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Celilo Falls

Celilo Falls (Wyam, meaning "echo of falling water" or "sound of water upon the rocks," in several native languages) was a tribal fishing area on the Columbia River, just east of the Cascade Mountains, on what is today the border between the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. The name refers to a series of cascades and waterfalls on the river, as well as to the native settlements and trading villages that existed there in various configurations for 15,000 years. Celilo was the oldest continuously inhabited community on the North American continent until 1957, when the falls and nearby settlements were submerged by the construction of The Dalles Dam. In 2019, there were calls by tribal leaders to restore the falls.

Main waterfall
The main waterfall, known variously as Celilo Falls, The Chutes, Great Falls, or Columbia Falls, consisted of three sections: a cataract, called Horseshoe Falls or Tumwater Falls; a deep eddy, the Cul-de-Sac; and the main channel. These features were formed by the Columbia River's relentless push through basalt narrows on the final leg of its journey to the Pacific Ocean. Frequently more than a mile (1.6 km) in width, the river was squeezed here into a width of only 140 feet (43 m). The seasonal flow of the Columbia changed the height of the falls over the course of a year. At low water the drop was about 20 ft. In 1839, Modeste Demers investigated the area in some detail and described not just one fall but a great many, in different channels and with different qualities. He wrote, "The number and variety [of the channels and falls] are surprising. They are not all equally deep. The falls are from 3 to 12 and 15 feet high." During the spring freshet in June and July, the falls could be completely submerged. The falls were the sixth-largest by volume in the world and were among the largest in North America. Average annual flow was about 190,000 ft3/sec (5,380 m3/s), and during periods of high water or flood, as much as 1,240,000 ft3/sec (35,113 m3/s) passed over the falls.

The Narrows and The Dalles
Celilo Falls itself was the first in a series of cascades and rapids known collectively as The Narrows or The Dalles, stretching for about 12 mi downstream. Over that length, the river dropped 82 ft at high water and 63 ft at low water.

Three miles (4.8 km) below Celilo Falls was a stretch of rapids known variously as the Short Narrows, Ten Mile Rapids, the Little (or Upper) Dalles, or Les Petites Dalles. These rapids were about 1 mi long and 250 ft wide. Ten miles (16 km) below Celilo Falls was another stretch of rapids, this one known as the Long Narrows, Five Mile Rapids, the Big (or Lower) Dalles, Les Grandes Dalles, or Grand Dalles. This stretch of rapids was about 3 mi long, and the river channel narrowed to 75 ft. Immediately downstream were the Dalles Rapids (or Wascopam to the local natives), about 1.5 mi long. Here the river dropped 15 ft in a tumult much commented on by early explorers.

The Long Narrows and the Dalles Rapids are sometimes grouped together under names such as Grand Dalles, Les Dalles, Big Dalles, or The Dalles. One early observer, Ross Cox, noted a three-mile "succession of boiling whirlpools." Explorer Charles Wilkes described it as "one of the most remarkable places upon the Columbia." He calculated that the river dropped about 50 ft over 2 mi here. During the spring freshet, the river rose as much as 62 ft, radically altering the nature of the rapids. Fur trader Alexander Ross wrote, "[The water] rushes with great impetuosity; the foaming surges dash through the rocks with terrific violence; no craft, either large or small, can venture there safely. During floods, this obstruction, or ledge of rocks, is covered with water, yet the passage of the narrows is not thereby improved."

Fishing and trading

For 15,000 years, native peoples gathered at Wyam to fish and exchange goods. They built wooden platforms out over the water and caught salmon with dipnets and long spears on poles as the fish swam up through the rapids and jumped over the falls. Historically, an estimated fifteen to twenty million salmon passed through the falls every year, making it among the greatest fishing sites in North America.

Celilo Falls and The Dalles were strategically located at the border between Chinookan and Sahaptian speaking peoples and served as the center of an extensive trading network across the Pacific Plateau. Artifacts from the original village site at Celilo suggest that trade goods came from as far away as the Great Plains, Southwestern United States, and Alaska. There are also numerous rock art drawings at the head of the falls. This demonstrates the site to not just be important for trading purposes. It acted as a melting pot for the cultures which fished and traded there. When the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed through the area in 1805, the explorers found a "great emporium...where all the neighboring nations assemble," and a population density unlike anything they had seen on their journey. Accordingly, historians have likened the Celilo area to the "Wall Street of the West." The Wishram people lived on the north bank, while the Wasco lived on the south bank, with the most intense bargaining occurring at the Wishram village of Nix-luidix. Charles Wilkes reported finding three major native fishing sites on the lower Columbia — Celilo Falls, the Big Dalles, and Cascades Rapids, with the Big Dalles being the largest. Alexander Ross described it as the "great rendezvous" of native traders, as "the great emporium or mart of the Columbia." Pinnipeds such as sea lions and seals followed salmon up the Columbia as far as Celilo Falls. In 1841 George Simpson wrote "these animals ascend the Columbia in great numbers in quest of the salmon.

Navigation
The seasonal changes in the Columbia's flow, high in summer and low in winter, affected Celilo Falls dramatically. Lewis and Clark reached Celilo Falls in the late autumn when the water was relatively low, turning the falls into a major barrier. In contrast, when David Thompson passed Celilo Falls in July 1811, the high water obscured the falls and made his passage through the Columbia Gorge relatively easy. Modeste Demers wrote about the seasonal change in 1839: "One may be astonished to learn that these chutes, so terrible at low water, are smooth and still at very high water, which does not happen every year. Then it is that, instead of fearing them, the voyageurs hasten to approach them, to light their pipes and rest." More difficult was the Long Narrows, or Big Dalles, ten miles below Celilo Falls. This section of the river was impassable during high water. During the autumn low water they were passable but with unloaded boats only, and even then the passage was very dangerous. "They are never passed without dread," wrote François Blanchet in 1839. Narcissa Whitman asserted in 1836 that over one hundred "white lives" had been lost at the Dalles.

