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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday August 18, 2006 - 9 Sculptures made of volcanic rock from Zimbabwe Continued from page 1 sculptures as well as ones his friends and relatives have sent over. The sculptures are made of a rare volcanic Zimbabwean rock and are named after the Shona tribe, which is the country's largest and the one Chikodzi and his family belong to. Much of the profit he makes from the sale of these sculptures goes back to Zimbabwe to help his parents, other relatives and friends who are living with or are affected by AIDS, including his six brothers and sisters. "That's one of my advantages of being from Canada ­ I can help from my end here," said Chikodzi, who now calls Peterborough home. "I can help out with the medication and give them money to make sure they eat well. That's less stress for them." The other beneficiary of the Shona Sculpture Exhibition at Maple Grove United Church is a South African family that's been devastated by AIDS. For the past four years, the church has been supporting the family through an outreach program called Action for AIDS. The show will see 10 per cent of proceeds go to the family. "Everyone in this family has suffered the loss of family members through the HIV/AIDS epidemic," said Jan Meyer, who's spearheading the church's outreach program and approached Chikodzi with the idea of hosting the exhibition. The family, which includes two adult women, a grandmother and five children, including twins orphaned by AIDS, has received money for food, medicine, household items, school uniforms and more from church donations and fundraisers. "This year, we hope to give the family access to running water," said Meyer, who added a trust fund has been set up in South Africa that gives 100 per cent of donations to the family and others with HIV or AIDS. Five and a half million South Africans had HIV or AIDS at the end of 2005 according to UNAIDS reports. Nearly 1,000 die of AIDS in South Africa every day. "It's such a big problem," said Chikodzi. "It makes sense to focus on one family because it really makes a difference to them. You're not spreading yourself thin." Many of the sculptures he'll be showing to assist that cause and his relatives are his own, while others were sent to Canada by family members, as the sculptures are more of a rarity here. "It's something that isn't really being promoted in Canada," said Chikodzi. "Just in the past maybe six years it has been shown a little. People only really get to know about it when they see all the different styles and finishings." Made from a natural volcanic rock from the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe, Shona sculptures tackle a variety of subjects, including animals, family and the abstract. The rocks are all unique and are shaped using hand tools. "We're still discovering different colours of the rock," said Chikodzi, who noted Zimbabwe means `House of Stone,' so named because it has more varieties of rock than any other place in the world. Green, red, tan, lemon and leopard spotted are just some of the many colours that have been discovered. "It still amazes me each time I look at a rock. Each and every stone is very unique, it is a very unique colour," said Chikodzi, who has been sculpting since he learned from his older brother at age 13. He has several pieces in the show, including one called Togetherness, which aligns with the struggle he and his family are enduring because of the AIDS epidemic at home. The Shona Sculpture Exhibition opens today (Aug. 18) from 6 ­ 9 p.m. in the outdoor gardens of Maple Grove United Church, 346 Maple Grove Dr. The show also runs 10 a.m. ­ 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19 and Sunday, Aug. 20. Admission is free. NO TAX DEAL! EXPIRES Aug 31, 2006 $ 50000 Government Rebate on A/C Replacements (for 14 seer and up) LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER MAN BEHIND THE SHOW: Chaka Chikodzi is curator and main contributor to a show at Maple Grove United Church. · Call For FREE In-Home Estimate 21 Seer Air Conditioner H.V.A.C. SYSTEMS HEATING · AIR CONDITIONING · FIREPLACES 905-845-4009 905-466-2538 1040 Speers Rd. 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