INSIDE COMMUNITY EVENTS B2 ‘SPEAKING OUT: SARAH de LEEUW How I love my couch I t glowed. There's no other way to describe that couch, the first day ] set eyes on it. Pure gold in a sea of dusty, musty mess and Tag- tag odds and ends. Vintage 1950's. 1 was in love. The gold couch: came home with me that very day, only to be met with the cynical words of my neigh- bor, “you paid money for that?!" He later real- ized the error of his ways and featured the lovely gold couch in a theatrical production all of. it's own, Recently my co-worker, taking full advant- “age of my weakness for the retro and quirky, handed me the label from an ancient pile of ‘mimeograph' paper. Remembering: the days of blue hand “cranked ink machines in schools got me to thinking of elementary school, tests and desks in rows, blackboards and tether balls, the kids who got picked first, and of course the ones that got picked last. Things haven't changed as much as you might think, I mean aside from the obvious evolution to Xerox machines. I go into schools now with another woman and speak about abuse, in all its forms. We talk with grades eight through twelve, and after each and every class we leave impressed with the students in- telligence and energy, their originality and creativity. Now, as much as I'm a sucker for 'S0's cou- ches, some new things are more to my taste because up to date really is better. Especially when it comes to ideas around abuse. They made preat gold couches in the 50's; we have better laws and attitudes about abuse. Like I said though, there are a few things, important things, that haven't changed as much as you might hope. Laws have changed, but people still seem. a little confused about what ‘abuse! actually is. Not so long ago, we went into a class the morning after a young woman was severely beaten, with baseball bats and sticks, ata school in Ucluelet, BC, We brought that bea- ting up in the class we were in, and the re- sponse was “Well, what had she done to de- serve that?" Think about that, "What had she done to deserve that?" It's still entertainment to see someone get the salt kicked out of them, and crowds still draw to see the fight taking place after the last bell. We've even heard about video taping, the more blood the better. Without fail, students talk about how 'sick' it is, but most admit they still go. Most want to stop il, every student we've ever worked with agrees the world would be better off without that abuse, but almost all say it's hard to stand against it alone. Now those are words right out of my time at school, and I. know they were around in the 1950's 100. I've got to say, people are still the most confused about sexual abuse. — And I know the confusion isn’t just with stu- dents. Go to a bar one night, ask the adults what consent is, and what it's not, Guaran- teed, you'll get some answers right out of the 1950's. How's this for one? "What if she says, 'Yes' way more, like a hundred times more, than she says 'No'? " Or what about this one? thing, can she? Do I have to stop?" Or "What if she isn't saying anything. Isn't that ok?" ‘Hmmm...think in a court of law that one would hold up? Not a chance. Those nasty gold couch era attitudes have got to change. ‘Thankfully, young people do seem to have some of the best, and most profound, answers to their peers’ confusion. have a great amount of confidence the students I talk with are mak- ing changes for the better, getting away from outdated ideas and treatment of each other. After all, it was a guy in a grade nine class who gave his fellow class mates the most timeless piece of advice I'd heard in quite some time. , He'd been quietly listening while some other guys in his class just had to ask, again, if for sure, really, really, no always meant no?!? Sitting at the back of the class, he stuck up his hand and said, good and loudly, "Come on you guys, pul your {I won't us the exact word he used here, it's not that suitable for newspa- per) back in your pants,‘and think with your ‘other head." - No one could say it atiy better, i in any decade.- Now, if only they would bring gold couches back into style... Kosovo soldiers | pen pals to local SOLDIERS IN Kosovo said they wrote back to students at Clarence Mi- chiel Elementary School because they felt appre- ciated, In. Trooper -Stephen Tadd’s letter to student Elmer Moody, he wrote: “I am proud to know that you are thinking of us here...” Grade 6 teacher Tanya Corstanje, who is filling in for Ken Fraser, said the Kosovo soldiers’ - letters were a wonderful surprise. “I was really impressed that these peacekeepers would take such a large amount of time to write to these kids with as much sincerity as they did,” she said, Corstanje added: “You should have seen these kids. They were so exci- ted,” Next, she said her stu- dents are planning to write to the peacekeepers’ children. She said many of her Students’ parents are for- esters who work in the bush for long periods of time. “So these kids can re- late to some extent [to children whose parents go overseas for months al a time as peacekeepers],” she said. Twelve-year-old student ‘Jass“Gitlsays he was sur- prised to learn Cpl, Kevin Smith replied to his letter. “T never thought they’d write back because they’re too busy taking care of olher people’s lives,” Jass said, in his letter to Jass, Cpl. Smith described the weather in Kosovo to be much like the weather in Terrace - foggy and snowy. The soldiers often wake up to very dense fop mixed with a very cold mist, causing problems for them when they have to Noted local Kinsman dies of heart failure TERRACE STANDARD. