Club, Residence Hall Association, Peacemakers and the ND Haiti Program.

Justice education program director Jan Pilarski views the visit as a wonderful way to expose students to a culture of people who have great hope and leadership despite the pain and struggle of their country.

“Haiti is a place of real learning - it is a good way to live,” she said. “They have a deep connection to spiritual life and a sophisticated understanding of world politics in relation to their daily lives.”

Haiti Awareness Week is another attempt to introduce students to other kinds of black history. With an influx of Haitians coming to America, it is vital to understand their African and American roots, Pilarski said.

Notre Dame will hold a public lecture at the Snite Museum on today at 3 p.m. about the vodou art exhibit on display.

“Just looking at the art is not enough - you have to understand it too,” Dessables said.

Posted by Djaloki in 19:31:41 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Thursday, November 11, 2004

Djaloki’s lectures (English)

DJAL�’KI’S LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS SUMMARIES

- Updated September 6, 2005 -

Booking in North America: Anny Koffler, aakoffler@comcast.net (English, French)

Booking in Europe: Emma Sanchez-Fuentes, 21generaciones@gmail.com (Spanish, French, English)

Other communications: djaloki@gmail.com (Ayitian(1) Kreyòl(2), English, French, Spanish)

Web log http://djaloki.blog.com

This page http://djaloki.blog.com/64630

- Many Ancient Wisdoms, One Post-Modern Vision

- Spiritual Literacy

- Imaginary Friends For Real

- Vodou, As Lived By A Post-Modern Ayitian

- Ancient Cures For Modern Collective Conditions

MANY ANCIENT WISDOMS, ONE POST-MODERN VISION

Duration: 1:30 �” 2 hours, questions & answers included.

Includes :

Non-conventional perspectives on world history

Insights on non-western cultures, focusing on the cultures around the Atlantic Ocean

Introduction to the concept of “cultural keys”(3)

Introduction to the vision of a sustainable multicultural post-modern society in balance with herself, Nature and the Cosmos and practicing reverence for the unity of Life by respecting its manifest diversity

SPIRITUAL LITERACY

Duration: 1 �” 2 hours, questions & answers included.

Attendance to “ANCIENT WISDOMS…” prior to this one could be helpful.

Includes:

Review of the concept of cultural keys

Presentation of the notions of literacy, computer literacy and computer programming as “civilized” cultural keys for the modern and post-modern times (the term “civilized” refers to the “civilized” society, based on cities �” versus nature)

Analogy between the notions mentioned above and those of “spiritual literacy”, “spiritual awareness” and “spiritual intelligence”, presented as ancient primordial (non-civilized) cultural keys for the post-modern times (the term “spiritual” refers to something of the spirit world); the analogy also uses the linguistic notions of lexicon, syntax, languages and idiomatic expressions

Presentation of elements of a balanced post-modern society that would possess and use both groups of keys harmoniously

IMAGINARY FRIENDS FOR REAL

Duration: 1 �” 2 hours; brief presentation (approximately half an hour and the remaining time spent in questions & answers, following an original participative formula)

“SPIRITUAL LITERACY” suggested prior to this one.

Involves the participation of an imaginary invisible being (spirit) representing a primordial (non-western) spiritual paradigm embracing the following values :

“Realness” of the invisible world

Earth as an intentional sentient being

Matter and visible reality altered by word and intent

Non-linear, multi-dimensional, reversible, extensible, compressible time/space

Interconnectedness between all things

Permanent presence of mystery

All personal imaginary friends cordially invited!

VODOU(4), AS LIVED BY A POST-MODERN AYITIAN

Duration: 1:30 �” 2 hours, questions & answers included.

“MANY ANCIENT WISDOMS,…” and “SPIRITUAL LITERACY” suggested prior to this one.

Ayitian Vodou presented as a Path of Wisdom embracing matter and spirit, the pragmatic and the mysterious, and situated in its relative position among the great spiritual teachings of humanity, including Christianity, in its early and contemporary forms.

Includes the presentation of concepts such as: spirit, ancestors, the dead, the living human, trance, ritual, ceremony, power, respect, “Fran Ginen”, initiation, magic, balance, dreams, animism, global interconnectedness, etc…

ANCIENT CURES FOR MODERN COLLECTIVE CONDITIONS

Lecture format, duration: 1:30 �” 2 hours, discussions and questions & answers included.

Workshop format, duration: half a day (or more, according to group size).

“SPIRITUAL LITERACY” suggested prior to this one.

Includes:

Presentation of ancient values and concepts (the spirits, global interconnectedness, balance, sustainability, the circle of life, “gift economy”, spiritual health/pathology, etc…)

Group discussions on the modern collective pathological conditions (self-destruction, greed, exploitation, profit driven economy, individualism, non sustainability, unbalance, etc…)

Group discussions on healthy modern cultural keys and the healthy essence of modern society (diversity, multiculturalism, global communications, information technology, emergency response, problem solving, individual freedom, advanced knowledge and control of matter, etc…)

Diagnosis of the modern collective pathological conditions from an ancient indigenous perspective

Ancient cures (spiritual and material regeneration, rebalancing, sacrifices, exorcism, etc…)

Group discussions on the adaptation of ancient cures to modern pathological conditions

Group discussions on the post-modern healed society (new patterns and behaviors in education, economics, politics, production, consumption, health, business, leisure, relationships, etc…)

Healers (alternative or conventional, indigenous or modern), therapists and mental health professionals especially welcome !

Notes

(1) Ayitian:   Haitian �” “Free spelling” derived from the native Ayitian Kreyòl spelling of “Haiti”: Ayiti.

(2) Kreyòl:      Creole, spelled in Ayitian Kreyòl, which is the language of the Ayitian people.

(3) cultural key:   A vital skill in surviving developed through generations by the people of a given culture;

all cultures have keys useful or necessary for other cultures;

no one culture has all the keys it needs to express its highest potential;

cultural keys must be exchanged multi-laterally through mutual respect in order for humanity to survive.

(4) Vodou:       Ayitian Kreyòl spelling of Voodoo.

Posted by Djaloki in 15:13:16 | Permalink | Comments (4)