In the 1840s and 1850s, American pioneers began arriving in the area, traveling down the Columbia on wooden barges loaded with wagons. Many lost their lives in the violent currents near Celilo. In the 1870s, the Army Corps of Engineers embarked on a plan to improve navigation on the river. In 1915, they completed the 14 mi Celilo Canal, a portage allowing steamboats to circumvent the turbulent falls. Though the canal's opening was greeted with great enthusiasm and anticipation, the canal was scarcely used and was completely idle by 1919.

Flooding by the dam

As more settlers arrived in the Pacific Northwest in the 1930s and 1940s, civic leaders advocated a system of hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River. They argued that the dams would improve navigation for barge traffic from interior regions to the ocean; provide a reliable source of irrigation for agricultural production; provide electricity for the World War II defense industry; and alleviate the flooding of downriver cities, as occurred in the 1948 destruction of Vanport, Oregon.

Aluminum production, shipbuilding, and nuclear production at the Hanford site contributed to a rapid increase in regional demand for electricity. By 1943, fully 96 percent of Columbia River electricity was being used for war manufacturing. The volume of water at Celilo Falls made The Dalles an attractive site for a new dam in the eyes of the Corps of Engineers.

Throughout this period, native people continued to fish at Celilo, under the provisions of the 1855 Treaties signed with the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and the Walla Walla, Umatilla, and Cayuse, which guaranteed the tribes' ancient "right of taking fish at all usual and accustomed stations." In 1947, the federal government convened Congressional hearings and concluded that the proposed dam at The Dalles would not violate tribal fishing rights under the treaties. Subsequently, the government reached a monetary settlement with the affected tribes, paying $26.8 million for the loss of Celilo and other fishing sites on the Columbia.

The Army Corps of Engineers commenced work on The Dalles Dam in 1952 and completed it five years later. On March 10, 1957, hundreds of observers looked on as a rising Lake Celilo rapidly silenced the falls, submerged fishing platforms, and consumed the village of Celilo, ending an age-old existence for those who lived there. A small Native American community exists today at nearby Celilo Village, on a bluff overlooking the former location of the falls.

In 2008 the Army Corps of Engineers completed a survey of the Celilo Falls site using sonar technology, in response to the 50th anniversary of the flooding of the falls. The survey revealed that the falls remain intact below the artificial lake, and that "rocky outcrops, carved basins and channels that match aerial photographs from the 1940s."

Legacy
Celilo Falls retains great cultural significance for native peoples. Ted Strong of the Intertribal Fish Commission told one historian, "If you are an Indian person and you think, you can still see all the characteristics of that waterfall. If you listen, you can still hear its roar. If you inhale, the fragrances of mist and fish and water come back again." In 2007, three thousand people gathered at Celilo Village to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the inundation of the falls.

In Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the narrator, Chief Bromden, grows up in a native village near the waterfall. In one section, he encounters the government agents sent to appraise the land and negotiate with Bromden's father, the chief of the village at the time. Artist and architect Maya Lin is working on interpretive artwork at Celilo for the Confluence Project, scheduled for completion in 2019.

Restoration calls
Yakama and Lummi nation leaders called for a restoration of the falls in 2019, who noted that Indigenous peoples never agreed to the submergence of the falls. They cited that the river's temperature has become hotter with the reservoir each year and that there has been a large decline in salmon populations. They also noted that the dam has destroyed fishing sites that were guaranteed to the tribes in treaties 150 years ago. In response, Northwest RiverPartners issued a statement that the dam remains important for hydropower electricity generation for ports and businesses in the area.

title: Celilo Falls


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Tina O'Brien

Tina Michelle O'Brien (born 7 August 1983) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Sarah Platt in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street (1999–2008, 2015–present). She also appeared in the BBC One drama series Waterloo Road (2010–2011).

Career
Born in Rusholme, Manchester, England, O'Brien was educated at Trinity C.E. High School. Her early acting roles included Children's Ward in 1997, The Cops in 1998 and Clocking Off in 2000. At the age of sixteen, she joined Coronation Street in October 1999, taking over the role of Sarah Platt from actress Lynsay King. Sarah's pregnancy with Bethany Platt won O'Brien Best Storyline at the British Soap Awards. She also won Best Newcomer at the National Television Awards and the TV Quick Awards.

Her first role after leaving Coronation Street was in the 2007 pantomime at Manchester Opera House, where she played the title character of Cinderella. Her first television role post-Coronation Street was in the ITV police television drama Blue Murder, filmed whilst four months pregnant, in which she played a character called Amy Kirkland. O'Brien expressed interest in doing televised dramas and theatre work, although after becoming pregnant, she decided to put her career on hold.

In 2010, O'Brien starred in the sixth series of the BBC school drama Waterloo Road as Bex Fisher, the eldest daughter of the new headteacher Karen Fisher (Amanda Burton). In 2010, she also appeared in The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, in which she played the character of Miss Browne, a role which required her first on-screen lesbian kiss. Later in 2010, she appeared as a character in the new television drama Accused, written by Jimmy McGovern, as well as starring in the 2010 series of Strictly Come Dancing. Her partner was Jared Murillo, and she was unable to perform in the third week due to illness. O'Brien was eliminated in the fifth week of the competition after failing to impress the viewers with her Argentine Tango. She fell into the bottom two alongside Felicity Kendal, who was saved thanks to the public vote. From 4 December 2010 to 3 January 2011, O'Brien played the title character of Snow White in Manchester Opera House's 2010/2011 pantomime. Between 14 January and 13 February 2011, she participated in the 2011 Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour.

In October 2014, O'Brien announced that she would be reprising her role of Sarah Platt in Coronation Street in early 2015. The character returned on an episode broadcast on 30 March 2015.

Personal life
O'Brien used to do gymnastics until she was 10 years old. She gave it up in favour of acting as her family could not afford for her to do both.

O'Brien is the godmother of Emily Walton, who played the original Bethany Platt, her on-screen daughter.

