Allegra’s Speech

On July 11, 2021 Allegra Fuller Snyder passed away, one day before her dad, Buckminster Fuller's birthday and her parents' wedding anniversary. Allegra and her grandson in Korčula, Croatia in 2014 (Photo credit: Stephanie Smith) I met Allegra for my first and last time during the 28th ICTM (International Council of Traditional Music) Symposium in… Continue reading Allegra’s Speech

Dancing as a disentitlement of political engagement…?

 As the world celebrates America's first woman vice president in 2020, I am reminded of how Kamala Harris was derided for dancing during her campaigns. Should an interest in dancing negate a woman's entitlement to political engagement? https://youtu.be/IqyTGLUYVT4 As her dancing video went viral on the internet, a disapproving columnist from Wall Street Journal described… Continue reading Dancing as a disentitlement of political engagement…?

Land Acknowledgement in Vancouver

When I first immigrated to Vancouver and heard people make land acknowledgements at the beginning of ceremonies and events, I often wondered if they were speaking in English and what they meant. It usually goes like this: “I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the… Continue reading Land Acknowledgement in Vancouver

My memory of Professor Andrée Grau (1954-2017)

From left: Egil Bakka, Andrée Grau and author in 2014 It was a sunny day on the campus of University of Blaise-Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand, France in 2014. I was sunbathing on a bench, enjoying coffee with my classmate, Bry Levina Viray when Professor Andrée Grau and Egil Bakka came strolling towards us. Andrée exclaimed, "What… Continue reading My memory of Professor Andrée Grau (1954-2017)

A Quiet Weekend at Mangala Resort Spa, Malaysia

I was visiting family in Malaysia earlier this year and decided to sneak away alone for a quiet weekend at the newly opened 5-star Mangala Resort & Spa in Pahang. I took a domestic flight from Penang to Kuantan on Fireflyz’s turboprop aircraft which offered me an amazing view of the lush greenery of Peninsula… Continue reading A Quiet Weekend at Mangala Resort Spa, Malaysia