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2019-2020 concert season

Series consists of programs and recordings of events hosted by the Faculty of Music during the 2019-2020 concert season including faculty, student, and guest artists as well as ongoing concert series and faculty ensembles. In-person concerts at the Faculty of Music ended on March 13, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020-2021 concert season

Series consists of programs and recordings of events hosted by the Faculty of Music during the 2020-2021 concert season including faculty, student, and guest artists as well as ongoing concert series and faculty ensembles. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, none of these events occurred in person to a live audience. Some were pre-recorded and others were live-streamed from one of the Faculty's two concert halls, Walter Hall and MacMillan Theatre.

2021-2022 concert season

Series consists of programs and recordings of events hosted by the Faculty of Music during the 2021-2022 concert season including faculty, student, and guest artists as well as ongoing concert series and faculty ensembles. The University of Toronto, including the Faculty of Music, returned to in-person events with limited capacity audiences in September 2021. Concerts were cancelled, postponed, or virtual only during January 2022 as the University shifted to predominantly remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The University returned to in-person learning (and in-person events at the Faculty of Music resumed) as of February 7, 2022. The majority of concerts during the 2021-2022 concert season were streamed online via the Faculty's various YouTube channels.

2022-2023 concert season

Series consists of programs and recordings of events hosted by the Faculty of Music during the 2022-2023 concert season including faculty, student, and guest artists as well as ongoing concert series and faculty ensembles. All concerts were performed to live audiences in Walter Hall or MacMillan Theatre.

Addresses and interviews

Dr. Hastings was much in demand as a public speaker throughout his career. In the early 1960s, for example, he often gave more than one speech a week and by the late 1990s he himself estimated that he had given well over 1,000 addresses. While the majority were delivered at academic and professional gatherings, he also made time to speak at numerous community events, including graduation exercises. In 1989, as a recipient of the Alumni Faculty Award, he gave the convocation address for the Faculty of Medicine.

This series contains lists of addresses, correspondence, notes, drafts of addresses, and, often, press coverage. The arrangement is chronological, with correspondence for which accompanying addresses have not survived being arranged in separate files. There is a substantial file of this type for 1963. Interviews are filed at the end of the addresses.

The earliest extant address, other than those given while a student (see Series 2), is his first professional foray on the international scene, at the American Public Health Association conference in October 1954. The theme was administrative practice in relation to the quality of medical care provided under the Ontario Workmen’s Compensation Board. This address and subsequent ones follow the major themes laid out in the earlier series, especially Series 7. Those that were published are filed, for the most part, in Series 7. Some of the addresses are indicated in Appendix 2, which includes entries up to 1994.

After his retirement, Dr. Hastings’ addresses continued to focus primarily on public and community health issues. One, in 1994, was given on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Charles Hastings Co-operative, named after his great-uncle, Toronto’s innovative and pioneering medical officer of health. On another occasion, he spoke about the future of community health centres to the International Conference on Community Health Centres in Montreal (December 1995).

While President of the Canadian Public Health Association in 1996 – 1997, he travelled widely and was much in demand as a speaker. Four venues included a reception in his honour in Winnipeg, the second National Conference on Communicable Disease Control in Toronto, the World Health Organization’s Intersectional Action for Health conference in Halifax, and the annual general meeting of the Northwest Territories branch of the CPHA in Yellowknife. In 1999, after many years of long-distance communication, he flew to Manitoba to address the Hamiota District Health Centre Foundation, and in November was a keynote speaker at the 50th annual conference of the Ontario Public Health Association.

In June 2000, at the annual meeting of the Association of Ontario Health Centres, Dr. Hastings reflected on a turning point in his career in his address, “The Hastings Report – then and now”. This is followed by an address delivered at the opening in October 2001 of the Institute of Population and Health, one of four Toronto-based Institutes of Health Research.

The series concludes with three interviews, one on CBC’s radio and television “Citizen’s Forum” in 1960, a ‘telepole’ on CFTO TV in 1962, and an interview with Jan Brown in February 1997.

