Author: jal060

Courtney Bottazzi

Staff Writer

This Wednesday, the Griot Reading Group gathered in the Willard Smith Library in Vaughan Literature Building to discuss Clarence Walker’s book “Mongrel Nation.” Walker explores the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings from a contextual standpoint, discussing historical facts of the existence of their relationship and speculation about what type of relationship it was.

The reading group was joined by guests Julia Jefferson Westerinen and Shay Banks-Young. Westerinen’s great-grandfather was Eston Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings’s son. Banks-Young is the sixth great-granddaughter of the couple.

“It is easy to make the story an abstraction but when you have products of the relationship here, it makes it that much more real,” said Carmen Gillespie, professor of English.

The biracial cousins weighed in on the content of the book and the discoveries from their pasts. Westerinen found out about her genealogy in 1975 and a DNA test from her brother confirmed the historical facts in 1998. Banks-Young stated that although it was not spoken about outright, she grew up hearing the stories, especially from when her great-grandmother was still alive.

At times, the relationship between Jefferson and Hemings is portrayed as romantic, possibly to humanize Jefferson.

“I have anger. I don’t see a love story, I see a strong woman doing whatever she needs for her children. History books need to reflect the truth. I want American textbooks to have American history,” Banks-Young said.

Westerinen reflected on how she is often asked how it feels to be related to Jefferson. Both Banks-Young and Westerinen reject the “wow” factor of the relationship.

“It’s an accident of birth. It doesn’t matter what he did, it matters what I do now,” Westerinen said.

She explains that by also recognizing her black heritage, she has been welcomed by the black community.

“The bottom line is that racial prejudice is not over, and that’s why we’re here,” Westerinen said.

Banks-Young and Westerinen hope that more stories like theirs are able to surface and people can feel more open to speak of their family histories.

“So many women in America have had stuff happen that they’ve had to keep hidden. They have been told to ‘be ashamed.’ Women need to speak out loud, open that stuff up. All the men and women who were enslaved have un-coverable stories,” Banks-Young said.

Banks-Young and Westerinen continue to strive to bring about such a change that would allow for these stories to be uncovered and for American history to ring true.

Michelle Reed

Contributing Writer

Professor Eric Gable has been drawn to anthropology since he was a high school student, and he can pinpoint the very moment that piqued his interest in other cultures: a strange conversation with a man in Greece about a series of trenches in the ground.

“I had hoped the holes were signs of an ongoing archaeological dig,” Gable said. “But as he got more and more animated, I realized that he was telling me about a murder, a vendetta among the villagers that had just happened and the efforts they made to find the body among the weeds. All of a sudden, learning about strange presents seemed a lot more exciting than learning about strange pasts.”

Gable will visit the University to give a lecture in the Elaine Langone Center Forum on March 21 at 7 p.m. A part of the ongoing Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson lecture series, Gable’s talk, “What Heritage Does and Does Not Do to Identity: The Case of Hemings and Jefferson,” will draw on material from his fieldwork in Indonesia, West Africa and Monticello. This lecture is co-sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the Griot Institute for Africana Studies. Gable will also give an additional lecture on March 20 entitled “The Anthropology of Art” in the Traditional Reading Room in the Bertrand Library at 12 p.m.

Gable, who teaches anthropology at the University of Mary Washington, emphasizes the importance of learning about other cultures by attempting to connect with them.

“To understand them requires being engaged with them,” Gable said. “Listening rather than talking, watching rather than expecting to be watched, any complex human situation needs to be understood and mapped out from the native’s point of view first. Having that understanding in hand prevents us all from making big mistakes as we plan how to make the human condition better.”

Budding anthropologists, according to Gable, should learn to put themselves in unfamiliar territory.

“As much as you can, learn to speak other languages and try to speak in them as much as you can. Read the old school anthropologists, both for fun and for learning how the world looked to them. Travel as much as you can. Get away from the places you know to places you don’t know.”

By Michelle Reed

Contributing Writer

Poetry, one of the most powerful literary forms of all time, has the ability to create personal connections between writer and audience.

