|
|
In the Wolof West African (Senegal) language the word DAJEEL means to encounter. In the Yucatec Maya language the word TAAN means TALKS.
Four years ago, our SJC History Club was formed by students and since then we have organized over 30 different ENCOUNTER TALKS (Dajeel Taan)where our guests were invited under two conditions: (1) They would only speak for 10-15 minutes maximum and (2) they would entertain QUESTIONS, press conference style from students. Our “normal” Dajeel Taan sessions were held on Wednesdays after school and we averaged between 50-100 students per encounter. Now it is time to change and adjust to the current Covid-19 realities. Our Dajeel Taan is guided by Standard #14 Benchmark from of The Jesuit document Our Way of Proceeding, specifically 14.2 which states “the school provides programs to lead students through the development of habits of reflection and social analysis that enable them to become advocates of social change.”
Four years ago, our SJC History Club was formed by students and since then we have organized over 30 different ENCOUNTER TALKS (Dajeel Taan)where our guests were invited under two conditions: (1) They would only speak for 10-15 minutes maximum and (2) they would entertain QUESTIONS, press conference style from students. Our “normal” Dajeel Taan sessions were held on Wednesdays after school and we averaged between 50-100 students per encounter. Now it is time to change and adjust to the current Covid-19 realities. Our Dajeel Taan is guided by Standard #14 Benchmark from of The Jesuit document Our Way of Proceeding, specifically 14.2 which states “the school provides programs to lead students through the development of habits of reflection and social analysis that enable them to become advocates of social change.”
|
RUDY THOMPSON
21st October 2020 (Dajeel Taan #3) Intro by yasser musa Rudy Thompson was born and grew up in one of Belize’s most beautiful villages, Burrell Boom, in what we call the Belize river valley. His awareness of the environment and deep sense of community fostered in him a love for being outdoors and being with people. As a Junior College student, here at SJC, Rudy’s incredible natural artistic talent, especially for drawing was observed and appreciated by the legendary SJC art teacher of 40 years Mrs. Michele Perdomo. Fast forward to today 21 October 2020, and we are graced with the presence of Rudy Thompson via ZOOM from his current location Los Angeles, California, USA where he is working on a college degree in studio art and art education at the Loyola Marymount, a Jesuit University. Rudy is a visual artist with an inclination toward tattoo art. He is also a notable DJ in our community - online and offline. For over a decade he has developed a large following of music supporters, building a love for all music, but with an unapologetic bias for Belizean roots music. We are grateful that Rudy has taken some time from his busy University life to be with us in this our 3rd Digital Dajeel Taan. Welcome brother Rudy! The screen is yours… FELICITA CANTUN
Dajeel Taan - 14 October 2020 intro text: yasser musa It is easy to introduce a person like Ms. Felicita because she is an edition of one. She is a life-long teacher…many decades inside and outside the classroom. Her real school is the community… A graduate of the University of Belize, Ms Felicita is a one-woman cultural army from the village of Yo Creek, Orange Walk District. She put the care and compassion back in community with her diligence and hard work- building up people through culture, sports, arts, traditional healing, and storytelling. In 2018, she led the Pok A Tok Mayan ballgame players to victory in the Mundo Maya Tournament in Guatemala. I consider her a SHERO of Belize, a cultural Boss! In 2018 I was part of a project where we did research on important women across Belize not just living, but women over the past 150 years who have had a big-time impact and influence on their society. Felicita is one such woman. In West Africa, there is a term called BEMBE. It means the rhythm of the people, and oftentimes the BEMBE ceremony involves people gathered in a circle to celebrate together. I welcome the lady from Yo Creek to SJC, to our digital DAJEEL TAAN. We are truly honored. Welcome Maestra! |
100 students, administrators and faculty joined our first ZOOM Dajeel Taan event.
|
LISA SHOMAN 1st digital Dajeel Taan (7th October 2020) intro text: yasser musa Good Afternoon and welcome to our first Dajeel Taan ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-2021 on this our new on-SCREEN platform.Dajeel is a West African word that means TO ENCOUNTER Taan is a Yucatec Maya word that means TO TALK. AFTER MY BRIEF INTRODUCTORY REMARKS OUR GUEST WILL TALK for 10-15 mins… then we will have another 20 minutes of QUESTIONS from you the students… Right now some of you are learning about the concepts of nation and state – that there is a coexistence of people that want to belong to a group and a management structure that makes decisions. The state as the creator, and enforcer of laws is an important element for the peace of our society. It is also cemented by ideas of sovereignty that gives it supreme power to guide the journey of our nation. It is within this context of ideas that MADAM JUSTICE Lisa Shoman is an important figure serving in each branch of the government. If you GOOGLE the NAME LISA SHOMAN – you will get 66,400 RESULTS, I just did it before coming online… she has been: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Ambassador to USA and OAS Crown Counsel Senior Counsel – 2009 Senator in the House of Representatives Today she is a JUDGE of the SUPREME COURT OF BELIZE Yes…those are huge titles by any standard. I need to REPEAT: She is the only woman to have served Belize in all 3 branches of government… In 2019 artists and writers called her a BEMBE. On social media, she calls herself SAVAGE… We are honoured to have her here for our DAJEEL TAAN---- Welcome MADAM JUSTICE…Lisa Shoman |