O'Brien was in a relationship with Ryan Thomas from 2003 to 2009. They have one daughter, Scarlett, born 26 October 2008, who is now playing Izzy Charles in the 2023 reboot of Waterloo Road.

O'Brien married Adam Crofts on New Year's Eve 2018. They have one son.

Filmography
Television Film

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Tina O'Brien


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Livingstone (name)

Livingstone is a surname and given name. The surname is toponymic. It is one of the habitual surnames eventually adopted by members of the Scottish branch of the Irish Dunleavy (Gaelic language Duinnshléibhe)/MacNulty royals, including the ancestors of the African missionary doctor and African explorer David Livingstone. There may be a relationship between the Livingstones and Clan MacLea.

Surname

 * Adelaide Livingstone (Dame Adelaide Stickney Lord Livingstone) (died 1970), responsible for organizing the 1934–5 Peace Ballot in the UK
 * Alexander Livingstone (Scottish politician)
 * Archie Livingstone (footballer, born 1915) (1915–1961), Scottish footballer
 * Bob Livingstone (1922–2013), American football player
 * Bobby Livingstone, Scottish footballer
 * Bruce Livingstone (born 1971), Canadian entrepreneur
 * Colin H. Livingstone, first president of the Boy Scouts of America
 * David Livingstone 1813–1873, Scottish missionary explorer of Africa, best-known bearer of the name and namesake of numerous places
 * David N. Livingstone (born 1953), Professor of Geography and Intellectual History at Queen's University Belfast
 * Doug Livingstone (1898–1981), Scottish football player
 * Douglas Livingstone (1932–1996), South African poet
 * Duncan Livingstone (d. 1964) South African poet who contributed to Scottish Gaelic literature
 * Eddie Livingstone (1884–1945), Canadian owner and manager of the Toronto Shamrocks and the Toronto Blue Shirts
 * Frank Livingstone (bowls), New Zealand lawn bowler
 * Ian Livingstone (born 1949), English fantasy author
 * Ian Livingstone (disambiguation), various people
 * Jake Livingstone (ice hockey) (born 1999), Canadian ice hockey player
 * Ken Livingstone (born 1945), former Mayor of London
 * Liam Livingstone, English cricketer
 * Margaret Livingstone (born 1950), American neuroscientist and professor at Harvard Medical School
 * Marilyn Livingstone (born 1952), Scottish Labour politician
 * Mary Livingstone (Sadye Marks) (1905–1983), American radio comedian, widow and radio partner of Jack Benny
 * Nicole Livingstone (née Stevenson), Australian swimmer
 * Paul Livingstone American sitarist, composer and multi-instrumentalist
 * Peadar Livingstone, Irish priest, linguist, and local historian
 * Richard Winn Livingstone, gave the Rede Lecture in 1944 on Plato and modern education
 * Robert Livingstone (born 1967), Canadian businessman
 * Scott Livingstone (born 1965), former professional baseball player
 * Sergio Livingstone (1920-2011), former Chilean goalkeeper, nicknamed 'El Sapo'
 * Sidney Livingstone (born 1945), English actor
 * Stacey Livingstone (born 1988), Australian rules footballer
 * Susan Livingstone, American administrator and civil servant
 * Terasa Livingstone (born 1975), Australian theatre, film and television actress
 * Joseph Livingstone (1942-2009), English footballer

Given name

 * Livingstone Adjin (born 1989), Ghanaian footballer
 * Livingstone Harris (born 1957), West Indian cricketer
 * Livingstone Lawrence (born 1962), West Indian cricketer
 * Livingstone Lusinde (born 1972), Tanzanian politician
 * Livingstone Sargeant (born 1947), West Indian cricketer
 * Livingstone Walker (1879–1940), English cricketer

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Sammy Winward

Samantha Kate Winward (born 12 October 1985) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Katie Sugden in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale between 2001 and 2015.

Early life
Winward was born in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. She attended Turton High School in Bromley Cross, South Turton.

Personal life
Winward was engaged to footballer David Dunn. Their daughter, Mia, was born at home in Edgworth, Lancashire on 12 June 2005. Winward and Dunn split in September of that year.

Career
At age 15, Winward began appearing as Katie Sugden in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. A year after her debut in July 2001, she was nominated for "Most Popular Newcomer" at the National Television Awards. In November 2014, Winward announced that she would leave Emmerdale after 13 years to pursue other projects. Her character died onscreen in February 2015.

In January 2006, Winward participated in the first series of the reality singing competition Soapstar Superstar, finishing in tenth place. Later that year, she was voted #73 on FHM's list of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World.

On the second season of ITV's crime thriller series Prey, Winward appeared as the heavily pregnant Lucy, whose father (Philip Glenister) goes on the run after finding himself on the wrong side of the law. In their review of the second season's third episode, which aired in December 2015, Cultbox commented, "Glenister and [Winward] make a convincing father and daughter pairing and, despite limited screen time, Winward does make you really feel Lucy's distress and fear".

In 2023, Winward played Sonia Sutcliffe—wife of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe—in the critically acclaimed true crime miniseries, The Long Shadow, which marked her return to television after working as an acting teacher.

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Lilian Garcia

Lilián Annette Garcia (born August 19, 1966) is an American ring announcer, singer, and podcaster. Best known for her time in WWE, she is currently announcing for the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

Early life and career
García was born on August 19, 1966, in the Panama Canal Zone. At three months old she went to Spain. She then spent eight years of her life in Spain due to her Puerto Rican father's employment with the American Embassy, and was educated on an American military base, leading her to describe herself as a "military brat". She is fluent in English and Spanish.

Upon returning to the United States, Garcia graduated from Irmo High School in Columbia, South Carolina. She went on to attend the University of South Carolina, graduating cum laude.

