Craic @Corrymeela

The Youthstock Daily
Wednesday 20th June 2001


Blood, Sweat and Tears
Youthstockers try a Native American Sweatlodge

With the Irish summer finally here, what better way to spend a cold grey evening than in a Sweatlodge. Using traditional Native American methods, Carl Bigheart and his dedicated team have created an experience that will be hard to beat. The sacred igloo like structure, heated by over 30 red-hot volcanic rocks, had peoples blood pumping and sweat pouring.

Although initially apprehensive, the first young people to enter the pitch darkness soon found themselves relaxed by soothing chants and prayers. Time stood still and thoughts focused on loved ones and the feelings toward nature and Mother Earth. A break between the four stages provided a brief respite for participants to take on liquid and escape the heat.

Asked afterwards how they found the experience, most of the young people were too relaxed to speak. Bigheart explained to the group how the process cleanses both mind, body and soul, as well as healing deep personal wounds. The whole ritual took just over two hours an believe me when I tell you it was hot!

Echoing Children's Rights

Tonight the "Echo Session" held by Jelana (Croatia) educated us on human rights for children. We discussed the different ways children's worldviews are formed, why it is important for them to be involved in activities and social-responsibilities. In addition, we reviewed different ways to educate them about their rights.

Many of the facts Jelana shared were quite shocking. She described that today there are more child slaves than any time before, and that African children are put into slavery at the age of five. The children are forced to work under horrible conditions, for example: they work from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. and are given minimal breaks and very little drinking water.

But how can we as individuals help? Certainly we can fund a project that helps educate children in the community about their human rights, but what about on a broader level? Jelana explained that we must make people more aware of how many children are not given their rights, and that we must start small by educating those around us.

Legalise Cannabis?

The opinions of every one involved in the legalisation of Cannabis workshop were almost identical. In that the path to legalisation should begin with the use of Cannabis to treat illnesses such as Multiple Scleroses or conditions that effect bones and muscles. The feeling in the workshop was that such a move would change people's attitudes towards and could see Cannabis being grown and used all over the UK.

Big questions were raised amongst the group as to which drug is the bigger evil, Tobacco or Cannabis, and if legalised, who would control its distribution. Would government control prices and quantities or would decriminalisation, rather than legislation, open the way to people growing their own.

One workshop participant makes his views clear, "I feel it would be a great benefit to the nation and would open the eyes and minds of the people, making them aware of their issues and problems that effect this world. There is a lot to be done to awaken people to the benefits of this magical plant and its uses, In the works of Peter Tosh, 'legalise it.'"

The remaining articles from today's Craic @ Corrymeela will be posted in the next entery.

By Donnell Mersereau (pdfs11a07.client.global.net.uk - 195.147.235.224) on Wednesday, June 20, 2001 - 07:09 am:

Craic @Corrymeela

The Youthstock Daily
Wednesday 20th June 2001

New Ideas Discussed by Adult Advisors

The adult advisors from YouthBank in the UK and YACs in the US met this Tuesday afternoon to share learnings and experiences. Sparked by the dynamic discussion on needs assessments during an "Echoes Session" on Monday night, two youth advisors (who happen to be roommates) requested the opportunity for an "adults only" informal discussion.

Topics discussed:
1) How to build visibility for both requests for proposals and grants distributed? Suggestions included press releases, visiting non-profit board meetings for distribution of grants, targeted mailings, road shows by youth to service organizations and other community groups, community newspapers written by the youth grantmakers and tech communications such as web sites, group e-mail, listservs, instant messaging and mobile text messaging.
2) Needs assessments. The group discussed how needs assessments serve as a tool to educate and build awareness around youth issues with youth grantmakers as well as build credibility with future funders and the community.
3) Partnerships. The advisors commented on the variety of partnerships that evolved throughout the UK and how those partnerships met local needs.
4) Youth Issues. Advisors shared experiences both positive and challenging when working with youth as they learn about grantmaking and team building.
5) Participant List. Adult advisors asked whether an attendee list including addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses would facilitate continued discussion and relationship building among YouthStock participants.

Another World

A big white box with words on it appeared in the reception area yesterday morning. It is in fact a window into another world-into a young women's schizophrenic mind. Watched from all sides, the actor incased inside the "mind" provided the observers with a sometimes frightening experience, trying to give some sense of the thought processes and trauma that this young women is going through.

What had the greatest impact on the viewers of this performance, was the realisation that mental illness can effect anyone at anytime. "It felt as though I was invading her space and that people were trying to control her and the way she leads her life." The box will be her until Thursday.

End

By Scott M. Dane ( - 195.147.220.66) on Thursday, June 21, 2001 - 05:39 am:

I continue to feel so incredibly fortunate to live in America. I spent a good deal of time talking with a lady who works with youth from both the Protestant and Catholic sides of Derry and I was attempting to grasp the ongoing 'war'. I was not able to completely understand exactly why the conflict continues to this day. There was a small section of Derry reserved for the Protestants and it was fenced off. It reminded me of a Japanese Internment Camp. There was a twenty foot high fence and plenty of reminders of the most recent fighting. Families have been forced out of their homes because they have been burned up. This happens every night. The fence around the Protestants contains seven gates that are locked at ten o'clock each night and there is no way in or out. Outside one of the most violent areas was an army base and we were informed that they do nothing to intervene with the conflict. They have cameras that later may help to convict a person who is in the middle of the conflict, but that's all. It was amazing how the petty differences have turned into an ageless war with no end in sight.

