quelquepart autour de Bordeaux, mars 2008.

• Source: Yahoo.fr / AFP
• Date: 28 octobre 2007

Extraits:

"Qu'il soit lion pour marquer la puissance, serpent pour la longévité ou léopard pour l'agileté, l'animal et ses représentations sont omniprésents en Afrique où il "hante l'art" depuis la préhistoire, comme le montre le musée Dapper à Paris dans "Animal, bestiaire mythique et mystique". L'exposition présente jusqu'au 30 mars 2008 quelque 150 pièces - masques, statuettes, parures - originaires d'Afrique de l'Ouest et équatoriale, dont les deux-tiers proviennent de collections privées ou de musées étrangers (Anvers, Tervuven, Munich)."

D'autres extraits:

• "L'animal se retrouve dans le domaine symbolique, divinatoire, rituel mais aussi dans le quotidien. Il est "celui qu'on chasse, pourvoyeur de nourriture, celui qu'on sacrifie dans les rituels, il est aussi partie intégrante du clan dont le mythe d'origine, mettant en scène un singe, un lion ou un éléphant, détermine le caractère du groupe"
• "Chez les Bantous, en Afrique équatoriale, quand on veut supprimer quelqu'un, on revêt un vêtement tacheté et on se pose des griffes au bout des mains, c'est le léopard qui rend la justice"
• "Chez les Bambaras en Afrique de l'Ouest, dans les sociétés initiatiques qui remplacent les écoles, les classes sont qualifiées par des animaux dont le comportement est ainsi codifié"
• "Un magnifique trône en bois du Cameroun, surmonté de deux figures royales, repose sur un entrelacs de serpents. C'est un signe de longévité mais c'est aussi un animal dangereux (...) il devient ainsi une sorte de miroir de la puissance royale"
• "Une statuette dogon du Mali montre un personnage sur un cheval, animal rarement représenté, qui signifie la richesse"
• "La souris aide à la divination chez les Baoulés de Côte d'Ivoire"
• "Chez les Senufos de Côte d'Ivoire, les animaux sont hybrides, avec des crocs de félins"

En complement:

• le site du musée Dapper à Paris

A very dear friend recently passed away at the age of 80 and some dust. Brandy (aka Al Lana Lamarre) was a multi-talented, multifaceted, larger than life character who lived a long, colorful, fruitful life. Stubbornness, débrouillardise, and a dam hard couenne allowed her to face problems considered an integral part of life as a female impersonator or transsexual cabaret artist 50 years ago: harassment, police brutality, violence, imprisonment, gang rape, and hatred... deadly hatred. Brandy not only survived it all, she became headliner and permanent Superstar in residence at Toronto’s legendary Warwick Hotel. Her fame as a performer and her hard work as a show producer lead her on tour to various, often remote, regions of Ontario, Québec, and the United States. People who were lucky enough to see her perform, between the 1950’s and 1980’s, remember vividly her unabashed truculence and gut-wrenching sense of humor, her intense stage presence and powerful voice belting out Sophie Tucker hits.

If we are taking a moment to post the news of Brandy’s passing on Le Bestiaire, it is because she was an important part of our homeless cat support network. During our visits, she would always first ask how our own cats and small dog Seamus were doing... Next, she would ask about how the homeless gang was faring, especially during the long dreadful white winter months. From May 2006 up until very recently, she gave us, on a weekly basis, large amounts of what she referred to as “left over piling up in my freezer...” In fact, her donations consisted mainly of full, untouched meals. I would take out all the meat portions (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish), add some corn, mashed potatoes, carrots, green peas, oatmeal, vitamin C, olive oil, and make a giant cat-giblotte — a healthy, hearty cat stew — out of the mixture. I would then pass it, along a few cups of warm water, through the food processor, and, within minutes, obtain a fine purée that would, imanquablement, be served to critical acclaim. Always a resounding success with all the homeless cats on the block, as well as with our own spoiled gang. En effet, our finicky gourmets always knew it when I was preparing Brandy’s food. They recognized the fresh smell and were impatient for they knew the texture would be rich and the flavor original. They’d all be standing behind me in the kitchen, meowing à l’unisson and waiving vigorously their front paws in each others’ face, as if saying:

– I WAS HERE FIRST!

- NO, THAT’S MINE!

- YOU TOUCH MY FOOD, I SLIT YOUR THROAT!

- NOT BEFORE I POKE YOUR EYES OUT!

