~BCCFS From The Inside 28 Planet of the Arts / October 1996 Story and Photo by Karen Myskiw | wonder why « CFS many Political Science students atten meetings? As a member of the ECIAD Students’ Union, i had the opportunity to attend the BC faction’s bi-annual general meeting of the Canadian Federation of Students held at the University of Victoria from August 21-26. The meeting agenda was grueling, as was the party sched- ule. While | was at the conference | wanted to find out what other peoples’ interests were. In introducing myself to people, | quickly discov- ered that most delegates there were Poli-Sci majors past and present. | couldn’t find any other landscape architects there besides myself. | wonder if the reason why Poli-Sci students dominate CFS meetings is they haven’t made the connection between sex and chocolate pudding, both messy affairs. Or maybe they like messy affairs... | never did find out for sure. patem an partici heatre of the Oppressed. Form and Image theatre aim to give power to the people by offering alternatives to problem solving. At the start, | was a bit nervous - I’m not a performer — but after some mirroring exercises and | was right into it. For our final theatre exercise, we split up into two groups and created symbols of the Students’ Union from Hell and the Students’ Union from Heaven. For the Students’ Union from Heaven our group associated unity, radiat- ing energy, value of intuition, and openness as positive ideals. For the Students’ Union from Hell, individuals sat facing away from each other with closed body posture. | think this type of workshop might be effective as a way of encouraging collaboration. Dare we try it at one of our ECIAD S.U. execu- tive committee meetings? Perhaps when the new executive is sworn in. Why not include men next time in the workshop, or have a separate workshop for them? rE QW ERE UEP EEK: Campaigns and Government Relations, Finances, Policy, and Organizational Development. And lo and behold, we had four representatives from Emily Carr: Kyath Battie, Linda Szasz, Jen Weih and myself. The Campaigns Committee was where my interests lay. | wanted to see how a large orga- nization assembles its membership. How do you successfully rally the troops? How can this approach be applied to smaller groups? Or can it? | was hoping to use what | learned to orga- nize the PTS constituency and lobby Emily Carr’s administration. Gt er the first at UVIC | formulated a plan of action for participating and maintaining an active attention span throughout the onerous meet- ings.(| hate meetings, by the way.) My strategy was to limit my drinking, and to get to sleep by 1:00AM. | was able to follow my strategy until the last night. All we had left at that point was the final plenary session, which is where all deci- sions get ratified. So, why not relax and go a little crazy. A handful of us chose to go to Ferris’s Oyster Bar. It was great to have a change of menu from the usual chicken burger. Curried oysters with bananas and chutney on basmati rice — yum. Later on, we went for a late night dip and sat around on the beach until 3:00 a.m. jamming and singning. pyRe Robliig CFS general meeting was spending time with the Aboriginal Caucus. The stories they shared about their lunar New Year and how it relates to the harvest and to the cycles of life made sense. My own spirituality is tied into Earth and her Creator, as is my identity. The group smudge we shared also made me feel keenly aware of the importance of rituals. As we danced and sang and the men drummed, dif- ferences seemed to dissolve. What we shared was meaningful. A couple of hours earlier the group had met to discuss racism within the CFS. It was the most desperate, stomach twisting, accusatory session of the whole meeting. This additional session was requested by some of the delegates of colour in order to provide closure to a work- shop earlier that afternoon. The set up of the room was alienating: Us against Them. | felt terrible. | recognized that |, like most people, am racist in some way. penigeantie helplessness were almost overwhelming. Individuals got up and left, the tension was so thick. | wanted to get out-of there. My gut ached. Darryl and Mansell spoke eloquently on the subject of racism. Was it racism or prejudice for minorities that was at issue? Dare we separate one minority group out from another? At one point in the meeting several of us were brought to tears when we heard Jamie’s Ron Holmes’ opinion piece on Moe Sihota’s media rock ‘n’ roll show at ECIAD Sept. ‘96 same old Fy “ogee of &% More .. More, at money . wove Bt Pe came Theatre of the Oppressed workshop story. He was kicked out of his home at sixteen because he was a homosexual, and ended up living under a bridge for three months. During that time the only people who were there for him were those in poverty themselves. | admired how he fought for access to educa- tion, and with courage and conviction went back to school as a mature student. Prejudice encompasses all oppressed groups. AND, an i-racism was outlined as one means of addressing the issues, as well as work- shops for the executives and CFS staff. At the end of the plenary, | ran to hug Darryl good-bye, and | felt his spirit. After all is said and done | am thankful for the differences in people. ab cfarnreeaRyt e And he wasn’t a Poli-Sci major either. @ © o 3 s ® a c 5 2 s s RS B £ a s a 2 ° £ a PipeDream CD release gig (Starfish Room, Sept.18th) PipeDream’s CD release gig at the Starfish Room offered listeners something different. It showcased what I'd like to call their demonstration of the Pink Floyd ethic — a disciplined exploration in sound. The erstwhile wall of sound had been pared down to bass, drums and keyboards. Still, there was the expert filling of holes and gaps in the sonic spectrum which left no doubt that the simple trio could create an effective wholeness of sound. | heard