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E n v o y The official newsletter of the CCLA

I.S.S.N. 1911-0693

Nov. 29, 2012 Issue 061

Yudith is coming!! Yudith is coming!!

Our CCLAAmbassador, Dania Yudith Surez Abreu, from Uni-

versidad de Ciego de Avila is going to be in Ontario with Kim

and me for a week. I have organized two speaking engage-

ments for her. One as a feature speaker at an IFPOR event in

Toronto at Casa Maiz 1280 Finch Ave. West, December, 7th,

7pm. The other event is a CCLA event in Kingston at the IndigoBookstore, 259 Princess Street, 6:50pm. See the two e-posters

attached at the end of this newsletter. We hope to see you

there.

MSc. Dania Yudith Surez Abreu - Yudith, or Judy as I call her,

is the President of the Canadian Studies Center from the Uni-

versity of Ciego de Avila, Cuba. Profesora de Ingls y Francs,

Departamento de Lenguas, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y

Humansticas Universidad de Ciego de Avila Cuba

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The Gentle Breeze of Progress

News from both CBC and even CNN have told us that the Cubangovernment has eased restrictions to Cubans that wish to travel.

Apparently now, the official invitation letter is not needed forCubans to travel outside of Cuba though professionals such as pro-fessors and scientists still need an authorization by the minister andcan only leave for a maximum of two months. This means thatthose that are not listed as professionals or that work for the min-istry of health or other government categories do not need any au-thorization any more. One step is one step. Inch by inch there is

change. A friend says that The ship stuck on the sand hasstarted to move my friend, it is moving slowly, but moving it is.

The too gentle breeze of progress felt by the Cuban people is pre-sumed to be wisdom in action, fear by the Cuban government thatthe breeze of progress turn into the hurricane of destruction if notfanned gently. Progress is progress, I see it everywhere I turn inCuba from vendor to vendor selling freely on the streets, the entre-preneurial spirit is growing with government blessings. This step ofallowing Cubans to travel without the previous holdbacks of a cum-bersome letter of invitation is proof of welcome progress that theship is slowly working its way from the sand and is listing its wayforward.

Envoy, I found the tribute issue to Raymond Sousterto be a verytouching and informative piece on a poet with whom I had very littleprevious content. Until receiving the Envoy his was just a namefrom the olden days. How wrong I was as his poetry will live long inmy soul. Nice Work!

Warm regards

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Is there a saying that old news is better than no news!

Dear CCLA members, thank heavens our Cuban CCLA friends sur-

vived Hurricane Sandi. Here is an email from our CCLA VP, Manuel,

about the hurricane.

The hurricane struck on Wednesday night last week. Against fore-

casts, it had been gaining momentum after passing by Jamaica. Ja-

maican mountains did not weaken it, as expected. It reached

Santiago de Cuba as a hurricane 3, in the scale of 5. The old colonial

city was severely damaged, much of it was flattened. Then, it went

across the rest of eastern Cuba, right over Bayamo and Holgun (the

path we did on our bicycles, remember?) In the easternmost region(Sagua de Tnamo, Mayar), towns and country were flooded. Every-

where, the strong winds downed trees, blew roofs off, flattened and

devastated plantations. Losses in the coffee, sugar cane, plantain,

rice and fruit fields are incalculable. Here, in Holgun, we were with-

out power for 24 hours; Santiago and most other eastern provinces

are still in black out. We live in the Caribbean; the charming combi-

nation of sun and sea may turn into maelstrom and whirlwind.

[two days later] We are fine. My cave is a bunker, no damage. All

around, especially in Santiago, Guantnamo and the east of Holgun

there is lots of destruction. Fields, leveled, house roofs blown off,

and so on. Hard for all, especially because of the delicate situation

with food stuffs. We will overcome, sure.

A hug, Manuel

[Manuel Velzquez Len our CCLA VP]

Ah, the Hurricane affected the roof, of my house, the antenna for my

TV, and all the garden was destroyed. Now I have to work a lot be-

cause the roof over some of the rooms and some other parts of

the house was damaged. Now I have to replace many ceramic tiles

and do other repairs but the family is fine, thanks to God.

Hugs Jorge

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Dearest Brother, Thank you for your email of concern. The house

had no damage and the family is fine but the neighbourhood is dev-

astating. Pray for us and all of my neighbours and if I dont write

with news it is because I am not coming to work because there is no

electricity.

As soon as I come here I will write you. Everybody is healthy here,

thank the divine.

Have all my heart

M.E.