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 146, 2000 - BI - SECTION B - ALEX HAMILTON: ie 638-7283 CLARENCE MICHIEL Grade 6 students Sheila Moody, Katherine Bolton and Jass Gill, display t the Aster, Starlene Robinson, Eric Bateman, Elmer. letters they recelved from peacekeepers in Kosovo, drive from one area to an- other. Smith also explained what his job entails. “My ‘ks. jeb here is to make sure - that people of Kosovo don’t fight with each other, and try. to get their daily lives back to normal,” wrote Cpl. Smith. Soldiers are also re- sponsible for VCPs (Vehicle Control Points), where troopers. check vehi- cles for proper documents, weapons and anything else illegal. They~also escort people from one point to another within the country, and provide security at the border between countries. When asked whether he wanted to bea peacc- keeper, Jass replied: “Maybe, it depends on how university goes,” And what would the youngster prefer to be when he grows up? “A lawyer or a basket- ball player!” MASTER CORPORAL Chris Maher is pictured here beside a bison, the arm- oured vehicle soldiers ride around the country in. Help celebrate Nisga’a New Year "She can't say 'No' halfway through or any- WELL-KNOWN Terrace optometrist and Kinsman Dr. Victor Phillip Hawes (Vic) died January 31 of heart failure. He was $3. Hawes, who was born in Vancouver, moved to Terrace in 1971 to start a solo optometry practice. He lived here until 1985 when he and his family moved to Smithers, where he opened a mew prac- tice. After seven years in Smithers, he re- turned to Terrace in 1992, “He missed Terrace and his friends here,” said Nick Timmerman, longtime friend and fellow Kinsmen. According to friends, Hawes was an outgoing man, who got people involved in their community. “He was always helping people and enjoying himself while he was doing them,” Timmerman said, The driving force behind many com- munily projects, Hawes was known for his formidable organizational skills. Whether is was bingos, working on Grad nights, Riverboat Day raffles, pan- cake breakfasts, hot dog sales, fall fair beer gardens, Hawes took part in the ac- tion. A Kinsman to the core, he held almost every position he could in the Kin organi- zation, and spent years raising money for local groups and programs. “He lived the Kinsman Code,” said friend and Kinsmen Rich McDaniel. “He did things without going for glory.” McDaniel said Hawes was was instru- mental in creating the-Terrace Child De- velopment Centre, and fundraising for the swimming pool, the arena and Kin Camp at Lakelse Lake, He also coached girls’ ball, boys’ baseball, taekwondo, and judo. Hawes was also know for his gencros- ity and kind heart, He opened his home to street kids and wayward youth. Victor Hawes Despite major heart surgery in 1989, . Hawes was a man who would try almost anything. He took up snowboarding three - years ago, “Life was a big. adventure, -to Vic,” said Linda Hawes, his wife of 22 years, : who spoke at his funeral Feb. 5. Hawes also played slowpitch,. rode i horses and helped raise Jack: Russell Ter- tiers with his friend Barb Bloom. °: Hawes would have been 54 -on-Febr- uary 11. At the time of -his death,- he’ -. owned optametry offices in Houston and. : - aged 17-at-the time. Terrace “We lost a fantastic member, ‘ofthe . Kinsmen, a great citizen of Terrace and a: good Canadian tao,” Timmerman said. aa “He will be missed,” <.°: Hawes: is survived. by. his mother Louise Hawes, of. Abbotsford, and: his: children Jennifer: Rae McDonald Hawes: : of Calgaty, Tawnia Louise Hawes of Fort McMurray ‘and: Isaac: ‘Leslie Phillip. Hawes of Vancouver. By CINDY TAIT THE GITLAXDAX Sayt K’ilim Goot Nisga’a Cul- tural Performers will be staging Feb. 25 a two-day New Year's celebratian called Hobiiyee 2000. Hobiiyee is the Nisga’a New Year, and every- one is welcome to help celebrale the event, Dance groups and spectators are encouraged to join in the festivities. . An important ‘component of the Hobiiyee cele- bration is the enhancement of our history as all aboriginal citizens are recovering part of their cul- ture and tradition through dance and song. The Gillaxdax. Sayt K’ilim Goot Nisga’a Cultur- al: Performers: are one of seven Nisga’a traditional dance groups:: The name of our group means “Nisga’a unified in Terrace”. Our members até from one of the four villages ‘of the Nass Valley: Gitlaxt’ aamiks, Gitwinksihlkw, Laxgalts’ ap or Gingolx. There is a common ground among our. inter-nation members that are from Tahltan, .Tsimshian, Gitxsan, Haisla, Haida, Cree, and. Metis Nation. We wanted to empower our people who have lived away from theis home, We found that living off reserve was difficult - difficult in the sense that _ we. did: nat have hands-on learning of our tradition- - al values (dancing and singing) on which our cul- lure thrives today, “Our group formed in. April of 1997, with the help ~ of Sim’ oogit’ Hlayim Wil (Chester Moore). Chester composed a few songs for our group and instructed Our: members on making their drums. -Once he eneouraged-our graup to stand on their awn, we realised we needed a leader. So our group chose one — Keane: Tail- -Stewart, who was on While we celebrate, we will be acknowldllg our ancestors. Today they come forth in total hum- -bleness, awe, and: thanksgiving celebrating through dance and song. This is the future that our cultural _ activities are: directed, lo our children, to our fu- ture. “This, Is the future that coming generations de- serve - to. be: proud of their. culture and proud of where they: come, from.