Though I have always viewed the Catholics and Protestants as having completely and separate views on every issue, this is not true at all. In fact I had trouble finding many differences at all and I'm still not sure I understand why there is such a a huge conflict.

The entire Derry experience was hard for me to grasp. I still have difficulty imagining war nightly or death over two religions that seem so similar. There is no end in sight but we were very fortunate to have met a few of the people who are trying to make a change. God bless them.

On a much lighter note, we also interviewed our grant applicants. I was able to spend some time with a young man (16) named Shane who was completely inspirational to me.  He also carried his niece in his arms for at least twenty minutes while they showed us around their community.

I also had the opportunity to play soccer...FINALLY!  There were a group of kids at a community center that challenged me to a match. I told one of the kids that if I won I got his Celtic Jersey. He accepted the invitation and then proceeded to beat me pretty bad...however it was thirty kids against me....but I still should have won...I've also promised them I would mail over many balls for them. We played soccer on asphalt that was covered in glass shards and nails and they goals had no nets. I asked the kids what they did if the ball was ruined and they said that would be the end of soccer for quite some time for them. It broke my heart.

I anticipate the same excitement on Thursday as the Summer Solstice Party takes place and Skinny M and I premier on the hip hop scene.

Cheers

By Elsa Mersereau ( - 195.147.220.66) on Thursday, June 21, 2001 - 05:44 am:

Hello to all. Yet again we've had an amazing day. Today was set aside for our site visits to the town Derry. Throughout the week we have been reviewing grant applications and now we had the chance to interview each applicant. I interviewed an organization helping girls with eating disorders. In was very interesting to here about the lack of help and education the females have regarding eating disorders in their area. I see a great deal of potential for this group. We also had a tour of Derry and learned about their troubles with the on going conflict. It is unreal to think that for thirty straight years the Catholics and Protestants have been fighting. I took a walk along a wall that has a lot of conflict associated with it and that has been totally barricaded since four years ago. While we were driving around Derry we saw armed men walking the streets and tanks driving by. Let me tell you, we are not in Kansas any more. But Derry does have some great projects set up for youth. We had a disco at this multi-media center used by all of Derry. I did see a nice youth hostel, but I don't think I'll every need to come back. It wasn't my idea of a vacation city, but that is why it was a perfect area to be our focus.

I have one last session with my grant-making group. I really enjoyed working with them. Kellogg gave this conference some money for the grant making, and I learned that this is the first time that Kellogg has given money internationally. The UK Youth Banks are really proud of how much they having been growing and gaining recognition. Their goal is to be at the level of the YACs back in Michigan.

Thanks to everyone who has been posting messages, especially Aunt Mary and Kristen (Princess). We are all having a great time, and everyone from across the Atlantic says hello.

Booya-

Elsa

By Jenny Zeisler ( - 195.147.220.66) on Thursday, June 21, 2001 - 05:56 am:

Hello! I have to start with a little bit about Tuesday night. After tea time, it was time for a little Irish music. We had a ball, dancing, and we even learned a few Irish dances.

After the dance I went to a short theater performance called "The Box". It was a fifteen minute look into the head of a woman with schizophrenia. We all sat around a ten by ten box, with walls ten foot high, and watched through little holes to see this man act in the way one with schizophrenia would. Many were quite shaken, it was a brilliant performance, and very eye opening!

Now, onto day three. Derry.

The Factory 11:00 am. Up to this point of the morning we took part in a few small activities. We then met in our grantmaking groups for one last chance to get everything together.

Lunch 12:00 pm. Irish Fry...well, it was good...but it wasn't quite the food I would recommend right before a two hour bus ride. Oh well.

Derry tour 2:00 pm. We arrived in Derry, and then split up into our grantmaking groups for tours around the city. Our tour guides were a middle aged protestant couple

First we visited two Protestant churches. The first held an unbroken bomb that was not loaded with gunpowder, but rather a note with a surrender agreement.

The next place we went was a gated village for Protestants. It was sad, because there are only seven gates in and out of the community, and they are locked at ten. Children are not allowed out with out their parents. We could see signs of graffiti and places where outsiders tried to burn down the wall.

We then traveled through a few different neighborhoods where we were shown the mix of Catholic and Protestant houses, where they were trying to mix the neighborhoods, but which still contained a lot of violence.

After driving through a Republic area, we were at the highest point in Derry. It was so beautiful!

Dinner 5:00 pm. We arrived at a teen center where we ate dinner, then were taken to our grant applicants sites.

