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The STSCA had the opportunity of hosting Abdul Khakim Saliev, Akmal Moidinov and Valentina Manastyretskaya while they were here for two weeks to perform at Bumbershoot. Abdul Khakim and Akmal are tightrope walkers who have been practicing this art since they were two years old. Tightrope walking is considered an important and laudable Uzbek tradition and can be seen in many of the open air bazaars around the country. Valentina played an important role in assisting the young performers who were making their first trip to the States. Part of the delight in hosting them came from seeing their enjoyment of American hospitality, garage sales, Kaleenka samsa, endless selec tion of materials for their rigging and the strange and wonderful event of Bumbershoot. The job of erecting the rigging, tightrope and trapezes was almost more breath-taking than the three performances each day, at least for the people behind the scenes. The weight of their own rope and rigging made it impossible for Abdul Khakim and Akmal to bring on the plane more than their balance pole, stilts, Uzbek horns and costumes. Finding the right cross poles and cable for the set-up to which they were accustomed was a feat by itself. Then the crosspole supports which were steel, instead of the ir usual aluminum, had to be raised (about 40 feet above ground) with a crane instead of human strength and anchored without driving stakes into the ground (which would put the sprinkler system in mortal danger!). Next the safety officials had to approve the unusual looking structure. When the safety inspection was passed at 1 p.m. the day before Bumbershoot opened, an audible sigh of relief was breathed by many. On Friday, August 30th, the first show opened at 1 PM just following a refreshing rain. The rain did not return until the day the rigging was dismantled September 3rd. The artists performed three times a day through the four days of Bumbershoot and were assisted by Rich Hawkins as English announcer (he said he always wanted to be ringmaster at a circus), Marisha Doan as dancer and prop helper and Alfonso Gormezano as dancer and drummer. The most unusual routine of each show was the moment when Akmal cl imbed in a black body sack, tied it over his head and proceeded to walk across the rope. Once a day he also performed an Uzbek version of a bungy free fall with a cleverly knotted rope. The whole experience demonstrated a very different aspect of Uzbek culture than the STSCA had known before. Special thanks to Marina Dietsch, Fred Noland and Susan Rushton for their hosting of Valentina while she was here. The same goes to Rich Hawkins and Joanne Young for the hosting of Akhmal and Abdul Khakim. Thanks to Lydia Barrett for feeding the young m en frequently at the Kaleenka, to Paula Quigley for arranging a wonderful reception and Kamal Bouranov for helping translate often and put out assorted fires. Kamal and Joyce Doan worked for some months in making arrangements for this group to come. For the many others who stepped in as needed at the last minute, the STSCA is most grateful. "Hey, That Was Fun!" When life is at its best, everything seems to fall into place. The things you can think of to do turn out to be the very things that need doing. And if there's no time to stop and think, then you don't have to deliberate or worry, you just act. Now, nothing is perfect, but the two weeks I just spent with Akmal Moidinov and Abdulkhakim Saliev came as close to meeting that ideal for me as any time I can remember. In mid June, just after I'd returned from a year of teaching English in Tashkent, Joyce Doan asked me if a couple of Uzbek tightrope walkers could stay with me during Bumbershoot. It seemed an innocent request. My apartment is small, only one bedroom, and there's almost no furniture, but I do happen to have two extra beds, the legacy of raising three boys in a much larger house. And the timing was right, just after summer quarter at the UW but before the start of fall classes. "If you don't find a better place, sure. They're welcome to stay with me," I said, confident that a better place would surely turn up. That particular confidence had vanished by the time a group of us stood in the lobby at SeaTac waiting for our guests to arrive three hours later than planned. (They'd missed their connection at Kennedy.) Although those three hours proved to be the largest block of uninterrupted waking time I'd know for two weeks, this is not a complaint. I wouldn't trade the memory of those two weeks for anything. It's hard to say what I'll remember best: videotaping their reverent visit to the grave of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee on a rainy Seattle morning, handing up their colorful costumes and instruments to them before each performance as they towered sm iling above me on their stilts, or just sharing in the palpable joy when they'd safely performed their amazing act one more time. I'll bet we've all had a taste of this kind of life either here or in Tashkent--literally losing ourselves in what we're doing or seeing. I'll bet it was either the memory or the hope of this kind of life that got us involved in this work in the first pla ce. It's good to realize that the possibility still exits if we're willing to make the investment and take the risk. From Dream to Reality On October 4th, a group of 12 people sponsored by Orphan Care for Central Asia (OCCA) will be departing Seattle for Tashkent. This delegation of doctors, nurses, occupational and physical therapists, a special education consultant and a clinical psycholo gist will be in Tashkent to assess the needs of approximately 200 orphans and, especially, to address some of these needs. They will also be making a side trip to Samarkand as part of a cultural tour. Because Samarkand is rich in tradition and history, it should be an enriching experience for those twelve professionals, 11 of whom will be first-time visitors to Uzbekistan. The group will present a one day conference on continuing medical education. At this conference they will be giving helpful information in each of their chosen professions to doctors, nurses and students from the Institute of Pediatrics. STSCA Board Member Paula Quigley and her husband, Jim, are executive directors of OCCA. They will be preceding the medical team by about a week to work out some of the last minute details. The trip will be Paula's fourth and Jim's second. Prior visits focused on the condition of orphans and the delivery of medical supplies. One of their aims this trip is to make follow-up visits to orphanages where medicines and clothing were previously donated. They'll be there less than three weeks, returning Octob er 20th. OCCA Board Chairman, Dr. Harlan Gephart, is heading up the medical team. Dr. Gephart was in Tashkent last Fall, where he met Uzbekistans Deputy Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Alisher Sharipov. Dr. Sharipov invited OCCA to participate in a projec t, the first part of which is a complete assessment of each child who is an orphan or who has a physical, mental or emotional disability. Kamal Bouranov of STSCA, and his cousin Shirin in Tashkent were instrumental in connecting the Quigleys with Home of the Child in the Autumn of 1993. Home of the Child is the Tashkent orphanage where the idea germinated that six months later became Orpha n Care for Central Asia, and it is one of three orphanages where OCCA has focused resources. "Our main goal is to help them do better what they are already doing," says Paula in reference to the caregivers at these orphanages. "This trip is only the beginning of OCCA's future work in Tashkent: the realization of a dream. The first visit where we will actually be working with the children, focusing on their health and well-being, which is really what its all about". If you are interested in helping or getting more information about OCCA, you may call (206) 483-5712. Or you can send a tax-deductible contribution to Orphan Care for Central Asia, PO Box 1852, Bothell, WA 98041-1852. OCCA is an independent non-profit h umanitarian organization registered in the State of Washington. OCCA's aims have been endorsed by the STSCA. Celebrating Diversity Seattle-Tashkent Sister City Association participated in Seafirst Bank's Western Washington Multi-Cultural Celebration. It was a free event that took place at the Columbia Center September 20th. Prizes, live entertainment, and exhibitions were part of th e celebration. Mikaron Fortier, Bob Ness, Joanne Young, and Maxine Van Nostrand provided beautiful Uzbek items, a video, and answered many questions about Uzbekistan. Our exhibit was one of many representing cultural regions from around the world, including Southeast A sian, Native American, Northern African, and East Indian, and others.
Last Update: 2 November 2005 Logo courtesy Mamoun Sakkal |
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