Learning from Pirate Communities - Gender and Women's Rights

Long before universal suffrage, Roe vs. Wade, bra-burning, the Eveleth iron mine, Hilary Clinton, or the exporting of women's rights to places like Afghanistan, a woman named Ching Shih watched her husband die in a hail of musket fire.

It was 1807 and Zheng Yi, a pretty darn good pirate in his own right, just got put down by the Royal Navy. A power vacuum emerged. Hundreds of Chinese pirates were looking for a leader. An opportunity presented itself. And on to the scene emerged the greatest pirate in the history of pirates. She called herself Madame Cheng.

Madame Cheng was ruthless, wily and charismatic. She immediately seized the opportunity (totally embraced planned happenstance, by the way) and consolidated power within the Chinese Pirate Confederation by leveraging her positive relationship with the members of her husbands professional and social networks. Madame Cheng also took a huge risk. As she cajoled and negotiated and charmed her way to prominence in China's pirate community, Madame Cheng took on a young lover; the adopted son of a fisherman named Cheng Pao. And here's the kicker: she made the kid head of the Red Sea fleet, which was the biggest and most important in the Confederation.

The move was shrewed and effective. Madame Cheng had an eye for talent, as Cheng Pao had grown up in a "floating community" of Chinese junks, adhoc houseboats and strung-together waterlogged debris. He had an uncanny understanding of the sea and Cheng Pao used such abilities to carry out his wife's master plan, which, really, was nothing short of dominating the Chinese shipping routes from the Strait of Malacca to Australia.

By 1810, Madame Cheng's pirate fleet was larger than those of most countries navies. She commanded between 600-800 coastal vessels, hundreds of small, river junks, and tens of thousands of pirates. Recognizing her growing power, the British, Portuguese and Chinese eventually banded together to stop Madame Cheng. But they didn't. Following thousands of deaths - pirate and seamen alike - Madame Cheng decided to belay the bloodshed. From a position of power, she negotiated a peace treaty with the colonial powers and Chinese authorities and, following the agreement, sought an early retirement with her husband, Cheng Pao. Through organization, relationship-building and recognizing top talent, Madame Cheng created a pirate fleet the likes of which no one has ever seen (or well ever again see). And for three years she ran the shipping lanes of the China Sea and Strait of Malacca for decades.

Now. Madame Cheng wasn't the only successful lady pirate. Anne Bonny and Mary Read are probably the most famous female pirates. Actually, they arguably made the inspiration for Johnny Depp, Calico Jack Rackam, famous by association. The three sailed together from 1718-1720 in the Caribbean, after Rackam, a charismatic fellow (not unlike another Captain Jack we know and love), was elected by his crew following the former captain was declared a coward and executed. Rackam, who was engulfed in a fairly tawdry relationship with Read, brought to two women aboard during a stop in Cuba, and the women joined the crew in pillaging small sloops and coastal fishing villages all around the Caribbean.

Life was good (there was even an alleged love triangle between Bonny, Read and Rackam), until 1720 when Captain Jonathan Barnet captured Rackam's ship. Get this. All the men, including Rackam, hid below deck as the Royal Navy ship approached. Bonny and Read, who Barnet claimed could "swear and fight as good as any man," charged the approaching sailors, killing and wounding dozens before they were finally captured. And while Rackam was quickly hanged, his body put in a cage near Deadman's Cay, Bonny and Read, who - I kid you not - were both pregnant at the time, were allowed to have their children before returning to trial. Read died before re-trial, but Bonny escaped with her child, never to be heard from again.

Amazing stories, sure. And what does this mean for our current communities here on Earth? Well, I have some findings to report:

Leading women today agree with John's idea. Okay, maybe, but probably not really. Still, having met Fiona Walsh (FM Walsh & Associates) and knowing her to be pretty darn brilliant and that she has a great sense of humour, check this out. Let's see how Madame Cheng's piratical example lives up to the three main components of Ms. Walsh's Women in Leadership Program:

1. Develop a professional "BIG PLAN" and have a "Plan B". Check! Madame Cheng's initial plan was to, well, dominate the China Sea and Strait of Malacca for another few decades. Plan B was to retire. Well played, ma'am.
2. Understand your professional value (your reputation, specialized skill set, existing network) and build on these three components. Check! Madame Cheng (not to mention Bonny and Read) had fierce reputations. Cheng's skill set involved top-level leadership, industry knowledge, talent recognition, and the motivational aspect of organizational behaviour. And she leveraged her husband's network to become leader of the Chinese Pirate Confederacy. Brilliant!
3. Build a powerful business network that will support your advancement through the world of business. Check! Beginning with the appointment of Cheng Pao, Madame Cheng surrounded herself with a variety of new business partners (river-going junks was a new idea, not to mention a very lucrative one) as well as a range of existing power brokers from the colonial and Chinese/Japanese/Singaporean/Filipino/Vietnamese business communities.

