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« Older Entries Newer Entries »Unveiling the Mind in Egypt
Friday, February 4th, 2011
At the entrance to Cairo University is an immense sculpture entitled
“The Awakening of Egypt (by Mahmoud Mokhtar),” on which is portrayed a sphinx and a woman lifting her veil. A photo of this statue appears on the cover of Women’s Ways of Leading. And inside, Mary Gardner and I honor Nawal El Saadawi, Egyptian feminist and author, with her story and the following quote:
The education system should be founded on “unveiling the
mind.” Unveiling means to remove the mask of ignorance and
unquestioning compliance to reveal the inner power and
knowledge…Women throughout the world wisely awakening
to this call for unveiling find strength in their values and in
themselves.
Today Nicholas Kristoff told us in his column in the New York Times of his encounter yesterday in Tahrir Square with his hero, Dr. El Saadawi, the leading Arab feminist who for decades has fought female genital mutilation. He notes that she “turns 80 this year, is white-haired and frail, but full of fiery passion.”
“I feel I am born again,” she told him and assured Nick that she would sleep again with the protestors on Tahrir Square.
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Cairo burning…
Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
I’m not going to predict the outcome of this unfortunate turn of events in Egypt right now. But it does worry me that if Mubarak steps down now that V-P Sulieman may assume power. A mistake. He is not in favor of either democracy or human rights. He was our point man for “rendition.”
A small story. Suzanne Mubarak, daughter of a pediatrician and British nurse, has a masters degree in sociology. Her thesis was entitled: “Social Action Research in Urban Egypt: A Case of Primary School Upgrading in Boulak.” She was instrumental in the rebuilding of the glorious Alexandria Library. Suzanne was impressed by the work of the National Curriculum Center where I worked and suggested to her husband that he visit.
He did. Before his arrival, the roofs of all the buildings around the Center were cleaned and potted plants placed about. When it was pointed out that such measures had been taken for his arrival, he replied: Well, then, the more I visit around Egypt, the more improved it will be! Ah so. True.
Again, we encountered immaculate groomed streets as the smiling President drove through Alexandria with a waving Muammar al-Gaddafi of Libya. Afterward told his audiences that he and the leaders of the surrounding Arab countries “agreed 100%.” Always “100%.”
This is not a defense of President Mubarak, but he did live a life apart, protected from unpleasantries by a bubble that is often created to protect autocrats.
Tomorrow—Friday—will be key in this movement.
A Guest Entry from Morgan Lambert:
When I moved to Cairo with Linda during her educational consultant work, I quickly found several part-time jobs to keep me busy. One of those was as a journalist (reporter and page editor for the English language Middle East Times). That background has made me especially sensitive to the security and safety concerns of reporters on the streets of Cairo during this dangerous and violent period.
The government censorship during the 1989-91 period was nothing like what is being attempted now, but I did get a little taste of it. It was during the first Gulf War. The Middle East Times was edited and published in Athens, Greece, and the owners were the so-called “Moonies.” I expected some censorship from the Moonies but got none; but the Egyptian censors took some offense at an article I wrote that was a little critical of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. They didn’t shoot me or throw a Molotov cocktail at me…but I did have to substitute an article about a restaurant or something else a little less offensive.
During that first Gulf War, things remained generally peaceful and orderly in Cairo. The only time we felt we were in serious danger was when family members called and, reacting to the news headlines back home, asked us if we were still alive!? Yes, we were. I don’t think we could be as calm and confident in today’s circumstances. And tomorrow, Friday, the day of prayers for Muslims, when thousands turn out in Cairo’s mosques, will be a crucial turning point.
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Egypt in revolution
Monday, January 31st, 2011
On the eve of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Morgan and I moved to Egypt. We lived there for two years and then returned for months at a time over the next two decades. We grew to know Egypt and its astounding peoples well, so we both rejoice and feel apprehensive as we watch the revolution. We are slated to return in May as part of an assignment in Beirut. We’ll see.
Egyptians are a loving, resilient people with a capacity for tolerance that comes from faith in their own lives and each other, their histories and beliefs. I am surprised at the intensity of the revolt, yet realize that Egypt was a powder keg ready to explore. Tunisia lit the match. The economy is a disaster, salaries incredibly low so that young people can see no way to marry and have a place of their own, individuals often work three jobs, the “war of terror” has reduced the livelihood that used to come from tourism, education is no assurance of employment, the police wielded its own form of justice, religious pressure has forced more and more women to wear the hijab, rigged elections have kept Mubarak in power for 30 years while also allowing larger numbers of the Muslim Brotherhood (running as “Independents”) to join the legislature. It’s complicated.