Audio and video recordings

Series consists of audio and video recordings of performances by Ron Collier and of compositions and arrangements by Collier. The series includes audio cassettes from the Duke Ellington Society that were issued to its members; audio recordings of Collier's lectures on Ellington at Humber College (1980s); performances by the Ron Collier Quintet and the Ron Collier Tentet; and records from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) radio transcription service of performances by Collier, his groups, and his compositions and arrangements.

Audio and video recordings

Series consists of audio and video recordings of the Leslie Bell Singers; radio programs hosted and/or scripted by Leslie Bell; and radio programs where Leslie Bell made guest appearances. Series also includes some informal, candid recordings of the Leslie Bell Singers' reunions and Bell family gatherings.

The Leslie Bell Singers were featured on "Your Host - C.G.E. [Canadian General Electric]" [1949-1952] on CBC radio and on C.G.E. Showtime (1952-1959) on the CBC Television Network. They also performed regularly at the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) Bandshell, and Leslie Bell played their music on his own CBC radio shows. Bell was a commentator for CBC and CFRB radio and appeared regularly on "Assignment" (hosted by Bill McNeil and Maria Barrett) and his own show "Speaking of Music".

Audio and visual material

Series consists of audio and video material that documents Prof. Venkatacharya’s community activity, teaching, and family life. Video recordings capture Venkatacharya’s presentations, many of these given at community centres and individuals’ homes. The topics of these talks generally focus on spiritual texts and understanding, though also include some academic presentations, including an event at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. Other videos document the community involvement of both Prof. Venkatacharya and his wife, Vijaya. These include an event recognizing the contributions of Venkatacharya to the Hindu Institute of Learning, the organization’s fundraising initiatives, as well as Diwali celebrations at the AWIC Community and Social Services. Home recordings of family gatherings are also included in the material.

Audio Visual records

Sound recordings and video in B2007-0018 mainly document Prof. Lee’s research from the mid 1960s to 1972. Reel to reel tapes contain interviews, testimonies with !Kung San bushmen, talks given by Lee on this very topic, taped vocabulary lists of the !Kung San people’s language, native music from Botswana and one radio interview with Prof. Lee. Two videos document a discussion among women academics on the role of women in a hunter and gatherer society. Finally, two tapes contain a partial recording of the symposium of Political Struggles of Native Peoples, organized by Prof. Lee in 1972.

Sound recordings and video in B2019-0017 also documents his early research and include field recordings from 1964 and 1969. However most recordings are of Lee giving various lectures and talks in the 1980s and 1990s including a full set of this lectures for ANT 363 Origin of the State.

Audiovisual & digital records

Series consists primarily of photographs, audio interviews and video recordings of play performances, interviews, and poetry readings. Records include both analogue and digital audio and video recordings, and well as digital photographs.

Audio-Visual Material

This series contains audio-visual material with contents related to Blissymbolics, BCI, and Bliss users, classrooms and students, including photographs, videocassettes, digital storage media, and other formats.

Awards and honours

Series consists of materials relating to awards and honours received by Greta Kraus, including the Toronto Arts Award (1990), the Order of Ontario (1991), and the Order of Canada (1993). Materials include correspondence, programs, newspaper clippings and other press releases, and photographs. The series also includes two VHS tapes with recordings of the Order of Ontario ceremony (May 8, 1991) and the Toronto Arts Awards (August 15, 1990).

Biographical and personal

This series contains passports, daily agendas (58 volumes) and an address book, as well as files relating to the Banff School of Fine Arts, Professor Peers’ academic life, awards that he received and books that he wrote. Also included are a class photograph of the East Coulee School where Peers taught and was principal from 1939-1942, personal correspondence, photographs of Peers with friends, travel documents and records relating to his 90th birthday and the memorial service held upon his death. The series concludes with a file of records relating to David Rayside, a U of T professor and close friend of Peers.

The “biographical information” file [/003(04)] contains, amongst many other items, several pieces that Professor Peers himself penned between 1980 and 2002 about his family and background and his years as a high school teacher. Included with this is a CD from one of his nieces, Bev Swanton, titled “Acadia Valley Homecoming 2012”, that celebrates the hamlet, the surrounding farms (including that of the Peers family) and includes the centennial parade.

