ANTWERP BRITISH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION vzw Maandelijkse Newsletter – januari 2016

Verschijnt niet in juli Verantwoordelijk uitgever:

Mary Ann Marinus, Oude Beurs 33, 2000 Antwerpen Afgiftekantoor 2000 Antwerpen 1

POO8284

CONTENTS

Dates for your diary ................................ 2

From our Chairman ................................ 3

Thought for the month ............................ 3

Membership matters ............................... 4

New members ........................................... 4

Subscriptions reminder .......................... 4

Subscriptions received ............................ 5

ABCA’s New Year ................................... 6

Advance notice : ...................................... 6

Hogmanay ................................................. 7

Antwerp and Wealth Strategies ............ 8

The Big Bad Wolf .................................... 9

Nutcracker .............................................. 10

The Roaring Twenties ........................... 11

I am the New Year ................................. 12

SuDokus .................................................. 13

January Quiz .......................................... 14

January Crossword ............................... 15

Useful Information ................................ 16

Belgie-Belgique

P.B.

2000 Antwerpen 1

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Dates for your diary

ABCA events in BOLD type

1st January ‘16 New Year’s day !

9th

January Roma : Nieuwjaarsconcert, 3 pm – info Roma

17th

January ABCA : New Year brunch at “d’Aa Toert”

23-25 Jan ‘16 BATS panto “Little Red Riding Hood”, Arenberg

27th

January ABCA new year drinks at the Open Evening, Highlander

Advance Notice:

6th

February ROMA : Concierto de Aranjuez, 3pm – info Roma

14th February RBL Valentine lunch

28th

February ABCA : visit to town hall with English speaking guide

March ABCA : poetry & piano outing on tram “De Lux”

26th March ROMA : “Broadway in Borgerhout” – info Roma

ABCA Antwerp British Community Association: For payments, call Margaret du Maine on 03 651 32 24 For membership matters, call Nadine Hechtermans on 03 480 34 77 (evenings) Open Evenings: The Highlander, Stadswaag 21, 2000 Antwerpen (03 226 91 80)

ABIW Antwerp British & International Women: contact Valerie Carroll on 03 254 03 73 MtS Missions to Seafarers: contact Rev. Brian Millson on 03 605 41 88 RBL Royal British Legion, info Bob Chambers on 0474 282843 St.Boniface St Boniface Anglican Church: contact Fr Wagstaff SSC on 03 239 33 39 BATS British American Theatrical Society: contact Tom De Beckker:

email: debeckkertom@hotmail.com

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From our Chairman

Dear Members, With warmest wishes for a happy and healthy 2016!

The dawn of 2016 brings with it a leap year amongst other things. A leap year comes around only every four years, helping to keep our calendars in synch with Earth’s rotation around the sun.

Lots of exciting outings on our programme starting with the Brunch on 17th and the New Year drinks at the Open Evening on the 27th .

With best wishes,

Mary Ann Marinus

Chairman

Thought for the month "Too much of a good thing can be truly wonderful…” – Mae West

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Membership matters

New members

Mrs Mabel Baker (returning member) Bakkerstraat 45 2140 Borgerhout 0496 067139 - 03 271 0971 Mrs Maritje Beyers-Van der Meulen

Rubenslei 1 bus 15 2018 Antwerpen 0498 416613 ) 03 775 5734 We look forward to meeting up with them at one of our next events.

Subscriptions reminder

The subscription for 2016 is due from the 1st of January. If you have already paid, you may ignore this message, otherwise:

Single subscription: €20 Double (2 at same address): €34 Please transfer to the ABCA bank account BE11 2200 3243 8048

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Subscriptions received

The following have already paid their subscriptions for 2016 (received up to 21st December): Mark Coenen Jackie & Bob Cools-Braem Margaret & Ton du Maine-Simpson Willy Meynckens Michel Stuyts & Reginald De Plaen

Steve & Suzy Cook-Van Eersel John Dashwood Louisa McColgan-Deckers Vicky Mizu Marcella Walker

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ABCA’s New Year Champagne Brunch at “d’Aa Toert”

Date: Sunday January 17th, 11.30am – 2.30pm; those of you who were there last year will

remember it well. For those who didn’t make it, “d’Aa Toert” is located on the Oude Beurs

just behind the Grote Markt and within easy reach of public transport.

