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Volume 8 Issue 2 - Jul-Sep, 1996

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ONE ”‘3 COUNTRY

Iulv— September 1996 V01. 8, Issue 2 Newsletter of the Bahfi 1 International Community

“T142 earth 1: but one country, and mankind itx citizms”—B Baha’ u’llah

At the United Nations, NGOs discuss food

security, looking ahead to the World Food Summit.

5»: Kevin Locke, renowned Lakota ﬂutist and hoop

dancer, takes his art beyond traditional boundaries.

In Afiica, an innovative stone—breaking machine offers relief for an

oppressive job.

Review: Toward the Most Greatjum'ce — Charles 0. Lerche with nine essays on the concept ofjustice in the new world order.

Brazilian parliament honors

leading Bahé’i idlgnitary

In a special session, the Federal Chamber of Deputies honors Madame Mary Rabbéni as an environmentalist and promoter of peace

Madame Mary Rabbani leading dignitary of the Baha I Faith, is shown with school children at the Masrour School in Manaus Amazonas. Madame Rabbéni recently revisited the Amazon region on the 20th anniversary of a groundbreaking expedition which she led to survey the impact of development on the environment and indigenous cultures.

BRASILIA, Brazil — The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, the nation’s highest legislative body, held a special solemn session on 14 August 1996 to honor Baha’i dignitary Madame Mary Rabbém’, who was visiting Brazil to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establish- ment of the Bahé’l’ Faith in this country.

More than 90 representatives of Brazil‘s main legislative body were present for the two-hour session. Representing the full range of Brazil’s political parties, some 14 deputies spoke, honoring Madame Rabbéni as a defender of the environment, a promoter of world peace and unity, and a protector of the rights of indigenous peoples.

“Mrs. Rabbéni,” said Deputy Luiz Gushiken (Labor Party, 820 Paulo), “today we invited the Deputies and the friends of the Bahé’i Faith, to pay homage to you for everything which Your Honor has done in favor of a more just and more human society.”

According to Roberto Eghrari, secretary of the Baha’i community of Brazil, some 70 deputies signed the declaration calling for the session.

“The fact that deputies from all of the different parties and regions of Brazil called for and spoke at this session is a sign that they recognize the Faith as a unifying force in the country,” said Mr. Eghrari. “Deputies from

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“'3 COUNTRY

is published quarterly by the Office of Public Information of the Baha’i International Community, an international non-governmental organization which encom- passes and represents the worldwide membershipofthe Baha‘i Faith.

For more information on the stories in this newsletter, or any aspect of the Bahé’i international Community and

its work, please contact:

ONE COUNTRY Bahé'i International Community — Suite 120 866 United Nations Plaza New York, New York 10017 U.S.A.

E-mail: lcountry@bic.org

Executive Editor: Ann Boyles

Editor: Brad Pokorny

Associate Editors: Nancy Ackerman (Moscow) Christine Samandari-Hakim (Paris)

Kong Siew Huat (Macau) Guilda Walker (London)

Production Assistant: Veronica Shoffstail

Subscription inquiries should be directed to the above address. All material is copyrighted by the Baha'i International Community and subject to an applicable international copyright laws. Stories from this newsletter may be republished by any organization provided that they are attributed as follows: “Reprinted from ONE COUNTRY, the newsletter of the Baha'i International Community."

ISSN 1018—9300

Printed on recycled paper 8

ONE COUNTRY / Iuly-Scptembcr 1996

The Importance ongriculture

Civilization began with agriculture. When our nomadic ancestors began to settle and grow their own food, human society was forever changed. Not only did villages, towns and cities begin to ﬂourish, but so did knowledge, the arts and the technological sciences.

And for most of history, society’s connection to the land was intimate. Human communities, normatter how so- phisticated, could not ignore the impor- tance of agriculture. To be far from de- pendable sources of food was to risk malnutrition and starvation.

In modern times, however, many in the urban world have forgotten this fun- damental connection. Insulated by the apparent at b u n - dance of food that has come from new technologies for the growing, transpor- tation and storage of food, humanity’s fundamental dependence on agriculture is often overlooked.

The upcoming World Food Summit serves as an important opportunity to reconsider the fundamental importance of agriculture — and the degree to which the global and independent nature of human society today requires a re-think- ing of our attitudes and approaches to world food production and distribution.

Scheduled to be held from 13-17 November in Rome, the Summit seeks a renewal ofan international commitment made in 1974 to eradicate “the most basic problem of mankind: food insecu- rity.” The pledge was made at the first World Food Conference, which recog- nized that all people have a right to an adequate diet. Governments agreed to end hunger, malnutrition, and food in- security within a decade.

Since that resolution, progress to- ward food security has been made. In many nations, agricultural production has increased, food purchasing power has risen, and diets have improved.

However, advancement has been far from even. In 88 countries, a significant

Perspective

portion of the population — some 800 mil- lion people worldwide — continue to suffer from deficient diets. What is more, the drive toward food security has slowed in recent years. The rate of growth in agricultural production is declining; world grain reserves have fallen to record lows; the demand for imported grain is increasing; and commit- ments of aid to agricultural development have decreased. This against a backdrop of expanding world population, intensifying demands on agricultural resources, and a growing recognition that the agri—food sys- tem is not sustainable.

The Food and Agriculture Organiza- tion (FAO), which is sponsoring the Sum- mit, has expressed “deep concern" re- garding the current and future status of the world‘s agri-food system, and called for immediate action at the national and international levels to attack the “root causes” of persistent food insecurity.

But what are the “root causes” of food insecurity? What policies and actions will contribute to eradicating food insecurity everywhere?

While there are obviously significant environmental and technical causes of food shortages, more significant are the underlying social causes. By many ac- counts, overall world food production is currently enough to provide everyone with a healthy and well balanced diet.

The fundamental basis of community is agriculture,

tillage of the soil.” —— 'Abdu’I-Bahé , 1912.

Yet fractured and unjust social systems, armed conﬂict, and narrowly nationalistic attitudes contribute greatly to inadequacies in food production, transportation, storage and distribution. It is no coincidence that nations suffering most from chronic malnu- trition and food insecurity are also the most disrupted by war or Civil strife.

