Haiti's budding musicians hold concert amid ongoing gang violence


Copyright © africanews

Odelyn Joseph/Copyright2024

 The AP. All rights reserved
By Rédaction Africanews

Haiti

Around the world, it’s time for year-end school concerts and Haiti is no exception, despite the gang violence which is ravaging the country.

Children at the only music school in the capital Port-au-Prince, demonstrate bravery and devotion to their art, aspiring to futures as musicians and singers.

While hundreds of schools across the country were forced to close because of the fighting and lack of funds, the music school continued to attract students.


Funded by an NGO, it began teaching children at internally displaced shelters.

Yvenson Jeantille, who dreams of being a professional musician, makes the long walk from home to the school at least twice a week.

“The situation of the country as it reaches me, it has an impact, but I don’t let it interfere in my future,” he said.

Gangs are believed to control some 85 per cent of the capital. Thousands have died this year and rapes and kidnappings have spiked.

Families are reluctant to send their children to school, let alone allow them to play outdoors.

Teacher Kevin Marc Duverseau says music is important for the children as it helps them cope with the situation in the country.

“Music, in general, helps alleviate frustrations that we know many of us in our country are feeling,” he said.

“It also helps translate the feelings we all have, which can be both negative and positive, but even negative feelings can give rise to beautiful music."

As the fighting rages on, the Ecole Soleil d’Espoir (School of Hope and Sunshine) offers children the opportunity to dream of a brighter future.

 

Thousands celebrate the shortest day of the year

• 
  

Revellers celebrate Winter Solstice at Stonehenge in southern England on Dec. 22, 2023. File/AFP

Thousands of tourists, pagans, druids and people simply yearning for the promise of spring marked the dawn of the shortest day of the year on Saturday at the ancient Stonehenge monument.

Revelers cheered and beat drums as the sun rose at 8:09 a.m. (0809 GMT) over the giant standing stones on the winter solstice - the shortest day and the longest night in the Northern Hemisphere.

No one could see the sun through the low winter cloud, but that did not deter a flurry of drumming, chanting and singing as dawn broke.

There will be less than eight hours of daylight in England on Saturday - but after that, the days get longer until the summer solstice in June.

The solstices are the only occasions when visitors can go right up to the stones at Stonehenge, and thousands are willing to rise before dawn to soak up the atmosphere.

“This is all about renewal, rebirth, we’re entering into the new year, and it’s also a good time to acknowledge what’s taking place in the year that’s been,” said civil servant Chris Smith, 31. “There’s such a vibe. I mean, if you look around, you’ve got everybody here, there’s such an energy in the space.”

The stone circle, whose giant pillars each took 1,000 people to move, was erected starting about 5,000 years ago by a sun-worshiping Neolithic culture.

Its full purpose is still debated: Was it a temple, a solar calculator, a cemetery, or some combination of all three?

In a paper published in the journal Archaeology International, researchers from University College London and Aberystwyth University said the site on Salisbury Plain, about 128 kilometres southwest of London, may have had political as well as spiritual significance.

That follows from the recent discovery that one of Stonehenge’s stones - the unique stone lying flat at the center of the monument, dubbed the “altar stone” - originated in Scotland, hundreds of miles north of the site.

Some of the other stones were brought from the Preseli Hills in southwest Wales, nearly 240 kilometres to the west,

Lead author Mike Parker Pearson from UCL’s Institute of Archaeology said the geographical diversity suggests Stonehenge may have served as a “monument of unification for the peoples of Britain, celebrating their eternal links with their ancestors and the cosmos.”

Associated Press

Father Christmas delivers gifts to Brazilian Amazon communities


Copyright © africanews

Edmar Barros/Copyright 2024

 The AP. All rights reserved
By Rédaction Africanews

Brazil


It might not be quite the 25th of December yet, but Father Christmas was very busy on Saturday visiting children in communities in the Brazilian Amazon.

Or at least his stand-in was.