Especially for the United States. We are very, very involved in Egypt, which has been the more reasonable supporter of peace in the Middle East, an ally our adventures—many of them unwise—into the region. Mubarak has resisted fundamentalism, often in a heavy handed way. And then there is the Suez Canal and the price of oil. Our greatest fear, of course, is that we might see another Iran if a vacuum arises that becomes filled with more radical factions. That doesn’t seem to be occurring at the moment. Both Mohamed ElBaradei (Nobel Prize recipient and former chair of the Atomic Energy Commission) and Ayman Nour (a democratic leader whom we’ve followed for a few years, imprisoned by Mubarak when we tried to run for president) have great promise as democratic leaders. Yet in a country of 85 million, anything could happen. Tomorrow’s “ March of Millions” could turn the tables.
Former Ambassador Frank Wisner, who arrived today in Cairo, could be very helpful. We met him in Cairo and have followed his career. He is fluent in Arabic and respected by President Mubarak, so he could help pave the way for a transition of power. Yet, if Mubarak can hold onto the military. he could probably stay in office (certainly the appointment of two military leaders as Vice-President—this one, Sulieman, a rendition specialist—and Prime Minister suggests that is probably his strategy).
In Cairo Diary: an Egyptian fable, I sought to describe the prerequisite conditions that led to this week’s uprising.
One fascinating element about this ground swell of revolution is watching Egypt as a self-organizing system. In yesterday’s post, I noted that self-organization can mean complex systems that spontaneously create structures out of chaos. This is a keen lesson in quantum mechanics. Self-organization can arise when the profound pressures of the status quo connect with a refreshing vision of what is possible. A new future. Under the chaos exists the capacity to organize for cultural change. A few examples from Egypt include: people organizing to take responsibility for their country; defending the Egyptian museum; controlling traffic and clean-up; neighborhood watch groups; protecting each other; praying in front of tanks. Devotion to civil relationships with the respected military.
Self-organizing systems build leadership capacity. Very promising.
More tomorrow. Linda
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The Lamberts Living Life Fully….
Monday, January 10th, 2011
The Year that Was….
The Lamberts Living Life Fully-2010
Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice.
Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.
—-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
To reduce the length of this year’s message and minimize redundancy, we suggest that you take last year’s letter out of your file and simply add one year to many of the stories contained therein. For example, each grandchild is now one year older. What…you can’t find our 2010 letter?…Shocking! OK, we’ll bring you up to date. Life at The Sea Ranch continues to be very satisfying—a gorgeous environment and an ever-widening circle of stimulating friends and activities. We continue work with the Democrats United for Progress and write editorials (the latest enclosed), participate in two book clubs, Readers Theater, a writing group, a “Blue Brothers” luncheon group, as well as several circles of friends meeting for conversation and films. Healthwise, Morgan has adapted fairly well to the limits on vigorous hiking imposed by his spinal stenosis and stays healthy generally. Just this week, we learned that Linda’s sarcoidosis condition is improving (smaller lymph nodes).
Every year is a grandchild year for us—14 of them so far. How fortunate we are! Entering the world: Abbey Morita (see Abbey’sFirstYear on the web), Feb. 11, 2010, daughter of grandson, Eric Morita and partner, Julie (who will begin nurse’s training this month). Abbey joined the “month of great grandchildren,” Emily on the 7th, Bradley on the 13th. Entering and learning in the world of higher education: Ashley Lambert, Santa Barbara, and Shannon Pintane, Ft. Collins, CO; Keely Lambert, a sophomore at Chico, Chloe Smock, a junior in the School of Education at the University of Oregon. In June, grandson Dylan Smock and granddaughter, Catherine Lambert will graduate from high school and launch their university lives. Our children have also had interesting years, including recognition of Citizens of the Year for son, Kent, and his wife, Darcy; and a 25-year anniversary for daughter, April, and son-in-law, David. A June family reunion was beautifully hosted by daughter Laura, son-in-law, Terry, and granddaughter, Shannon (where we also spent Thanksgiving). And daughter Ellen finally was able to sell her property in Somerset and begin a new chapter of her life.