Biographical information and personal memorabilia

Series consists of miscellaneous memorabilia and biographical information pertaining to Michael Colgrass, including Ulla Colgrass' speech for the celebration of Michael Colgrass at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music (2019); biographies of Michael Colgrass and lists of his works and recordings; letters saved as "Ego boosters"; Michael Colgrass' first passport; a "Wanted" poster for Michael Colgrass; astrological charts for the Colgrass family; humorous drawings and writings; and a certificate for the "Michael Colgrass" star from the International Star Registry.

Series also includes videos from Colgrass' 85th birthday party (2017), obituaries, sympathy notes from friends and colleagues following his death, and videos from the Michael Colgrass Life Celebration Party held at Walter Hall, University of Toronto Faculty of Music (November 2019).

Broadcasting and film

Prof. Hume and Prof. Donald Ivey of the Department of Physics were pioneers in educational television, having developed their first 12 part program “Focus on Physics” in 1958. This was co-sponsored by CBC and the University of Toronto. The success of this series was followed up the next year by “Two for Physics”. Both series eventually aired on the National Educational Television (N.E.T.) in the United States. Other programs that followed include:

1960 – 15 short programs on Physics for children produced by CBC in cooperation with N.E.T. for joint use in Canada and United States

1962 – “The Ideas of Physics” – 4 programmes
1963 – “The Nature of Physics” – 5 programmes
1966 – “The Constant of Physics” – 4 programmes
All of these were for in-school broadcasts to Canadian high schools produced by CBC with the National Advisory Council on School Broadcasts

1960-1965 – 18 programmes for “The Nature of Things”, produced by CBC.
The program “The Nature of Things” is still today a staple of Canadian educational television. Hume and Ivey helped lay the foundation for such a successful broadcast run.

By 1960, their success in educational television spilled over into film where they were commissioned by the Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) in the United States to do four films: “Frames of Reference”, “Periodic Motion”, “Universal Gravitation” and “Random Events”. All of these were created for distribution in high schools. In 1962, “Frames of Reference” won Edison Foundation award for the best science film and “Random Events” received a silver medal from the Scientific Institute in Rome.

This series contains a fairly complete set of scripts for all the titles noted above. Moreover, there is a 16 mm release print for each of the four films and one sound recording of one program from “The Constant of Physics” series. There are also still images from “Frame of Reference” and a file on the Edison Award.

For a good overview, researchers should begin by consulting reports written by Hume and Ivey for most of the television series. They detail the development of each theme. In addition, there is correspondence and contracts with CBC, correspondence with Educational Services Incorporated and the PSSC as well as program guides, clippings, published reviews, correspondence from viewers, and one 1962 audience response report for a “Nature of Things” programme.

Canada. Canadian Officers' Training Corps, University of Toronto Contingent

This series consists of the financial and administrative records of the Board of Trustees, including photographs of special events. It also includes documentation of a project to publish the history of the COTC that was never completed. Spencer subsequently wrote his own history of the COTC, the notes and correspondence of which are included under Series 10: Publications.

Center for Early Learning and Child Care, Inc.

In 1985 Dr. Fowler incorporated his own consulting and educational not for profit company to “…conduct and disseminate research and information about early childhood education”. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Dr. Fowler was president and his daughter Velia as Treasurer. His other daughters, Monique and Josephine, along with his wife, Neva were also involved as directors of the company.

Records in this series consist of administrative files relating to incorporation, correspondence, film scripts, and other files relating to projects conducted in the 1980s and 1990s in particular the production of both the book and videos entitled Talking from infancy. How to nurture & cultivate early language development, and Little Neva learns to talk, other talks and presentations.

Faculty of Law activities

This series is divided into two sub-series, ‘Activities’ and ‘Correspondence with students’. The first sub-series contains correspondence, memoranda, notes, reports, and lecture material documenting Professor Friedland’s activities within the faculty and the faculty’s affairs generally. The ‘course’ files contain Professor Friedland’s outlines, notes, assignments and examinations for his course in criminal law. There are also files on the publications, Faculty of Law Review and Nexus. The remaining files in this sub-series relate primarily to Professor Friedland’s activities with the ‘Class of 5T8’s fortieth anniversary reunion in 1998 and to the Faculty’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations in 1999-2000. This sub-series ends with files on Professor Friedland’s 1997 report on the grading practices policy at the Faculty and on the Faculty’s marks scandal in 2001.