In an initiative run by the Santa Claus Friends group, he could be seen travelling along the Negro River to distribute presents to children in rural and riverside communities.


"Every child in any community always smiles back. Wherever we go, it's a smile, it's a great joy," said Father Christmas impersonator, Jorge Alberto Moreira Barrozo.

With water levels low because of the ongoing drought, the group only travelled from the Amazon gateway city of Manaus to nearby Catalão, instead of the usual multiple locations.

But families from nearby communities were invited to come collect their gifts from Santa on smaller boats.

Community leader, Raimunda Ferreira, said it was a huge event for local communities.

"For riverside children, the people of the countryside, there’s not a lot of new things happening,” she said.

“This for us was like a gift from God. Children, mothers, fathers, grandparents, everyone was happy with the presence of Papa Noel and his friends."

And a fun day was had by all as Father Christmas played football and ran races with the children .

Feature: "Dr. Tree" greens Hong Kong's urban concrete jungle


Source: Xinhua
Editor: huaxia
2024-12-22 
by Xinhua writer Wang Xinyi

HONG KONG, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- In the midst of Hong Kong's high-rises and concrete sprawl, where space for greenery is at a premium, there is a man who has spent the past forty-plus years preserving and creating pockets of nature in the most unexpected places.

Known affectionately as "Dr. Tree," Jim Chi-yung stands out as a champion of Hong Kong's green heritage. His pioneering work in urban forestry has helped transform the city's skyline into a greener, more sustainable space, offering a model for other cities grappling with the environmental challenges of rapid urbanization.

"People often think of my field as purely technical, but urban forestry is an interdisciplinary science," Jim, a research chair professor and advisor of Geography and Environmental Science at the Education University of Hong Kong, and a former head of the Department of Geography at the Univeristy of Hong Kong, told Xinhua. "It demands that we balance conservation with the many competing needs of urban development."

In September this year, a ranking by Standford University named Jim the world's leading forestry scientist, out of more than 35,000 researchers, who not only retained his top spot in the "Single-Year Impact List", but also topped "the lifetime impact list."

On the rooftop of CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP)'s Chui Ling Road substation in Tseung Kwan O lies Hong Kong's largest "sky woodland." The rooftop brimmed with native trees, its walls draped with climbing plants, creating a strikingly verdant contrast amid the cityscape.

A walk through this green canopy feels like entering a natural forest, a haven for urban wildlife in the heart of a bustling city -- a brainchild of Jim's decades of research in initially soil science and later on arboriculture and urban ecology.

Jim's efforts are particularly evident in his preservation of "champion trees" -- mature, often ancient specimens that form the backbone of Hong Kong's green heritage. Many of these trees, such as the century-old camphor trees on Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, have become at stake amid urban expansion and typhoons. Fortunately, Jim came to their rescue with his expertise.

"Champion trees are vital to Hong Kong's natural and cultural identity, and cannot be left unattended," Jim said. His advocacy also led to the creation of a government registry for ancient trees.

For decades, Jim has been trailblazing in shaping policies that protect these natural monuments. His influence was crucial in influencing the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Corporation's decision to preserve the stone wall trees at Forbes Street during the construction of West Island Line's Kennedy Town Station.

Perhaps the most recent and transformative aspect of Jim's work is his focus on green infrastructure, transforming rooftops and walls into sustainable ecosystems. Unlike traditional green roofs that often rely solely on grass or shrubs, Jim incorporated native trees to create self-sustaining and biodiverse spaces.

Besides the CLP rooftop forest, Jim has designed more than 20 green rooftops in Hong Kong, including projects for the University of Hong Kong and Tai Po Market Station. "The environmental benefits of these green spaces go beyond aesthetics," said Jim, "They help cut energy costs through natural insulation, extend lifespan for roof waterproofing, improve air quality, and support biodiversity, which in turn helps cities adapt to climate change."