Community Center 7:00 pm. We met our grant applicant at a community center. Her name, Ciara McCallion, was a twenty year old university student. Ciara was working with a group of 4-7 year olds using drama to build confidence, imagination, and bring the two Protestant and Catholic groups together. We met a few of her young students, and we could tell their activities were a great experience.

Women's Center 8:00 pm. Our second group interviewed a girl who worked at a center where women were given tools to get out on their own. The girl wanted to create a package to assist young girls in getting out on their own.

The Nerve Center (teen center) 9:00 pm. We hung out at The Nerve Center for the rest of the evening before heading back to BallyCastle and Corrymeela. There was two bands and movies to watch all night. However, I chose to spend the time talking with my new friends. (Who would have thought??)

Final note for today. The conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics is so real. Its scary that two religions so close can not over come years of prejudice. I see good things happening in the community, but it still seems sad that a group of the minority has to live in a fenced off community!

By Danielle Williams ( - 195.147.220.66) on Thursday, June 21, 2001 - 06:04 am:

Hi everyone!!
We are still having a great time here in Northern Ireland. Yesterday we took a wonderful tour around the Derry area. We got a chance to meet the grant applicants. I was thrilled with the enthusiasm in them. There aren't a lot of activities for youth to get involved with in the Derry area so these folks are really making a difference. One of our groups is trying to create a teen drop-in center for the Bog Side of Derry. There are more teen activities for the Water Side and they want to get some more programs for the Bog Side. After we met with the applicants, Jenny, Scott, Elsa, Matt, and I took a nice walk through the Derry area. I had some of the best nachos last night. There's nothing better than some good Irish Guacamole. After our late evening, we came back and crashed. It was a long day but we had quite a craic.

Booyah-
Danielle

By Gabi Lopez-Betanzos ( - 195.147.216.200) on Friday, June 22, 2001 - 06:10 am:

Hello!

Yesterday was also ridiculously packed. I did capuera again in the morning. At this point I can't exactly remember what else I did in the morning. In the afternoon we continued work on our video. The SX camera I used costs about $35000! Later, I experienced a sweatlodge. This Native American ritual involves a nearly-sealed, dome-like structure in which red-hot rocks were placed. The leader, Carl BigHeart poured water over the hot rocks. So it was like a really long, hot sauna. Though some rather enjoyed it, I found it very strenuous.

In the evening, we enjoyed performances by the different groups, including drama, music videos, and a rap. Next, we heard a samba group and ate barbecued burgers. Later in the evening, we celebrated the solstice with a huge bonfire.

Gabi

By Gabi Lopez-Betanzos ( - 195.147.216.200) on Friday, June 22, 2001 - 06:28 am:

[I'm quite sure that I've messed-up my postings, so bear with me. This one refers to Wednesday.]

Hi everyone!

Yesterday we had a long day. It was so long that I didn't get a chance to write my entry.

The Irish music that I promised to write about proved to be rather good. A Corrymeela volunteer from Northern Ireland did a bit of Irish step dancing. She may be a native but she still isn't as good as the Maguire Twins. She tried to teach us some traditional Irish dances. I say tried because we weren't very good and there were too many people to direct. At any rate, it was good fun.

So, my day began with Capuera at 8:00. Capuera (I'm spelling it phonetically, not correctly) is a form of Brazilian martial arts. Our teacher explained that Capuera is a game, though, when performed slowly, it looks like a traditional dance. Though the movements are smooth and simple, it's still good exercise. The music is great too. Mostly we listened to a tape, though our teacher played and sang for us as well. The single instrument looked like a bow (as in bow and arrow) with a hollowed out gourd attached to it. He held the bow-like piece and a small, flat stone in one hand and a stick and small bag of beads in the other. The participants clapped and sang along with the music. It was really cool that we could make the music ourselves. As it happens I'm not terribly good at the martial arts, but it was lots of fun.

After breakfast I went to a session on male violence. We discussed the scope of male violence and possible solutions to the problems. I found it interesting and insightful.

For lunch we had an Irish fry. It wasn't as good as the one I'd had on Sunday, but it was still an Irish fry.

After lunch we went to Derry/Londonderry. In the 17th century the settlement was known as Derry. Then, funders and settlers from London built up the town economically. Since they made such a contribution to Derry, the Londoners renamed the town Londonderry. The Irish that had been living there did not welcome the British and refuse to call the city Londonderry to this day. The Irish were (and are) predominantly Catholic while the British settlers were (and their descendents are) predominantly Protestant. The conflict between Catholics and Protestants has been going ever since. A cease-fire was signed in the 1990s and conditions have been better, though still tense.

After a little tour of the city that included history, we got down to work. We were in town to interview groups that applied for grants and to visit their sites. The YouthStock participants were split into eight groups. Each group had two or three grants to evaluate and £500 per grant application. (about $1.4 per £.) Both group we interviewed concerned themselves with breaking down barriers between Catholic and Protestant youths. We were impressed with the first group but not the second. We returned from Derry/Londonderry very late at night.

Having fun,
Gabi

By Aunt Mary ( - 24.183.240.197) on Friday, June 22, 2001 - 12:49 pm: