austraLasia #3309
CEBU (Lawaan, Talisay): 8 November 2013 -- The EAO Historiography Seminar, which concludes today, Friday 8 November at the Don Bosco Retreat Centre south of Cebu City, at Lawaan, Talisay, was not reckoning on an intruder in its original planning stage: typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda in the Philippines), which weather forecasters are describing as "among the most powerful witnessed anywhere in modern times....possibly the most powerful the planet has seen."
Yolanda is a super Category 5 typhoon and expected to cause catastrophic damage through storm surge, winds (300km plus at the centre) and torrential rain. The Seminar concludes as Yolanda's centre hits just north of Cebu island - which will make travel out of Cebu a problem for many participants. As you read this, spare a prayer for everyone in the path of this typhoon. Preservation of human life has been paramount in the preparation for this event.
"The state of Salesian Historiography and the conservation and development of the Salesian historical patrimony in the region". Here too thoughts have been given to preservation of another kind from 4-8 November at the Don Bosco retreat House, Lawaan, Talisay, Cebu. Some 30 Salesians and other Salesian Family Group representatives have spent the week sharing insights and techniques on preservation of the patrimony of each group and province represented. The entire effort has been guided by the ACSSA, which would translate into English as the Association of Salesian History Enthusiasts. Fr Stanislaw Zimniak sdb and Sr Grazia Loparco fma are the two ACSSA leaders from Rome guiding the Seminar.
Other than significant contributions from well-known figures in the Region's 'writing up, narration of history' (as historiography is wont to be!) , names such as Nestor Impelido, Teresa Furukawa... there have been contributions from outside the Salesian Family, viz., Professor Levi Lanario from the University of San Carlos, Cebu, speaking on a study of historiography by religious orders in East Asia, and Fr Alberto Flores from the Manila Archdiocese, with a similar study of religious orders in the Philippines. Also from Manila, Professor Regalado Trota Jose, who explored 'The Work of Conservation and Preservation of Documents for the Writing of History: Contemporary Problems and Perspectives.'
Salesian Sister groups in the Salesian Family have been prominent in this exercise: Caritas (SCM) Japan, DQM Thailand, SIHM, also from Thailand, in addition to the FMA. Salesians from north and south Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Timor have all shared insights, problems, successes.
One contributor with considerable experience in digital archiving spoke of the important steps required today to ensure that the more 'fragile' digital material we are now accustomed to is preserved. He insisted on the importance of metadata for all documentation.
An interesting highlight of day 2 was the 'goodnight' by Fr Shinjiro Urata who introduced his doctoral dissertation where he had to read/study/analyse the original writings of Fr Julius Barberis and it was made possible because it was preserved as a legacy of historiography.
Participants were also able to join people for the Mass in the grounds of the Basilica of Sto Nino (the church was closed because of earthquake fissures) at which Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu presided, and later visited the Library of the University of San Carlos to see how they preserve their works.
Earthquakes and typhoons have very definitely punctuated proceedings at this Seminar, with salutary reminders on preservation, and that in the end, we are all in the hands of Christ the King and Lord of History, whose Feast we shall soon be celebrating.
CEBU (Lawaan, Talisay): 8 November 2013 -- The EAO Historiography Seminar, which concludes today, Friday 8 November at the Don Bosco Retreat Centre south of Cebu City, at Lawaan, Talisay, was not reckoning on an intruder in its original planning stage: typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda in the Philippines), which weather forecasters are describing as "among the most powerful witnessed anywhere in modern times....possibly the most powerful the planet has seen."
Yolanda is a super Category 5 typhoon and expected to cause catastrophic damage through storm surge, winds (300km plus at the centre) and torrential rain. The Seminar concludes as Yolanda's centre hits just north of Cebu island - which will make travel out of Cebu a problem for many participants. As you read this, spare a prayer for everyone in the path of this typhoon. Preservation of human life has been paramount in the preparation for this event.
"The state of Salesian Historiography and the conservation and development of the Salesian historical patrimony in the region". Here too thoughts have been given to preservation of another kind from 4-8 November at the Don Bosco retreat House, Lawaan, Talisay, Cebu. Some 30 Salesians and other Salesian Family Group representatives have spent the week sharing insights and techniques on preservation of the patrimony of each group and province represented. The entire effort has been guided by the ACSSA, which would translate into English as the Association of Salesian History Enthusiasts. Fr Stanislaw Zimniak sdb and Sr Grazia Loparco fma are the two ACSSA leaders from Rome guiding the Seminar.
Other than significant contributions from well-known figures in the Region's 'writing up, narration of history' (as historiography is wont to be!) , names such as Nestor Impelido, Teresa Furukawa... there have been contributions from outside the Salesian Family, viz., Professor Levi Lanario from the University of San Carlos, Cebu, speaking on a study of historiography by religious orders in East Asia, and Fr Alberto Flores from the Manila Archdiocese, with a similar study of religious orders in the Philippines. Also from Manila, Professor Regalado Trota Jose, who explored 'The Work of Conservation and Preservation of Documents for the Writing of History: Contemporary Problems and Perspectives.'
Salesian Sister groups in the Salesian Family have been prominent in this exercise: Caritas (SCM) Japan, DQM Thailand, SIHM, also from Thailand, in addition to the FMA. Salesians from north and south Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Timor have all shared insights, problems, successes.
One contributor with considerable experience in digital archiving spoke of the important steps required today to ensure that the more 'fragile' digital material we are now accustomed to is preserved. He insisted on the importance of metadata for all documentation.
An interesting highlight of day 2 was the 'goodnight' by Fr Shinjiro Urata who introduced his doctoral dissertation where he had to read/study/analyse the original writings of Fr Julius Barberis and it was made possible because it was preserved as a legacy of historiography.
Participants were also able to join people for the Mass in the grounds of the Basilica of Sto Nino (the church was closed because of earthquake fissures) at which Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu presided, and later visited the Library of the University of San Carlos to see how they preserve their works.
Earthquakes and typhoons have very definitely punctuated proceedings at this Seminar, with salutary reminders on preservation, and that in the end, we are all in the hands of Christ the King and Lord of History, whose Feast we shall soon be celebrating.