At 71, Jim's work is as relevant as ever. His current projects include improving the microclimates in Hong Kong's cramped subdivided homes, where many low-income families live. "Urban ecology is not just about trees, but about the quality of life in cities, particularly in areas where the environment has been compromised by rapid development," he said.

For decades, Dr. Tree's commitment has extended beyond research into mentoring the next generation of environmental scientists, including Benedict Essuman-Quainoo, a former PhD student and now a lecturer at the Education University of Hong Kong.

Benedict, originally from Ghana in West Africa, has embraced Jim's focus on "nature in cities," working to promote sustainable and resilient urban ecosystems in Hong Kong and elsewhere in the world, including his home country.

"In a city where every square foot counts, Dr. Jim has shown that there is always space for nature to flourish," Benedict said.

"Dr. Jim is so meticulous, from research design, and methodology to writing style, and is punctuate in everything," Benedict said. "He is such an inspiration for me, both in the past and now, with that passion for research and care for his students." ■

China takes steps against Canada institutions and individuals over Uyghurs and Tibet

Rights groups accuse Beijing of widespread abuses against Uyghurs, including forced labor in camps, and condemn its alleged oppressive rule in Tibetan areas. 

Dec 22, 2024

BEIJING –

China said Sunday it was taking countermeasures against two Canadian institutions and 20 people involved in human issues concerning the Uyghurs and Tibet.

The measures, which took effect on Saturday, include asset freezes and bans on entry and the targets include Canada's Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project and the Canada-Tibet Committee, China's foreign ministry announces on its website.

Rights groups accuse Beijing of widespread abuses of Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in the western region of Xinjiang, including the mass use of forced labor in camps. Beijing denies any abuses.

China seized control of Tibet in 1950 in what it describes as a "peaceful liberation" from feudalistic serfdom. International human rights groups and exiles, however, have routinely condemned what they call China's oppressive rule in Tibetan areas.

For the two institutions, China said it is freezing their "movable property, immovable property and other types of property within the territory of China." It is freezing the property in China of 15 people in the Uyghur institution and five on the Tibet commit

Cyclone Chido claims at least 94 lives in Mozambique

For the time being, Mozambique remains the country with the heaviest death toll.



Eduardo Mendes / UNICEF / AFP
This handout picture on December 17, 2024 shows children next to a damaged tree after Cyclone Chido made its landfall near Pemba in northern Mozambique. 

Cyclone Chido killed at least 94 people in Mozambique in its deadly rampage through the Indian Ocean last week, the country's disaster management agency said, raising a previous death toll of 76.

The cyclone, which devastated the French island territory of Mayotte before hitting the African mainland, also destroyed 110,000 homes in Mozambique, officials said on Sunday.

After making landfall the storm ravaged the northern province of Cabo Delgado with gusts of around 260 kilometres (160 miles) per hour, pelting it with 250 millimetres (10 inches) of rain in a day.

That part of northern Mozambique is both regularly ravaged by tropical storms and wrestling with unrest from a long-running extremist insurgency.

In the hard-hit Mecufi district a mosque had its roof stripped by the gale, as seen in images taken by UNICEF.

Fears of rising toll

For the time being, Mozambique remains the country with the heaviest death toll.

Seven days after the cyclone hit Mayotte, 35 people were reported dead and some 2,500 injured on that archipelago by the French Interior Ministry.

But it is feared the toll may rise sharply given the scores of undocumented migrants from the nearby Comoros islands, who tend to inhabit Mayotte's many shantytowns flattened by the storm.

After sweeping over Mozambique, the cyclone moved into Malawi.

Despite losing intensity it killed 13 people and injured nearly 30 there, according to the Malawian disaster management agency.

Destructive Cyclone Chido unearths tensions between locals and migrants in France's Mayotte

Cyclone Chido not only ravaged Mayotte’s fragile infrastructure but also laid bare deep-seated tensions between the island’s residents and its large migrant population

BySAM MEDNICK Associated Press and THOMAS ADAMSON Associated Press
December 22, 2024

MAMOUDZOU, Mayotte -- Cyclone Chido not only ravaged Mayotte’s fragile infrastructure but also laid bare deep-seated tensions between the island’s residents and its large migrant population.