[Maria Elena Alvarez Lpez our CCLA Ambassador in Santiago de Cuba]

CCLA members write a poem about survival and send it to me

hurricane or otherwise. Survival is the Cuban way of life.

CROSS HILL

On May 3, 1790, Friar Antonio Alegria climbed the hill overlooking

Holgun with a large wooden cross on his shoulders and planted itthere to guard the Franciscan settlement below. Much later a stonestairway of 458 steps was built on that hill, and in 1955 the originalcross was replaced by the one that stands there now. In the past,penitents would climb those stairs, some of them on their knees.Today those stairs are the most visible landmark in Holgun and thehill is a popular viewpoint, not only to climbers but also to touristswho come there by the busload along a new road from behind thehill.

This year when I climbed it was cloudy with a hint of rain, andeven though it was Sunday there werent many climbers, only meand behind me a group of young people accompanied by theirteacher. Since I was moving slowly, stopping on landings to restand take photographs, they caught up with me. I had been takingpictures of them as they were approaching me, now I took more.

Some were shy and hard to get in front of the camera, while otherstook every opportunity to do so.

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city of a third of a million people, coming up this particular set ofstairs at exactly the same time as I was, would be one of the veryfew people I knew in Cuba.

But the world is a small place. Two weeks earlier I had found a

used books store near where I lived. The proprietor Gustavo spokeperfect English, so we spent almost an hour talking. His wifebrought us coffee. I told him about my favorite books and asked himif he, since he was a man of letters, had met my best friend inCuba, Manuel Velzquez Len, professor of English literature in thePedagogical University. He is one of my closest friends, Gustavotold me. We graduated together.

There were no tourists on the top of the hill but there was onelone musician standing on the highest platform, playing guitar andsinging all to himself. After the young people had left, I went to himand we talked. He told me that he loved to play old Spanish songs,and I told him that my favorite of those was Malaguea salerosa.He sang it to me with a soft, pleasing voice. A Cuban couple wan-dered over, and he sang the last two verses as a serenade to thelady.

Then we shook hands and I slipped a convertible peso, a Cubandollar, into his, but he didnt want to take it. He said that he was aChristian and played only because he wanted to, and money wasntimportant to him. I said that I was pretty poor myself, living on asmall pension, but he was poorer than me and should accept thecoin, and eventually he did.

John Hamley

MY 75TH BIRTHDAY

Somebody is having a birthday this Thursday, and you are invitedto come along with us.

The usual suspects Chiqui, Carmen, and Miriam were up tosomething. To whom had I carelessly revealed the date?

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birthday cake had already been delivered the previous eveningand cleaned. And cleaned. It seems to me that everything in Cubagets washed every day, including the sidewalks in front of thehouses.

The first guest Miriam arrived at 5 p.m., dragging two big gymbags. At 11 p.m. a motorcycle taxi would come and drive her to thebus station for an all-night bus ride to Havana, where she would joina visiting group of writers from the Canada Cuba Literary Alliance.

Miriam gave me my birthday present, a necktie and two hand-kerchiefs. I put the tie on. Soon the other guests came, includingthe singers Bertha, Bestar, and Chino because he looks Chinese,all of whom I knew from their performances in Holgun and Gibara.They sang, and we played disco CDs, and we ate, and we drank.Carmens daughter had Bestars son for company. I gave her a de-layed Valentines Day present. Toward the end Carmen enticed meto the dance floor, my first time in more than ten years, and at thevery end Bestar, who in his other life is a psychologist, beat every-body in chess who dared to oppose him.

John Hamley

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SYNCHRONICITY IN CUBA

A quiet CanadianI sit and write

in welcome shadesheltered from loud tourists

by fluttering palms anda variety of tropical species

unknown to me.

I dreamof sharing my memoriesmore specificallymy Cuban memories.

I dreamof finding a publisher

who would be enthusiastic aboutprinting my writings

in Canada and alsoin Cuba.

Enraptured in my dreamI become aware

of a group at the next tablealso doing some writing.

A writer's group perhapsand they sound Canadian . . .

Swallowing my shynessI introduce myself and, from this point on

synchronicity unfolds.I find,

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I find friends.

I find publishersin Canada, and

in Cuba.

Synchronicityhas manifested

my dreams.Heide Brown

May 14, 2012

BIO OF HEIDE BROWN

I am a third generation descendent of John Brown, yes, the John Brown of thesong John Brown's Body. I started my life in a tipi, on TPBar Ranch in JacksonHole, Wyoming. When I was 3, in 1950, my family emigrated to Kitseukla, ahomestead in central B.C., Canada.