Linda continues the joys of her writing life—and travels of research. In March, Cairo Diary: an Egyptian fable was released. Etruscan Evenings, the sequel in this trilogy, will be released this summer. The research on Taos Sunrise (working title) led us into Queen Isabella’s Spain in April and the Taos (New Mexico) of D.H. Lawrence in the fall (for 3 months!). While fiction is her primary passion, she continues to work with school districts and universities (mostly on Skype), review publications, and do some educational writing herself. On February 4, Dear Maxine, the Conversation Continues will be released at an event in Lincoln Center, New York, a publication to which she contributed a letter recounting her nearly 30 year relationship with the philosopher, Maxine Greene. On March 28, Morgan and Linda will conduct a workshop on transforming schools at the National ASCD conference in San Francisco. And, in May, we will both travel to Beirut, Lebanon, for a Middle Eastern conference of schools from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. For more information on Linda’s work, see her blog at www.Lambertleadership.org.
Morgan’s current writing project is an article on school transformation; applying “lessons learned” in his career to the huge problems schools face today. Ambitious readers can merely request a copy by February 1. He would really appreciate candid critical feedback. One of his New Year resolutions is to expand on this theme in an “education memoir” over the next few months (hoping to complete it before Linda finishes her third novel!)??
Among the celebratory events this year will be our 30th anniversary. My, time goes fast when you’re having fun! We still have great faith and affection for our President, whom we consider to be extraordinary. And we hope that today’s “Breaking News” about the tragic event in Tucson will lead to a reduction in vitriolic political rhetoric and to candid and respectful dialogue.
With much love, Linda and Morgan
Linda and Morgan Lambert
PO Box 135, The Sea Ranch, CA, 95497
707-785-1733; 707-328-4645 (cell)
Morganlamb@aol.com; LinLambert@aol.com
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Cairo Diary-the perfect gift…and, an irresistable offer
Sunday, December 19th, 2010
Cairo Diary, an Egyptian fable is not only a perfect Christmas gift, but if any of my readers recommend it to their book clubs, I will send you a free copy of the sequel, Etruscan Evenings, as soon as it is hot off the press in the spring. Just let me know by commenting on this post, or e-mail me at Linlambert@aol.com.
Etruscan Evenings continues the adventures of anthropologist Dr. Justine Jenner into three provocative storylines: the shocking resolution of the diary of the Virgin Mary, an Etruscan tomb that verifies the origins of these remarkable people, and the found letters of D.H. Lawrence to Justine’s great grandmother, Isabella.
It is these letters from Lawrence that led my husband and I to Taos, New Mexico, this fall to follow in his footsteps and visit the final resting place and ranch of this famed author. By the way, we are home now in The Sea Ranch and looking forward to the holidays with family.
Happy holidays and Solstice to all of you, Linda
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The Mystery of a Postcard….
Monday, November 29th, 2010
The search for D.H. Lawrence, as you know by now, took some fascinating turns.
Among them, the identification of a postcard found by Dr. Tomas Jaehn, Director of the Archives, New Mexico History Museum in his collections, that is supposedly from Lawrence. Tomas sent it to me and I consulted the facsimile of the manuscript of Sons and Lovers and said that—even though the locale of mailing was an issue (mailed from NY, when he was in Majorca)—I felt it was solvable. Not so fast, Linda.
I sent it to David Farmer, Taos resident and creator of the Cambridge version of Women in Love. He was doubtful and sent it on to two experts on Lawrence: Lindeth Vasey and James Boulton. Neither thought it was actually sent from Lawrence. James’ response is below:
Dear Lin, (to Lindeth, I assume)
I’m confident that the pc didn’t come from DHL:
1. On 15 May 1929 DHL was on Majorca; he could not have sent a pc
postmarked Grand Central Station, NY. See Letters, vii. 278-80.
2. The handwriting is definitely not DHL’s.
3. The signature ‘Lawrence’ was never used by DHL
As ever, Jim
As an amateur on Lawrence, I am quite daunted by these responses, but love the discussion. So here is my response:
• For several months prior to May, 1929, Lawrence’s mail was being confiscated in England—enough to make anyone doubt the safety of mail. I think he probably handed several postcards/even perhaps undiscovered letters to someone traveling to America. Grand Central Station would be a natural transfer point.
• I compared the handwriting to the facsimile of Sons and Lovers owned and published by UC Berkeley. As far as I can detect, the letters T, I, f, and e are almost exact. He was quite ill by this time, so undoubtedly some of his handwriting would have changed.