Thousands of people who have entered the island illegally bore the brunt of the storm that tore through the Indian Ocean archipelago. Authorities in Mayotte, France's poorest territory, said many avoided emergency shelters out of fear of deportation, leaving them, and the shantytowns they live in, even more vulnerable to the cyclone’s devastation.

Still, some frustrated legal residents have accused the government of channeling scarce resources to migrants at their expense.

“I can’t take it anymore. Just to have water is complicated,” said Fatima on Saturday, a 46-year-old mother of five whose family has struggled to find clean water since the storm.

Fatima, who only gave her first name because her family is known locally, added that “the island can’t support the people living in it, let alone allow more to come.”

Mayotte, a French department located between Madagascar and mainland Africa, has a population of 320,000, including an estimated 100,000 migrants, most of whom have arrived from the nearby Comoros Islands, just 70 kilometers (43 miles) away.

The archipelago's fragile public services, designed for a much smaller population, have been overwhelmed.

“The problems of Mayotte cannot be solved without addressing illegal immigration,” French President Emmanuel Macron said during his visit this week, acknowledging the challenges posed by the island’s rapid population growth,

“Despite the state’s investments, migratory pressure has made everything explode,” he added.

The cyclone further exacerbated the island’s issues after destroying homes, schools, and infrastructure.


Though the official death toll remains 35, authorities say that any estimates are likely major undercounts, with hundreds and possibly thousands feared dead. Meanwhile, the number of seriously injured has risen to 78.

The migrants' shantytowns, known as "bangas," have long been an issue in Mayotte.

“Can we solve the issue of shantytowns today? The answer is no. We will address it during the stabilization and rebuilding phase,” Macron said.

Most migrants have family links in Mayotte and speak the same language. They seek a better life on the island rather than aiming to reach the European continent.

For many like Nazca Antoiy, a Comorian who has lived in Mayotte for a decade, the cyclone has stoked fears of displacement.

“I heard that people were told not to reconstruct new houses. So we need to worry about that,” she said.

These fears are not unfounded. Last year, France launched Operation Wuambushu, a controversial campaign to demolish shantytowns and deport undocumented migrants. Macron hinted that similar policies could resume but stressed reconstruction efforts would take precedence.

Mayotte’s geopolitical position has long made it a hotspot for migration. While the island voted to remain French in referendums held in 1974 and 1976, neighboring Comoros has never recognized its sovereignty and continues to claim the archipelago as its own. This unresolved dispute has fueled waves of migration, with thousands risking perilous sea crossings each year.

Outgoing French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau recently reignited the debate, describing the situation in Mayotte as a “war,” earlier this week. Retailleau proposed stricter measures, including using drones and naval patrols to block further arrivals. “We must be much tougher on the Comoros,” he said, accusing the neighboring government of allowing migrants to leave its shores unchecked.

Retailleau’s calls to “change the rules” include proposals to restrict birthright citizenship in Mayotte, a policy already tightened in 2018 to require proof that at least one parent had been a legal resident for more than three months. Critics argue that these measures only deepen Mayotte’s divisions without addressing the root causes of migration.

A 2023 parliamentary report cited in French media warned that the island was a “ticking time bomb" while suggesting redistributing part of Mayotte’s migrant population to mainland France — a proposal unlikely to gain widespread support.

___

Adamson reported from Paris

ITALY

118,000 workers affected by industrial crises - CGIL

Negotiations to prevent, limit layoffs doubled in 2024

ROME, 22 December 2024, 
ANSA English Desk


- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

An estimated 118,000 workers have been involved in industrial crises in 2024, according to a dossier drafted by Italy's biggest labour union CGIL, a preview of which has been seen by ANSA.

In 2024, "negotiations at the crisis unit of the Business and Made in Italy Ministry (MIMIT) increased significantly" with a total of 105,974 workers involved in major industrial crises compared to the 58,026 reported in January this year.

In addition, 12,336 employees of small and medium-sized companies were laid off after fruitless negotiations between labour unions and the businesses' management, the union said.

The sectors affected ranged from fashion to energy and the chemical industry in a "discomforting scenario that risks to worsen", CGIL said in its updated dossier on 2024, ANSA can reveal.

Overall, "118,310 have already lost their jobs or are struggling to survive in negotiations", said CGIL.

In Jamaica's Rio Cobre oil spill case, activists and civil society say there are outstanding issues

The controversial legal conclusion notwithstanding, this matter remains unresolved in the eyes of environmentalists and governance advocates


Written by Emma Lewis

Posted 22 December 2024

Feature image via Canva Pro.    

This article was first published on Global Voices’ contributor Emma Lewis’ blog; an edited version appears below with permission.

We are not satisfied: that is the message from a large group of civil society organisations and individuals in an Open Letter to Jamaica's Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) regarding the extraordinary behaviour of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), the government agency responsible for enforcing justice with regard to environmental crimes.

NEPA’s announcement in court on November 27, 2024, that it was withdrawing criminal charges against Trade Winds Citrus Limited for a December 2023 oil spill in the Rio Cobre that affected the water supply of neighbouring communities, was greeted with surprise and condemnation from many corners of society. The media started talking about a “secret deal” between NEPA and the company; the details of the mediation agreement were not even revealed to the judge in court because of a non-disclosure clause.

Subsequently, NEPA Chairman Weldon Madden was asked to resign, while Matthew Samuda, the minister with responsibility for the environment, issued a statement that “the Government of Jamaica is not satisfied that the issue was handled at the Board leadership level with the required standards of transparency and openness.” Under considerable pressure, details of the Mediation Settlement Agreement were finally published on NEPA’s website, where a Chronology of Events from the oil spill can also be found.

Jamaica's rivers — including the Rio Cobre — have often been under siege from industrial pollution. In 2021, The Rio Cobre suffered a spill of caustic effluent from the nearby bauxite plant – and this incident was not the first time. The West Indies Alumina Company (Windalco), which runs the plant, was a repeat offender that “received multiple breach notices” and were, at the time, “defendants in a legal case filed by NEPA over a 2019 discharge into the river which resulted in a massive fish kill and several persons falling ill.” Windalco later tried to restock the river with fish, but the transparency of that process was also called into question.

In this most recent case, there are a number of issues arising that warrant further investigation. NEPA’s comment, relayed by Minister Samuda, that it determined withdrawing the case was justified based on “the limited material impact of the incident and the comprehensive cleanup undertaken” has given some environmentalists pause. Whether the damage caused by the oil spill was extensive or not, and regardless of how many fish were killed or not, the issue goes beyond that. Trade Winds Citrus Limited committed an environmental crime, which NEPA was prosecuting with the go-ahead from the DPP since the crime does not amount to a few dead fish; rather, it has an impact on nearby communities and the ecosystem in general, which many feel were hardly taken into consideration.

Will this be NEPA’s modus operandi going forward? And if it is “business as usual,” then what does that consist of? The Open Letter, signed by 39 groups and individuals, including the Jamaica Environment Trust, Friends of Rio Cobre, Freedom Imaginaries, Jamaicans for Justice, Stand Up For Jamaica, Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal, and Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council, outlined these and other concerns to the DPP.

“Under the fiat granted by your office,” it said, “the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), the administrative arm of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NRCA), is tasked with prosecuting environmental crimes. NEPA’s decision, however, to pursue mediation in this case raises serious questions about its commitment to environmental justice. We now urgently request a comprehensive investigation by your office into NRCA/NEPA’s actions. This is critical to restoring public confidence in environmental law enforcement and ensuring that agencies with prosecutorial powers act at all times in the public’s interest.”