The records in this sub-series contain correspondence, memoranda and notes and reports; class outlines, assignments and other material; minutes of meetings for anniversary celebrations, along with programmes and publications (including drafts), sheet music and songs, and a video, notices, press releases and press clippings.

The second sub-series, ‘Correspondence with students’, contains correspondence, memoranda, curriculum vitae (but not student transcripts and marks, which have been removed), greeting cards, postcards and the occasional offprint relating primarily to references requested from Professor Friedland, and a file of memorabilia.

Most of the reference requests relate to applications for graduate school, academic appointments, and positions in legal firms and for clerkships in the Supreme Court of Canada and other courts. Others relate to academic honours – awards, prizes and scholarships. Some of the files also contain correspondence relating to courses taken and theses supervised, though most of this type of correspondence is located in ‘Series III.: Correspondence’ above. Some of the requests are more prosaic, such as asking Professor Friedland to sign passport applications and photos. Also included are memos from Professor Friedland to officials in the Faculty of Law, such as the summer student co-ordinator, about specific students. In their letters, these students and former students provide information about their current activities which sometimes have taken them far afield, examples being the Rwanda genocide case, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and legal work in Japan.

Film

Film entitled "Undergraduates Presentation and Farewell to Sir Robert Falconer". This is a black and white silent film showing the presentation of a gift book to President Falconer in Convocation Hall.

Film

Over several decades, Clara Benson took numerous rolls of 16 mm film documenting her family, her trips, as well as life in Toronto especially during World War II, the University of Toronto and various events. Her collection includes some unique footage of women’s sports at the University of Toronto, convocation ceremonies in the 1940s, and skating shows, one of which identified Barbara Ann Scott. From her trips, there is interesting footage of Egypt and Greece in the late 1920s, the New York World Fair and South America in 1939 as well as Atlantic City in the late 1940s. There are several small rolls of film documenting military parades on the streets of Toronto as well as the Royal Visit of 1939 and 1959.

Film

Film related to milling and refining methods of minerals used more than likely for course instruction in Mining Engineering.

Film

This series consists of five films made by Dr. Black. Four are home movies documenting his children, Davy and Nevitt; one is of the Summer Palace and Elliott Smith in Peking in 1930.

Filmmaking

This series contains the original film elements for several films made by Kay Armatage.
There are also files documenting this facet of her career including correspondence, film proposals, research notes, clippings, grant applications, budget reports, shot lists and scripts. Several files document her films Striptease, Storytelling and Artist on Fire, as well as Prof. Armatage’s attempt at writing and directing a film about Nell Shipman which did not go beyond development.

Photographs in this series include shots taken during the production of several of her films. There is one file documenting the filming of Storytelling which includes shots of Northrop Frye in New York City. There are also three contact sheets by Babette Mangolte taken during the making of Artist on Fire, with views of Joyce Weiland’s Toronto studio and home. The series also contains one file of printing plates used in the creation of publicity material for Prof. Armatage’s early film Jill Johnson, October 1975.

Graphic material and film

Files in this series contain photographs, and graphic materials relating to Gallie’s professional and personal life. Many of the photographs are miscellaneous figures and graphics that may have been used in papers, lectures, and talks. This series also includes a film of one of Gallie’s operations. The files in this series have been arranged chronologically.

Honours and Awards

The series documents the honours and awards received by Francess Halpenny during her career. It also documents the lectures and seminars she gave as Distinguished Visitor at the University of Alberta in 1989.

The series consists of 20 files including correspondence, ceremony proceedings, diplomas, convocation addresses, personal notes and press clippings. The series also contains 92 photographs of Halpenny taken during various convocation ceremonies or with dignitaries.