Hilary Clinton running for President shouldn't be a big freakin' deal! Well, yes, it should, because a woman leading the United States (arguably the world) is an amazing and inspirational concept; however, Madame Cheng, nearly two hundred years ago, showed us that women can not only succeed in a man's world, but can absolutely and totally change the game. She took on Britain and Portugal and various Chinese city-states. That's like Hilary taking on the economy, Climate Change and adultery! Point is, we shouldn't be surprised. Women are, quite clearly, better than men at most things. Even piracy. Probably politics. More often than not, it's just a matter of timing.

Women are unmeasurably powerful. Thing is, our economic measuring/value-system has been written by men for hundreds of years and, admittedly, is a tad biased. Get this. A recent study by the United Nations Human Development Index revealed that unpaid work, such as volunteering, caring for the young, old and sick, household management, do-it-yourself housing, food-growing, and community service, accounts for $16 trillion per year. The vast majority of this work is done by women. Further, a recent University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business study estimates the annual value of a stay-at-home-mom at $138,095 and points out that these community leaders work an average of 51.8 hours of over time per week. Now all we need are some metrics that measure this kind of contribution instead of just GDP...

Should we be surprised that the greatest pirate in the history of the world was a woman? Not really. Ladies, you might just need to embrace your inner-pirate. If you take one thing away from the story of Madame Cheng, let it be the part about recognizing an opportunity for success and seizing it. And when you do, be sure to collaborate with other women and share your success. Honestly, there are a lot of us out here who are excited for you to run the world. Sorry we've screwed it up so badly...

Good luck, and have fun with it!

- JCH

When Work Effects My Community

When you get busy at work its really easy to turn in on yourself, and your interests and ignore the outside community. Sometimes, I find this happening to myself. These days, I have a full time job along with a new contract and a new volunteer gig. I'm excited about all of this, but also conscious that over the next three-four weeknights I'm going to be at work/working for most of the night.

That means little time to see my lovely partner and even less to see my wonderful friends. It also leads to more time perched in front of the computer and less time wandering the Drive, shopping at the Co-op, sipping Java at the bump and grind, or volunteering at a Climate Cafe. Even reading and cooking (my two big passions) seem to fall by the wayside. These are all things that make my community worth living in, and unfortunately, they're also the things that seem very often the first to drop by the wayside.

Finding the work, life, balance in a routine of work, life, hustle can be tricky. I think these days, more than anything else, it's important to be, at the very least, conscious of these issues. Many people aren't and woe is them. The other trick is to make sure that its a short term issue and doesn't turn into a long term problem.

Family Dinner

A wise man once said a family that eats together, stays together.

Our group of friends is family. We spend a lot of time coming up with ridiculous email games (that's right John and Godfrey, I'm looking at you), singing karaoke, drinking coffee, playing settlers of Cataan, and generally chatting.

One of the neatest expressions of our little community happened this Sunday night. It came about from an impromptu decision to pool resources and combine, my left over chicken, new Co-op salad, and pasta initially bought by John for four into a hearty meal for six. We even had some spare avocados that someone brought which we created some tasty Mango-mole (sans mangos)

"One of the brightest parts of my weekend was family dinner," said a rosy cheeked Theodora Lamb afterwards.

The dinner was neat for a few reasons. First its very impromptu nature showcased how close our community circle was. Second, the fact that everyone came from different directions to make a communal feast was illustrative of a collaborative approach that we hope to replicate and spread to other facets of life. Finally, the fun was amped up from lazy Sunday night to general Saturday night-like merriment.

It's all a process that needs to happen more often.

Woodwards to Transform the DTES

Next year, a community may be remade before our eyes.

It's all connected to the Woodwards Project, a new high rise multi-use complex soaring above the derelict buildings of Canada's poorest neighbourhood.

It has been over 6 years in the making and has seen squats by housing advocates who worried about the gentrification of the poor community.
The message was heard loud and clear at city hall and by the developers and architects involved in the building project. Inclusion, not exclusion.

Unlike the soaring towers of glass characteristic of yuppie Yaletown, Woodwards is going to be different. Of the development's 536 suites, about 40% will go to non-market housing. The mix of tenants will range from the urban chic who dine nightly at bistros like nearby Wild Rice, to less advantaged folks, some of whom have just made their way off addiction and the streets.

I spoke with one future resident shortly after he received notice that there would be a space for him. He currently lives at one of the emergency shelters set up by Vision Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. He's a smart and articulate guy with a university eduction and spattering of mental illness that eventually led to substance abuse issues that he's now recovering from. His favorite place to hang out - the library, where he can access the net and read to his hearts content. His luck in landing a spot at Woodwards was not lost on him.

