Simerg is an independent platform that focuses on the dissemination of knowledge about the faith, culture and news pertaining to the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims led by their Hereditary Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, through literary readings as well as artistic and textual expressions. It also brings to its readers news, events and programs that are of interest to all readers, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Simerg supports 2 more independent initiatives, Barakah.com and Simergphotos.com
UPDATE MAY 9, 2023:Due to the severity of wildfires in Alberta, this special event commemorating the coronation of King Charles III has been cancelled.
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta is joining with the University of Alberta in a special celebration to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden in Edmonton. The celebration will feature free public admission to the Botanic Garden throughout the day, and an afternoon program to include performances by the Treaty 6 Singers and Dancers (Aga Khan Garden, 1:30 PM), the RCMP Pipes and Drums (Pine Pavilion, 2:15 PM), the Royal Canadian Artillery Band (Aga Khan Garden Amphitheatre, 3:00 PM) and Kita no Taiko Japanese Drummers (Kurimoto Japanese Garden, 3:45 PM.)
The official program will commence at 1:00 pm at the Aga Khan Garden’s beautiful Talar building with greetings by Her Honour, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
A view of Aga Khan Garden’s magnificent Talar Building, where Her Honour, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta will offer greetings on Saturday, May 13, 2023, before the commencement of special musical events celebrating the coronation of King Charles III.Photograph: Nurin Merchant/Simerg.
Here is a brief description of the bands that will be performing at the Coronation celebration:
Treaty 6 Singers and Dancers (Aga Khan Garden)
For our readers’ information, Treaty 6 encompasses 17 First Nations in central Alberta including the Dene Suliné, Cree, Nakota Sioux and Saulteaux peoples. Treaties are the law of the land in the relationship between First Nations and the rest of Canada.
The peoples of the Treaty 6 area have diverse cultural traditions that are reflected in their musical and dance styles. All of these groups regard music and dance as vital parts of their lives. For them, music has a strong presence in their lives; in ceremonies, rituals, prayer, and various other spiritual practices. Along with dance, it is a means to unite people with each other and with the Creator. Dancers follow the beat of the drum, which is interpreted as a continuation of the Earth’s heartbeat – the same heartbeat that unites all people and is first heard inside the mother’s womb.
Today, music and dance continue to play a vital role in the spiritual and cultural lives of the Treaty 6 peoples.
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The Royal Canadian Artillery Band (Aga Khan Garden, amphitheatre)
The Band provides music for military parades and ceremonial occasions, formal concerts, government functions, tattoos, and special events. The RCA Band performs as a 35 piece Brass / Reed Parade Band, a 35-piece Concert Band, as well as in various smaller configurations.
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The RCMP Pipes and Drums (Pine Pavilion)
RCMP Pipes and Drums will perform at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden’s Pines Pavilion on Saturday, May 13, 2023 in honour of the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey, London, on May 6, 2023. Photograph: RCMP Pipes and Drums.
The RCMP Regimental Pipes and Drums of Alberta is comprised of Civilian, Military and RCMP members. The band is a not for profit group with members throughout Alberta that promote the RCMP within Alberta and nationally. The band uniform consists of the RCMP scarlet tunic and the RCMP tartan kilt. This uniform is recognized world wide and represents a national institution.
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Kita no Taiko Japanese Drummers (Kurimoto Japanese Garden)
This drumming group is one of the oldest Japanese drumming groups in North America and will enthrall the audience through the powerful, beautiful sound of the taiko (drum). Watch how taiko combines dynamic music, primal rhythms, and the human spirit to create an unforgettable artistic experience.
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Coronation Celebration of King Charles III
Please click on image to visit the Lt. Governor of Alberta website for further information about the coronation celebration event.
Date posted: May 8, 2023. Last updated: May 9, 2023 (event cancelled.)
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Material for this post was compiled from the following websites:
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: As Simerg completes its 13 years of continuous publication, we launch a special series profiling Ismaili leaders of distinction over the past 125 years. The series will be dedicated to Ismaili institutional leaders as well as individuals who have achieved distinction and recognition working outside the Ismaili community, yet continuing to support the work of the Ismaili Imamat through its Jamati institutions and the Aga Khan Development Network and its agencies. We welcome articles from all over the world for this new initiative. Please write in confidence to the editor at mmerchant@barakah.com.
Map of Canada, world’s 2nd largest country (9,984,670 sq kms, 6.1% of world landmass) after Russia (17,098,242 sq kms, 11% of world landmass). The map represents Canada’s Political Divisions, and shows boundaries, capitals, selected place names, selected drainage and names, the Arctic Circle and adjacent foreign areas. Photo: Natural Resources Canada.
My first home in Canada was in Edmonton. I left London, England, in late December 1980, with the blessings of my mother, Malek (“Mrs. Merchant”), and arrived several hours later to my new home in the thick of winter. It was a clear day, and from the plane I only saw snow as it flew over Canada to my destination. My dad, who had arrived in the city a few days earlier from London to give talks on science and faith as well as other religious topics at the invitation of the local Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board or ITREB (then known as the Ismailia Association) was there to receive me.
The editor of Simerg, Barakah and Simergphotos, Malik Merchant, is pictured with his beloved late parents, Jehangir (d. May 2018) and Malek Merchant (d. January 2021), at the Gatineau Park in the Canada’s National Capital Region during their visit to Ottawa in 2007. Photo: Jehangir Merchant Family Collection.