Effective and lasting solutions to prob- lems related to food insecurity will be found in policies and actions that pay adequate attention to those processes of development

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that aim primarily toward strengthening the human fabric of communities and revi- talizing their institutions.

In talks and letters made some 80 years ago, 'Abdu'l—Baha, the son of the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, outlined a bold vision for a unified global society that, rather than side—stepping the funda— mental importance of agriculture, up- holds the central importance of the farmer, the local community and its gov- erning institutions in providing for the health and well-being of all of the mem- bers of society.

In this Vision, spiritually motivated in- dividuals contribute to strong families, or- ganizations, corporations, administrative institutions and communities, animated by a new global ethic founded on universal spiritual principles such as unity, justice, equity, moderation and peacefulness. As working principles, these spiritual quali- ties enhance social cohesion.

More significantly, in relation to the question of food security, ‘Abdu’l-Baha indicated that solutions to socioeconomic problems begin at the Village level. “The fundamental basis of community is agri- culture, tillage of the soil,” 'Abdu’l-Baha said in 1912.

He advocated the establishment of community-based, elected institutions re- sponsible for the development and regu- lation of resources, for social services, and for investment. Decision-making would be carried out through an en- hanced consultative process involving all- inclusive participation of community members and the open, frank, and cour- teous airing of views. A full and fair con— sultative process contributes to commu- nity ownership of development. Partici- patory processes that are “owned" by the community are more effective, leading to self-reliance rather than dependency.

This Vision goes beyond the prescrip— tion to “think globally. act locally." For while it emphasizes the proper develop- ment of the individual’s intellectual, physi— cal and spiritual capacities and his or her actions as the key to community revitaliza- tion, it also promotes the kind of institu- tions and systems of governance that are necessary to connect the individual and his or her actions firmly to a global and interdependent civilization. The impulse

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toward globalism is more than merely a state of mind.

This vision promotes an ethic of hu- man solidarity that implies the precedence of the general welfare of humanity over national, racial, Class, gender, and personal interests. The alleviation of human suffer- ing becomes a universal goal, regardless of where that suffering occurs. Accord— ingly, effective global institutions are re- quired to manage fair and equitable trade arrangements, equitably allocate re- sources, and ensure that prosperity is shared. These principles ensure that effec- tive and appropriate technical solutions to food insecurity are developed and shared with those nations and people most in need.

For Baha’is. a community is more than the sum of its members. It is a comprehensive unit of civilization com— posed of individuals, families, and insti- tutions that are originators and encour- agers of systems, agencies, and organi- zations that work together with a com- mon purpose for the welfare of people both within and beyond its own borders.

Ultimately, it is only through enhanced processes of social development which rec— ognize the fundamental value of spiritual principles in education, community orga- nization, and the application of technology that true food security can be established. It is necessarily a long term solution, but lays a firm foundation for a sustainable and secure food supply for allﬂ

In London, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II greeted Mr. Hugh Adamson, Secretary of the Baha’i Community of the United Kingdom, during a ceremony at Westminster Abbey in observance of Commonwealth Day on 25 June 1996.

Ultimately, it is only through enhanced processes of social development which recognize the fundamental value of spiritual principles in education, community organization, and the application of technology that true food security can be established.

[Page 4]“It is said that trade is indispensable to food security. But developing an economy’s ability to produce food is also beneficial to

the market.” — Linda Elswick, World Sustainable Agriculture Association

Representatives of various grassroots nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) participated in a panel discussion on food security at the United Nations on

17 September 1996.

ONE COUNTRY / Iuly-Scptembcr 1996

Grow food locally, support women farmers, says NGO coalition

UNITED NATIONS— Governments and international agencies concerned with improving food security in Africa should support women farmers and boost ef- forts to grow and process food locally, according to the Advocates for African Food Security.

An umbrella group composed ofnon- governmental organizations (NGOs) and representatives of UN agencies and in- tergovernmental organizations, the Ad- vocates organized a panel discussion and presented a statement on food security here in New York on 17 September in connection with the UN’s Mid-Term Re- view of the UN New Agenda for the De- velopment of Africa in the 19908. The Baha’i International Community is the convenor 0f the Advocates.

The panel discussion and statement offered a preview ofwhat some grassroots- oriented NGOs will be saying at the up- comingWorld Food Summit, scheduled to be held in Rome from 13-17 November .

The six panelists, who represented a range of local and regional organizations, expressed a general concern — which was also reﬂected in the Advocates’ statement — that international agencies are not do- ing enough to support food self-sufficiency in Africa. More specifically, they said, in- ternational aid too often supports the im- portation of foreign foods rather than as-

sisting in the development of better meth- ods for growing, preserving, storing and distributing locally grown food.

“It is said that trade is indispensable to food security,” said Linda Elswick 0f the World Sustainable Agriculture Association (WSAA). “But developing an economy‘s ability to produce food is also beneficial to the market." Ms. Elswick said that despite arguments to the contrary, small-scale pro- ducers are capable of environmentally safe and sustainable food production.

Also addressed was the tendency of governments and agencies to focus on men farmers, even though women produce up to 80 percent of the food in Africa.

Teclaire Ntomb 0f Groupe d’Initiative Commune des Paysannes de Bogso spoke about a small women’s project in Cameroon. Involving just 50 women in one village, it has been able to farm 20,000 hectares of cassava — without the use of modern agricultural practices — and in the process create a canteen so that chil- dren can have a balanced meal at school.

“We use archaic methods of farming, but we work as a group and this is where our strength comes from,” said Ms. Ntomb.

Tiati a Zock, a community develop- ment facilitator with the Baha’i Agency for Social and Economic Development in Cameroon, spoke about a project to heighten men’s awareness of the heavy work load of African women and how women’s advancement benefits all.

Through song, dance, theater, and music presented in an entertaining and non-threatening way, the Traditional Me- dia As Change Agent Project in Cameroon generated in men a greater conscious- ness of the burden carried by women.

