Anyone who has visited the Canadian province of Alberta will have been touched by the Spirit of the West.
It can be felt in the warmth of an Alberta welcome. It is visible in neighbours lending a hand to neighbours, and in the strength of friendships that forge community bonds. It exists in the pride of sharing one's heritage and celebrating it, while learning about the cultures and customs of others.
Former Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and President Nizar Somji of the Ismaili Council for Edmonton get ready to flip a few pancakes to mark Alberta's 100th birthday and the City of Edmonton's first ever pancake breakfast. (Firozali) Phil MusaniBut the Spirit of the West is best sampled in the flavours of a timeless Alberta ritual: the pancake breakfast.
Every year, the Jamats in Calgary and Edmonton partake of an Alberta tradition by hosting grand pancake breakfasts for friends and neighbours of the community. It is an opportunity to renew ties and build new bonds, and for everybody – from the very young to community elders – to enjoy a delicious meal together.
The Edmonton Jamat's pancake breakfast takes place each Canada Day, the first of July, on the grounds of the Provincial Legislature. The national holiday is a special time for all Canadians to celebrate the country that is their home, either through birth or migration. For members of the Ismaili community, many of whom immigrated during the past four decades, the breakfast is an opportunity to reciprocate the hospitality that they received when they first arrived. This year, the Jamat expects to serve pancakes to 10 000 Albertans.
The Calgary breakfast is held at Headquarters Jamatkhana during the week of the Calgary Stampede, the city's annual outdoor festival and exhibition. Calgarians arrive dressed in their best western outfits – wearing jeans, boots and cowboy hats. In addition to pancakes, and eggs, they are sometimes treated to a taste of traditional cooking from East Africa, Central or South Asia.
Since 1912, the Stampede has opened with a grand parade through the heart of the city. Each year, the Ismaili community partners with a different local organisation to create a new and unique parade float. The floats, which often win awards, raise awareness about the organisation's cause and the Jamat's support of it.
Beyond the fun of cowboy hats and pancake breakfasts, the Jamat has also sought to make important contributions to the fabric of civil society in Alberta. Reflecting the emphasis that Mawlana Hazar Imam has placed on the building of pluralistic, civil societies that value merit, Ismaili volunteers have participated in initiatives to make the province a better place to live.
CIVIC participants in Edmonton build a shed for Habitat for Humanity. (Firozali) Phil MusaniLast year over 200 CIVIC (Challenging Ismaili Volunteers in Communities) participants in Edmonton partnered with Capital City Clean-Up to help clean up graffiti in Edmonton and raise funds to build sheds for Habitat for Humanity. In tandem, volunteers in Calgary partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build a housing complex in the city for the underprivileged.
Volunteerism is a long established tradition among Ismailis, and value that is widely cherished in the community. Many Ismaili Albertans have received recognition or awards for their service in all sectors – government, corporate and not-for-profit. Hand-in-hand with volunteerism comes a shared sense of social responsibility that younger members of the community strive to balance with their achievements in academics, sports and the arts.
In Edmonton, Mayor Stephen Mandel proclaimed 22 February 2009 to be I-STAR Day, after the award of the same name that recognises the achievements of young Ismailis in Alberta and across Canada. The annual I-STAR banquet is attended by prominent members of the public, and the honourees, who often go on to receive important scholarships, are looked upon as role models for the contributions that they make to society.
Ruth Ramsen-Wood, President of the United Way of Calgary and Area, presents the I-STAR Arts and Culture Award to one of the 2008 winners. Mohamed LadhaI-STAR Day was not the Mayor's first encounter with the Ismaili community. In October 2007, he presented Prince Hussain with a proclamation recognising him as an Ambassador of the City of Edmonton for his involvement in the projects of the Aga Khan Development Network, whose work and values were “an example for all Edmontonians to follow.”
The mayor was joined by Dave Hancock, Alberta's Minister of Health and Wellness, who also complimented the Jamat, saying he had found leadership to be a quality all Ismailis demonstrate on a daily basis. “The time and the effort that each and every one of you gives to make our community a better place is so important,” he said.
On Sunday, the mayor and the minister were both on-hand to welcome Mawlana Hazar Imam and Prince Hussain to Edmonton. Later today, Hazar Imam will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta in recognition of his efforts to improve the lives of millions of the world's poorest people and build a global culture of tolerance. He will also meet with Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach and the President of the University of Alberta, Dr Indira Samarasekera, as well as witness the signing of an agreement to enhance collaboration between the Aga Khan Development Network and the University of Alberta.
By sharing, learning and working together, Albertans seek to build a better country and a better world, and, in making Alberta their home, members of the Jamat have become important contributors. Over the past four decades, their efforts have been recognised and reciprocated and celebrated – that's what the Spirit of the West is all about.