• He had an unusually tranquil relationship with Foster, informal, uncomplicated. This seems like the kind of message he would send.
• The postcard is inane; why would anyone forge it? Would love to know what the “elephant feet” were!
• The issue about the signature I can’t fathom, although my husband changed from his middle name Dale to his first name, Morgan, when he was 64.
How delicious for a novelist! (SEE POSTCARD BELOW) To be continued….
Linda
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Leaving Taos…for the moment
Monday, November 22nd, 2010
In the morning we leave Taos for now…to our daughter, Laura, and her family’s home in Salida, Colorado, for Thanksgiving—then home to California. It has snowed most of the day—white cotton fragments tumbling from the sky, sometimes piercing blue, other times deep gray. It is cold, very cold to Californians. Yet we leave reluctantly, although we miss our California family and friends.
At lunch today, our Taos friends Gal and Janice asked if we had completed our research here. While the research into Taos cultures, DH Lawrence, and anthropology has been an explosion of riches…one thing leading to ever-deepening understandings…we will return in the spring and fall to pursue more questions. We leave with new relationships that are adding to our cultural, intellectual and spiritual experiences.
One friend has a web page on Mabel Dodge Luhan and the Remarkable Women of Taos. Check it out at www.mabeldodgeluhan@blogspot.com.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Linda
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Searching for D.H. Lawrence….
Saturday, November 13th, 2010
Lawrence died 80 years ago, yet he is very much alive here in Taos. Incredible, isn’t it? It’s important to realize that even though Lawrence was only in Taos three times for a total of 16 months (1922-1925), he considered the Ranch—given to his wife Frieda by Mabel Dodge Luhan in 1923—to be his real home. His letters written from 1926 to 1930, when he died of tuberculosis, brimmed with yearnings to return to the embrace of Taos.
Bill Haller, President of the Friends of the D.H. Lawrence Ranch, is more passionate about Lawrence than anyone I’ve ever met. He has been our frequent host. Most of what we’ve experienced here in reference to Lawrence has been the result of Bill…including the climb to the cave and waterfall (sans water at this time of year) on the Kiowa trail featured in the sacrifice scene at the end of The Woman Who Rode Away.
Art Bachrach is the owner of the bookstore Moby Dickens, founder of the Friends group, author of D.H. Lawrence in Taos, and 30-year resident of this vibrant village. His health is fragile and his eyesight is gone, but his mind is extraordinarily sharp. Today we spent the last couple of hours that we’ll have with him on this trip at his house. He is home now from a couple of months in the hospital and regaled us with little known stories of Lawrence and Taos. He returned to The Rainbow many times during our conversation, telling us that it was the most scandalous of Lawrence’s writings, after which the disappointed author could not get anything published for four years (The Rainbow is the selection for our next Sea Ranch book club).
Santa Fe seems jealous that Lawrence chose Taos and occasionally offers up mini-festivals devoted to the famous author. One set of events occurred just last week: a BBC remake of Women in Love by William Ivory and a play entitled Empty Bed Blues by Stephen Lowe. Both men from Nottingham, England, came to the Ranch here in Taos in the middle of the week and we met them there—at the behest of our gracious host, Bill. Our discussion of Lawrence was fascinating and Morgan and I drove to Santa Fe the next day to see the play.
Bill also introduced us to Professor David Farmer, who was responsible for bringing the Cambridge University version of Women in Love to publication. David’s carefully researched Introduction to the text traces the multitude of letters, struggles with content, agents, and publication; and, he faithfully rectified the text itself, thereby publishing one of the foremost novels of the 20th century in the form originally intended by the author. On Tuesday, we’ll meet again with the Farmers for wine at Lambert’s (a restaurant).
Dr. Tomas Jaehn, the archival director of the New Mexico Historical Museum in Santa Fe, unearthed for me (from behind glass in the museum) a three-page typed essay by Mabel that described Lawrence as the mystic I believe him to be. Yesterday, he sent a postcard from Lawrence mailed in New York in May, 1929. Since Lawrence did not return to the U.S. after 1925, Tomas asked if I thought it was the author’s handwriting. I matched the writing with a copy of the original manuscript of Sons and Lovers (the original now in the possession of UC Berkeley) and said that I thought it was his writing…but sent it on to David Farmer for verification.