simple arrangements and long drawn out compositions, yet the musicians were tight and performed a well-rehearsed if not dramatic set. PipeDream’s style of music is progressive, to say the least. The drummer played with bass drum-pedal like sticks (the ones with the poms on the ends of them) to ride his cymbals to occasional crescendos that brought him out of his rhythmic positioning and into the dramatic forefront. Vocals by Jeremy were diminutive, hinting more towards harmonies and melodies than at lyrics. Opening act Readymade were quite good, however, Wavestation were unmemorable. Alastair Wood 28 Planet of the Arts / October 1996 BCCFS From The Inside ‘Story and Photo by Karen Myskiw | wonder why . ‘any Political Science students attene*CrS meetings? “Asa member ofthe ECIAD Students Union, I had the opportunity to attend the BC factions ‘biannual general meeting ofthe Canackan Federation of Students held at the University of Vitoria from August 21-26, The meeting agenda was grueting, a was the party sched le ‘While | was a the conference | wanted to find out what other peoples interests were. Io introducing mysel to peopl, | quickly discov. ‘ered that most delegates there were PolSch ‘majors past and present. I couldn't find any ther landscape architect there besides mye, Twonder if the reason why PoScl students ‘dominate CFS meetings is they haven't made ‘the connection between sex and chocolate pudding, both messy affairs. Or maybe they tke mesty affairs. Ihever did find out for sure. pieenan partici eat ofthe Oppressed. Form and image theatre aim to give power tothe people by ‘offering alternatives to problem solving. At the Start Iwas ait nervous = I'm not a performer but after some mirroring exercises and I was Fight into i “Mor our final theatre exercise, we spit up Into two groups and created symbols ofthe ‘Students’ Union from Hell and the Students Union from Heaven. For the Students’ Union from Heaven our group associated unity adit ing energy, value of intuition, and opennes positive ideas. Fr the Students” Union from Hel, individuals sat facing away from each other with closed body posture. think this type of workshop might be effective asa way of encouraging collaboration. Dare we try iat one of our ECIAD SU, exec tive committee meetings? Perhaps when the ew executive is sworn in, ‘Whiy not include men next time in the workshop, or havea separate workshop for them? cE QWEREUMLfeK: ‘Camnpaigns and Government Relations, Finances, Policy, and Organizational Development. And lo and behold, we had four representatives from Emily Carr: Kyath Battie, Unda Szasz, Jen Wein and mysel “The Campaigns Commitee was where my Interests ly. | wanted to see how a large org ‘ization astembles ts membership, How do You succesfully rally the troops? How can this approach be applied to smaller groups? Or can i 1 was hoping to use what | learned to orga ize the PTS constituency and lobby Emly Cars administration, er the first {at UVIC I ormulated a pan of ation for parteipating and maintaining an active attention Span thoughout the onerous mest ings. hate meetings, by the way) My strategy ‘was to limit my drinking, and to get to sleep by 1:008M, Tas able o follow my strategy unt the lastnight ll we had left at that point was the final plenary session, which is where all dec: sions get ratified. So, why not relax and go 2 lie cary. ‘Ahandll of us chose to go to Feri's ‘oyster Bar. It was great to have a change of ‘menu from the usual chicken burger. Curied ‘oysters with Bananas and chutney on basmati fice yum, [Bater on, we went for alate night dip and sat around on the beach unt 3:00 a, jamming and singing, CFS geheral meeting was spending time with the Aboriginal Caucus. The stories they shared about ther lunar New Year and how i elas to the harvest and tothe cycles of le made My own spirituality ited into Earth and her Creator, asi my identity. The group smudge we shared also made me fel keenly aware ofthe importance of tals. As we anced and sang and the men drummed, df. Fon Holmes’ opinion piece on Moe Sihot's media rock’ rol show at ECIAD Sept. 9 ferences seemed to dissolve. What we shared was meaning ‘A couple of hours ear the group had met to discuss racism within the CES was the mast desperate stomach twisting, accusatory Session ofthe whole meeting. Ths addtional session was requested by some ofthe delegates of colour in order to provide clowure toa work: Shop ear that afternoon. The setup ofthe oom was alienating: Us against Them. felt terble cognized that | ike most people, am racist in some way. peringferthe* thelplessness were almost overwhelming Individuals got up and lf, the tension was so ‘thick. I wanted t0 get out of there. My gut ached, ‘Bary and Mansel spoke eloquently on the subject of racism. Was it racism or prejudice for ‘minorities that was at issue? Dare we separate ‘one minority group out from another? "AL one point in the meeting several of us were brought to teats when we heard Jamie's same x “same of d(x = and fuythev) more «. More. | money . wore |)! students - ove shile. lah bet “Theatre of the Oppressed workshop story He was Kicked out of his home at sixteen because he was a homosexual, and ended up living under a bridge fr three months. During that time the only people who were there for him were those in poverty themselves. admired how he fought for acces to educe tion, and with courage and conviction went back to school as a mature student. Prejudice encompasses all oppressed groups ny racism. Gc ‘was outlined as one means of adresing The sues, as well as work shops forthe executives and CFS stl the end ofthe plenary, ran to fg Daryl good:-bye, and fel his spit ‘Aer alls aid and done | am thankul fr the differences in people. abectiite ant PoliSci major ether PipeDream CD release gig (Starfish Room, Sept-18th) PipeDreams CD reese gg 3 the Sash Room, tered steers someting aiteret eshomcaed what et el thei