In addition to housing, Woodward will also house Simon Fraser University's new Centre for the Contemporary Arts (a perfect venue for the "struggling artists"), office and rental space for non-profits, as well as retail grocery and drug stores. There's even word that negotiations are going on between the development's large retail tenants and local non-profit Bladerunners, which finds work for street youth and recovering addicts on construction sites and now, it would seem, local businesses.

This new project isn't going to solve homelessness in the city. But it's certainly the right model. The idea of integrating the most vulnerable into our communities rather than ghettozing them is the right way forward. I'm excited and proud to watch the transformation of the neighbourhood before my eyes.

Our community just got Sexier!

And our community got greener while it got sexier, too! It happened on Wednesday, March 18 at Pane Vero Cafe & Bakery on The Drive. And it happened because the team at Climate Cafes got together with two amazing presenters, Carolyn and Jes, to have an interesting, entertaining, informative, interactive, and, well, amazing conversation about environmentally friendly sex.

Like I said. Amazing.

About 25 of us huddled at the front of the coffee shop to hear Carolyn and Jes share intimate details on the big picture of sex as it relates to the health of our planet's population, the environmental impact (from "birth to death") of contraceptives like condoms and IUDs, how to properly use and dispose of these contraceptives, suggestions on sexily saving energy, and, most importantly, creative ways to turn household items into sex toys! After all, reducing consumption by reusing what we already have (think of really, really fun new ways to conceptualize and use ping pong paddles or a wooden spatula!) is a great way to be sexy non-consumers.

And then there was the part where the audience learned about shaving a cucumber down to a "personally appropriate size" and using it for pleasure. Honestly, the evening was totally about building community and sharing knowledge, but this was one moment that saw one very confused patron - who showed up halfway through the discussion - furrow her brow, turn on her heel and head back outside. Fair enough. Using vegetables in the bedroom, I suppose, isn't for everybody.

Climate Cafes is about bringing environmentally-savvy people together to discuss climate change issues and brainstorm (or learn about) "next steps" that can be taken to demonstrate basic, every day applications that will affect the planet in a positive way. Here are some ideas and strategies that you, the sexual consumer, might want to think about as you prepare to make romantic moves in the future:

There's a lotta people here: can Mother Earth support and sustain so many people? Probably not. Definitely not at the rate we're going. So, we learned about the myriad of birth control and safer-sex options out there. Check out the Climate Cafes website or Options for Sexual Health for more details. Green or not, when it comes to sex, keep it classy, safe and know your options.
Products "from birth to death": what environmental impact do condoms, birth control pills, IUDs, diaphragms, dildos, whips, vibes, lubes, and/or sexy panties have on the planet? From production to disposal, what do you need to know about items on the above list? For example, recent findings show that there is actually more fish-population-affecting estrogen in a pesticide like DDT than there is in a birth control pills. Also, think about buying lingerie or toys that are organic and locally made. Climate Cafe-er, Emily Jubenville, has some cool ideas on where to look and what to look for.
Intimately Environmentally Sexy: saving energy and making things hot at the same time couldn't be simpler. Share a steamy shower with your partner and save some water, or turn out the lights and light some candles to make things sexy and energy efficient (just don't get caught up in the passion and burn the house down).

Oh man, and I almost forgot. We learned that menstrual blood can be used as fertilizer for house plants and that there is a depot in Vancouver where you can recycle your sex toys. Like I said...amazing!

So, Gumbooters, stay sexy. Check out the details at www.climatecafes.ca. And, most importantly, have fun with it!

- JCH

Dirty Talk, the good kind…oh yeah baby

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
-Margaret Atwood

In the spring, at the end of the day, here in Vancouver, I smell like a lot of things: sweat, my perfume, the perfume from the girl next to me on the bus, teriyaki chicken, wet cement, soft water, coffee with milk, chlorine from the pool, car exhaust, pillow drool and fabric softener. The smell of dirt is noticeably absent from my “bouquet.” I think I’ve been getting little cues from the universe telling me this has to change; that I need to get a little more intimate with the dirt in this city.

This year, I was introduced to the Hindu Spring Festival of Holi – it’s the festival of colours. Holi fell on the full moon in February, before the vernal equinox this year. On that day, I was smeared in red; coloured powder wiped right across my face. Fires are lit during Holi, just as they are during Nowruz, the Iranian New Year celebrated on the first day of spring. The tinge of fire, black ashes left over, back into the dirt, back into the earth: these are the images and experiences that have welcomed me into spring this year.

I think it’s a good start to the season even if it’s not a clean one. It’s encouraging and it makes me want to add a little more soil to my smell. Getting in a little face time with dirt can be a tough thing when you live in a city. I’ve got access to a gymnasium floor, tiled pool and imported sand that lies next to the water along English Bay – but not vast amounts of good, clean dirt.