Linguistics

This series contains alphabetically arranged correspondence files relating to various topics, organizations and individuals on the discipline of linguistics. Also included in this series are files in chronological order in three categories: American linguistics, British (and European) linguistics and Canadian linguistics. Files in this latter category are the most voluminous, containing correspondence with Prof. Chambers from his earliest days at the University of Toronto. Correspondence with American linguists include David Rood, University of Colorado, Robert I. Binnick, University of Kansas, William Labov, Virginia McDavid, Richard Spears, John Baugh among others. British and European correspondents include, among others, Paul Salmon, University Reading, David Britain, Victoria University of Wellington (NZ), Edgar Schneider, Universitat Regensburg and Beat Glauser, Heidelberg. Correspondence with Canadian linguists include colleagues both inside and outside the University of Toronto, and include linguists such as C. Douglas Ellis of McGill University, Harrold Paddock, Memorial University, H.R. Wilson, University of Western Ontario, William Cowan, Carleton University and Gary Prideaux, University of Alberta.

Further records relating to Prof. Chambers’ work in the field of linguistics can be found in file B2019-0038/001(01), which includes some correspondence and ephemera relating to speaking engagements and conferences. Many of the press clippings in files B2019-0038/001(07)-(09) quote Prof. Chambers on the subject of linguistics, demonstrating his role as a regular commentator on this subject, particularly in relation to Canadian English. Similarly, two sound recordings relate to his contributions to the CBC Radio program And Sometimes Y, which explored the cultural and social context of language; another to a talk on language, sex and gender given in Vienna in 2006.

Mothercraft –OISE project

In 1968, Dr. Fowler headed up a research team in a joint Canadian Mothercraft Society (CMS) – OISE study to determine the effects of quality child care on disadvantaged children. This two-year joint study formed the basis upon which the Early Childhood Education (ECE) curriculum was written. In particular it involved the development of a model infant day care centre for disadvantaged children from four months to two and one half years of age. It also included a follow up study conducted by Dr. Fowler in 1973-1974.

This series documents this joint study with Mothercraft in general and Dr.Fowler’s role in particular. It includes minutes of meetings of the Board of Mothercraft, and the OISE research staff, correspondence with Mothercraft officials, OISE faculty and staff, municipal, federal and provincial governments, private foundations (like the Atkinson Foundation, Laidlaw Foundation), research proposals, budget and publicity files, papers and progress reports. Also included is the film script for “Joint OISE-Mothercraft Infant Demonstration Program” with text of Dr. Fowler’s commentary (1973).

This series also includes film elements including original negative, sound track and release print to the OISE produced film A Demonstration Program on Infant Care and Education in which Dr. Fowler describes the OISE Infant care and education program and Mothercraft Society with emphasis on learning through play.

Moving images

"Human Rights and the Helsinki Process", afternoon session, 2-4 pm, Association for the Advancement of Baltic
studies, 8 November 1986.

Musicians' promotional recordings

Series consists of compact disc recordings from performers at Gallery 345 that were shared with and collected by Edward Epstein as part of the promotional material for the venue. Some recordings are autographed by the performers. Recordings including self-released albums, commercial releases, and unpublished recordings.

Nouwen Video Collection

Series consists of video recordings of Nouwen received after his death. This includes recordings of Nouwen used for television; home videos; and interviews.

Oral history interview with Ali Kazmi conducted by Zahraa Syeda

Ali Kazmi is a Pakistani-Canadian actor and director, as well as a Toronto Film School alumnus who migrated from Pakistan to Canada in 2007 to pursue his career in film and television. Kazmi’s parents, Rahat Kazmi and Sahira Kazmi, were two of the pioneers of Pakistani television content in the 1980s.

In his oral history with interviewer Zahraa Syeda (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Ali Kazmi speaks about his transition from Pakistan to Canada, his experiences and struggles in pursuing his cinematic career, his Oscar-nominated film, stereotypes regarding gender roles within his culture as well as the taboo attached to mental health and sex education within the South Asian diaspora. Additionally, he sheds light on his ideas and views of religion and spirituality, and where they stem from.