Cost is a moderate €20 per person and we hope to see absolutely everybody there for this first get-together of 2016. Receipt of payment confirms your booking. And remember to

phone Mary Ann (0486 646941 – pm only) to check availability (if you haven’t already

done so ). Bank account number: BE11 2200 3243 8048.

Advance notice : Tram De Lux outing in March !

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Hogmanay

The Scots have a long and rich heritage associated with New Year’s Eve - and have their own name for it, Hogmanay. There are many theories about the derivation of the word. The Scandinavian word for the feast preceding Yule was "Hoggo-nott" but the most likely source seems to be the French. "Homme est né" or "Man is born" while in Normandy presents given at that time were "hoguignetes. In Scotland a similar practice to that in Normandy was recorded, rather disapprovingly, by the Church. "It is ordinary among some Plebians in the South of Scotland, to go about from door to door upon New Year`s Eve, crying Hagmane." Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, 1693. Historians believe that we inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day. In Shetland, where the Viking influence was strongest, New Year is called Yules, from the Scandinavian word. Christmas was virtually banned in Scotland for around 400 years, from the end of the 17th century to the 1950s. Many Scots had to work over Christmas and their winter solstice holiday was therefore at New Year when family and friends gathered for a party and exchanged presents. There are traditions before midnight such as cleaning the house on 31st December (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common). There is also the superstition to clear all your debts before "the bells" at midnight. "First footing" (that is, the "first foot" in the house after midnight) ensures good luck for the house. However the first foot should be male, dark (believed to be a throwback to the Viking days when blond strangers arriving on your doorstep meant trouble) and should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, a black bun and whisky. These days, however, whisky and perhaps shortbread are the only items still offered. Torch and Bonfire Ceremonies - The magical firework display and torchlight procession in Edinburgh - and throughout many cities in Scotland - is reminiscent of ancient customs. The traditional New Year ceremony of yesteryear would involve people dressing up in the hides of cattle and running around the village while being hit by sticks. The festivities would also include the lighting of bonfires, rolling blazing tar barrels down the hill and tossing torches. Animal hide was also wrapped around sticks and ignited which produced a smoke that was believed to be very effective to ward off evil spirits. The smoking stick was also known as a Hogmanay. One of the most spectacular fire ceremonies takes place in Stonehaven, on the North East coast. Giant fireballs, weighing up to 20 pounds are lit and swung around on five feet long metal poles and require 60 men to carry them as they march up and down the High Street. The origin of this pre-Christian custom is believed to be linked to the Winter Solstice of late December with the fireballs signifying the power of the sun to purify the world by consuming evil spirits.

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Antwerp and Wealth Strategies

A look to the future – the project for the new bridge over the Scheldt River

Angela Ivanova is a Bulgarian living in Antwerp. She has written some articles about the city. Here is her take on the impetus that made Antwerp one of the foremost medieval cities in Europe. In medieval times Antwerp was the wealthiest city in Europe now. Despite setbacks it continually changed strategy and, like a phoenix, rose time and again from the ashes of historic cataclysms to present a new face to the world. Today, the Jerusalem of the North is a cosmopolitan metropolis that sustains its position as the Diamond Capital of Europe. In 2006 the largest diamond of the century, the so-called ‘Lesotho Promise’, was sold in Antwerp for the price of 12,4 million dollars. As they said in old American movies: “Darling, I’ll order the rings from Antwerp!”.. Origins Antwerp dates from the Gallic – Roman Era, when the Roman province Gallia Belgica was established with a major ethnic composition of Celts. The era of the Carolingian empire was ushered in by Charlemagne in 768. However it was not long-lasting, and at the end of the 9th century the Vikings unleashed their hordes leaving legends about devastating raids. Eventually in 1194 Antwerp gained the rights to its own seal and legislation that provided guarantees in the coal, timber, metals and wood trades. With a settled city life fairs and carnivals were organised and a pre-Renaissance construction was started on what was to become the most prominent historical site of the city, the Onze Lieve Vrouw Cathedral. Building on the project took from 1352 to 1530. It remains unfinished, evidenced by the sculpture ensemble in front of its façade. And it makes some sense, as the hope in God has no end either? .... It never fades.