García was a top-ten finalist in the Miss South Carolina beauty pageant. Garcia was also one-half of a popular morning show on radio station WYYS,"YES 97" in Columbia, South Carolina, with Chuck Finley in the early '90s and later had her own drive time show. She was a VJ in Atlanta, Georgia for WTLK-TV. She also served as karaoke host at the Nitelites nightclub in the Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbia, South Carolina.

Singing career
García began singing when she was a child in Madrid, Spain. She participated in singing contests with her sister starting when she was five years old. In her early teens, she sang with a band at clubs around Columbia, South Carolina. Garcia's mother chaperoned so she could sing. She appeared in the 1990 film Modern Love as a singer.

In addition to her announcing duties with WWE, García sang the national anthem of the United States of America before most Monday Night Raw shows from February 14, 2000, until her departure on August 1, 2016. She sang "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania 2000, WrestleMania 21 and WrestleMania XXVIII, joining a list of recording artists that includes Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Reba McEntire, Gladys Knight and Willie Nelson. With her performance at WrestleMania XXVIII, she surpassed Franklin for most musical performances at WrestleMania. Garcia now holds the record for most musical performances at WrestleMania with three.

After joining WWE, García became a fixture in professional sports with performances for the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. She also performed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Dancing with the Stars and as an opening act for James Brown.

García's first single, "Shout", debuted at No. 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2002. On her reaction to the news, Garcia said in 2007, "When my single came out years ago, and it was just a single, I remember the very first week it charted No. 69, and I was screaming as I grabbed Billboard, running down the streets of New York, holding it up and screaming, 'I made Billboard! I made Billboard!' I'm dreaming for that moment again."

Garcia recorded Torrie Wilson's entrance theme, "Need A Little Time", for WWE Anthology, a compilation album WWE released in November 2002. She co-wrote "You Just Don't Know Me At All" with producers Doug Kistner and Anthony Krizan, which WWE released in January 2004 on the WWE Originals album and became her entrance theme.

García began work on a solo album in 2005 with Grammy award-winning record producers George Noriega and Tim Mitchell, who worked with multi-platinum artists such as Shakira, Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez. Her album ¡Quiero Vivir!, which is Spanish for "I Want to Live!," got released on October 9, 2007, via Universal Music Latino. Garcia co-wrote 11 songs on the album, including three with Jon Secada, who she duets with on "Adonde". The album features 10 Spanish language tracks, and two English translations; "Under in Love" ("Desenamorada") and "Where Did Love Go?" ("Adonde"). The title track, "¡Quiero Vivir!", became her entrance theme.

After leaving WWE in August 2016, García began work on a follow-up album. She reunited with Noriega and Mitchell to record the first song in Miami, Florida in February 2011. Garcia also recorded tracks with Grammy-nominated producer Oh, Hush!. On August 17, 2012, Garcia released an EP titled My Time. The EP features six English tracks: "U Drive Me Loca", "Ur Girl (til the end of the world)", "Fix You", "Over & Over", "Tell Me", and "My Time." To promote the release of My Time, Garcia made her music video debut in December 2011 with "U Drive Me Loca." The second song off the album, "Ur Girl ('Til the End of the World)", was her entrance theme during her return to WWE. She released a music video for the track in March 2012. In January 2013, Garcia released a music video for "Over & Over".

Garcia appeared at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Her appearance on the red carpet got shown the following night on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

On May 27, 2014, Garcia announced that she and her band, The Fuse, would be performing at Club Madrid in the Sunset Station Casino in Henderson, Nevada, near Las Vegas. She performed her first show on June 14, 2014.

Discography

 * WWE Anthology (2002)
 * WWE Originals (2004)
 * ¡Quiero Vivir! (2007)
 * 2008 Año de Exitos Pop (2008)
 * My Time (2012)

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (1999–2009)
In 1999, García was hired by World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as a ring announcer. She made her debut on the August 23, 1999, episode of Raw is War in Ames, Iowa. She was involved in her first angle on the September 13 episode of Raw is War, when Jeff Jarrett applied a figure four leglock to her after she angered him by announcing his loss by disqualification to Luna Vachon.

Garcia's second angle occurred on the December 13, 1999, episode of Raw. She introduced Miss Kitty for a Women's Championship chocolate pudding pool match. After Garcia announced her, Miss Kitty grabbed the mic and informed Garcia that she was now to be known as "The Kat". Her opponent, Tori, came out for their match and right after the two women began, X-Pac came poolside in a skin diving suit complete with snorkel, flippers, and goggles. As he was adjusting his goggles Tori jumped on his back causing both of them to fall into the pool with X-Pac landing up on top of Tori, giving Miss Kitty an easy pinfall. Garcia announced the winner as "Miss Kitty", which infuriated The Kat, who threw Garcia into the pool of pudding.

Garcia sang the national anthem of the United States of America for the first time on February 11, 2000, at a house show in Denver, Colorado. After hearing that she did a great job, Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon had her sing the anthem before Raw went on the air on February 14, 2000, in San Jose, California. Impressed with her performance, McMahon then had Garcia sing the anthem every week before Raw. Her first televised performance aired on April 2, 2000, where she opened WrestleMania 2000 in Anaheim, California. Following the September 11 attacks, Garcia sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" on the September 13, 2001, episode of SmackDown!,. In the course of the evening, Garcia commented on the attacks, saying "Well, to say the least, this has been a real roller coaster of a week. And especially because I live in New York City. I have loved ones there, and I'm just very fortunate and very glad that a specific one didn't get to go to his meeting at 8:30 in the morning that he was supposed to be at the Twin Towers, and so I thank God for that, and I still don't know about a lot of my friends. I have, we'll be finding out, I guess, little by little. I pray for everybody there..."