Oral history interview with Amanat Kaur conducted by Khushpreet Virk

Amanat Kaur is an international student that came from India. She is originally from India and was raised in India. Amanat currently resides in and works at an immigration office in Brampton. Amanat immigrated to Canada in 2014 and she is currently in her early 20s. The interview covers several themes such as religion, education, work, mental health, immigration, and general lifestyle in the Peel Region.

In her oral history with interviewer Khushpreet Virk (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Amanat Kaur goes in depth about the immigration experience and her experiences with racism, religion, and community involvement. Furthermore, the interview goes in depth and talks about the mental health of international students and the struggles international students face when they immigrate to Canada.

Oral history interview with Andy Ramgobin conducted by Prashil Gandhi

Andy Ramgobin is a member of the Shiv Ganesh Mandir in Brampton where he plays the harmonium during various prayers and live events. In his oral history with interviewer Prashil Gandhi (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Andy Ramgobin speaks about what role religion plays in his life and how music was what brought him closer to religion. Andy also draws upon the differences around the aspect of what religion means to him, his parents, and family back home in Guyana.

Oral history interview with Harleen Sawhney conducted by Chashanjot Sidhu

Harleen Sawhney is a Punjabi Sikh social media professional. Born in India, she migrated to the Middle East, England, and at last, Canada. She currently resides in Mississauga.

In her oral history with interviewer Chashanjot Sidhu (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Harleen Sawhney speaks about her immigration process, as well as some of the challenges she faced as a newcomer to Canada. She touches upon her childhood experiences, specifically growing up in a different environment compared to someone that would have been born and brought up in Punjab. As well as talking about her immigration challenges, she talks about certain things that were expected from her in terms of her future career. Although she did pursue an education in a career she was interested in, she could not use her qualifications to build her career in Canada due to certain hardships, which she talks about in her oral history interview.

Oral history interview with Harvinderpal Sandhu conducted by Prabhleen Purewal

Harvinderpal Sandhu is currently a resident of Brampton, and he immigrated to Ontario (Brampton), Canada from Punjab, India with his family at the age of 15. Upon arrival, Harvinderpal was living with his family and was enrolled in high school in the Canadian school system. He later went for post-secondary education in Ontario, and later worked a diverse range of jobs which altogether allowed for him to learn valuable lessons.

In his oral history with interviewer Prabhleen Purewal (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Harvinderpal Sandhu talks about his experiences immigrating to Canada, in the school system as an ESL student, being South Asian in adulthood (college and workforce), and his struggles/lessons along the way.

Oral history interview with Jeejna Mandavia conducted by Mukti Patel

Jeejna Mandavia is a teacher who now lives and works in the Peel Region. In her oral history with interviewer Mukti Patel (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Jeejna Patel speaks about the role of faith in her and her family’s life, her dependence on her guru, her father’s passing, her experiences with racism as a child, and her experiences as a mother.

Oral history interview with Sandhya Srivatsan conducted by Sarada Sai Susmitha Turaga

Sandhya Srivatsan is the founder of the music academy Gaanavarshini located in Brampton, Ontario. She is a trained Karnatic singer coming from India, who has learnt under the discipline of wonderful gurus. As a trained musician, Sandhya speaks about her early connections and relationship with music. Sandhya comes from a musical family, where each member of her family shared a collective passion for this art form.

In her oral history with interviewer Sarada Sai Susmitha Taraga (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Sandhya Srivatsan talks about the importance of Karnatic Sangeetham and what the art form has to offer the youth of today. Sandhya talks about the importance of family, religion, occupation, and education, and how Karnatic music allowed her to develop a balance when approaching life. Using her passion for music and teaching, Sandhya has developed her own music academy, hoping to teach the tradition of Karnatic Sangeetham and have it rooted in the hearts of the South Asian community in Peel.

Oral history interview with Sarabjit Singh conducted by Flyura Zakirova

Sarabjit Singh is a well-known chef with extensive culinary expertise who has his own restaurant in Brampton. He was born in India then pursued an education in Australia and settled down in Canada with his family while continuing his cooking journey. Now his work in Canada aims to bring Indian cuisine to Canada in an elevated form which will advance the existing experiences of food for South Asians in Peel.

