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Gifted Gifts:
Nikki Giovanni and Alice Walker
if:
I By Riche Richardson
Nikki Giovanni, an acclaimed
| African-American poet, lectured March
130 at the Martin Luther King
| International Chapel.
Ms. Giovanni’s talk was rather
I thougfrt-provoking, for she addressed
I numerous issues.
According to Ms. Giovanni,
I societal perspectives must change for
-* 1 1 societal progress.
"We must change the way that men
land women look at each other; we
must change the way that black and
white people look at each other," she
I said.
Ms. Giovanni stressed self-
| preservation.
She stated that "the way black men
I kill each other, you’d think that there
| was a surplus somewhere."
The importance of community
I service was a motif in Ms. Giovanni’s
| address.
She urged students to volunteer.
"Who is going to carry us into the 21st
| century if we don’t," she said.
Furthermore, she encouraged
I students to find a way to love
somebody and to make a commitment
| to themselves.
"Believe in yourself and believe in
somebody else’s dreams. . . Find
someone to love and to believe in your
dreams.''
Also, Ms. Giovanni stated that you
have to give something back to be
somebody. She believes that "the best
way to get what you want is to give it
away."
To the delight of individuals in the
audience, the prolific poet concluded
her lecture by sharing some of her
works.
V/hen explaining the significance of
"Nikki Rosa," one of her most popular
poems, Ms. Giovanni stated that it was
written to counteract the presumptuous
statements that many biographers would
make about her youth-a youth during
which she was "quite happy."
"I didn’t want anyone to define my
life," she said.
After Ms. Giovanni finished her
lecture, she entertained questions from
the audience.
When asked if there was ever a
time curing which she questioned the
worth of her works, Ms. Giovanni
replied that she has always thought she
was good.
In her opinion, "If you don’t get a
kick out of you, who will?"
By Denise Ross
Gold and warm.
Experienced and new.
Familiar and uncommon.
Novelist, poet, role model.
Spelman and Sarah Lawrence.
White and Cherokee.
Black and female.
Alice Walker.
Presenting a side less seen, prolific
writer Alice Walker read 17 poems
Tuesday, April 17, at the Shrine of the
Black Madonna.
To a captive audience that filled
the sanctuary, Walker shared her
political views, her experiences in love
and her appreciation for history.
Walker began the reading with a
tribute to South African activist Winnie
Mandela, poetically terming her the
"contemporary face of the mother of
the human race."
Walker challenged the audience to
spiritually send love to Winnie and
Nelson Mandela.
Then, working within the silence of
the moment, Walker read her thoughts
and feelings in monotone voice,
allowing the words to reach her
audience.
A season.
"Expect nothing" and "Be Nobody’s
Darling" were for a time of emptiness.
"Did Your Mother Go Through I
This?" and "Gift" were for a season of I
disarray.
"Every Morning" and "Poem at 39" I
were for a season of age.
"Each One Pull One" and "Telling"
fit every season.
From a student’s nouveau!
viewpoint, Walker appeared to be I
confident and commanding.
Dreadlocks and casual dress 1
defined her as she entered and left to I
a standing response from the audience, f
"You’ll have three minutes fori
pictures," she said, then instructed the [
audience to stop taking pictures; one of |
the few times Walker would speak f
outside of her readings.
And with this glimpse of speech, I
Walker’s personality might be hard to I
pinpoint. But perhaps all that is f
needed to know can be found in one of I
Walker’s most striking poems "Each I
One Pull One."
"Each one pull one back into the
sun. . . We who have stood over
so many graves know no matter
what, all of us must live, or
none."
"The good thing about being in my I
40s is that I can tell you all what I’ve I
experienced so that you can leam from [
it," Walker said.
Jenelsie Holloway Presents
"In Retrospect"
By Carrie Allison Givhan
"In Retrospect," a selection of
paintings that cover the 1940s through
the present by Jenelsie Walden
Holloway, is currently on display in the
Upper Concourse of Manley College
Center.
A graduate of Spelman, Holloway
also attended the Chicago Art Institute
and went on to chair the art
departments of Prairie View College
and Dillard University.
Holloway has taught in the
Spelman College Department of Art
since 1952, and chaired it from 1952-
64 and 1979-89.
Although Holloway has been well
known in the art department for many
years, Retrospect" may be the first
time some other members of the
Spelman community have come into
contact ' with her work. Thus,
Holloway clarified the themes of her
paintings by saying that many have
"dance and religious overtones".
Holloway is inspired by several
other themes as well.
"Whenever something happens in
the world that seems significant, it
seems to inspire me," she said.
Specifically, Holloway discussed
certain works from "In Retrospect" and
their meanings.
The painting "Inner Side of Pale"
deals with things that appear to be pure
and white, yet are not actually as pure
as they seem.
Another painting entitled "Liberty"
ifi a "semi-abstraction" which, as
Holloway pointed out, is full of
symbolism that includes parts of the
flag and the Statue of Liberty.
"Camelion," part of the Atlanta
University collection, focuses on the
common reality of "people being Black
but being absorbed into the White
world. . . [or] Blade people not
knowing who they are."
Other paintings that have themes
that address the problems of Black
people in the world are "Eternal Bull,"
"Becoming," and two others called
"Limbo" that relate to the status of
people and the human condition.
The war in the Persian Gulf was
also an inspiration to Holloway. With
this theme in mind, she created the
series "Lines in the Sand" which
includes "New Eaden," "Limbo" and
"The Fire Next Time" (a title inspired
by James Baldwin).
Holloway not rally talked about her
work, she also mentioned her concern
for Spelman students.
Holloway believes that courses on
African and Afro-American culture
should be required.
In her experiences in teaching
African art, which is the foundation of
our history, her students have known
very little. After completing the class
they have been impressed with their
new knowledge of what they leam
about themselves.
The Spelman College community is
forever indebted to Holloway for her
hard work and dedication to our art
department.
Many students have benefited from
her teaching including Vamette
Honeywood, a noted artist, and Bary
Garther, a famous art critique.
Holloway notes that aft of
Spelman’s Fine Art department has
helped to inspire the art students.
And now, as Holloway prepares for
retirement, what is her greatest
memory? The students!
Let’s make certain "In Retrospect"
becomes a part of our cultural memory
by stopping to view the paintings by
May 20th, the last day of the exhibit.
It’s
B-Ball
Time!
By Maricia D. Bennelan
Come one, come all and let’s have
a ball! (A basketball that is!) Spring
basketball is now underway in an effort
to get a headstart on the 1991-92
season. Spring basketball is not
limited to those interested in being a
part of Spelman’s basketball team. It
is also a perfect opportunity for
students to come out and improve their
ball-handling skills, muscle tone,
shooting and overall game. Practice is
held Mondays through Thursdays from
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There are only two
weeks left, so all interested persons
should make a conscious effort to
attend. For more information contact
Coach Kathy Richey-Walton at 223-
7593.