After 3 years, my family continued their restless searching, a semi-nomadic life,living briefly in Cloverdale, Vancouver, Texada Island, and finally 7 years in Tele-graph Creek --- an Indian Village of 200 Tahltans on the Stikine River in NorthernB.C. That is, until Fidel phoned my Father on the RCMP radio-phone and invitedhim to come to Cuba to re-organize the philosophy department of the Universityof Havana. I was 16. We gave away the rest of our family heirlooms and movedto La Havana.

Instantly delighted with the Cuban people and the ideals of the Revolution, I fin-

ished High School at Tarara, started Medical School in Nuevo Vedado, andmarried a Cuban soldier. Life was perfect. Then I became ill. In theend I had to move, sadly, back to Canada.

That was in 1965. I have revisited Cuba 3 times since then to re-connect with my Cuban family 10 years ago, 4 years ago, and thiswinter, when I serendipitously bumped into Tai and Kim and theCCLA [at Hotel Tropicoco].

I currently live with my Quebecois husband Raymond and our

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> The Canadian Network on Cuba launches its> "Sandy Relief Fund" Campaign>> At 1:25 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25th, Hurricane Sandy entered Cuba just> west of Santiago de Cuba as a category 2 hurricane. However the extent> and speed of Sandy gave it a destructive capability as great as any of the

> category 5 hurricanes. Its central path took it rapidly through the> provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holgun and Guantnamo, the former two> provinces being the most populous in Cuba after the City of Havana.>> The hurricane devastated the heroic city of Santiago de Cuba, destroying> houses, damaging public buildings and monuments, leaving the city without> water supply, electricity, shops, markets and trees. Despite massive> evacuations, it took a toll of some 11 human lives, an unusually high> number in Cuba for hurricanes (mainly by collapsing buildings) ? 132,733> houses were affected with 15,322 totally destroyed and 43,426 losing> roofs. Massive damage, not yet fully calculated, was caused in Guantnamo> and Holgun before the hurricane left this province near Banes, precisely> where hurricane Ike had entered four years earlier.>> President Ral Castro, visiting Santiago de Cuba on Sunday, Oct. 28, said> that only urgent temporary measures can be taken and that the recovery of> Santiago would take years.>> The emergency measures are well underway. Roads to healthcare centres and> other essential services were speedily cleared. Linemen have been> arriving from seven provinces to work together with local ones to restore

> electricity and telephone services. Roofing materials are arriving from> neighbouring provinces such as Las Tunas. Temporary systems have been set> up to provide 85% of the affected population with drinking water, and> food supplies have been arriving from throughout Cuba to Santiago and> other severely affected parts of eastern Cuba. Cultural activity has not> been overlooked, with some cultural centres being promptly and reopened,> with artists from different parts of the country to join local artists in> lifting the spirits of the people.>> Good friends of Cuba have also been prompt to supply assistance.> Venezuela, for example, has given 650 tons of help including

> non-perishable food, drinking water and heavy machinery to Cuba, with some> going to Haiti. However, the need remains great. Cuba continues to give> its help to Haiti, which, although not directly hit by Sandy, suffered> much destruction from flooding, with scores of lives lost.>> Cuban provinces as far east as Villa Clara and Cienfuegos suffered from> high winds and flooding due to heavy rainfall.>> Canadians have responded generously in the past to disasters affecting> Cuba and other Caribbean countries suffering from natural disasters. With> great gratitude we recall that from coast to coast they responded to> requests from the Canadian Network on Cuba, the umbrella group> representing friendship organizations with Cuba We forwarded to Cuba

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>> When on January 12, 2010, Haiti suffered the horrific earthquake, the CNC,> recognizing that the most effective way of helping Haiti was by doing so> through Cuba, mounted its TO CUBA FOR HAITI Campaign, which so far has> collected and sent to the Cuban Medical Brigade in Haiti $453,728.12 cad.

>> Cuba needs substantial help, both immediate and long term, in order to> overcome the crisis brought on by hurricane Sandy. Cuba?s Ministry of> External Commerce (MINCEX) is establishing an account to receive the> financial contributions. As in all our previous fundraising efforts,> every single penny donated will go to Cuba. Charitable tax receipts will> be provided.>> Our experience with regard to Cuba's response to natural disasters is that

> it knows how to multiply the value of any donations it receives. We feel> confident, based on the island's unsurpassed humanitarian work both within> Cuba and in other countries, that it has the skills, the organization and> the ethical and moral values to put whatever aid it receives to the best> possible use.>> The CNC urges everyone who can afford to do so to support this effort by> giving a donation:> 1) payable to your local Friendship organization and please also write

