Dear Sisters,
Good morning from a snowy Eisenach here in Germany. Some or most of you might have become concerned that there was kind of a communication breakdown regarding the forthcoming pan-African meeting. Attached kindly find the letter from the general coordinator (on behalf of the Circle ExCom) about the postponement of the meeting to the beginning of August.
We regret the inconvenience caused by the change of dates, even as we still hope that many if not all of the participants whose abstracts have been accepted, will still make it to this important meeting. Kindly also note the new submission date (APRIL 30) for those of you who have not yet sent their full papers. For those of you who will be sponsored by the Circle, kindly go ahead and send your passport pages (if you have not done so) so that the process of purchasing air tickets can commence as soon as we are able to do so. In due course, we will also connect all the participants who have submitted their full papers.
We still look forward to welcoming you all to South Africa in a critical month in South African women's herstory, the month of August.
To read more you can download the pdf here clicking here
Grace and Courage
Madipoane (the host regional coordinator)
Dear aunty Banke as I loved calling you.
You were always there for me
You were the big sister I never had
I could call on you anytime of the day or night and
you will pick my call and you will say “Kunbi se ko si” – “Kunbi I hope no problem’
From you I learnt the virtue call Patience
Now I say to myself who will calm me down when “my volcano decides to erupt”
You always know the right words to say to me.
You were an encourager, a source of inspiration.
I will miss you so, so much but I know you are resting in the bosom of the lord
And like Kunbi Olasope said to me, that I have the onerous responsibility of never letting you down in all I am going to be embarking on from now on (I pray great grace from the Lord Almighty for that).
Odaro aunti mii- Goodnight my aunty
Kunbi Labeodan
HONOURING THE LIFE OF DORCAS OLUBANKE-AKINTUNDE:
Dorcas, our sister—we learnt about your sudden departure from among us with great shock and deep sadness. You were taken away from us at the time when your life was in its full blossom. As we celebrate your life, we are reminded of the mark that you have made in the history of the Circle of African Women Theologians. While your participation in the Circle has a long history, it was from 2002 to 2007 that you made your biggest contribution to the leadership of the Circle. It was in September 2002 in Addis Ababa that we embraced you as the coordinator of the Anglophone Circle and significant member of the Continental Executive Committee of the Circle. You inspired us with your calm spirit and very active leadership style. During your term of Circle leadership, it did not take long for you to organize the Anglophone Circle into a working movement with regular meetings. Is it any wonder that it achieved the Circle’s goal of researching and publishing articles and books in support of women struggling for a just life in the religions and cultures of Africa?
To read more you can download The Circle Tribute by clicking here...
Dear aunty Banke as I loved calling you.
You were always there for me
You were the big sister I never had
I could call on you anytime of the day or night and
you will pick my call and you will say “Kunbi se ko si” – “Kunbi I hope no problem’
From you I learnt the virtue call Patience
Now I say to myself who will calm me down when “my volcano decides to erupt”
You always know the right words to say to me.
You were an encourager, a source of inspiration.
I will miss you so, so much but I know you are resting in the bosom of the lord
And like Kunbi Olasope said to me, that I have the onerous responsibility of never letting you down in all I am going to be embarking on from now on (I pray great grace from the Lord Almighty for that).
Odaro aunti mii- Goodnight my aunty
Kunbi Labeodan
Dorcas my friend is no more
I Have learnt this with much shock. She was my inspiration during my research. I will miss her greatly,
Please convey my heartfelt condolenses and prayers to her family.
Rachel NyaGondwe Fiedler, Malawi
Dear Dorcas
Knowing you was a joy working with you was pleasure. I remember with fond memories your passion and zeal for the circle and each email was full of encouragement and hope. It is those memories that the St. Paul’s chapter will continue to cherish. Rest in peace our sister, rest in peace.
Esther Mombo
ST. Paul’s Limuru chapter.
Kenya.
I Remember : A Tribute to Dorcas
My Beloved DORCAS,
I Remember that beautiful morning,
When with smiles, you received me at the University of Ibadan’s parking lot,
Within minutes, to your office and colleagues, I was introduced,
I Remember that warm hospitality you offered,
Sister in academia
Sister in faith
Sister in the struggle for the affirmation of Women’s Rights
Yes, the affirmation of human rights!
I Remember the recent glorious news of your elevation:
Reader(Associate Professor)!
Head of Department!
Research fellow at Unisa!
I Remember your Servant Leadership when
you Sister were secretary of the Circle Anglophone Region,
I Remember your love, care, support and commitment,
To your Sisters and Brothers , Oh Sister!
This Morning, your body will go back to Mother Earth (΄adam to ΄adema)
However, Earth will never take away
My MEMORIES for you
GOOD BYE!
From Madipoane Masenya (ngwan’a Mphahlele), University of South Africa, South Africa, 1 April, 2011
Mission Statement
:
 To undertake research and publish theological literature
written by African women with special focus on religion
and culture.
The Circle is the space for women from Africa to do communal
theology. Musa Dube, one of the Circle theologians, asserts
that "... a circle of women describes those who are
seated together, who are connected and who seek to keep
the interconnectedness of life" (Dube 2001:11)
The Circle members are women who are rooted in Islam,
Christianity, Judaism and African Indigenous Religions.
They are indigenous African women and also African women
of Asiatic and European origins. These concerned women
are engaged in theological dialogue of the cultures, religions,
sacred writings and oral stories that shape the African
context and define the women of this continent. The Circle
members attempt to reflect together onjustice across boundaries
of gender, faith and belief.
What is The
Future of The Circle :
The Circle keeps growing in number and in the depth
of our analysis. Today, we are not only larger and more
experienced but we are also more visible, recognized
and respected in international ecumenical circles and
among other theologians. We are seen as a voice for
women whose voices would not otherwise be heard. With
our growing influence comes increased responsibility.
People now look to the Circle for more in-depth and
practical involvement in the life of communities.
The
Circle women are being challenged not only to respond
to the dearth of theological literature from African
women but also to play a significant role in helping
to create and sustain viable communities of women and
men in the church and in society in Africa. Can we shift
so soon in our short history?
We will have to increase our efforts to promote research.
We will have to continue to promote cooperation across
religious and gender borders. Affirming religious pluralism
allows the Circle women an opportunity to explore questions
of the well being of women writing in the context of
African cultures, which give context to various faiths.
Our hope is that in the process of dialogue we shall
come to know one another better and, thus, not only
affirm the need for justice and human dignity for all
women and all people but also, more importantly, to
be lead agents in creating such justice.
Through participating in face to face in research, educating
each other on forms of worship and the dogma of our
faiths, we have managed to be agents of justice to each
other. Here we compare notes and listen to each other's
stories of living hopefully in a violent world. We share
our pain and tears for the continued oppression that
we find inherent in our religions as well as our cultures.
We rejoice that our passion for justice is being awakened
despite the barriers that continue to keep us in "our
place". We are learning to value each other's writings
and to realize that we owe ourselves the power to change.
Our ecumenical encounter prompts us to take our African
identity very seriously, as it is the basis for our
unity. We seek to deepen our commitment to the future
of our people, especially the girls and women of Africa
living in the context of so much that is painful and
death-causing. |