Some of the issues identified included the fact that mediation was pursued in this case. “[I]ntended for compromise between private parties,” it said, the approach was “unsuitable for holding environmental offenders accountable, especially where there is significant public impact and public interest. It undermines deterrence and signals leniency toward environmental crimes.” The letter also criticised NEPA's narrow focus, which “prioritised the fish kill while disregarding the broader impacts of the oil spill on the river ecology, river users and the surrounding communities.”

Furthermore, NEPA dropped the case “based on vague assurances from TWCL, including commitments to best practices and collaboration, which lack clear enforcement mechanisms.” The signatories took this as a demonstration of “a lack of interest in prosecuting environmental crimes and a lack of intent to hold environmental offenders accountable within the criminal justice system,” especially when coupled with the fact that the agreement prevents “legal action by either party” and prohibits NEPA from assisting communities who may want to bring action against TWCL. This clause, it maintained, “stifles the communities’ and the public’s rights to seek justice, undermining and betraying public trust in environmental governance and the administration of justice.”

The group statement also alleges a lack of transparency or meaningful consultation with the affected communities, an exclusion that “denies stakeholders of their right to participate in the resolution of a matter directly impacting their lives and environment. The inclusion of a confidentiality clause in the mediation agreement, intended to shield its terms from public and judicial scrutiny, is unacceptable given the public nature and significant interest in this offence.”

The controversial legal conclusion notwithstanding, this matter remains unresolved in the eyes of environmentalists and governance advocates: “The public deserves full transparency and public accountability regarding NEPA’s decision-making processes and assurance that environmental laws will be enforced openly, vigorously and with due regard for environmental law standards, principles and best practices.

“Environmental crimes demand robust legal action — not alternative resolutions that fail to deliver justice or protection of natural resources. We urge your office to revisit this case, investigate NEPA’s actions, and undertake a long overdue broader review of NEPA’s prosecutorial effectiveness to strengthen environmental governance.”

PAKISTAN

WILDLIFE: AN ELEPHANT AND HER TYRE

Muzhira Amin 

December 22, 2024

DAWN

Madhubala with her tyre at Karachi Zoo | Four Paws

It was the last Tuesday of November and there was an air of anticipation at Karachi’s sprawling Safari Park. Outside the elephant enclosure, a curious crowd of reporters and activists stood with cell phones and cameras out, exchanging whispers. Madhubala, the lone elephant left at Karachi Zoo, had just been shifted to these bigger premises and was going to be making her first public appearance here.

On the other side of the fence, as the doors opened and the way was cleared, in walked Madhubala. Oblivious to the fanfare around her, she immediately latched on to a carefully placed tyre inside her new night room.

Madhubala, which literally means ‘sweet girl’, is named after the iconic Indian actress, just like her sister Noor Jehan — with whom she shared a pen at the zoo — was named after Pakistan’s melody queen. Until Madhubala’s relocation, the 17-year-old African elephant had been living in solitary confinement at the Karachi Zoo for over a year, since the death of Noor Jehan.

The tyre is all she brought along with her from the zoo, her old home — after all, it was her best friend.



Until her reunion with her long-separated sisters Malika and Sonia, lonely Madhubala’s best friend at Karachi Zoo had become a rubber tyre…

Madhubala has a very special relationship with her tyre. The bond was forged after the death of her long-time companion and sister Noor Jehan. Witnessing up close her sibling’s demise, and the events leading to it, had left Madhubala depressed, traumatised and, most concerningly, lonely.

AN ANTIDOTE TO GRIEF

Having spent a lot of time with the elephants, Mahera Omar, filmmaker and co-founder of the Pakistan Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), remembers all too clearly the circumstances around the last days of Noor Jehan and the effects it had on her sibling. Noor Jehan had fallen into a cement pond and could not get back up. Animal activists and caregivers had turned up the zoo to help in the recovery efforts as Noor Jehan’s situation became public knowledge.

“A thunderous clank of iron made us turn our heads towards Madhubala,” recalls Omar. She had crashed with all her might into the gate holding her inside her night cage at Karachi Zoo. “We knew Madhubala was angry and upset,” she tells Eos.