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The Big Bad Wolf

Yes once again it’s time to shout at the stage “He’s behind you” as the BATS annual pantomime gets underway, this year with Little Red Riding Hood. Everyone knows the story of Red Riding Hood who goes through the woods to visit her sick grandmother only to end up confronted by the Big Bad Wolf. It’s fair to say that wolves have had a rotten press throughout history. Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids, the Russian tale Peter and the Wolf, all reflect the theme of the ravening wolf and of the creature released unharmed from its belly, but the general theme of restoration goes back to the mists of time. Folklorists and cultural anthropologists saw Little Red Riding Hood in terms of solar myths and other naturally occurring cycles, stating that the wolf represents the night swallowing the sun, and the variations in which Little Red Riding Hood is cut out of the wolf's belly represent the dawn. In this interpretation, there is a connection between the wolf and Fenris, the great wolf in Norse mythology who will swallow the sun at the battle of Ragnarök. Ethologist Dr. Valerius Geist wrote that the fable was likely based on the genuine risk of wolf attacks at the time. He argues that wolves were in fact dangerous predators, and fables served as a valid warning not to enter forests where wolves were known to live, and to be on the lookout for such. At that time both wolves and wilderness were considered dangerous to human beings. Later wolves became associated with the legend of Dracula and superstition had it that at the full moon certain humans could change their shape to become werewolves. Little Red Riding Hood - 23, 24, 25 January 2016 Arenbergschouwburg

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Nutcracker

What ballet fan or devotee of Christmas traditions doesn't know the story of The Nutcracker? The enchanting tale that begins on Christmas Eve when the girl, Clara, receives a Nutcracker doll from her mysterious uncle Drosselmeyer. For the latest production for the Ballet of Flanders, the young choreographer Demis Volpi has taken Petipa’s original version of the ballet as starting point, but adds his own interpretation of the music of Tchaikovsky.

The Nutcracker (1892), based on a fairy tale by the German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann, was no easy task. Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa had a real struggle with it. The premiere was even postponed by a year. Initially the critics were unimpressed by the choreography that included 'too few dance moves'. The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, and had a run of just 14 performances. Now it is a staple ballet of the festive season.

The premiere in the West was only in 1934 in London, and from there the ballet went on to conquer the world. Everyone was smitten with the adorable Clara and the Nutcracker who, in her dream, comes to life and is transformed into a prince. The suspense runs high when her hero is attacked by the Mouse King. The Nutcracker fights off the army of mice, and then they wind up inside of Drosselmeyer's magic lantern. There, they meet the Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy, who takes Clara and the prince on a magical journey through exotic lands and marvellous delights… all of which takes place in the unique, fascinating world of the leading contemporary choreographer Demis Volpi.

From January 24 through 31 in Antwerp. Further performances in Ghent. More Awards for Ballet Vlaanderen The renowned journal, Dance Europe, has given the award of Company of the Year to Ballet Vlaanderen. Principals Aiko Saito and Wim Vanlessen were named for Outstanding Performance by a Female and Male Dancer for their leading roles in the ballet Onegin. Andrew McNicol (choreographer Choreolab: Eunoia) won the prize in the category “Talent to Watch”.

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The Roaring Twenties

"Men and girls came and went

like moths among the whisperings

and the champagne and the stars"

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925.

For those of you not quite out of New Year celebration mode, the Mode Museum in Hasselt is staging an exhibition on The Roaring Twenties that era of Flappers, the Charleston and endless cocktails. The 1920s saw the arrival of a new, innovative spirit. The result was an original style that broke with established orders and values and flirted with Modernism. The new moral and social etiquette required entirely different fashions, and fashion followed the impulse of avant-garde art movements. Cultivated by cinema and Hollywood, the figure of the 'flapper' became a stereotype of the 1920s. This boyish, rebellious garçonne set herself apart from accepted conventions and propriety. She cut her hair short, wore heavy makeup and short skirts, listened to jazz, frequented nightclubs and was not afraid of socially unacceptable relationships. Men were changing too. The great popularity of leisure time activities translated into sporty and more comfortable apparel with men only returning to the formal traditional black suit for evenings. Two crucial figures in the development of 1920s fashions were Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel and Jean Patou. Chanel introduced masculine elements, such as vests and trousers, into women's fashions. Jean Patou, in addition to his collections, focused on clothing for sports and leisure, and designed for famous sports stars. Designers today still reach back to elements from that fascinating decade. It is no accident that the principles of those exuberant years are at the foundation of today's contemporary fashion.

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I am the New Year

I am the New Year ... I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.

I am your next chance at the art of living.

I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.

All that you sought

and didn't find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it out

with more determination.

All the good that you tried for and didn't achieve is mine to grant

when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you dreamed but didn't dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will,

all the faith that you claimed but did not have - these slumber lightly,

waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am your opportunity to make all things new.

I am the New Year!