“Many of the men did not realize that their wives were doing most of the daily work, and were embarrassed to find it out,” Mr. a Zock said. “But when they did, they wanted to know how they could help.” By creating a new awareness of the situation, men began to shoulder some of the work that women had been doing, he said, caus— ing food production to increase. @

— Reported by Veronica Shofi’stall

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Ixixwi-mm to THE BAHA’l WORLD

“The earth is but one country and nnmlei'nd its citizens.” ~BAHA'U'LLAH -

The Baha’i Faith launches an Official page on the World Wide Web: www.bahai.0rg

NEW YORK — The Baha’i Faith, which in a century and a half has been estab— lished in 235 countries and dependen— cies, and which embraces a cross-section of the human race, has launched an offi- cial site on the World Wide Web.

Located at http://www.bahai.org, the site is called “The Baha’i World” and re- ﬂects the unified and global nature of the five—million-member Baha’i community, offering a wealth of information about the 152-year-old religion, its teachings, and the activities of its followers.

Announced on 7 August, the site had more than 15,000 visits as of 10 October. It has also received a number of reviews, in- cluding a notice in USA Today, a national daily newspaper in the United States with a Circulation of more than 1.5 million.

“The World Wide Web provides a depth and breadth of information about religious groups that is nowhere else as easily available," said Dr. Ann Boyles, coordinator of the Office of Public Infor- mation of the Baha’i International Com- munity, which sponsors the site.

“We think that this new site will not only inform inquirers about the Baha’i Faith, but

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will suggest some innovative answers to the deep social problems facing the world.

“Much of the information is personal- ized, featuring stories and comments from Baha’is from all over the world,” said Dr. Boyles. “The result is a graphically attrac- tive and intellectually appealing site that offers a virtual window on a dynamic world— wide community of individuals about which many know far too little.”

Researchers will find a detailed in- troduction t0 the central figures and in- stitutions 0f the Faith, an overview of basic Baha’i beliefs and practices, ar- ticles highlighting aspects ofBaha’i com- munity life and the perspectives of indi— vidual believers, and a repository of Baha’i International Community docu- ments that present the Baha’i Vision for the advancement of society.

The site was announced to the Baha’i community on 24 July 1996 and officially presented to the public on 7 August. It is multi—lingual, currently featuring infor— mation in English, French and Spanish. Information will be made available in more languages as the site is expanded and developed. (2:

The home page screen image at www.bahai.org, the newly launched official web site of the Baha’i Faith. The site was created and is managed by the Office of Public Information of the Baha’i International Community. The site will be expanded on a continual basis. Future additions will feature Baha’i activities in the arena of social and economic development and Baha’i perspectives on current global trends and movements of social change.

Researchers will find a detailed introduction to the central figures and institutions of the Faith, an overview of basic Bahé’i beliefs and practices, articles highlighting aspects of Baha’i community life, and documents that present the Baha’i vision for the advancement of society.

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()NE COUNTRY / IulyScptcmbcr 1996

“Only the bringing Madame Rabbani honored in Brazil

together of the spiritual forces of ‘ all origins — and this is where I see that the Baha’i Faith is a very strong example of tolerance for other beliefs — will make us move

forward.” — Deputy Tilden Santiago of Minas Gerais.

Madame Mary Rabbéni (left) smiles after remarks by Deputy Alzira Ewerton of Amazonas (standing, center) in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies. At right is Deputy Fernando Ferro of Pernambuco.

(Continued from page one)

all sorts of philosophical and ideological backgrounds were involved in the process.”

Among her other accomplishments, Madame Rabbani was honored for herwork in Brazil some 20 years ago, when she led a six-month expedition through the Ama- zon basin to survey the impact of develop- ment on the environment and indigenous cultures. Born out of Madame Rabbani’s long-abiding concern for the environment and indigenouspeoples, the expedition was a ground-breaking effort in the recognition of the importance of indigenous cultures and the need for their protection.

The widow of Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, who led the Faith from 1921 to 1957, Ma- dame Rabbani is considered the highest ranking dignitary in the Faith and she trav- els widely to represent its interests. Since 1963, the Faith has been led by an interna- tionally elected governing board.

The day after the session, Madame Rabbani met with President Fernando Henrique Cardoso at the presidential pal- ace. They spoke about the environment, global governance, and the development of the Faith in Brazil, according to an aide to Madame Rabbani.

Two days after the special session, Madame Rabbani returned to the Ama- zon for a reunion with other members of the Amazon journey, known as the Green

Light Expedition. In Manaus, capital of Amazonas state, she was honored at the city’s famous opera house by some 400 people, who represented some 30 differ- ent state, municipal and non-governmen- tal organizations from the region.

During her visit to Brazil, Madame Rabbam’ also addressed the First Latin American Conference on World Citizen- ship. (See facing page.)

The speeches by the deputies in the 14 August special session, in addition to honoring Madame Rabbani, covered a wide range of topics related to the pres— ence and activities of the Faith in Brazil, from its involvement in social and eco- nomic development projects to the ef- forts of the Brazilian Baha’i community to promote unity and tolerance.

“In many cities,” said Deputy Flavio Arns (Brazilian Social Democratic Party, Parana), “in addition to the spiritual and moral development work, Baha’is also carry out projects in the economic and educa- tional fields, such as School of the Nations in Brasilia; the Monte Carmelo Associa- tion in Mogi Mirim, Sao Paulo; the Educa- tional Centre of Salvaterra, in Salvaterra, Para; and the Rural Poly-technical Institute in Iranduba, Amazonas.”

Two deputies, Alzira Ewerton (Bra- zilian Popular Party, Amazonas) and Maria Valadao (Liberal Front Party, Goias), praised the Faith for its promo- tion of the principle of the equality of women and men. “The Faith of Baha’u’llah did not merely foresee equality in theory but, above a11,presented a concrete model of how equality should become real in society,” said Ms. Valadao.

Others spoke of the need for all to embrace the themes of tolerance, unity and respect that are promoted by the Faith.

“I believe that only the bringing to- gether 0f the spiritual forces of all origins — and this is where I see that the Baha’i Faith is a very strong example of tolerance for other beliefs — will make us move forward,” said DeputyTilden Santiago (La- bor Party, Minas Gerais). “Certainly, it is a very strong spiritual force that is needed to face the world of conﬂict and contradic- tions in which we live.” Q

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mericano para a (idadania Mundial

Latin American Conference on World Citizenship issues declaration

SAO PAULO, Brazil — Some 250 people from 13 countries attended the First Latin American Conference on World Citizen- ship, held 22-23 August at the Permanent Seat of the Latin American Parliament. The Conference, the first of its kind in the region, brought together a wide range of elected officials, representatives of non- governmental organizations (NGOs), and social activists. It resulted in a 10-point declaration on world citizenship, which will be presented to heads of state at the Sus- tainable Development Summit for the Americas. The Summit will be held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, later this year. The 10-point statement declared that “the establishment and promotion ofworld citizenship” is “the greatest means for achieving peace, security and prosperity” in the world. It also called for all states to join into “some sort of world federation,” saying it was “the best form of sociopolitical organization for the present—day world.” The Conference was organized by a group of Latin American NGOs, including the Baha’i Community of Brazil, and it featured speeches by a wide range of re- gional and international figures. Among them were: Madame Mary Rabbani, lead- ing dignitary 0f the Baha’i International Community; Professor Ervin Laszlo 0f the Club of Budapest; Brazilian Minister of Culture F rancisco Weffort; Brazilian Min- ister ofAdministration Luis Carlos Bresser

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Pereira; Brazilian Federal Deputy Luiz Gushiken; Maria Terezinha Godinho, Séo Paulo State Secretary for Childhood, Fam- ily and Social Well—being; and Pierre Weil, President of the City of Peace Foundation.

“This conference is a proof that soci- ety is realizing the need to consider a person as a ‘global human being,’ " said Regina Migliori, a representative of the Institute forWorld Citizenship, a new NGO with a major role in organizing the Confer- ence. “This ‘global human being’ is one able to deal with the challenges related with peace. The world is very diverse and the reality very complex with positive and negative aspects and what we need is to promote a complementarian perspective and not an antagonistic one. Conferences like this are the signals of a new era.”

State Secretary Godinho said the Conference’s main topics — “World Citi- zenship, Education for World Citizenship and Unity in Diversity” — are central to “a new Vision of humankind and the search for a new humanism....The themes above bringus t0 discovera new era, a new world, a new society, a new humankind.”

Rabbi Henry Sobel, from the Jewish community of Sao Paulo, spoke of the role of the individual in promoting change. “Ev- erything is possible,” he said. “It only de- pends on us, each one ofus, from inside to outside, from inner development to outer development.” Q

A plenary session at the First Latin American Conference on World Citizenship.

“This conference is a proof that society is realizing the need to consider a person as a ‘global human being.’ Conferences like this are the signals

of a new era.” — Regina Migliori, Institute for World Citizenship

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At the annual White River Traditional Pow Wow on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation, Lakota dancer Kevin Locke works with young boys — and girls — to teach them the hoop dance. Known worldwide for his dancing and traditional flute playing, he has traveled to more than 70 countries to perform. Yet Mr. Locke nearly always finds time to teach the dance to young people, passing along a traditional art that had nearly died out.

Known for his revival of the Lakota courting flute and the hoop dance, Kevin Locke, a tireless promoter of indigenous arts and human oneness, takes his art beyond traditional boundaﬂes

ONE COUNTRY / Iuly-Scptcmbcr 1996

Hoop d

&

Cing and or

Citizenship: meet Kevin Locke

WHITE RIVER, South Dakota, USA — As the name implies, the annual White River Traditional P0wWow on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation is one of the most tradition- oriented of such gatherings among the Lakota people. Sitting in the ring-shaped Pow Wow stands, the audience was shaded from the hot August sun by fresh—cut pine boughs. And for supper, members of the Rosebud Sioux tribe feasted on fry bread and buffalo soup — the latter cooked over an open fire and made with the tribe’s own range—fed stock.

So it was not surprising when Master of Ceremonies Francis Morrison asked that young boys come up for a participa- tory hoop dance lesson by Kevin Locke, a well—known Lakota dancer and ﬂute player: historically, only adult males may perform the traditional hoop dance.

But Mr. Locke, who had dropped by unexpectedly, had quite explicitly offered to teach all young people, both boys and girls. Standing in the announcer’s booth with Mr. Morrison, he was quick to ask for a correction. “Could be girls, too,” said Mr. Locke, gently prompting Mr. Morrison.

“Okay,” Mr. Morrison said good naturedly into the microphone, “girls, too.” And in a short time, several dozen young boys and girls were out on the grassy Pow Wow grounds, working with the 42-year-

old Mr. Locke and his multicolored hoops, having fun and at the same time learning about their own culture.

The incident reﬂects the changes oc- curring today in American Indian society — and Mr. Locke’s role in them.

First, the active presence of so many young people at traditional gatherings like the White River Pow Wow speaks of the general revival of Indian culture that is now ﬂourishing on — and off —— the res- ervations in the North American midlands. After many years of poverty, problems with alco- hol, and the forced acceptance of the white culture, many Indians are finding hope and spiritual renewal in the rediscovery of na- tive traditions — as are a new generation of non—native spiritual seekers in North Ameri- can, European and Asian urban centers.

Secondly, as was evident by the wel- coming reception given to Mr. Locke by the Pow Wow committee and others in White River, the incident bespeaks his part in this revival. Some 20 years ago, Mr. Locke taught himself to speak Lakota, the language of his ancestors, whose tribe is more commonly known as the Sioux. A few years later, he taught himself to play the Lakota courting ﬂute and the hoop

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dance, helping to revive two important traditional arts. Today, he is known world- wide for his ﬂute playing and hoop danc- ing, and hundreds of Indian youth have followed his example.

On yet a third level, the incident re- ﬂects a critical aspect of Mr. Locke’s ap— proach in this revival: his willingness to take his art beyond traditional boundaries, promoting an inclusiveness that embraces concepts like equality of the sexes, human oneness and world Citizenship.

A Gift to the World

Indeed, a few days spent on the road with Mr. Locke as he visited Lakota com- munities in South Dakota during the late- summer Pow Wow season revealed that he views himself as a world citizen as well as an American Indian. In both his life and his art, he strives first and fore- most to show how traditional Lakota arts are not only important to the well-being of his people — but are also a reservoir of joy and healing for people everywhere.