In his oral history with interviewer Flyura Zakirova (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Sarabjit Singh speaks upon his experience across themes of immigration, community, the importance of Heritage, food and generational changes.

Oral history interview with Sharmin Kassam conducted by Aleah Ameer

Sharmin Kassam is a henna artist from Mississauga. She got her degree in civil engineering technology, and right after she got her degree, she decided to take a course with Ash Kumar’s company to refine her henna art. After that, she applied to become a product stockist with the company, which is how to she started her own henna business. She now works in construction and also works as a henna artist for various events such as religious functions, weddings and parties.

In her oral history with interviewer Aleah Ameer (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Sharmin Kassam speaks about her connection to the South Asian community through her work as a henna artist. She explains where her passion for pursuing this art comes from and why she continues to work in both construction and henna. Sharmin Kassam also shares her thoughts on the westernization of South Asian culture, specifically henna. She speaks about the importance of education regarding things with cultural and religious ties and how westernization is not the issue. Rather, it is the disrespect and the erasure of the history and origins that follows it.

Oral history interview with Shirley Wu conducted by Mehreen Butt

Shirley Wu is a Pakistani-Canadian beauty salon owner and a staple in the beauty community not only in Peel, but all over the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and parts of North America. She was born and brought up in Lahore, Pakistan and immigrated to Ontario in 1991.

In her oral history with interviewer Mehreen Butt (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Shirley Wu speaks about her experience growing up in Pakistan, her family’s influence on her career and life experiences, her Hakka ancestry, her influence on the beauty community and South Asian community in the GTA, as well as how important it is to maintain South Asian traditions while growing up within the Peel and GTA South Asian diaspora.

Oral history interview with Sophia Syed conducted by Areeb Daimee

Sophia Syed is a teacher who works in the Peel Region at Rick Hansen Secondary School. Mainly focusing her teaching on politics, religion, and world issues, Sophia seeks to connect students to understanding the different political structures, cultures, beliefs, and concerns that play a significant role in peoples’ everyday lives.

In her oral history with interviewer Areeb Daimee (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Sophia Syed spoke about the significance of South Asian teachers for South Asian students in Peel, the ways in which such representation can help combat discrimination for both students and teachers, and her experiences supporting South Asian cultural and religious celebration in the school.

Oral history interview with Tasneem Ahmed conducted by Arsalan Rizvi

Tasneem Ahmed is an educated Muslim woman living in Mississauga Canada. She is a mother, wife, and decorated professional. In her oral history with interviewer Arsalan Rizvi (UTM undergraduate student at the time), narrator Tasneem Ahmed speaks about life in Canada, growing up in Pakistan, her relationship with her parents, and their impacts on her life and perceptions. She speaks about religion, religion in Canada, her professional life in Saudi Arabia. She also speaks about her experiences throughout her life, experiences with racism, classism, and how religion has played a role in her life.

Oral History Project

Series consists of materials from the 'Completing the Vision: The Oral History of Henri Nouwen' project that was undertaken by Sister Sue Mosteller, Executrix of the Henri Nouwen Literary Centre in partnership with the Henri Nouwen Society and The Henri Nouwen Archives and Research Collection. The project was funded by grants from the Louisville Institution, the Nouwen Society and gifts in kind. The project intended to capture the personal and intimate nature of Nouwen's life and works by interviewing people from Nouwen's extensive network of intellectuals, clerics, lay ministers and ordinary citizens including those from all socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, faiths and traditions who were influenced by Nouwen or influenced him. The interviews were meant to paint a multi-coloured canvas of Nouwen in his many roles and give us a perspective not available in his own writings. Further, the project was a contribution to the ongoing study of religious experience in the 20th century. The project had three specific goals:

  • Fill in historically significant gaps in the present record of Nouwen's life
  • Gain an understanding of why and how a man of such enormous contradictions touched the lives of so many people and drew criticisms of others
  • To give an opportunity for the wide variety of people who were impacted by Nouwen and who in turn contributed to his theological and pastoral vision to give expression to their experience and understanding

From these goals it is hoped this project would act as a resource for contemporary ministry and be an inspiration for ministers, teachers and lay people alike. Further, the project would compliment the writings of Henri Nouwen and the dozen or so newly published books that have explored his legacy since his death.