In August 2002, García briefly feuded with rival announcer Howard Finkel after Finkel left her to be decimated by 3-Minute Warning, culminating in an "evening gown versus tuxedo match" that Garcia won with the assistance of Stacy Keibler and Trish Stratus. During the Memorial Day episode of Raw on May 26, 2003, Garcia was singing "America the Beautiful" to the crowd when she was interrupted by La Résistance members Sylvain Grenier and René Duprée as they insulted America saying they should've been more like the French and they mocked the American people by calling them "fat and ugly". Just then, Garcia's friend, co-general manager Stone Cold Steve Austin came down to the ring and tossed Grenier out of the ring and delivered a Stunner to Duprée. After the two Frenchmen walked out of the ring, Austin sang "America the Beautiful" with Garcia and the two celebrated with a beer bash. During the November 24 episode of Raw, Garcia announced Trish Stratus as the winner of a bra and panties match over Jackie Gayda. Infuriated, Gayda stripped Garcia down to her black bra.

In June 2005, García began an on-screen romance with wrestler Viscera. The angle saw García propose to Viscera, stating that she wanted to marry him during the Vengeance pay-per-view on June 26. The angle ended at Vengeance when Viscera rejected Garcia in favor of The Godfather's Hos. The angle was briefly resurrected eleven months later when Viscera proposed to Garcia on the May 22, 2006, episode of Raw, but was interrupted by Umaga before receiving an answer. García took part in her first major Diva publication in 2005 with the release of the Divas 2005 swimsuit magazine and related DVD Viva Las Divas of the WWE.

On the June 5, 2006, episode of Raw, Garcia (legitimately) suffered a sprained wrist when wrestler Charlie Haas inadvertently knocked her to the ground as she stood on the ring apron. One week later, the accident was metamorphosed into a storyline, with Haas incurring the wrath of Viscera. The storyline ended on the July 10, 2006, episode of Raw, when Viscera accidentally performed a Samoan drop on Garcia while confronting Haas. Garcia was removed from television for several weeks in order to sell the Samoan drop.

García took part in her second major Diva publication in 2007 with the release of WWE Divas Do San Antonio, in honor of the WWE being in San Antonio for the Royal Rumble. On the April 2, 2007, episode of Raw, García was humiliated in the ring when her blue satin frilled skirt was torn off by Bobby Lashley, revealing her black lycra bikini panties after Vince McMahon attempted to hide his newly shaven bald head under her skirt. The incident resulted in a large surge in searches for Garcia on the Internet, with searches for "Lilian Garcia" jumping 301% and becoming the fourth most searched-for term on the search engine Yahoo!. She returned to announcing on the July 2, 2007, episode of Raw after taking time off to recover from a skiing injury in which she tore the ACL in her right knee. She was not fully recovered as was evident from her only announcing the first two matches from the ring and the rest from the floor. On the August 6, 2007, episode of Raw, Garcia announced her new album entitled "Quiero Vivir". Lilian then started a feud with Jillian Hall, who claimed to be a better singer than Lilian. The next week, she competed in WWE Idol, a parody of American Idol, in which she sang "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra before being interrupted by Santino Marella. In addition to announcing on Raw and pay-per-view matches, Garcia also announced on WWE Superstars, making her first appearance on April 23, 2009. During the last week of August 2009, Garcia celebrated ten years with WWE, becoming the organization's first and only "Decade Diva".

On the September 21, 2009, episode of Raw from Little Rock, Arkansas, Jerry Lawler announced to the live audience that it was Garcia's final night with WWE. Garcia then made an emotional speech in the ring, thanking the fans and all of her colleagues. The final match she announced live featured Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, and Big Show taking on the team of John Cena, Montel Vontavious Porter, and Mark Henry, although a match between Primo and Chris Masters was taped earlier that evening and aired three days later on WWE Superstars, marking her final television appearance. Garcia made a special appearance before the Madison Square Garden audience on November 16, 2009, singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the evening's Raw telecast. Garcia filled in for Raw ring announcer Justin Roberts on April 19, 2010, due to being stranded in Europe with other WWE Superstars and crew as a result of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption. Her appearance caused a surge in online searches, resulting in the term "Lilian Garcia" becoming the eighth most searched-for term on Google that evening and into the next day.

Return to WWE (2011–2016)
On December 5, 2011, WWE announced that Garcia would be returning to ring announcing full-time, appearing on SmackDown. She returned at the December 6 tapings of the show. She also served as the ring announcer for Main Event and pay-per-views. Garcia suffered accidents prior to SmackDown tapings in 2012. While heading to the ring prior to the March 13 taping in Columbus, Ohio, the strap on her left shoe broke. One month later, during the April 17 taping in London, England, she tripped over pyrotechnic equipment on the top of the stage and fell down on the ramp, landing on her knees. On the April 19, 2013, episode of SmackDown, Garcia was instructed dance steps by Fandango and insulted.

On the June 6, 2014, episode of SmackDown, she was involved in a confrontation with Alicia Fox after Fox lost a match to Natalya. On October 20, 2014, after Justin Roberts was released from WWE, Garcia returned as the full-time ring announcer for Raw. Lilian returned from knee surgery on May 31 at Elimination Chamber. On August 1, 2016, Garcia announced her departure from WWE. Garcia made a one-night return on December 14, 2016, at WWE Tribute to the Troops where she sang the American national anthem.

Sporadic WWE appearances (2017–present)
She made another special appearance before the Talking Stick Resort Arena audience in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 4, 2017, singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the evening's SmackDown Live telecast. She was also the ring announcer for the finals of the Mae Young Classic on September 12, 2017.

On January 22, 2018, in the Raw 25 Years special episode, Garcia was honored as part of a segment involving women considered legends that contributed to the company's success, including Bella Twins, Maryse, Kelly Kelly, Torrie Wilson, Michelle McCool, Terri Runnels, Maria Kanellis and the Hall of Famers Jacqueline and Trish Stratus. She announced the first-ever WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal in WrestleMania 34's pre-show on April 8, 2018. On October 28, 2018, she announced the first-ever WWE Women's Pay Per View WWE Evolution. On the July 22, 2019, episode of Raw, Garcia made a special appearance at the Raw Reunion.

On May 13, 2024, Garcia made a one-night return on WWE RAW as special guest ring announcer, where she was asked by Samantha Irvin to help announce King of the Ring Quarterfinal tournament match between Gunther and Kofi Kingston.

Professional Fighters League (2019–present)
Around the end of May 2019, Lilian Garcia announced on her Chasing Glory podcast that she had joined the mixed martial arts organization, the Professional Fighters League (PFL), as a ring announcer.

Podcasting
After leaving WWE, Garcia began hosting two podcasts, Making Their Way to the Ring and the Spanish-language Luchando Con Lilian Garcia, distributed by Maria Menounos' AfterBuzz TV network. On July 31, 2017, Garcia debuted her new podcast Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia on PodcastOne.

The Price Is Right
On March 31, 2017, Garcia appeared on CBS daytime game show The Price Is Right as a contestant during the show's College Rivals special (taped February 12, 2017, aired on March 31, 2017) representing her alma mater University of South Carolina. She won a trip to London along with some fashion accessories.

A.P. Bio
Appears as a wrestling ring announcer in Season 3 Episode 7 “Aces Wild” of the NBC comedy series A.P. Bio.

Personal life
Garcia is a devout Christian. Garcia credits wrestler Molly Holly with reconnecting her with God.

She was previously married for thirteen years, but divorced. Garcia married her second husband, Christopher Jozeph, on September 28, 2009. On April 11, 2022, Garcia filed for divorce from Jozeph.

On March 17, 2007, García twisted her knee in heavy snow while skiing in Killington, Vermont, incurring a torn anterior cruciate ligament. She underwent surgery on her knee on April 5, 2007, in New York City under Armin Tehrany. She returned to Raw on July 2. On November 6, 2009, Garcia almost got robbed during the New York Yankees' 2009 World Series ticker-tape parade. She said that a "punk kid" came up to her and tried to steal her phone. When Garcia wouldn't relinquish the phone, the assailant threw her to the ground and ran away. Garcia suffered a scraped elbow. On October 26, 2012, Garcia was struck by a car in Los Angeles, causing multiple contusions and lacerations on the left side of her body. Doctors immobilized Garcia's neck, after which she was said to be in a stable condition. She was released from the hospital two days later.

On December 26, 2016, Garcia announced that her father had died on Christmas Day, who was battling two different unidentified types of cancer.

title: Lilian Garcia


text: User talk:24.184.195.128

title: User talk:24.184.195.128


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Hindu music

Hindu music is music created for or influenced by Hinduism. It includes Indian classical music, Kirtan, Bhajan and other musical genres. Raagas are a common form of Hindu music in classical India.

The most common Hindu bhajan in North India is "Om Jai Jagdish Hare." The names of Gods are religiously chanted, often including Vishnu and his incarnations, Shiva and the Goddess (Parvati, Shakti, Vaishnodevi).

A very common scale in Hindu music is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, which can be harmonized into a chord progression.

Bhajan
A bhajan is a Hindu devotional song, often of ancient origin. Bhajans are often simple songs in lyrical language expressing emotions of love for the Divine, whether for a single God and Goddess, or any number of divinities. Many bhajans feature several names and aspects of the chosen deity, especially in the case of Hindu sahasranamas, which list a divinity's 1008 names. Great importance is attributed to the singing of bhajans with Bhakti, i.e. loving devotion. "Rasanam Lakshanam Bhajanam" means the act by which we feel more closer to our inner self or God, is a bhajan. Acts which are done for the God is called bhajan.

Traditionally, the music has been Indian classical music, which is based on ragas and tala (rhythmic beat patterns) played on the Veena (or Been), Sarangi Venu (flute), Mridanga(or Tabla) (traditional Indian instruments). The Sikh Scripture contains 31 ragas and 17 talas which form the basis for kirtan music compositions.

Hindus are even said to have achieved Moksha through devoting music to God. For example, in the Rig Veda Gargi, the wife of Yajnavalkya, through her excellence in veena playing, an incident that caused Sage Yagnavalkya to write the famous verse:

 * "Veena Vadama Tatvagnaha

 * Sruthi Jathi Visharada

 * Talagnanacha Aprayasena

 * Mokshamargam Gachachathi"

("Yagnavalkya Siksha")

There have also been several music-saints (e.g. Sant Tyagaraja) and poet-saints (e.g. Sant Ravidas).

Kirtan
This is the communal, call-and-response chanting of mantras, often with instruments and dance. Kirtans are deeply rooted in Vedic tradition.

Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found from the oldest of scriptures, part of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music at length.

title: Hindu music


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Cape Winelands District Municipality

The Cape Winelands District Municipality (Kaapse Wynland-distriksmunisipaliteit; uMasipala weSithili sase Cape Winelands), formerly the Boland District Municipality, is a district municipality located in the Boland region of the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2011, it had a population of 787,490. The largest towns in the municipality are Paarl, Worcester, Stellenbosch and Wellington.

Geography
The boundaries of this municipality, which covers an area of 22289 km2, coincide roughly with the boundaries of the geographical area that has been known since the early days of the Cape Colony as "The Boland". In Afrikaans Boland means "up land" or "the higher land" or "the land above" (i.e. in contrast to the low coastal areas of the original Dutch settlement at the Cape). However, the term "Boland", as originally used, was a loose concept, with no defined borders (cf. the informal but not meaningless terms "The Sahara" or "The Rocky Mountains"). The Boland is generally mountainous, with range after range of beautiful and isolated sandstone peaks reaching towards 2000m but also has broad, fertile valleys that are home to some of the country's finest vineyards.

The region has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers are hot and cool, damp winters, with snow on the peaks during August and September. The diverse geography includes peaks, ranges, escarpments, valleys, cliffs, rivers, pools, waterfalls, screes, canyons, springs, forests, caves and other natural features.

The Cape Winelands District Municipality is divided into five local municipalities, which are described in the following table.

Adjacent municipalities

 * Namakwa District Municipality, Northern Cape (north)
 * Central Karoo District Municipality (east)
 * Garden Route District Municipality (east)
 * Overberg District Municipality (south)
 * City of Cape Town (southwest)
 * West Coast District Municipality (west)

History
At the end of the apartheid era the area that is today the Cape Winelands District Municipality formed part of two Regional Services Councils (RSCs). The western part—today's Drakenstein and Stellenbosch local municipalities—was joined with the Cape Town metropolitan area in the Western Cape RSC. The eastern part—today's Witzenberg, Breede Valley and Langeberg local municipalities—formed the Breërivier RSC. The towns within the area were governed by various local authorities divided along racial lines.

After the national elections of 1994 a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. In late 1994 and early 1995 the racially-divided local authorities were replaced by transitional local councils (TLCs) for each town and village. In February 1995 the Western Cape RSC was divided into the Cape Metropolitan Council for the Cape Town metropolitan area and the Winelands RSC for the Drakenstein–Stellenbosch area.

When elections were held in May 1996, the Winelands and Breërivier RSCs were reconstituted as District Councils (DCs). Transitional representative councils (TRCs) were also elected to represent the rural areas—Paarl and Stellenbosch TRCs in the Winelands RSC, and Witzenberg, Matroosberg and Wynland TRCs in the Breërivier RSC.

The local government transformation process was completed with the local elections of December 2000, when the Winelands and Breërivier DCs were replaced by the Boland District Municipality. The TLCs and TRCs were replaced by five local municipalities as well as a large District Management Area (DMA) in the sparsely-populated eastern part of the district. In 2004 the name "Boland" was changed to "Cape Winelands". In 2011 DMAs were abolished and the local municipalities extended to cover the whole district.

Politics
The council of the Cape Winelands District Municipality consists of forty-one councillors, of whom seventeen are directly elected by party-list proportional representation. The other twenty-four councillors are appointed by the councils of the constituent local municipalities: eight by Drakenstein, five each by Stellenbosch and Breede Valley, and three each by Witzenberg and Langeberg.

After then elections of 3 August 2016 the Democratic Alliance (DA) obtained a majority of 27 seats on the council. The executive mayor is Dr Helena von Schlicht of the DA, and the deputy mayor is Dirk Swart, also of the DA.

The following table shows the composition of the council after the 2016 election.

The following table shows the results of the election of the seventeen directly-elected councillors.

Demographics
The following statistics are from the 2011 Census. Note that due to fuzzing applied to statistics, columns may not sum to exactly the indicated total.

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title: Cape Winelands District Municipality


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Breede Valley Local Municipality

Breede Valley Municipality (Breedevallei Munisipaliteit; uMasipala weNtlambo yeBreede) is a local municipality located within the Cape Winelands District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2007, it had a population of 166,825. Its municipality code is WC025.

Geography
The municipality covers a total area of 3833 km2. It includes a middle section of the Breede River Valley around the town of Worcester, and stretches up the Hex River valley to the edge of the Karoo. It abuts on the Witzenberg Municipality to the north, the Laingsburg Municipality to the east, the Langeberg Municipality to the southeast, the Theewaterskloof Municipality to the south, the Stellenbosch Municipality to the southwest and the Drakenstein Municipality to the west.

According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 166,825 people in 42,527 households. Of this population, 63.3% describe themselves as "Coloured", 24.3% as "Black African", and 10.7% as "White". The first language of 76.0% of the population is Afrikaans, while 16.1% speak Xhosa, 2.9% speak English and 2.7% speak Sotho.

Most of the residents of the municipality live in Worcester, which as of 2011 has a population of 97,078. Other towns in the municipality are Rawsonville (pop. 3,099) close to Worcester in the Breede Valley; De Doorns (pop. 11,278) in the Hex River Valley; and Touws River (pop. 8,126) on the edge of the Karoo.

History
At the end of the apartheid era, the area that is today the Breede Valley Municipality formed part of the Breërivier Regional Services Council (RSC). The towns of Worcester, Rawsonville, De Doorns and Touws River were governed by municipal councils elected by their white residents. The coloured residents of Worcester, De Doorns and Touws River were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. Zweletemba was governed by a town council established under the Black Local Authorities Act, 1982.

While the negotiations to end apartheid were taking place a process was established for local authorities to agree on voluntary mergers. In January 1993, the Municipality of Worcester and the Worcester Management Committee merged into a single municipal council. Similar mergers occurred in De Doorns in June 1993 and Touws River in October 1993.

After the national elections of 1994 a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. As a result of these negotiations, the existing local authorities were dissolved and transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village. In October 1994 the Municipality of Worcester and the Zweletemba Town Council were replaced by the Worcester TLC. In December the Municipality of Touws River was replaced by the Touws River TLC; and in January 1995 the municipalities of De Doorns and Rawsonville were both replaced by TLCs.

The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held. At these elections the Breërivier District Council was established, replacing the Breërivier RSC. Transitional representative councils (TRCs) were also elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council; the area that was to become Breede Valley Municipality included most of the Matroosberg TRC.

At the local elections of December 2000 the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved and the Breede Valley Municipality was established as a single local authority. At the same election the Breërivier District Council was also dissolved and replaced by the Boland District Municipality. In 2011 when District Management Areas were abolished, the eastern boundary of the municipality was extended to include the sparsely populated region to the east of Touws River which had formerly been part of a DMA.

Politics
The municipal council consists of forty-one members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Twenty-one councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in twenty-one wards, while the remaining twenty are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 no party obtained a majority of seats on the council.

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.

title: Breede Valley Local Municipality


text: Category:Documentation generators

title: Category:Documentation generators


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Cape Agulhas Local Municipality

Cape Agulhas Municipality (Kaap Agulhas Munisipaliteit) is a municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. , it had a population of 33,038. Its municipality code is WC033. It is named after Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa. The largest town is Bredasdorp, which is the seat of the municipal headquarters. It also includes the villages of Napier, Struisbaai, Elim, Arniston and L'Agulhas, and the De Hoop Nature Reserve.