That weeklong presence of my beloved dad was inspirational, and filled me with immense courage during my first phase of settling down in a new country. Earlier during the year, I had successfully completed an IT assignment in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Edmonton was my home for just under 3 years, before my consulting firm, Cognos, relocated me to Ottawa, Ontario, in late 1983, due to branch closure. I am happy to say that, as of January 2022, Alberta has once again become my home. It will give me an opportunity to reconnect with my boyhood friends, the Jamat as well as many friends with whom I played sports in the past. The Jamat has grown significantly, and the opportunity of seeing thousands of Ismaili faces from Afghanistan excites me.
During my time in Edmonton in the early 1980’s, Dr. Zaheer Lakhani, was the Chairman of the Aga Khan Edmonton Council (or the Administrative Committee, as it was then known, I think), and I came to know him as an open-minded leader who reached out to the Jamat seeking out their suggestions, opinions and ideas. I have not met Zaheer for almost 40 years now, but I was extremely pleased to learn about his wife Salma’s appointment as the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
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Dr. Zaheer Lakhani accompanies his wife Salma Lakhani at her installation ceremony as the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta on August 26, 2020. Photo: Via Al-Karim Walli’s Twitter page.
Salma’s appointment was announced on June 30, 2020 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She became the first-ever Muslim to hold the ceremonial position in Canadian history. In a written statement on her appointment the Prime Minister said: “Ms. Lakhani is devoted to supporting people in her community, from new immigrants and young people, to women and families. As Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, I know she will serve the people of her province and our country well, and continue to be a source of inspiration for all Canadians.”
Lieutenant Governor Salma Lakhani is seen touring the new Stanley A. Milner Downtown Branch of the Edmonton Public Library, September 13, 2021. Photo: The Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
Salma Lakhani is a long-time resident of Edmonton, and a distinguished community advocate with a passion for education, health care, human rights, and support for new immigrants. A proud Ismaili Muslim, her longstanding service as a community leader and volunteer has been guided by her deep commitment to the values of pluralism and inclusion and her dedication to championing those who face barriers in life. Salma inherited her devotion to giving back from her parents, Abdul and Malek Rajabali, who were active members of the Ismaili community.
Salma was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda. A keen student with a deep seeded love of education, Salma attended the Aga Khan School in Kampala before pursuing post-secondary studies at the University of Manchester in England. Her life took an unforeseen and dramatic turn during a summer visit home to Kampala in 1972, when it was announced that the country’s entire Asian minority population was to be expelled. Salma’s parents pressed her to return immediately to England, travelling on her Ugandan passport. Within three months, her family would be stripped of virtually everything and she would be stranded in England with no funds to continue her education and no valid passport.
She had become a stateless person. Salma had two saving graces that sustained through this challenging time. First, she had the love and support of her fellow exile and future husband, Zaheer Lakhani. The couple also learned that their tuition would be covered by the British government, allowing Salma to complete her Honours degree in Clinical Biochemistry and Zaheer to graduate in Medicine from the University of Leeds. The couple married in Leeds in 1977. That year, the University of Alberta accepted Zaheer’s application to continue his postgraduate studies in Edmonton and the Lakhanis began writing a new chapter in Canada.
Dr. Lakhani went on to establish himself as a cardiologist while Salma helped to manage his practice and operated a business focused on early childhood education, which developed out of her innate affinity for teaching. She also began looking for opportunities to give back and to help those in need to thrive.
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Her Honour Salma Lakhani (centre of photo) toured the Aga Khan Garden at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden located near Devon, Alberta, on September 23, 2020. She was joined by Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women Leela Aheer and University of Alberta Chancellor Peggy Garritty. Photo: The Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
Salma was one of the first mentors in NorQuest College’s Youth in Transition program, providing valuable guidance for students with English as a second language. She was a founding member of the College’s 1000Women: A Million Possibilities movement, and served on its advisory committee for ten years. In addition she also shared her skills, energy and passion for service with the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, Kids Kottage, Sorrentino’s Compassion House, the Alberta Cancer Board, the Zebra Foundation and Aga Khan Foundation Canada. She received the NorQuest College Honorary Diploma in Community Services Leadership in 2019. In recognition of her services to the community and civil society, Ms. Lakhani was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005 and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
Upon her installation as Alberta’s vice-regal representative, she became a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence and Chancellor of the Order. Her Honour is Vice-Prior of the St. John Council for Alberta and a Dame of the Order of St. John. She received an Honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta in 2021. Their Honours Salama and Zaheer Lakhani make their home in Edmonton. Their family includes daughter Safia Lakhani, daughter Soraya Lakhani and son-in-law Zain Velji.
The Honourable Salama Lakhani’s Interview with Canadian Geographic
In August 2021, one year into her term as Lieutenant Governor, the Canadian Geographic magazine, which is dedicated to uncovering and communicating the stories about Canadian people, places, frontiers and issues (past and present) spoke with the Honourable Salma Lakhani. In the interview with Kate Helmore she reflected on her journey, and her hopes for her province and country. Please read the full interview on the Canadian Geographic website by clicking HERE or on the photo below.
“…after the discovery of the mass graves at Kamloops Indian Residential School, I had a meeting with a First Nations Elder, Roy Lewis. And he said to me that while this is extremely sad for all Indigenous people, and it’s sad for all Canadians, it is an amazing opportunity to learn and to understand. This is where I hope to be able to play a role” — Honourable Salma Lakhani in interview with Canadian Geographic magazine
Her Honour, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. Photo: The Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. Please click on photo for Canadian Geographic interview
Date posted: February 7, 2022.
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Simerg’s editor, Malik, may be reached at mmerchant@barakah.com.
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