On Jan. 31, Mark Doty enchanted the audience in Bucknell Hall with a reading of poems from his National Book Award winning collection, “Fire to Fire.” Seven students had an even closer encounter with Doty’s poetic prowess: a master class.

During his time as The Stadler Center for Poetry’s 2011-2012 poet-in-residence, Doty taught two advanced poetry workshops at the “Poet’s Cottage” on campus to a small group of students. These writers were required to submit a portfolio of their work well ahead of Doty’s visit to be considered for a spot in the class.

Along with the two three-hour workshop sessions, members of the class were able to meet with Doty one-on-one to discuss their writing. Lauren Krichilsky ’12 found the conference time with Doty especially rewarding.

“Meeting Mark on a personal level to discuss a few of my works enabled me not only to better understand myself as a writer, but also to edit to near completion a poem with which I was struggling,” Krichilsky said. “In fact, I have since submitted that poem to a contest.”

Students who took the workshop enjoyed the informal setting.

“Doty promoted a casual atmosphere by opting to conduct class not in a classroom,” William Bonfiglio ’12 said.

Bonfiglio also took The Stadler Center for Poetry’s poet-in-residence master class last spring with poet Natasha Trethewey.

“Bucknell provides a unique opportunity each spring to work in an intimate setting with an established poet,” Bonfiglio said. “I’ve found that any experience shared with a published writer can be beneficial. Each has his or her own stories and advice to share, and they’re eager to offer guidance.”

Students described Doty’s master class as an “unforgettable” experience, noting the benefit of collaborating with a community of writers.

“The Mark Doty workshop was an amazing way to connect with other Bucknellians who share a passion for poetry,” Krichilsky said. “I hope that master classes will more occasionally be available to Bucknellians. That way, students can realize the true importance of poetry and its relevance today.”

By Jen Lassen

Arts & Life Editor

The thought of performing in front of peers, family and faculty members typically makes most people’s crawl … especially if the performance includes singing.

For Emily Lattal ’12, this type of performance is a piece of cake.

On Sunday, Feb. 19, Lattal gave her senior recital, the culmination of all of her studio voice lessons she takes for class credit each semester. Lattal, who studies under the direction of associate professor of music Catherine Payn, credits her as being a “wonderfully talented and supportive mentor.”

Last March, Lattal performed a junior recital for an audience at the University, and ever since then she has been practicing for her senior recital.

“I was able to choose some of the music myself, and the rest had been assigned to me gradually since then. I practice about one and a half hours per day throughout the year, and two to three hours per night for the weeks leading up to the recital,” Lattal said.

Obviously, Lattal is not one to shy away from the limelight. Having performed at countless classical voice and opera experiences, Lattal has also thoroughly enjoyed singing with the University’s all-female a cappella group, the Silhouettes.

As a current college senior, it is only appropriate that Lattal look back on her musical journey that led to her culminating senior performance.

“I had participated in musical theater and choirs from sixth grade through high school and loved experience of performing! Through voice lessons, I discovered that my voice is most appropriate for classical music. I wanted to explore performance through college, but it was important to me that I receive a strong liberal arts education as well,” Lattal said.

Since Lattal values the University not only for the vocal opportunities it afforded her, but for the education she has received.

“There is a special place in my heart for my freshman hallmates from the Arts Residential College. The common interest housing really helped us develop a lasting bond. My most exciting experience has been my work at the Nueva Vida Health Clinic in Nicaragua with the Bucknell Brigade,” Lattal said.

As a music performance major, Lattal plans to continue studying classical music in addition to performing, yet she wants her career to be focused on the administrative side of performance.

“I would love to work in development, marketing or outreach for an opera company or another performing arts organization,” Lattal said.

To her delight, Lattal’s senior recital accomplished the goals she set for herself from the start.

“My main goal in performing my senior recital was to pull together all I have learned about vocal technique, acting, language study and musicality over the last four years. I do believe that I demonstrated my improvement in these areas and I truly enjoyed giving the performance,” Lattal said.

Certainly, there’s nothing better than putting in hard work and having it pay off; figuratively, and literally for those who attended her performance, it sounds like this is what happened for Lattal. We can look forward to hearing more from this talented senior in the near future, but in the mean time, we can all only hope to imitate the same work ethic and dedication that allowed Lattal to put on a stellar performance after days and months of hard work. In Lattal’s case, practice does truly make perfect.