“I see that the Lakota people have many gifts to bring to the world," said Mr. Locke, whose Indian name is Tokeya Inajin (which means “First to Arise"). ”The people are desperate for these gifts. We know that humankind is in a crisis. Now we need to draw from all of these wellsprings of knowl- edge that are within the treasuries of the hearts of the peoples of the world."

Among the offerings of the Lakota, he believes, are certain key spiritual values of giving, nobility, fortitude, and respect, as well as an abiding sense of the interconnec- tion of nature and all peoples — symbol- ized by the dozens of circular hoops used in the dance he performs.

For Mr. Locke, the best way to share these values is through traditional Lakota art forms. Since 1978, he has traveled to more than 70 countries to perform, playing in venues ranging from the 1992 Earth Summit’s Global Forum in Rio de Janeiro to a recent tour through 12 countries in Asia. LastJune, he performed at the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul. His appearances are in increasing demand, and he has sold more than 200,000 recordings worldwide.

“When I go out to different parts of the world," said Mr. Locke, “the people are so receptive, saying ‘this is great, this is beau- tiful.’ People say, yes, this affirms who I am

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and it affirms my nobility as a member of the human family. In this way, these au- thentic traditions have the power to con- nect our global Civilization." His Path of Discovery

Mr. Locke’s family has long been active in promoting and preserving their heritage. His great-great-grandfather was the famous Dakota patriot, Little Crow. His great—grandmother, Mniyata Ojcmfan Win, was a renowned medicine woman. His mother, Patricia Locke, has been an activist for Indian rights and recognition. She was instrumental in lobbying for the milestone American Indian Religious F ree- dom Act of 1978, which returned to Indians the right to freely practice their spiritual traditions. She also helped 17 Lakota tribes to establish locally administered Indian colleges. In recognition of such accom- plishments, she won a prestigious MacArthur Foundation Grant in 1991.

Mrs. Locke saw to it that her son was well-schooled in his heritage, sending him to the Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico for high school. After gradu- ating, he returned to Standing Rock Reser- vation in South Dakota, the land of his ancestors, and began investigating the teachings of the White Buffalo CalfWoman, the Lakota Prophetess, who came roughly a thousand years ago, prescribing prayer, dance and fasting as a means of spiritual cleansing and preparation.

“As a child, I was exposed to many religious traditions, but then I started get- ting involved with native spiritual obser—

“The Lakota people have many gifts to bring to the world. We know that humankind is in a crisis. Now we need to draw from all of these wellsprings of knowledge that are within the treasuries of the hearts of the peoples of the

world.” — Kevin Locke

Kevin Locke performing last June at the NGO Forum during the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul, Turkey. As is typical for him, Mr. Locke asked the audience to participate, teaching them a few steps to the hoop dance.

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Kevin Locke

“He is a remarkable artist. And what Kevin has done more than most other people is to take his art outside the world of the Pow Wow circuit to the

general public.” -—Andy Wallace, National Council for the Traditional Arts

ONE COUNTRY / Iuly-Septcmbcr 1996

vances and had kind of an awakening,” said Mr. Locke. “Back around 1973 or 1974, I started going out fasting every year, in the Indian style, where you go for four days with no food or water, way out alone in the wilderness.”

Around the same time, he began to learn to speak Lakota. This, in itself, is a remarkable accomplishment; he rarely heard the language as a child and it was then still illegal to speak it. “Historically, the policy of the United States Govern- ment toward the Lakota people was one of eradication and extermination,” said Mr, Locke, explaining why the Federal Government had outlawed native lan- guage and religious practices. “When that didn’t work, they decided on a course of total acculturation or assimilation.”

Despite such laws, many Indians con- tinued to practice their religion and speak their languages secretly, and Mr. Locke turned to them. “I made a real nuisance of myself because I was always hanging around with older people who spoke Lakota and I would interrupt them when I heard a word I didn’t understand and ask them to repeat and explain it,” he said.

During the 1970s, as he plunged ever more into the language and traditions of his people, Mr. Locke also worked as a school teacher and administrator, com- pleting a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of South Dakota. He was also accepted into law school, but quickly quit. “By the third day, I realized I did not want to go through the whole process of totally restructuring my thinking along legal lines,” he said. “I was really kind of searching for something.”

Study of the Baha’i Faith

Then, in the late 19705, he was in- spired to learn more about the Baha’i Faith, aworld religion founded in Iran in the mid- 18005. “What really motivated me was the anticipation of having our first child and trying to project what kind of a world this little child was coming into, and what were the prospects for the future,” he said.

As he explored the history and te- nets of the Faith, which teaches that there is only one God and that all of the world’s religions, including many indig- enous ones, are expressions of the same ancient and eternal faith, he decided that many of the prophesies of the White

Buffalo Calf Woman had been fulfilled.

“The central prayer of the Lakota is to be sheltered under the Tree of Life,’ and the teachings about the great ‘Hoop of Life’ are that the many hoops of creation, or, peoples of the world are interconnected and destined to come together,” he said, pointing out that one of the titles of Baha’u’llah, the Founder of the Baha‘i Faith, is the “Tree of Life.”

“I realized that the teachings of the Woman were part of a great process of divine revelation that all peoples have taken part of, and that it has reached its culmina- tion in the Baha’i Faith,” he said. “I also realized that what the Baha’i Faith teaches does not detract from or in anyway negate my own traditional religion. Many people ask me, ‘How does the Baha’i Faith tie in with your Indian spiritual traditions?’ Be- cause there is an assumption that people get from their experience with Christian- ity, at least as practiced here, that you have to renounce your former practices when you join a new religion.

“But the Baha’i writings say that all peoples have received a portion of the di- vine bounty, and that this bounty is all from the same source,” he said. “In other words, the truly valid and beautiful spiritual tradi- tions are from one source and they all have prophetic traditions that point to the same point of unity and to the same glorious future for humanity, which is the unfold- ment of an all-embracing world civilization. So there is no need to deny or negate or invalidate each other’s spiritual heritage.”

Learning from Old Recordings

At about the same time he became a Baha’i, Mr. Locke began to learn to play the traditional Lakota courting ﬂute. He discovered an old ﬂute at his mother’s home and proceeded to teach himself two traditional songs by listening, over and over, to recordings made by a Library of Congress ethnomusicologist in the 19305. Through experimentation, he taught him- selfproper breathing and fingering. “When I started playing the ﬂute, there was only one other practitioner of the Lakota—Da— kota style of ﬂute playing, and he was quite elderly,” he said.

