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Fall
1997
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Catherine
Zastrow Onyemelukwe, Editor
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Vol.
2, No. 1
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Students Research Indigenous Knowledge
Remembering PC Director Sam Proctor
NPCA Conference Meets in San Diego
FON Holds First General Membership Meeting
FON Member Marches for Nigerian Democracy Act
STUDENTS
RESEARCH INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
When Mike Warren was a Peace Corps science teacher in Techiman, Ghana, (Ghana 64-66), he met Mary Salawuh, a long-distance trader based in Techiman. Mary is a Yoruba born in Cape Coast, Ghana. Her mother hailed from Ibadan and her father from Ara near Oshogbo. Going home often with her parents to Nigeria, she is equally at home in both countries.
The Warrens married in 1965 and proceeded to Indiana University where Mike worked on his PhD in Anthropology. After being hired at Iowa State University in 1972, he and Mary began training students for summer and sometimes Christmas trips to West Africa, always including Nigeria in the tour. They have taught both Yoruba and Hausa at ISU and have now taken more than 200 students to Africa. For the past two summers, they have taken groups of minority students (African American, Native American, and Hispanic American.) Invariably, the students have fallen in love with Nigeria and Nigerians. Two of the outstanding African-American students have conducted thesis research and gotten along so well they were installed as chiefs in Ara. Quite a number have acquired plots of land in Ara where they intend to build houses.
Mike's research interest led him to establish the Center for Indigenous Knowledge for Agriculture and Rural Development (CIKARD) at Iowa State University. Indigenous knowledge refers to any community-based knowledge system in contrast to global systems. Mike says, "When I study the ways that the Nupe or Yoruba define, categorize, and classify soils, I can then compare and contrast their system with an international soil classification system. The classification system provides insights into their management of this natural resource.
"The research is based on a set of methodologies called ethnoscience that allows researchers, through the local language, an approach to discovering the principles that underlay any classification system. When my students look at various aspects of the Yoruba therapeutic system based on the principle of alaafia, we attempt to understand, from an insider's perspective, how diseases are defined and classified. We learn how this system provides the basis for decision-making at individual and community levels."
Indigenous Knowledge spans all domains of knowledge from astronomy to zoology. Mike's research has ranged from farming systems to natural resource management systems, from biodiversity to health delivery systems—all with an aim at providing the basis for facilitating sustainable approaches to development. And, probably more importantly, giving credit to communities for many sophisticated knowledge systems that need to be understood as contributions to global knowledge.
Mike
also set up a global network of indigenous knowledge centers; there are now
33, with the largest number in Nigeria. Students at these centers, including
those who travel with Mike and Mary from the United States, are busy recording
indigenous knowledge systems. Results of their studies are available at the
Iowa Center as well as other study centers. Titles of research reports include
"Yoruba Concepts of Health and Well-Being in Nigeria" and "Studies
in Technology and Social Change." Mike and Mary have also edited a book
on Nigerian "Hometown Associations" and their role in sustainable
development, coming out in the fall. Copies of many of the studies are available
from CIKARD, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, for $10 + $3 postage.
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REMEMBERING PC DIRECTOR SAM PROCTOR
I recall when Sam Proctor visited my school in Yola. My students all wanted to see him and hear him speak, at least partially because they did not believe that in the United States a black person could be the boss of a white person like me. Sam represented for me, in his Peace Corps leadership, a flexibility and support that in later administrations would shift because of the much larger numbers and, perhaps, because the personalities were not that of Sam. I recall that when we wrote to him to ask his permission to drive our jeep across the border to Garuoa, Cameroon, (we said for supplies, but it was really for the steak dinners flown in from France) he wrote back and said, "I can't give you permission to do that, but send me a postcard when you get back."
My path continued to cross Sam's as he worked in the Office of Economic Opportunity and at the University of Wisconsin. Later I became vice president of the seminary where he was a trustee (Colgate Rochester/Crozer). I recall once at a trustees' meeting, when some students were giving me a hard time as an administrator, Sam delivered quite a monologue on my pioneering and noble service with him in the Peace Corps (with no small amount of preacher's license embellishing my feats). More recently, I was honored that Sam Proctor was willing to be a reference for me, including in my present job
Proctor
had a great influence on many people's lives, not only through his preaching
and teaching, but also through his personal concern and mentoring. His life
empowered and supported me and many others. The world is richer because of
his unique life and gifts.