So, as my ode/resolution/promise to the spring of 2009, I’m going to try and pay a little more attention to dirt; where and how it competes with the city and whether the two can share a peaceful co-existence. I think I’ll start with the little bit of dirt that’s buried below the tree potted in the cement outside my apartment. Time to get down and dirty.

Theodora Lamb

Madness in our Community

Culturally, are Canadians merely Americans who pride themselves on - and define themselves by - not being American? Or is this madness? Well, folks, the Madness is nearly here.

Many of you know what it is and why everyone gets so mad about it. Okay, here's the deal: the "madness" refers to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, which takes place for three weeks in March and April. It involves 64 teams and is, arguably, the best example of amateur sport this side of the Olympics. For a Canadian's information, in Downtown America, the worshiping of sport goes a little something like this:

1. NFL Football
2. NCAA Football
3. NBA Basketball
4. NCAA Basketball
5. NASCAR
47. NHL Hockey (ranked after bowling, darts, poker, and the WNBA)

Weird, eh? Hockey barely makes the top 50! Moreover, this tournament - this madness - is unequivocally huge. Hundreds of millions of American and Canadian viewers tune in to watch and Las Vegas usually covers well over $300 million in legal bets and, get this, over $2.5 billion is spent annually in office pools and illegal gambling. Nearly half (41%) of Americans watch the tournament and over one quarter (27%) participate in an office pool which results in nearly $3.8 billion in lost productivity. The above picture is a pretty moderate example of how seriously schools (and all the alumni, townsfolk and administration) take this sporting event. Heck, whenever Arkansas plays, Bill Clinton shows up to cheer on his team!

Needless to say, whether it's participating in an office pool to choose the unlikely winner of the 64 team tournament or collaborating with your high school basketball team to pick the perfect bracket and do a little trash-talking or slathering on some paint, funky outfits and intoxicating yourself en route to actually attending a game, this event is a perfect and amazing exercise of community. It's also a harbinger of Americanization for Obamatown's northern neighbour, Canada. Data is hard to come by, but recent findings show that millions of Canadians tune in to watch the games, compete for the title of "lost productivity per capita" and spend millions of dollars in office pools. Thing is, not only does Canadian talent make up less than .1% of the players and coaches in the tournament, but we have our own university basketball playoffs here! Sure, only eight teams compete in the CIS Men's Basketball Championships, which means it lasts, like, a week. And sure only, like, four of the players can dunk. But, come on, are we really so starved for basketball talent that we need to look to American players, commentators, coaches, fans, and advertisers for athletic entertainment?

Yes. We are. March Madness is an over-indulgent spectacle built on the backs of some of the hardest workers in the world. Winning it all has as much to do with luck as it does with mental and physical preparation. And it brings people from every race, culture, socio-economic-background, intellectual-level, and profession together to celebrate victory and mourn defeat (except on the court...as Chris Rock says, "we're 10% of the population and 99% of the Final Four!"). And it's a beautiful thing. No offense, Canada, but Hockey wishes it had as much clout in this country. And, for the record, Rome would be jealous of these games.

American college basketball is a billion-dollar-a-year industry. Whether its ticket sales, merchandising, advertising revenue, or television rights, the schools and the NCAA rake in very healthy - if not slightly gluttonous - profit. The student players, aside from scholarships, sweet hotel accommodations and a meager stipend, see no part of the revenue (a recent New York Times article argues that much of this process is reflective of "modern slavery" in the United States). There's no salary-cost, like in the professional leagues. [Insert comment about this reflecting American Corporatism here]. Communities go to war during this event, too. Bright colours, paint, songs, chants, filthy limericks, and dastardly pranks are all part of the madness. And in the end, only one community can win it all.

Other than being invented by a Canadian, the March Madness basketball tournament has little or nothing to do with the Canadian community. But we watch. OUr networks carry it. We can get Pay Per View packages for $100. Why does this happen? Why do millions of Canadian sports fans look South of the border for their basketball-stimulus package? Well, for starters, the talent is greater and the drama-of-sport plays out on a much, much grander stage. Like with Obama's administration, Canadians really, really want to be a part of this installment of the American Dream. More Canadians play basketball than hockey* and more Canadians watch American Idol than Canadian Idol. This is big sport, big business, big community. And it leads me to just one unfortunate conclusion: we might live in Canada, but this is definitely North America.

Whether it's Obamania, House, the Superbowl, Hollywood, Springsteen, or College Basketball, we're all mad about somethin' non-Canadian.

And, quite honestly, I feel a little weird about it. Not good or bad. Weird. How do you feel?

- JCH

*definitely more play soccer than hockey, and, since basketball is the second most popular sport on Earth after soccer, I'm going out on a limb and calling this a "fact" today...it may or may not be true, but it's from the gut!