A whirl of a time

Feeling vexed these terror-stoked days? Some have found a balm in the practice of Sufism, the mystical strain of Islam famous for its poetry, hypnotic music and dance.

A modern (and moderate) form of Sufism has caught on with a few young Montrealers. Calling itself Montreal Sufi Youth (MSY), this group of 20-somethings has been meeting for morning prayers and weekly Arabic chants for more than a year. No one in the group is Muslim, but that doesn’t seem to bother them. In fact, it’s kind of the point.

“Sufism is a tradition of tolerance and understanding,” says organizer Sarah Manolson, 24. “It’s not meant to replace in any way what you were brought up with. Sufism is meant to enhance your religion - in our understanding of it.”

To that end, MSY is holding a Sufi retreat this weekend at the Centre Equilibrium (15 Mont Royal W., #106), and anyone looking for an alternative view of Islam to the madness on the news is welcome. Two experienced Sufi teachers from the U.S. will lead zikrs (chant circles) and sohbets (spiritual discussions), and help participants ruminate on “the role of spiritual community in today’s world.” The highlight is Saturday night’s music and public zikr, with everyone sitting in a circle and chanting together. The evening begins at 8 p.m., and admission is a suggested donation of $10–$20 (you’ll also need slippers for the studio floor). To learn more, contact Montreal Sufi Youth at 845-7114. : » Guy Leshinski

Jackson sings for Kahnawake youth

Don’t be fooled by the sometimes-solemn look of the rumble-voiced giant with the buzzcut. When Tom Jackson totes his six-stringer onstage at Concordia’s Loyola campus tonight, Thursday, Feb. 27, he’ll be doing it for altruistic reasons. The Prairie-based native and author of 10 albums has previously strummed to raise cash for food banks, the Salvation Army and suicide awareness. This time around he’ll be singing to raise dollars for Kahnawake Survival School’s first-ever native youth conference. Jackson, perhaps better known for his leading role on TV’s North of 60, will take the stage with three supporting acts for the fundraiser.

“He brings the message that it’s important to walk your walk and lead a happy lifestyle and to learn to say no to all the things out there that can be harmful, like drugs and alcohol,” says Pauline Owisokon Lahache, a teacher helping with the conference.

The conference will see 250 youth aged 16 to 20 spending Thursday and Friday at the survival school, where they’ll “visualize the future of the community and learn how to make wise choices, to deal with anger or bullying, as well as issues of racism,” says Lahache. “We teach them that their role models don’t necessarily have to be famous or in the spotlight, they can be people who live simple, healthy lives, people who show respect and honour.”

Tix are $29 or less and the benefit starts at 8 p.m. at Oscar Peterson Hall (7141 Sherbrooke W.). : » Kristian Gravenor

Keeping AIDS real

Montreal’s only English-language AIDS education and awareness organization, AIDS Community Care Montreal, held their Ribbons Are Not Enough press conference on Feb. 26 in a continuing effort to raise public awareness about the disease. The decline in consciousness surrounding the issue in the past few years does not change the fact that, “People are still getting it and they’re still dying,” according to ACCM fundraiser Chantal Smith.

Kenneth Monteith, executive director of the ACCM, believes the recent rise in HIV contraction in Quebec is due in large part to public ambivalence. “It seems like less of a real thing,” he says. “People are not taking the same precautions.”

An article in Rolling Stone’s Feb. 6 issue (which received its share of backlash) highlighted the phenomenon of “bug-chasing” - an apparently growing movement of gay men who are actively seeking out HIV and spreading it in a kind of breaking-the-last-sexual-taboo erotic frenzy. In the article, one young bug-chaser claimed that AIDS is merely the new diabetes, saying “you take a few pills and get on with your life.” Monteith says that anyone on the drug cocktail diet - requiring often upwards of 20 pills a day - and living with the wide range of side effects, would never make such a claim.

This year marks the ACCM’s 15-year anniversary, and though they have nothing against ribbon wearing and are always seeking donations, the group stresses the importance of real involvement from the community. To find out more go to www.accmontreal.org. : » Alexandra Spunt

Angel >> Striking women’s shelter workers Tomorrow, Friday, March 1, marks the end of a week of rotating slow-down strikes held by women’s shelter employees across the province. Their beef: a lack of provincial cash to keep their doors open to the women who need their invaluable services. The workers say that at present funding levels, they can help only half the women who need it, let alone their kids. For the past five years, they add, the shelters have only been able to provide crisis and emergency intervention. Honk, wave or otherwise offer any support you can to the women picketing the provincial Health and Social Services offices on Fullum.
Insect >> ADQ criminals The right-wingsters over at the Action démocratique du Québec sure don’t like the welfare state, as party vice-president and once-hopeful candidate Eugénia Romain would tell you. Submitted as evidence: the revelation late last week that she pled guilty in 1989 on 11 counts of welfare fraud. She is the second ADQiste to suffer the repercussions of her criminal past. In November, Marc Snyder had to quit his recruiting post when it was discovered that he’d been convicted of robbing a dep when he was 18. Romain, who hadn’t resigned by presstime, is expected to step down shortly.