> "CNC Sandy Relief Fund" on your cheque's memo line. They will forward> the info/money for tax receipts to the Mackenzie-Papineau MF.> 2) payable to the ?Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund? and mail to the> Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund, Att: Sharon Skup 56 Riverwood> Terrace Bolton, ON L7E 1S4> Please also write "CNC Sandy Relief Fund" on your cheque's memo line.> Charitable receipts will be issued by the Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund> in 4-8weeks (Charitable Org - Revenue Canada Reg, #88876 9197R0001).There

> will be no administrative charges, not even for postage stamps or anything> else.>> Keith Ellis, Coordinator, CNC Sandy Relief Fund (905 822 1972;

> zellis@yorku.ca)

> Isaac Saney, CNC Co-Chair and National Spokesperson

> Elizabeth Hill, CNC Co-Chair and Treasurer

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REPORT OF ACTIVITIES

The Canadian Studies Center of the University Mximo Gmez Bez from Ciego de Avi(CECANUCA) celebrated its VI SEMINAR ON CANADIAN STUDIES Canada facing the challengeof the 21st century on October 17th and 18th, 2012, with key lectures, sessions, presentation papers and other activities to expand understanding about Canada in the province of Ciego de Aviland contribute to strengthen academic, cultural, social, economic and diplomatic relations betweeCuba and Canada.

The members of CECANUCA, two Canadian academics from the Universities of Carleton anToronto-Mississauga (Carlo Fanelli and Emmanuel Nikiema) respectively, as well as professors anstudents from the University of Ciego de Avila (UNICA) participated in the seminar.

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They all found the seminar and activities very interesting. We also had a special intervention by th

Second Secretary of the Canadian Embassy in Havana, Cuba, Ms. Hanna Wajda.

The twoKey Lectures given by the Canadian academics were: Remaking Canada: from affluence

austerity, by professor Carlo Fanelli from Carleton University and A look at Quebec as a distin

society in Canada by professor Emmanuel Nikiema, from the University of Toronto Mississaug

Fifteen papers were presented by professors and students on diverse topics included in the followin

panels: Language & Culture, Identity & Native Studies, Economy & Sports, Society

Multiculturalism.

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There was also a presentation of the Canada-Cuba Literary Alliance (CCLA), to share with th

participants the mission and objectives of the CCLA; the book Sweet Cuba was presented as well a

several issues of the CCLA newsletter The Envoy.

After that, there was a small official ceremony of inauguration of the Canadian Studies Center

Library, named afterMargaret Atwood, where all students and professors can find Canadian book

on different areas such as: Politics, Canadian study, Literature, Novels, Poems, etc.

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The treasure of the Northby Daylan Hernndez Daz (5th year student of English Language)

Canada is the mother that protects us

She offers the best of her soul

Representing Peace, Values and Union.

There is no contrast in the people

It is the same culture and religion

with only one God

What makes the difference is the strange

Mixture that makes people special.

The beautiful view of the landscapes

Are the inmortal evidence of how wise is nature

It chooses the perfect place to create the most impressive wonders of the earth.

Canada is music, poetry and inspiration

Once our hearts meet this land

They remain there forever.

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A talk on

CUBAThe Canada Cuba Literary Alliance

presents Feature Speaker

Dania Yudith Surez Abreu

Monday, December 3rd6:50pm

Where:Indigo Bookstore, upstairs

259 Princess Street

Kingston, Ontario

6:50 pm Meet, Mix and Mingle

7:15 pm CCLA President Richard (Tai) Grove will talk about the CCLA Canada Cuba Literary

Alliance

7:30 pm Evelyn Gervan, Chair of the CCFA Kingston Branch will talk about the CCFA

Canadian Cuban Friendship Association, their past and future projects

7:45 pm Intermission

8:00 pm Feature Speaker Dania Yudith Surez Abreu Canadian Studies Centres in

Cuba Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of

Ciego de Avila, Cuba will make a presentation and discussion on the topic of: -

The Influence of the English Language in the Socio-Economic and Political

Development of Contemporary Cuba.

8:45 pm - Event closes (store closes at 9pm)

Special thanks to Bruce Kauffman, CCLA member, for organizing the venue.

Also THANK YOU to Indigo for letting us use their space

and muchas gracias toYudith!!

MSc. Dania Yudith Surez AbreuYudith is the President of the Canadian Studies Center

from the University of Ciego de Avila, Cuba. Profesora de Ingls y Francs, Departamento de

Lenguas, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humansticas, Universidad de Ciego de Avila, Cuba.

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