Rob O’Donnell

Columnist

I could start this column with a series of lame jokes about The Tallest Man on Earth’s actual height. Trust me, I tried a few out on my friend, and I’m lucky he’s so nice. Instead, I’m just going to jump right into reviewing the Swedish singer-songwriter’s album, “The Wild Hunt.”

The Tallest Man on Earth’s real name is Kristian Matsson, and based on his biography, I assume English is his second language. When you listen to his music, you wouldn’t believe it. His lyrics are absolutely original. My first language is English, I am an English major, and I still would have no chance at matching him. His style is very abstract, so it took me a few listens to truly understand most of the songs. But once you start dissecting them, they start to make more sense. Each song is an intensely personal story, so it has to be dealt with individually. I believe abstraction is his way of distancing himself from pain so he can sing with intense emotion and not break down.

He recorded all of the songs at his house by himself, yet the quality is flawless. It’s hard to describe the music, as it’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before. His guitar is fiery and complex, but breaks your heart at the same time. He is one of those rare musicians like John Frusciante who can tell you their emotions just by playing the guitar. It’s acoustic folk guitar but feels like a full band.

The vocals are probably what draw most people in. I would say he’s a cross between early Bob Dylan and Robert Johnson, the infamous blues musician. But at the same time, he is so distinguished it’s almost unfair to compare him to anybody else. His work is rasping and cutting, yet incredibly delicate when he wants. The last song, “Kids on the Run,” is him on a piano, and the result almost made me laugh the first time I heard it. The juxtaposition of the soft, sweet piano and his razor blade voice is unnerving at first, but now it is easily my favorite song on the album.

It takes a little while to get used to his style, but once you do, he has no equal. You truly believe every word he sings, because he sings with such passion he could not possibly be superficial. So when he says “Rumor has it that I wasn’t born, I just walked in one frosty morn’, into the vision of some vacant mind,” I believe him. Because that’s what I imagined when I first listened to his album.

By Heather Hennigan

Contributing Writer

For the next six weeks, Cherry Alley Café will be showing copper and patina art by Jonathan Lyons, College Core Curriculum lecturer and Posse faculty mentor for D.C. Posse Four.

Q: How did you make the pieces in Cherry Alley Café ? What inspired you to do this kind of work?

A: “I love working with copper because it’s so reactive, and because the metal reacts in such beautiful, colorful ways. It’s also quite forgiving as a material for sculpture. The pieces in Cherry Alley are almost all 12″ x 12″ copper sheets. I use a variety of compounds to produce the colors, ranging from vinegar, to a rust/corrosion-inducing compound, to a number of patina compounds designed to work well with and produce specific colors with copper. I also use leaves and other organic materials sometimes because as they react with some compounds, they’ll etch an impression into the copper itself.”

Q: What is your favorite part about creating these pieces, and what is the hardest aspect of the process? 

A: “I love seeing what I can do with this set of tools and a”‘canvas,” if you will, of copper. Difficult things include when a piece just doesn’t go the way I’d hoped and I have to scrap it–-though I recycle those for other artwork–and working with steel. I haven’t had much luck getting steel to react, probably because that’s just what most people don’t want their steel to do.”

Q: What do you hope people get out of viewing your work?

A: “I hope they’ll see them and enjoy them. The results, when they work out, can be striking. And who knows? Maybe some will want to take a piece home with them.”

Q: How has the reception of your pieces been so far? Are you excited about the display in Cherry Alley? 

A: “People do seem to like them–the people who mention them to me, anyway. I’m glad that Cherry Alley supports local artists and authors. We live in such a small community that I feel quite lucky to have local business and community support for the arts and artists in the area.”

Q: Any plans or hopes for the future with your work?

A: “My wife and I are planning a permanent installation of probably nine pieces in our home. And I’ve been thinking of doing more sculpture. I’ve worked in the past mixing metal art and textual elements, and I have some ideas for doing more of that in the future. I’m always looking for other businesses that feature local art.”