To learn more songs, Mr. Iocke again queried his elders, who often remembered the songs and the melodies even though they did not play the ﬂute themselves. “In

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[Page 11]ONE COUNTRY / luly~Septcmbcr 1996

this way, I began to gather songs and build my repertoire,” Mr. Locke said.

Mr. Locke soon became well known for his sensitive and charismatic perfor- mances. He became a regular on the tradi- tional music scene and in 1980 the United States Information Agency began to send him around the world on cultural exchange tours. In 1990, he won a N ational Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest award granted to such traditional artists.

He has also done nearly a dozen re- cordings of his ﬂute playing, and one of his recent tapes has sold more than 175,000 copies worldwide. “Thatis a huge number for an album of traditional mu- sic,” said Andy Wallace, associate direc- tor of the National Council for the Tradi- tional Arts, which has sponsored Mr. Locke on a number of tours. “He is a remarkable artist. And what Kevin has done more than most other people is to take his art outside the world of the Pow Wow circuit to the general public.”

Reviving the Hoop Dance

Mr. Locke learned the hoop dance, which had nearly died out, from Arlo Good Bear, a Mandan Hidatsa Indian from North Dakota. “We were doing a couple ofperformances in New York City and we were rooming together and he said, ‘I’m going to teach you the hoop dance. I’m going to give you four lessons. And I will give you one lesson now and the rest later. And after I give you these lessons, you are going to be on your own. And it is going to take you a long way.’ And then he got out his hoops and he made some designs and the whole thing took about 15 minutes. And the next day he took off and I took off.

“A few days later, Arlo’s mom called and said he had died in an accident. So I went to his funeral. And after I returned home I had a very Vivid dream —— several vivid dreams — and I saw him, dancing with the hoops a very beautiful, a very powerful dance, making all of these de- signs, so ﬂuid and spontaneous.”

Mr. Locke later came to believe that these dreams were the promised lessons, being communicated from the next world. “They were not mechanical lessons. The message I got was that this is a way that you can connect the past with the present,

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the present with the future, and the spiri- tual world with the material world.”

He then began to teach himself the hoop dance in much the same way he taught himself the ﬂute, by studying an- cient dance forms and symbols and then gradually working out the footwork and the movements of the hoops. “There are certain standard designs that everybody does, and Arlo showed me those and made sure I knew them that first night,” he said.

Now Mr. Locke is renowned as much for the hoop dance as for the ﬂute — and for his willingness to teach both arts. “Pretty much every time I do a performance, I also teach it,” he said.

Dr. Wayne Evans, a professor of edu- cation at the University of South Dakota at Vermillion, said Mr. Locke has indeed spurred many young Indians to take up traditional arts. “In his way, Kevin is really making a contribution to our culture, and having an impact on our young people,” said Dr. Evans, who is also a member of the Rosebud Sibux tribe. “Instead of keeping it to himself, he is giving it to others and that is the Lakota way.”

For his part, Mr. Locke believes that the work of preserving and sharing his culture is extremely important. He com- pares the folk arts and traditions of each of the many peoples and cultures of the world to chapters in a great book —— the book of humanity. “If you don’t include all of the peoples and their traditions,” he said, humanity is much the poorer. “You are missing some chapters of the book.”@

“The truly valid and beautiful spiritual traditions are from one source and they all have prophetic traditions that point to the same point of unity .”

— Kevin Locke

Lakota flutist and hoop dancer Kevin Locke performing at the Crow Creek Pow Wow in South Dakota last August.

[Page 12]Members of a village women's group near Mokwete, South Africa, say they enjoy using a manually operated rock crusher designed by New Dawn Engineering, a Swaziland—based appropriate technology company.

The technological innovation behind the manually operated rock crusher is not one but many things: clever design, a combined use of high and low technologies, and alI-important consultation with the target users.

MOKWETE, South Africa — As jobs go, stone breaking is surely one of the worst in Africa. Squatting in the hot sun and hammering away to smash large rocks into small ones, stone breakers expend joint—straining amounts ofmuscle power, face a constant risk of hand and eye injury, and breathe in huge quantities of harsh stone dust.

The task is also one of the lowest paid.

One group of women in this impover- ished Village some 300 kilometers north- east of J ohannesburg recently found that, using hammers, iron bars and even other stones, they could produce about half a wheelbarrow of crushed stone per day — an amount for which they received about US$70 (70 cents). Still, it was better than nothing, enough income to buy the staple foods that their children need.

Members of the BaPedi people, the women had since the late 1980s collabo- rated with Hlatlolanang, a local non-gov- ernmental organization working for bet- ter nutrition. Hlatlolanang, which is funded in part by the Kaiser Family Foun- dation, had already helped the women to create vegetable gardens. And it helped them start stone breaking in 1992 as a means of income generation — a project

ONE COUNTRY / Iuly-Scptcmbcr 1996

the women themselves decided on.

But about two years ago, the BaPedi women began asking if there was not a better way to produce crushed stone, which is used in building construction and road paving. And so Roselyn Mazibuko, who was then director of H1atlolanang,called a friend at New Dawn Engineer- ing, a Swaziland- based ap- propriate technology company specializing in the development of small-scale production machinery, and raised the issue.

The result was the development of what is believed to be the first manually operated stone-crushing machine in the world — one which in its simplicity of design, low cost, and relatively high out- put could potentially revolutionize the lives of stone crushers throughout Africa and elsewhere.

“Today the women are really excited about this stone crusher,” said Ms. Mazibuko. “They have bought one and are now rotating it amongst themselves, taking turns. There is a lot of demand for

Appropriate Technology

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[Page 13]ONE COUNTRY / July-Scptcmbcr 1996

crushed stone, and the machine is work- ing as expected.”

Maria Mampule Nkadimeng, one of the women who now works with the ma- chine, put it this way: “The machine is very easy to operate. Before, we spent much time using the hammer, but some- times we got injured on the fingers. But the machine is very easy, it is very safe. No one is getting injured.” Ms. Nkadimeng is more than 70 years old.