Author Unknown

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SuDokus

January puzzles

December answers

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January Quiz

1. In which film did Roger Moore first play James Bond? 2. How many gallons of beer are in a firkin? 3. What in Cornwall is the most southerly point of mainland Britain? 4. Alan Minter was undisputed World boxing champion at which weight 5. Which 17th century explorer was buried with a pipe and a box of tobacco? 6. Which Latin term, usually applied to legal evidence, means 'at first sight' 7. What was the character name of TV's 'The Saint' 8. In literature, who was the best known pupil of Greyfriar's School 9. What is the alternative common name for a Black Leopard 10. Who composed The Wedding March? 11. Which actor appeared in Papillion and The Great Escape and died in 1980? 12. What do the British call the vegetables that Americans call zucchini? 13. In which bay is Alcatraz 14. What is the most northerly cricket ground at which a Test Match can (as at 2009)

be played? 15. Which British general was killed at Khartoum?

December Answers

1. H2O; 2. Christmas tree; 3. UNICEF; 4. Poinsettia: 5. Wine; 6. Sound of the Underground; 7. Ernie Wise; 8. Australia; 9.Pakistan; 10. Anthony Hopkins; 11.Tracy; 12. C; 13.Walking in the Air ; 14. Babycham; 15. Mistle thrush

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January Crossword

Across

1. Located (6); 4. Flatulent (5); 8. Score (4); 9. Doorway (8); 10. Wither (7); 12. Prevail (5); 13. Gammy (4); 14. Locations (5); 17. Earnings (5); 20. Bottom of ship's hull (4); 22. Succulent (5); 23. Having all tickets sold (4,3); 24. Province in E China (8); 25. Oxidize (4); 26. Having an edge (5); 27. Pertaining to scenery (6)

Down

1. Winged horse (7); 2. Crash (7); 3. Fuel oil (6); 5. Crew of an aircraft (7); 6. Submerging (7); 7. Sharp (4); 11. Bodies of water (5); 15. Final part (4,3) 16. Horizon (7); 18. Loud enough to be heard (7); 19. Diabolical (7) 21. Lives in rented rooms (6); 22. New Orleans music (4)

December solution

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Useful Information Patron: HM Ambassador to Belgium Committee for 2015/2016:

Chairman Mary Ann Marinus Oude Beurs 33 2000 Antwerpen tel: 0486 646 941 (pm only) maryann.marinus@hotmail.com

Vice Chairman Penny Law Geestenspoor 113 2180 Ekeren tel: 03 542 20 71 drpenelopejanelaw@hotmail.com

Hon. Treasurer Margaret du Maine Miksebeekstraat 104 2930 Brasschaat tel: 03 651 32 24 mdumaine@scarlet.be

Secretary Nadine Hechtermans Lispersteenweg 219 2500 Lier tel: 03 480 34 77 nadine.hechtermans@telenet.be

Committee Member Jill Barnard Baggenstraat 14 2140 Borgerhout tel: 0474 432191 jillbarnard2000@yahoo.com

Committee Member Stephanie Hughes Maarschalk Gerardstraat 21, bus 1 2000 Antwerpen tel: 0484661331 stephanie.hughes@ua.ac.be

Newsletter Editor Madeleine Richardson Prins Boudewijnlaan 84/3 2610 Wilrijk tel: 03 230 49 47 madeleine.richardson@telenet.be

Benevolent Matters Dora Jolly Hollandstraat 38 2060 Antwerpen tel: 03 232 71 15 aljolly@busmail.net

Anglican Church St Boniface Church Grétrystraat 39 2018 Antwerpen tel: 03 239 33 39 chaplain@boniface.be

Webmaster: brian.edwards@attglobal.net ABCA Website: www.abca-antwerp.be e-mail address: ABCA_Antwerp@yahoo.com

ABCA recognizes the diversity of belief in contemporary British society and accordingly directs members wanting to contact other faith groups to the “Gids Levensbeschouwingen Antwerpen”/Multifaith Antwerp guide, published by the Stad Antwerpen. Information on www.antwerpen.be - tel 03 338 3115.

ABCA Bank Account number is BE11 2200 3243 8048. Annual subscription: Single: € 20, Double: € 34. Donations towards our benevolent work are welcome. Please feel free to submit items for inclusion in the newsletter, such as poems you particularly like, anecdotes, stories about Antwerp, hints, suggestions. Items must be submitted to the editor by the 20th of the month for inclusion in the next edition.

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