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Julian Aguon to deliver 41st annual EF Schumacher conference
GREATER BARRINGTON – Author, lawyer and activist Julien aguon will deliver the 41st annual EF Schumacher conference – Fallen by Beauty: Guam and the End of the American Empire – to Sunday October 24 at 3 p.m. The free event will take place virtually.
Aguon’s latest book, “The Properties of Perpetual Light”, is a moving tribute to the island of Guam – its history, the starry sands of its northern beaches, its thick mangrove forests, its richly cultivated people. But he’s also angry – angry at the loss of species defeated by the invading Brown Snake, the silence of the mother tongue, the continued occupation by US troops, and the lack of sovereignty.
It is an intimate book, sometimes addressed directly to the reader. It’s a book that hurts longing for Guam. In the end, it is a book filled with “the burden of unshared questions”.
In addition to his accomplishments as an author, Aguon is the visionary lawyer behind Blue ocean act, a progressive company that works at the intersection of Indigenous rights and environmental justice. The firm develops innovative legal strategies to advance the self-determination struggles of indigenous and non-self-governing peoples. His plans include working with the Marshall Islands to seek redress for damage caused by nuclear tests and non-consensual medical experiments, defend the fundamental right to self-determination of the people of Guam in US federal courts, and develop legal strategies to detain countries and companies responsible for their contributions to climate change. He sits on the Board of Progressive International, a global collective launched in May 2020 to mobilize progressive forces around the world behind a shared vision of social justice.
Aguon will be presented by Naomi klein. The pre-recorded conference will be followed by a live conversation with Lisa Linda Natividad, moderated by Jodie evans.
Dr. Lisa Linda Natividad is a CHAmoru native who has championed the disclosure of human rights violations against her people and homeland Guahan, a military colony of the United States. Dr Natividad is Professor of Social Work at the University of Guam, the main organizer of the Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice and a founding member of I Hagan Famalao’an Guahan. She has spoken globally on the topics of demilitarization, decolonization and the critical role women play in creating safe and prosperous communities.
—AK
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Annual Greylock Ramble and Downtown RambleFest return to Adams
ADAMS – Massachusetts’ tallest mountain is the centerpiece of a two-day celebration of fall in the Berkshires. After taking a year off due to the pandemic, the 53rd edition of Greylock hike on the Cheshire Harbor Trail and downtown Ramblefest the party is back.
Ramblefest will take place Sunday October 10 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Adams Visitor Center, 3 Hoosac Street in Adams. The free festival will feature live music from Guthrie & Cormier (Abe Guthrie and Randy Cormier) at noon and Straight Up at 2:30 p.m. The festival will also feature local food vendors, artisans and artisans, as well as local beers and wines from Berkshire Brewing Company and Balderdash Cellars. Activities for children include a visit to Bowie the clown, pumpkin decoration and games. The Berkshire Scenic Railway will accommodate train journeys from Adams station throughout the day.
The 53rd Annual Greylock Ramble will take place Monday, October 11 along the Cheshire Harbor Trail to the summit of Mt Greylock. This 6.6 mile round trip hike is moderately strenuous and can take 4 to 5 hours, but the views at the 3,491 foot summit are well worth it. The first 2,000 hikers will receive certificates of achievement. Recognition is given to the first, youngest and oldest hiker to reach the summit, and to the hiker who has walked the furthest distance to participate. Animals on a leash are allowed on the mountain, but not on the shuttles that take hikers to the trailhead. A free shuttle from the Adams Visitor Center to the trailhead runs from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with a round-trip shuttle until 4:00 p.m. Please note that, as per a state mandate, all bus passengers must wear masks at all times. Very limited parking will be available near the trailhead, so use of the shuttle bus is highly recommended.
—AK
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West Stockbridge Chamber Players Harvest Concert to be held on October 10
WEST STOCK BRIDGE – The West Stockbridge Chamber Players benefit concert at the Old Town Hall, organized Sunday October 10 at 4 p.m., will bring together eight world-class musicians – the largest number the Players have ever assembled. The program will open with the world premiere of “A Place in Time” by Eric Shimelonis, composer, conductor and multi-instrumentalist whose work has been heard at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center and Tanglewood, among others. .
Shimelonis’ three-movement sextet (clarinet, oboe, violin, viola, cello and bass) pays homage to the generations of native residents and immigrants who contributed to the development of West Stockbridge. The first movement, Qua-Pau-Kuk, bears the region’s original Mohican name and is built on themes inspired by the indigenous peoples of the region. Queensborough brought listeners into the 1700s, as waves of immigrants settled in the city. The latest movement, West Stockbridge, has a more modern sound and represents the city’s incorporation and eventual industrialization.
“A Place in Time” will be followed by Franz Schubert’s Octet in F major, D. 803, the composer’s largest chamber music piece, comprising a string quintet and three wind instruments which together create a sound as rich and resonant as a full chamber orchestra.
Led by clarinetist and artistic director Catherine Hudgins, the Chamber Players are a renowned ensemble of musicians based in Boston and Berkshire. With Hudgins on clarinet, the concert will feature Andrew Price on oboe, Ronald Haroutunian on bassoon, Jason Snider on horn, Sheila Fiekowsky on violin, Lisa Crockett on violin, Daniel Getz on viola, Jiyoung Lee on cello and Edwin Barker on bass.
Tickets ($ 35) can be booked online. Limited participation; first come, first served. COVID-19 protocols will be respected. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results within 48 hours, photo ID and masks will be required.
—AK
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Berkshire County Historical Society to offer cemetery tours in Stockbridge, Pittsfield
PITTSFIELD – The Berkshire County Historical Society (BCHS) will offer twilight tours from Stockbridge Cemetery to Wednesday October 13 (rain date October 14) and Pittsfield Cemetery to Wednesday October 27 (rain dates from October 28). Both tours start at 5 p.m. at the entrance to the cemetery.
Bess Dillman will lead the tour of Stockbridge Cemetery on Main Street. Founded in 1750, the cemetery is one of the oldest in the country and is the burial place of Elizabeth Freeman, the Sedgwick family and Norman Rockwell.
BCHS Executive Director Lesley Herzberg will lead the tour of Pittsfield Cemetery, located at 203 Wahconah Street. The cemetery dates to 1850 and is the final resting place of many prominent residents of Pittsfield, including Lucinda Williams, Phineas Allen, Colonel William Williams, Henry Dawes, Sarah Morewood, and the Reverend Thomas Allen (also known as the Combatant Pastor ).
—AK
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Great Barrington Rotary to present Truck Day and Pumpkin Festival
GREATER BARRINGTON – The Great Barrington Rotary Club will host Truck Day and Pumpkin Fest Sunday October 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Ski Butternut, located at 380 State Road in Great Barrington. Activities will include exploring trucks and race cars (without driving them), music, games, silent auction and raffles, face painting, pumpkin painting, duck race, food and drink, plus a special giant pumpkin drop-off at 2 p.m. $ 15 per car. Entrance fee to the duck race is $ 5 for one duck or five ducks for $ 20 (with a cash prize). Tickets are available from any Rotarian or on the day of the truck. For more information, contact Alice Naylor at 413-854-3511 or [email protected].
—AK
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