Solid Market, Low Price

Rock-crushing machinery is notori— ously energy-intensive, heavy and tech- nically sophisticated. Such machines re- quire a skilled staff and continuously con- sume a large number of spare parts. They are also costly.

In many parts of the world, however, such capital, know—how, and fuel are not always readily available — although cheap labor is. Hence there is a ready market in many areas for hand-crushed stone.

Yet as the women in Mokwete dis- covered, the market price is barely enough to make such work worthwhile. A 2 August 1996 article in The New York Times found that a similar group of women in Zambia will work for a week to produce “a knee—high pile of gravel that can be sold for $8 to a contractor to pave a drive- way or mix a concrete ﬂoor.”

Faced with the challenge of creating a machine that might increase the crush- ing power available to such workers with- out pricing itself out of the range for which microcredit is available, Crispin Pemberton-Pigott of New Dawn Engi- neering determined that a manually op- erated machine would have to straddle a delicate balance between brute force and low friction and between ease of opera- tion and the harsh economic reality of mechanized competition.

“It was a classic example of the need for an appropriate technology — in this case appropriate to the needs of a group of women clinging to the edge of the economy,” said Mr. Pemberton-Pigott, who is the founder and owner of New Dawn.

And after visiting the women in Mokwete and studying their needs, Mr. Pemberton-Pigott determined that he would have to create a machine that could be purchased for less than USSl,500, and that it would have to produce at least

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US$3.33 per day worth of crushed stone to be economically viable. What followed was two long years of site observation, com- puter modeling, bearing testing, and the building and dismantling of prototypes in a constant struggle to shave weight and cost. The project was also helped by a grant of US$3,000 from an anonymous donor, money which was used to underwrite this sort of research and development.

The resulting crusher weighs in at 200 Kg and now sells for US$1,435. It was introduced to the Mokwete group in May 1996. Although designed to crush 10 wheelbarrows of stone per day, the women have reportedly produced up to 16 wheelbarrows full.

The technological innovation behind the rock crusher is not one but many things: clever design, a combined use of high and low technologies, and all-important con- sultation with the target users.

At his shop in Manzini, Swaziland, Mr. Pemberton—Pigott experimented with various methods of crushing rock. He decided first to increase the mechanical leverage available to a stone crusher by using a ﬂywheel on a hand crank.

“Because rock is very hard and very brittle, it became evi- dent to me that if we could get all of the energy out of the ﬂy- wheel over a short period of time, like a hammer strike, it . would shatter the rock,” said Mr. Pemberton-Pigott.

He accomplished ‘" thisbyconnectingthe ﬂywheel to a “V”- shaped set of metal plates, which sit in the machine like enor- . mous uprightjaws, an arrangement com- monly called “a croco- ‘ dile.” One plate is sta— ~ tionary; the other is ’ _ attached to the ﬂy- ‘ wheel by a short cam- shaft. The camshaft forces the moving ‘ plate towards the sta— A .

“It was a classic example of the need for an appropriate technology —- in this case appropriate to the needs of a group of women clinging to the edge of the

economy.” — Crispin Pemberton- Pigott, of New Dawn Engineering

Another view of the machine in operation shows the crank handle on the flywheel and where the crushed rock emerges from the bottom.

[Page 14]

A schematic diagram of New Dawn Engineering’s manually operated rock crushing machine. The view is an “X- ray" view, from the side.

Crank handle

Camshaft, connected to the ﬂywheel, moves left plate against stationary right plate

“Crocodile jaws," the “V"-shaped metal plates that crush the rock

Flywheel

tionary plate once each revolution, open— ing and closing with each turn of the crank. Force of a Dump Truck

“When the jaws move toward each other, they do not meet with resistance until they trap the rock that has been put inside the machine,” said Mr. Pemberton- Pigott. “Then the pressure increases as the ﬂywheel moves on around until, sud- denly, the rock shatters. We use a 40 kilo- gram ﬂywheel and we estimate that you end up with about 15,000 kilograms of pressure on the rock. It is the equivalent of putting a fully loaded, double—axled dump truck on that rock for a split—second. And that will break almost any rock.”

The next challenge was to develop a machine that would hold up to the condi- tions in rural Africa. One problem, for example, was to find bearings that could support such loads on the ﬂywheel and crankshaft — without lubrication. “We know that where these machines are go- ing people are not going to lubricate them,” said Mr. Pemberton—Pigott. “Even if you give them a grease gun, they will run out of grease and then just keep cranking.”

The solution was to use a high technol- ogy sealed ball-bearing assembly designed

for use in hydraulic machinery and earth— moving equipment. “These bearings

cost about $45 a piece, but they can take tremendous loads and, because they are

permanentlylubricated inside with PTFE, a so— phisticated plastic, they work in a very dusty environment.”

The solution tells much about New Dawn’s philosophy in developing appropri- ate technology. “Many organizations ap- proach appropriate technology with the idea that their ma- chines must be com— pletely low-tech, that they should use only parts and technologies that are made in a given re-

gion,” said Mr. Pemberton-Pigott. “But we don’t accept the idea that a coun- try or region has to be completely self-

ONE COUNTRY / Iuly—Scptember 1996

sufficient in everything, that you can only use the materials available around you. Rather, we are perfectly willing to use high technology solutions in combina- tion with simple designs to create ma— chines that solve the problem appropri— ately. If that means using a bearing made in Japan, okay. It is sort of a one-world argument.

“With the right tools and techniques, manual methods can effectively compete against even the largest capital—intensive crushing operations,” said Mr. Pemberton-Pigott. “Every increase in output by the women’s groups is a bite not out of each other’s income, but out of the money now going to pay for the heavy, expensive and imported‘ machinery of the centralized crushing operations.”

Isaiah J ele, the income generating projects coordinator for Hlatlolanang, said the organization now hopes to find credit to purchase more machines. He said that they are working with some 300 women in eight villages who are crushing rock for income. “The machine is working well,” he said. “It does not need electn'city. It does not need fuel. And it does not break down or stop. And it crushes many differ- ent kinds of rock without any problem.”