What followed over the next 10 days was agonising for the two elephants as well as animal lovers. “As Noor Jehan lay helpless, we watched Madhubala get increasingly restless, disturbed by the swarms of people that had descended on to the spectacle of animal suffering, the noise of the crane, the altercations between the zoo management and animal lovers,” she recalls.

In the long days of grief and loneliness that followed Noor Jehan’s passing, the tyre was where Madhubala found emotional support. “She would often be standing next to her sister’s grave, withdrawn and quiet, the tyre nearby,” Omar continues.

Soon, the tyre became her best friend. Both of them were inseparable. It was with her everywhere she went: the night room, the enclosure and even the storage area. She showed it off to visitors as well.

The tyre would be ever-present, just within her reach, even when she was in the presence of animal lovers and the team from Four Paws, a Vienna-based global animal welfare organisation. Four Paws had previously facilitated the relocation of Kaavan, dubbed as the world’s loneliest elephant, from a zoo in Islamabad to sanctuary in Cambodia. And it was engaged to help with Madhubala’s rehabilitation as well.

This is why, when the talks of Madhubala’s relocation to Safari Park finally materialised, Four Paws decided to bring the tyre with her to the new home.

“The decision was taken to provide her with comfort in the new environment and a sense of security,” Pia Einheimler, the Four Paws field mission coordinator tells Eos. “The first thing Madhubala did while entering her new enclosure at the Safari Park was to turn around, grab the tyre and place it next to her… it really functions as a comforting toy,” she points out.

Even when out exploring her new home, she took the tyre along with her as an all-time companion. Little did Madhubala know that what she was soon going to find would be far more precious than her tyre. A heartwarming interaction was waiting for her, just a few footsteps from her night room.

A FAMILY REUNION

When she was still a calf, back in 2009, Madhubala and her three sisters were cruelly captured by poachers in Tanzania. Their mother was shot dead in front of their eyes. The baby elephants, on the other hand, were packed up and found their way to Pakistan.

Two of them — Madhubala and Noor Jehan — came to the zoo, while Malika and Sonia were sent to Safari Park. More than a decade later, the siblings were reuniting, courtesy of Noor Jehan’s death. Madhubala, however, was unaware of this. Itwas a surprise that was revealed to her a day after the relocation to the Safari Park.

Einheimler described the sisters’ reunion as an emotional moment for everyone who witnessed it.

Madhubala was out exploring the outdoor enclosure of her new home, while Malika and Sonia stood in their night room, which was separated by a fence. But they could see each other. Her sisters were showing a lot of interest in their sibling but Madhubala was busy playing with her tyre. When the last few obstructions between the siblings were finally removed, Sonia, the braver one, crossed over to greet Madhubala, with Malika in tow.

Before Madhubala arrived at Safari Park, Malika was the matriarch — the leader among the two resident elephants. According to research, when confronted with a new elephant, matriarchs often become defensive towards them, to protect themselves and their family members. None of that unfolded at the Safari Park though, as Malika and Sonia immediately recognised Madhubala’s shining eyes.

“The three sisters gently touched each other with their trunks, exploring new smells and moving together with a sense of calm and friendliness. We could feel they remembered each other,” says Einheimler.

And then something beautiful happened. Madhubala placed her beloved tyre in front of Malika, a present for her siblings. It was an invitation for them to share her valuable tyre with them. Moments later, Malika turned her back to Madhubala, an offer to her sibling to become the new matriarch of the now three-member herd.

Following the exchange, the sisters made their way to a nearby pond and had their first drink together. The tyre, on the other hand, stayed back inside Madhubala’s night room — a relic of the past.

“The tyre is still very important for Madhubala, but it is losing its emotional attachment bit by bit,” Einheimler continues. “Now, Madhubala has transformed into a completely different elephant. She is kind, friendly and playful,” she adds.