They were real entertainment, a véritable spectacle I would later on describe to Brandy, during our follow-up visit. I could tell her interest in the well-being of our cats was heartfelt, that her concerns for the homeless ones on our street were sincere. She could identify with the pain of others, no matter whether that "Other" was a human friend, her old cat Molly, a tom in the back alley or a bird on her balcony. She had had several hip replacements and, to make matters worse, had fallen into her kitchen cupboard, a few years earlier, and broken her right thigh. Due to her age and her many serious health problems, it was decided that the surgery needed to fix the fracture was too dangerous for her life. Left with a broken bone, she started using a wheelchair, and, from that point on, rarely left her apartment.

Brandy’s food donations couldn’t have come at a better time. Last year was an extremely trying one for Mark and me. Our financial situation had never been so bleak. I had not experienced (or not to that extent) having no money as an adult. Being stuck to pay for bread and a few bananas with several rolls of pennies and four nickels was something out of my childhood and early teenage years. Mark and I had been living together for ten years. And never once in all these years had buying food for either us or the cats been a major challenge. Even for someone like me, who has grown in extreme poverty, the kind of which I don’t even bother describing to friends ‘cause it comes across as too far-fetched, I realized how much I was taking for granted and how far removed —far-fetched!— I was from my own history. It is at times like this, when we no longer take anything for granted, when help is scarce and friends are few, that long lasting sentiments of gratitude can emerge and ground the old, tired, empty mechanical "thank you" formulas within the soul itself.

Having said this, I think Brandy might have felt an even deeper sense of gratitude towards us for accepting her help. It made her feel that in spite of her limited mobility, in spite of her low income, she was able to do something for those who were cold, sick and starving behind her building. Our own feline gang, as well as the regulars at our outdoor Soupe Populaire — Noah, Ann-Dee and Ti-Joe-Racoon-with-the-broken-leg — will miss the tasty feasts prepared from Brandy’s donations. Within a one year period, Brandy must have made us save hundreds of dollars in cat food; those are hundreds of dollars we didn’t have! For that, and more importantly for having been part of that small network of women who, in our neighbourhood, remain committed to doing something practical to counter human egoism, neglect and ignorance, we say "Thank You Brandy!" We say "Thank You," in our own names, as well as on behalf of all those you fed. There is no doubt in the hearts of these cats, no doubt that wherever you and Molly have gone, you are now resting in Peace.

Mark & Mirha-Soleil

Lots of information and photos detailing Brandy's career can be found on her Memorial web space:

www.warwicksuperstar.wordpress.com

Read today's Toronto Star feature in honor of Brandy's life and career:

Allan Maloney, 80: Cross-dressing showman

For a short video of Brandy at home with friends, go to:

BRANDY's LAST PERFORMANCE...

Dear Friends & Animal Advocates:

We're looking for support from our network to help home a bunch of livestock from an Ontario rescue/hobby farm. Located on a river just north of Orangeville, between the arts’ communities of Durham and Flesherton on Hwy 4, lies a lovely farm that currently houses the following animals:

2 RESCUED HORSES

Spec - female, approx. 20 yrs

Imzadi - male, approx. 4 yrs

*Both horses are in relatively good health and spirits, but they are not ride-able.

12 ADULT GOATS

Tess, Jimmy, Alfie (a love bucket), Ivy and Holly are amongst these 12 goats who need a home.

3 STEER

Kerri - Kerri spent her life in service as a dairy cow (god bless her), and is now in her geriatric years.

Sam & Bud - Sam and Bud are mastodons.... They somehow look like the cows found at Farm Sanctuary and who having been allowed to live, have grown to a massive height (5.5 ft at the withers). Sam is approx. 6 yrs and Bud approx. 4 yrs.

3 RABBITS

All three are looking for new homes.

All livestock were taken in over the last 4 years to avoid slaughter.

The very caring owner of this farm needs a sabbatical. She also needs to reduce the number of animals in her care. The owner of the farm is also looking for potential partnership, an animal advocate(s) willing to share in ownership of the farm. She may, depending on how things go, also entertain outright purchase —60 acres on a river.

C4P (A Cause for Paws) is getting the word out to help re-home the above animals.

Interested administrators/rescuers are asked to respond to:

Mitch Nadon — see below, contact information for Animal Advocacy & Outreach

or

Noel Palmer — 519.369.3835

While Noel does not currently have internet capacity, just a phone line, you can reach me anytime and I'll address any question you might have to the best of my abilities.

M. Michelle Nadon

m.m.nadon@sympatico.ca

Animal Advocacy & Outreach

A Cause for Paws, Toronto, Canada

416.535.8988 (off business hours)

416.533.6788 (during business hours)

After enduring a terribly difficult winter, our hopes were high as we finally turned the corner and entered the month of March with February quickly fading from our memories...and then BANG!