The interviews conducted for this project relate to four specific periods in Nouwen's life:

  • Early Seminary/University Years 1951-1964
  • Menniger and Notre Dame Years 1964-1967
  • Yale and Harvard Years 1971-1985
  • Final ten years at L'Arche Daybreak 1986-1987

The interviewees range in age, occupation and geographic location but all had a significant relationship with Nouwen at some point in his life. The methodology of the project involved asking each interviewee to spend 30-40 minutes of their interview naming the influences that formed them, their primary relationships, their mission/profession and how their life crossed with Nouwen's.

Over a 24 month period, 93 interviews were conducted, each averaging two hours in length, providing more than 180 hours of multi-textured content regarding Nouwen's theological vision and its impact. The interviewees also recount events of their personal lives and other significant influences unrelated to their relationship with Nouwen. The interviews took place all over North and South America, Europe and Asia and were documented in audio and/or video format. Some of the interviews have been transcribed and a hard copy and/or electronic copy of the transcription are available. Most the interviews and transcriptions are available in English while some are only available in Dutch.

Henri Nouwen Society

Other activities

The records in this series underscore the impact of an upbringing where the tenets of Christianity, public service, and duty were emphasized. They begin with thirty years (1937 – 1969) of files on Camp Kagawong, a privately owned boy’s camp on Balsam Lake, where Dr. Hastings spent his summers as a young boy enjoying the outdoors. The leadership qualities he displayed led to his becoming a camp counsellor (1944 – 1945) and, from 1946 – 1950, director of the Bantam Section and instructor in nature, first aid, swimming and games. During those years he dramatized three folk tales for presentation. At the weekly chapel services, he often delivered homilies or ‘sermonettes’, a practice he continued throughout his association with the camp until a few years before it closed in 1975. He served as camp doctor for a number of his vacations between 1952 and 1967. Dr. Hastings’ activities at Camp Kagawong are well documented through notes, certificates, correspondence (much of which is in Series 3) scripts for theatrical presentations, chapel service programs and sermonettes, and some of the annual camp catalogues, photographs and artifacts. The arrangement of the files in this section is largely chronological.

The material on Camp Kagawong is followed by files on Canadian Council of Churches and its Vellore/Ludhiana Committee, of which Dr. Hastings was a member from 1962 – 1975 and to which he was an advisor from 1975 to 1981. These are followed by files on the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India, including extensive ones documenting the work of the International Review Team, of which he was a member, that visited Vellore in 1979 and produced a report on its findings the following year. His wife and daughter accompanied him on this trip.

Next are files on the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953; the Developing Countries Farm Radio Network, of which Dr. Hastings was a member of the board; Emmanuel College, where he was a University representative on its council and a member of its curriculum committee; the King’s College Fund which in 1985 organized a Canadian study tour of health services in Britain and, in the same period reciprocal study tours in Canada, based on the Department of Health Administration at the University of Toronto. (Dr. Hastings and his family lived at the King’s Fund College during several visits in London.) He was active in the youth clubs of the Progressive Conservative Party in the 1940s, attended the 1948 convention at which George Drew was selected leader, and took part in the federal election the following year.

Dr. Hastings’ place of worship for many years has been St. Andrew’s United Church at 117 Bloor Street East in Toronto. He played a very active role in its affairs, serving on its Session and Official Board since 1956, many of its committees, was a member of its Men’s Club and, on occasion, delivered the sermon of the week. The files cover the years from 1952 to 1973, when St. Andrew’s and the Yonge Street United Church amalgamated, and include correspondence, notices of services, minutes of meetings, reports, and drafts of three sermons.

This series ends with a number of files on Dr. Hastings’ involvement in several activities of the United Church of Canada, centering around his being a member of its task force on health services (1985 – 1987) and its Division of Mission in Canada’s health task group (1991 – 1994). Included are correspondence, minutes, memoranda, notes, drafts of reports, and a video, “Taking the pulse of Canadian health care” that grew out of the work of the health task group.

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