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NPCA CONFERENCE MEETS IN SAN DIEGO
Nigeria RPCVs and staff who attended the conference were:
Charlene
Baldwin, (24), 66-68, Riverside, CA
Bee Dunn Campbell, (27) 66-67, Pacific Palisades, CA
E. Timothy Carroll, (9) 63-65, Washington, DC
David Crippens, (12) 64-66, Los Angeles, CA
Frank B. Ehrenfried, (21) 66-67, San Francisco, CA
Ellen and David Elliott, (staff) 66-68, San Francisco, CA
Rochelle Foster, (2) 61-63, Wayne, NJ
Donald Haines, (10) 64-66, San Diego, CA
Katy and Peter Hansen, (27) 66-67, Orange City, IA
Richard James, (12) 64-66,Toledo, OH, with wife Fabianta
Dan Leegant, (9) 63-65, Santa Monica, CA
Walter Lewis, (4) 62-64, Capitol Heights, MD
Larry Lipton, (14) 65-67, Swarthmore, PA, with wife Susan
Cathy Onyemelukwe, (4) 62-64, Westport, CT, with husband Clement
John Pabustan, (001) 91-93, San Diego, CA
Beth and Carl Petersen, (7) 63-66, Del Mar, CA
Steve Riddle, (12) 64-67, Portland, OR
Gerald W. Sodomka, (21) 66-68, Cardiff, CA
David Wilcox, (4) 62-64, Tarzana, CA
Thursday night was reserved for country of service reunions, and many of us gathered at a local restaurant for dinner. The first ever Friends of Nigeria business meeting was held on Friday afternoon. The theme of the Friday night banquet was Africa; two tables were reserved for Nigeria volunteers! The band, called Bitoto, was from Zaire. It's playing inspired lively highlife and other African dancing and brought back memories of the old days.
The conference included a wide range of activities. Speakers included Peace Corps Director Mark Gearan and RPCV John Garamendi, Deputy Director of the Interior. Workshops focused on topics such as Work Abroad, Global Issues, Immigration, and Public Speaking (about your Peace Corps experience). A film festival included both documentaries and international films. Saturday was Volunteer Day with opportunities to clean up a beach, work for Habitat-for-Humanity, or a dozen others. A five-mile walk/run for peace through Balboa Park was held Sunday morning before breakfast.
Best
of all were the casual conversations we had about old friends and old times.
On a less happy note, we also talked about Nigeria today—several of those
present had been back to Nigeria in recent years. We wouldn't be "Nigerians,"
however, if we weren't optimistic about the future.
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FON HOLDS FIRST GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Peter Hansen, (27) 66-67, gave a treasurer's report for the entire period the group has been in existence, i.e., May 21, 1996, to June 30, 1997. The income for the period was $6975, expenditures $4108, with a balance on hand of $2867. Peter also gave us a membership report, and advised us that as of June 30, we have a total of 260 members. Our first membership directory was given to all members present. Cathy thanked him for all his work in both these areas.
Peter provided a brief history of FON. He reported that Peace Corps Washington claims there were 2523 Nigeria volunteers, but he believes that this includes people who entered training but who did not serve in Nigeria. The number 1800 seems more realistic.
Cathy asked her husband Clem, who is frequently in Nigeria, to give an update on the country. He described the current political and economic scene. He said that the country does not seem as dangerous as we are led to believe by the press and the U. S. State Department.
Cathy reported that several people who could not attend had sent their greetings: Lucinda Boyd, (5) 62-64, Les Ariail, (4) 62-64, and Kathie Saltonstall Moore, wife of William Saltonstall, Peace Corps Representative in Nigeria 63-65.
The members present considered and discussed giving financial support to projects in Nigeria. Bob Scully described the polio immunization program that the Atlanta, GA, RPCV's support; apparently, Nigeria is currently targeted for polio eradication. Two other project possibilities were described: solar ovens and Ashoka. We would like feedback from other members on which project we should support. The Board will confer further on this as necessary.
Elections
were then held, with current officers staying on. Two new Board members volunteered
and were elected: Richard James and Carl Petersen. The members of the Board
are listed elsewhere in the newsletter.
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FON MEMBER MARCHES FOR NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY ACT
We walked from Methodist House to the steps of the Capitol looking out on the Mall. It was a sweltering 85-degree day at high noon. The participants' numbers swelled as people got out for their lunch hours; we ended up with about 80 marchers. A man, in what used to be called native dress, using a bullhorn, called out the chants in a call and response fashion:
Folabi: Shell drills!
Marchers: Abacha kills!
Folabi: Shell drills!
Marchers: Abacha kills!
another favorite:
Folabi: Boooooot Abacha!
Marchers: Save NiJEEER-yah!
The press was, of course, present and interviewed some of the leaders. I was not interviewed. But at the earlier briefing session, I introduced myself as a member of the Friends of Nigeria and, though I was careful to say that I was not representing FON, I did say I thought many of us who cherish our Nigeria experience and who saw democracy working in Nigeria could be brought to support H.R.1786.
This was, of course, only the first day of an entire week of lobbying actions. Wole Soyinka was expected to arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday to give an award to MOSOP and to make a speech.
I did not carry a sign while I marched. Instead, I waved a copy of Soyinka's The Open Sore of A Continent, waving it especially at the press as I passed them at the edge of our marching, chanting circle. It was a great day and a sad day. A great day to be an American free to march, a sad day to realize how long democracy has been absent in Nigeria.