Issue Nº337

Aug 2017 (99 months ago)
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The Africa Connection

An interview with Tahir Kedir, By Manas

With 55 countries, about 3,000 ethnic groups and about 2,000 languages, Africa is a continent of massive diversity. It is said that the genetic difference between two Africans is often more than the genetic difference between a Chinese and a Czech.

All the birds of Oxfordshire

Poetry, By Vikas (Alan Vickers)

“There is nothing which gives you a joy equal to that of gratitude. One hears a bird sing, sees a lovely flower, looks at a little child, observes an act of generosity, reads a beautiful sentence, looks at the setting sun, no matter what, suddenly this comes upon you, this kind of emotion – indeed so deep, so intense – that the world manifests the Divine, that there is something behind the world which is the Divine.”

Knitting the community together

Feature, By Carel

The work of the Auroville’s Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS)

Auroville’s raison d’être and how to achieve it

Feature, By Gilles Guigan

It is this ‘decisive action direct from the Supreme’ and it alone that makes possible what used to be impossible. It is by tuning to this new and higher consciousness which has descended that the Aurovilians were able to be Mother’s instruments – and will continue to be her willing servitors.

Creating public canvases

Art review, By Inge van Alphen

Auroville displays an increasing amount of art in public spaces. Two of the recent murals are telephone-themed and are located on telephone boxes on the Auroville main road near Kindergarten and the Eukies field.

Under the Banyan

Book review, By Alan

Under the Banyan is a sketchbook designed to introduce readers to essential principles of sustainable architecture in tropical climates, using examples drawn from Auroville.

News in Brief

New members needed Nominations have been invited from the community for three new members of the Working Committee, three for the Council and two for the Funds and Assets Management Committee.

FAMC annual work plan The Funds and Assets Management Committee (FAMC) has issued its annual work plan. Its objectives include a) increasing financial transparency and accountability by simplifying and strengthening basic regulations and policies b) growing Auroville’s income-generating activities to increase work opportunities for Aurovilians to provide more community wealth c) exploring the restructuring of the maintenance system to ensure that it provides sufficiently for all in need (e.g. food, child maintenance, ‘life-long maintenance’, etc.) d) exploring innovative solutions to provide affordable housing opportunities for Newcomers and Aurovilians and e) facilitating the development of a food strategy towards greater food security.

In Memoriam

A prime deliverer of an Indelible education

In memoriam: Miriam and Tashi — Renu

Michael Neville, a long-term Ashramite, passed away on 22nd January. Michael, known as ‘Michael Redbeard’, ran the early Auroville transport service and taught in the first Auroville school.

Tekeste Kidan Zerhanes

In memoriam:

On June 6th, Tekeste B.G. Kidan Zerhanes left his body in his apartment in Courage. He was 79. Tekeste, who in the late sixties came from Ethiopia to Ashram and Auroville and to whom Mother gave the adesh to “spread the light to Africa”, always kept the Mother’s words and love as the guiding principle of his life.

Yolande Lemoine

In memoriam:

One June 24th, Yolande Lemoine, one of Auroville’s strong supporters in the early days, left her body in Paris. Yolande had been a close friend and aide of Satprem and Sujata, and liaised the important contacts between J.R.D.

Damien Hedley

In memoriam:

On July 8th, Damien L. Hedley left his body at the age of 67 in Canberra, Australia, after a struggle with cancer. His funeral was held on July 13th at the Australian National Botanic Gardens.