Madhubala’s transformation is visible, as much from her demeanour and interactions as it is from the glint in her eyes, says Einheimler. Perhaps, it also shows the appreciation a pachyderm has for being treated in a more humane manner.

The writer is a member of staff. X: @NMuzhira

Published in Dawn, EOS, December 22nd, 2024


Read more


Free from zoo captivity, Madhubala reunites with sisters at Safari Park after 15 years

Madhubala finds three’s company!

Madhubala to reunite with sisters after 15 years in Karachi

EXHIBITION: SACRED FORMS

Ayesha Majeed 

 December 22, 2024  

DAWN

Agate Pendant


Calligraphy continues to be one of the key symbols and most fascinating aspects of Islamic culture and identity. It began with the writing of the Quran in the Kufic script. Later, classical and contemporary calligraphic styles evolved, and Islamic calligraphy expanded and developed to an unparalleled level of sophistication and usage.

Traditionally, calligraphy relied on the qalam [pen] and ink. But, with the passage of time, it expanded to encompass other mediums, as it was incorporated into architecture and in objects made of wood, metal, glass, ceramic, stones, fabric etc.

A visual representation of this creativity, beauty, and the aesthetic of formation and ornamentation was recently on display at the Ocean Art Gallery in Lahore. The gallery invited viewers to explore different calligraphic art forms immaculately presented by Shakil Ismail, a Karachi-based artist.

In his series of geometric-shaped calligraphic sculptures, Ismail has used scripts crafted out of rigid metallic surfaces, depicting the word ‘Allah’ in a repetitive manner. Drawing inspiration from the work of the old master Ibn Muqalla, Ismail has used a total of four different khat [calligraphy styles], with the most dominant being Khat-i-Sals. The flow and fluidity of the calligraphy is undeniable, exuding a certain grace.

Metal, glass and semi-precious stones are fused with calligraphic elements in Shakil Ismail’s singular creations

According to the artist, after repeated trials with electroforming techniques on metal, he developed his unique style of moulding metal surfaces through cold-welding with ice cubes and chemical currents. To enhance the beauty of these pieces, Ismail incorporated cast-glass intertwined with semi-precious stones in a range of beautiful colours.

Iqra



The strength of the sculptures lies in the integration of metallic elements, which imbue the work with a sense of permanence. Unlike paper, which can age and fade, metal retains its integrity, preserving the elegance of the calligraphy in its original form. The use of metal in the calligraphy also symbolises timelessness, strength and durability.

Ismail’s other artistic expression is his use of the cast-glass technique for wall hangings. Ismail creates the glass material by recycling pharmaceutical and beauty product bottles, melting them at temperatures of around 1,400 degrees Celsius. The brown glass, for example, is made from crushing and melting children’s cough syrup bottles. Numerous brightly coloured calligraphic canvases were also exhibited, showcasing a blend of spirituality and artistic brilliance.

For his handcrafted wearable art, Ismail drew inspiration from the ancient tradition of wearing naqsh or taweez — amulets or talismans — that were, and in some cases still are, worn for protection and blessings. He designed immaculate and contemporary jewellery pieces — including bracelets, rings and pendants — crafted from gold-plated bronze and silver. Each piece is studded with semi-precious stones such as marjan, jade, zircon, amethyst, ruby, agate, glass crystals, tourmaline and topaz.

Allah



The pendants, in particular, feature semi-precious stones caged in metal wiring. One pendant showcases an intricately chequered design carved from gold-plated metal and studded with a large, round topaz stone. The artist’s work seems to be inspired by Greek and Roman jewellery designs.

Through his innovative use of materials and his mastery of calligraphy, Ismail not only honours the rich traditions of Islamic art, but also pushes the boundaries of contemporary artistic expression.

‘Sculpting Words, Adorning Souls’ was on display at the Ocean Art Gallery in Lahore from December 3-7, 2024

The writer is an art critic and artist based in Lahore. She can be reached at ayeshamajeed2015@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, December 22nd, 2024