Jan Mellor, owner of the Taos Art Gallery, cared for Eya Fechin at the end of her life. Now who is Eya, you may ask? In the mid-20’s, the famous Russian artist Nicolai Fechin came to Taos. Now a major museum occupies his home and studio where his wife Alexandria, and later his daughter Eya, lived out the end of their lives. Eya was central to the dramatic sociogram of interconnected artists that made this community unique. On Wednesday, after the D.H. Lawrence Ranch board meeting (at which I’ll report on my progress here), Jan will give us a historical tour of the Fechin home.
Mabel Dodge Luhan, who started it all by inviting the great minds and talents of the day to Taos (Lawrence, O’Keeffe, Carl Jung, Ansel Adams, Willa Cather, Tennessee William, Nicolai Fechin—to just name a few), is buried near Ralph Myers in the Kit Carson Cemetery. Ralph’s son Ouray explained that her wise husband, Tewa Indian Tony Luhan, suggested that “Ralph would take care of her.” Tony returned to die and be buried on the Pueblo. More about Mabel in future posts.
Across the meadow from Mabel’s home are two cottages that were part of the compound, one the temporary housing of Lawrence and Frieda, the other occupied occasionally by Carl Jung, Tennessee Williams, Ansel Adams. To Kevin Cannon’s–artist, sculptor, musician–great fortunate, a few years ago he was able to purchase both of them. Kevin has respected the property with an almost sacred regard. His home–that of Lawrence–feels as though nothing has changed. Each turn of attention captures an image of light and stucco and wood…oh my, I’m such a romantic! Stop this, Linda. Will I ever regain objectivity about Lawrence?
Roberta Myers, a playwright and performer, is the former wife of Ouray. We have come to know Roberta by attending her sparkling performances of some of the women who made Taos famous, among them, the three women of D.H. Lawrence and the three wives of Kit Carson. This Wednesday, we’ll attend Roberta’s storyteller event again with friend, Mary Gardner.
We will reluctantly leave Taos (this time) on November 23 and spend Thanksgiving in Salida with daughter Laura and family. But the Taos story is just beginning….
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Emergence and…
Friday, November 5th, 2010
Emergence has many definitions but can be considered as complex patterns of life that arise from less complicated parts or elements. Whether in biology, psychology, or philosophy, emergence explains how complex systems grow from dynamic interactions among basic cells or ideas, beliefs or feelings. Perhaps the older biological metaphor is “primordial soup.”
The Indians of the Taos Pueblo here—Tewa Red Willow people—believe that they emerged from the darkness underneath the Blue Lake on Sacred Mountain into summer and winter people. This morning I was listening to a Jewish Kabala story send to us by friend Daniel Callahan of emergence from the dark into the light. And, Morgan and I are watching a DVD on complexity theory in conjunction with our friend, Sharon Albert, from the Sea Ranch. Emergence seems to be everywhere.
In Who Will Save Our Schools (1997) I wrote of emergence as it relates to teachers emerging into leadership roles and how they can tap into talents and intentions they didn’t know they had. Within the next week, I’ll write about the emergent properties of leadership capacity.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about “synchronicities.” Well, they continue to happen with such frequency that they are almost commonplace in the shadow of the Sacred Mountain.
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The Conquistadora…Changing Woman?
Thursday, October 28th, 2010
The Conquistadora is the given name of a stature of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, that adorns the alter of the Cathedral of St. Francis in Santa Fe. A special exhibit on the Conquistadora at the Spanish Colonial Museum displays her story of rescue and return and some thirty costumes, many donated by other countries and societies.
Like Changing Woman, the ancient Indian goddess, Mary’s costumes are changed with the seasons—and for special events. Mary takes on the persona of Mother Earth, as well as Changing Woman, transformations that—among others—serve to integrate Native and Catholic beliefs.
Curiously, “Conquistadora” means “to conquer” as well as “to win over.” Both apply here. The original Conquistadora, Queen Isabella of Spain, would be proud of the Church’s victories in New Spain 400 years after the Queen’s original vision launched the crusade.
A persistent curiosity of ours is how do people make sense of the relationship between native beliefs and Catholicism. In response to that question, David Fernandez, local writer of “The Blessing Way” reminded us that all belief systems have creation myths in which the creator makes a covenant with the people; all have rules for living; all contain a higher vision of hope and mystical experiences, a vision of the super-natural and something to rely on when trouble and illness strikes.
Taos beliefs are but one theme in my forthcoming novel…
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