The Needs of the Women

An important element in the design process was consultation with the women in Mokwete. Mr. Pemberton-Pigott talked extensively with the women in Mokwete about their needs, discussing everything from rock type and size to grading and batching as well as the target income re- quired to make the machine viable.

This sort of consultative process was very important to both Mr. Pemberton— Pigott and to Ms. Mazibuko. Both are members of the Baha’i Faith, which pro- motes consultation at all levels as a key element of community reconstruction.

“The rural women for which the crusher was designed are illiterate, and they were not used to being consulted,” said Ms. Mazibuko, who has moved on from Hlatlolanang to a government posi— tion as Chief Director for Districts, Pri- mary Health Care, Northern Province. “The rural poor seldom get listened to by people who have know-how. Their self- esteem is now much greater. The people now feel they belong in society.”@

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[Page 15]()NE COUNTRY / Iuincptcmbcr 1996

Review: Justice

(Continued from back page) between women and men — and that

such a step can only be achieved when men adopt new attitudes toward women. To achieve that, she writes, men must come to understand that the promotion of equality is in their best interests. She quotes from the Baha’i writings in support of this view: “’Abdu’l-Baha writes: ‘As long as women are prevented from attaining their highest possibilities, so long will men be unable to achieve the greatness Which might be theirs,” Ms. Mahmoudi quotes. “This view explodes traditional notions Characteristic of dominance hierarchical thinking, that if one group ﬂourishes or benefits it must necessarily be at the expense of another group’s well being.” One of the most revealing essays in the book is the opening one, entitled “Justice as a Theme in the Revelation of Baha’u’llah." In it, the book‘s editor, Prof. Lerche, discusses the philosophical and theological underpinnings of the Baha’i

view ofjustice, stating that it can be seen as stemming from a “perfect” standard established by God. Although this is per- haps an oversimplification of Prof. Lerche’s point, he essentially compares the Baha’i View to an updated and more modern version of Plato’s theory of a “universal Good.”

“The Baha’i writings unequivocally portrayjustice as a reality, and as a funda- mental, attainable Virtue for both the in- dividual and social institutions,” Prof. Lerche writes. “Furthermore, they pro- vide a unique perspective on, and insight into, many of those problems and contra— dictions in current thinking Which have contributed in large measure to the pre- vailing skepticism.”

It is on that point, really, that the power of this entire volume hinges. In an age when, as Prof. Lerche points out, many traditional standards of justice have been rejected as inadequate and secular ap- proaches have bogged down in the cross- fire of cultural relativism and ideological analysis, the Views expressed in these nine essays offer a refreshing antidoteﬂ

Stephen E. Karnik, center, was welcomed as the newiy appointed Chief Administrative Officer of the Baha'i International Community’s United Nations Office at a reception on 13 September 1996. Shown with Mr. Kamik are Mildred Mottahedeh, left, and Victor de Araujo, right. Ms. Mottahedeh was the Community’s first UN representative, appointed in 1947 and serving until 1967. Dr. de Araujo served as the Community‘s principal UN representative from 1967 to 1990. As the Chief Administrative Officer, Mr. Karnik will provide administrative support and coordination to the Community's team of UN representatives in New York and Geneva. Mr. Kamik, 44, is a graduate of Rutgers University. A personnel and management specialist, he has worked both in private industry and for non-profit organizations. ________—__

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[Page 16]And don’t forget truth, honesty, beauty and

love

Toward the Most Great Justice: Elements of Justice in the New World Order

Edited by Charles 0. Lerche

Bahéfi Publishing Trust

London

ONE COUNTRY / IulyeScptcmbcr I996

——_——_—_-————_

If asked the summarize the teachings of the Baha’i Faith in a single word, many of its followers would give this simple an- swer: “unity.”

Yet, as a new book from the Baha’i Publishing Trust of the United Kingdom shows, the question could as easily be answered by the word “justice.”

For as Toward the Most Greatjustice: Elements ofjustz'ce in the New World Or- der demonstrates, a deep concern for the concept and promotion of justice is a major theme in the Baha’i writings ~— and a major thrust in the activities of Baha’i communities.

Composed of nine essays by Baha’i authors from around the world and ed- ited by Charles 0. Lerche, a professor of political science at the University of Limburg/Maastricht in the Netherlands, Toward the Most Great justice of- fers readers a broad sur- vey ofhow Baha’is approach questions of justice, covering issues from its theo- logical underpinnings to its practical ex- pression in society.

More specifically, the essays address the creation of social justice, the relation- ship betweenjustice and law, the necessity of establishing equality between women and men as a requisite ofjustice, the means by which our economic system might be made more just, and the imperative of including justice in the formulation of a new global ethic.

In an essay entitled “The Process of Creating SocialJustice,” for example, Holly Hanson argues that simple obe- dience to religious law, such as the exhortations to act unselfishly or to associate lovingly with others, can fos- ter a powerful movement for the cre- ation of social justice.

“If we think concretely about what happens when people follow the exhorta- tion to associate and love each other and create the emotional bonds that are to characterize a united community, itis clear that love of God is the essence of econom- ics. When we begin with the human heart, we can arrive at a redistribution of wealth that incorporates a redistribution of power, authority and the right to be perceived as

honorable and worthy.”

Sun Libo, an assistant professor of poli- tics and law at China University in Beijing, contrasts the Confucian, the Western (as rooted in ancient Greece), and the Baha’i views of justice. Confucianism, Prof. Libo writes, essentially argued that justice is best achieved through the proper moral education of individuals, who will then actjustly in society. The Greeks and the West, he writes, essentially believe that justice comesfrom the establishment and enforcement of good laws, which keep injustice in check.

In the Baha’i view, he writes, these two ideas come together, saying that while it “emphasizes the importance of individual spiritual development in real- izing justice, it also stresses the need for the establishment of a universal adminis- trative order....” Without such an order, he writes, “universal peace, unity and love will be like a beautiful ﬂower which will eventually wilt.”

'—

TOWARD THE MOST GREAT J USTICE

Elements ofJustice in the New World Order

Edited by Charles 0. Lerche

In an essay entitled “Shifting the Balance: The Responsibility of Men in Establishing the Equality of Women," sociologist Hoda Mahmoudi argues that the implementation of true justice on a global scale requires full equality (Continued on page 15)

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