Now...I've often heard stories about cats eating wires and getting electrocuted…and ...well, after a number of years with our large family, this was the last thing we'd expect to happen! Jonas, the albatross of the family, the devilish yet charming character who reminds me of a raccoon, actually did just that. After being attracted to a product sticker around the cable to one of our lamps, he began nibbling on it so much that finally the deed happened. Unfortunately, we didn't even notice what had happened until likely a day later (he hid in a dark corner) when we saw him crawling, crying, and a lot of drool oozing out of his mouth. At that time we hadn't a clue what was up...we thought for sure he was dying, and that he either was poisoned from something, or swallowed some piece of plastic that was obstructing the tube to his stomach etc...it's easy how the mind can come up with so many possibilities...and to top it off, as luck would have it,

IT WAS THE WEEKEND!

We were stuck taking him to a vet that was open on weekends, but inevitably charged a fortune...a bit smaller fortune than what’s expected from the emergency vet. Thankfully they were able to quickly diagnose the situation and our fears subsided a bit...and...to make a long story a bit shorter...his recovery was slow, a bit of invasive surgery required, and within a couple of weeks he was back to his juvenile, spunky self again!

THE DREADED BILL!

We want to post the bill in order to share with you our horror at seeing it...and so if any of you can spare a few dollars (anything will help) please click on the paypal donation button we have...or if you'd prefer another method, you can contact us at veganbums@sympatico.ca

OOOPPSSS...just realized that is only partial part of the bill...we had to put $300 as downpayment when we first arrived with him, so yeah...it was way too expensive!

Food donations or other supplies would also be greatly appreciated!!

SOME GOOD NEWS

The scar on Jaro’s leg appears to be healing. By fluke due to laziness or exhaustion, one morning as I was running out the door to go to work, I noticed neared the front door Jaro’s bandage which he must have tore off sometime during that night…well, after I paused and imagined the work and effort required and factoring in the likelyhood of being late for work, I decided to hell with it and take care of it later that day. In fact, I was so exhausted after a gruelling 12 hours I don’t think I even checked on his leg ‘til the next day. And to my surprise, it hadn’t bled and it actually looked better! Phew! A smaller burden was lifted of both me and Jaro’s back…and though his wound hasn’t 100% healed yet, and it still bleeds on occasion, it continues to look better.

On an even shorter note…

Kaliska has continued to make herself at home, and, due to the fact we CANNOT afford to get her fix, she quite regularly makes everyone in the house know that she’s around.

And finally!

Ann-dee, the homeless cat who I had fed on occasion in December last year, has shown his face once again!

Here's a few photos I took just 20mins. ago this afternoon, Feb.6/07.

This cat's health appears good...though his left ear looks ripped apart, either from fighting or frostbite.  Sadly...looking into his eyes though, he looks depressed and beaten down...

a little poster explaining our needs to care for our family and a little note of thanks to those who've supported us (note: there's likely a few other people who've helped us over time and I apologize if we forgot to mention your name)

Both these pictures, which I am very happy to share with you, are taken from a Czech children’s book that my parents brought with them when they fled Soviet occupied Czechoslovakia and immigrated to Canada (to settle in Hamilton) in the late-sixties, early seventies (it was a lengthy process!). This book, and another one which followed the adventures of the ant "Ferda Mravenec," was used by my parents to help me learn and understand the Czech language.  Unfortuanately I stubbornly refused to practice and study and ended up not learning much.

However, all was not lost!

My wonderful & beautiful girlfriend Mirha-Soleil (since 1997 - our first decade!!) over these last few years has instilled in me a certain pride of my Czech heritage (which for the most part I had tried to hide & bury beginning in childhood and lasting through most of my life - for a number of different reasons). She also ignited a passion for all things Czech, including the language! Although I haven’t been able to work as diligently as I would have hoped to, I really have Mirha (her unconditional love and passion) to thank so very deeply for this bit of self-discovery or recovery, as it is another piece of me that I feel makes me whole.

A Jean
J’ai emprunté le lièvre
Et aussi la tortue.  

Sur la ligne de départ
Les voici.  

Comme un éclair
Mon lièvre arrive
Le premier.  

Une éternité après,
Ma tortue.  

Le voici, lui,
Riant à gorge déployée
A l’arrivée.  

Et elle :
De la forêt, Monsieur,
Qu’avez-vous vu ?

Ton pipeau,
Sait-il converser avec la lune ?
Sait-il s’entretenir avec les étoiles ?

Le corbeau

Le treize de ce mois
Survolant un près vert
Vous croassera :

C’est le printemps !

Un dromadaire vieux

De dunes et du désert
Les souvenirs encore imprégnés

Devant un bourgeon
S’arrêta soudain

De surprise
Les yeux grands
Ecarquillés ...

Le brouillard

Sous le dard
D’un petit soleil
Cette matinée

Devint grand oiseau
Blanc

Je le vis alors
A tire d’ailes
Vers l’horizon
S’envoler …