Geography
The municipality covers an area of 3467 km2 in the Southern Overberg, covering a radius of 30 to 40 km around Bredasdorp as well as a panhandle extending east to include the De Hoop Nature Reserve. A range of hills runs east–west through the municipality with a gap at Bredasdorp. South of these hills is the low and flat Agulhas plain. The municipality abuts on the Overstrand Municipality to the west, the Theewaterskloof Municipality to the northwest and the Swellendam Municipality to the north.

According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 33,038 people in 10,162 households. Of this population, 65.6% describe themselves as "Coloured", 21.6% as "White", and 11.5% as "Black African". The first language of 84.4% of the population is Afrikaans, while 6.0% speak Xhosa and 5.6% speak English.

The principal town and location of the municipal headquarters is Bredasdorp, which as of 2011 has a population of 15,524. Napier (pop. 4,214) is situated 15 km northwest of Bredasdorp. South of Bredasdorp on the coast around Cape Agulhas are Struisbaai (pop. 3,877), L'Agulhas (pop. 548) and Suiderstrand (pop. 44). Arniston (pop. 1,267) is further east along the coast. The former mission station of Elim (pop. 1,412) is situated west of Bredasdorp.

Politics
The municipal council consists of eleven members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Six councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in six wards, while the remaining five are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021, the Democratic Alliance (DA) won a plurality of seats on the council, one short of a majority. The DA then formed a majority coalition government with the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) to govern the municipality.

History
At end of the apartheid era in the early 1990s, municipal councils existed for Bredasdorp and Napier, and local councils for Waenhuiskrans (Arniston), Struisbaai and L'Agulhas. These councils were elected by the white residents of the towns. Coloured residents elected management committees, which were subordinate to the white local authorities, in Bredasdorp, Napier, Arniston and Struisbaai. Rural areas outside of these settlements were served by the Overberg Regional Services Council.

After the national elections of 1994 a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. As a result of these negotiations, transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village. In December 1994 the Napier TLC was created, replacing the Municipality of Napier and the Napier Management Committee. In the same month the Struisbaai TLC replaced the Struisbaai Local Council and the Struisbaai Management Committee. In January 1995 the Bredasdorp TLC was created, amalgamating the Municipality of Bredasdorp, the Bredasdorp Management Committee, the Local Councils of Waenhuiskrans and L'Agulhas, and the Arniston Management Committee.

The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held. At these elections the Overberg District Council was established, replacing the Overberg Regional Services Council. Transitional representative councils (TRCs) were also elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council; the area that was to become the Cape Agulhas Municipality included most of the Bredasdorp TRC as well as parts of the Caledon TRC.

At the local elections of December 2000 the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved, and the Cape Agulhas Municipality was created as a single local authority incorporating both rural and urban areas. In 2006 the boundary with the Overstrand Municipality was moved further west to incorporate rural land north and south of Elim (although Elim itself was included in the municipality from 2000). In 2011 the area of the De Hoop Nature Reserve was incorporated into the municipality when District Management Areas were abolished.

Election results
The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.

title: Cape Agulhas Local Municipality


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Cederberg Local Municipality

Cederberg Municipality (Cederberg Munisipaliteit) is a local municipality which governs an area of the Western Cape province of South Africa stretching from the Cederberg mountains through the middle valley of the Olifants River to the Atlantic coast. It includes the towns of Clanwilliam, Citrusdal and Lamberts Bay, and the surrounding villages and farms. it had a population of 49,768. It is located within the West Coast District Municipality and its municipality code is WC012.

Geography
The municipality covers a total area of 8007 km2, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Doring River in the east. The Olifants River flows from south to north through the center of the municipal area. The Cederberg mountains rise from the eastern bank of the river. To the west of the river are lower ranges of hills descending to the coastal plain. The municipality abuts on the Matzikama Municipality to the north, the Hantam Municipality to the east, and the Witzenberg and Bergrivier Municipalities to the south.

According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 49,768 people in 13,513 households. Of this population, 75.7% describe themselves as "Coloured", 12.7% as "Black African", and 11.0% as "White". The first language of 88.7% of the population is Afrikaans, while 5.0% speak Xhosa, 2.5% speak Sotho and 1.9% speak English.

The principal towns of the municipality are Clanwilliam (pop. 7,674) and Citrusdal (pop. 7,177) in the Olifants River valley, and Lambert's Bay (pop. 6,120) on the coastline. There are smaller agricultural settlements at Graafwater (pop. 2,261) and Leipoldtville (pop. 298), and a coastal village at Elands Bay (pop. 1,525).

History
At the end of the apartheid era, in the area that is today the Cederberg Municipality, there were municipal councils for the towns of Clanwilliam, Citrusdal, Lambert's Bay, and Graafwater. These councils were elected by the white residents, while the coloured residents of the towns were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. Rural areas fell under the West Coast Regional Services Council (RSC), while in Elands Bay there was a local council for white residents and a management committee for coloured residents under the authority of the RSC.

While the negotiations to end apartheid were taking place a process was established for local authorities to negotiate voluntary mergers. The four towns in the Cederberg area took part in this process, which resulted in the municipalities merging with their respective management committees to form new non-racial municipalities: Citrusdal in March 1992, Clanwilliam in April 1992, Lambert's Bay in June 1993, and Graafwater in January 1994.

After the national elections of 1994 a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. As a result of these negotiations, the existing local authorities were dissolved and transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village. In January 1995 the municipalities of Clanwilliam, Citrusdal, and Lambert's Bay were replaced by TLCs, and Graafwater followed in the following month. In December 1994, the Elands Bay local council and management committee were merged into the Piketberg TLC (the rest of which lies outside the Cederberg area).

The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held. At these elections the West Coast District Council was established, replacing the West Coast Regional Services Council. Transitional representative councils (TRCs) were also elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council; the area that was to become Cederberg Municipality included the Clanwilliam TRC and parts of the Piketberg and Vanrhynsdorp TRCs.

At the local elections of December 2000 the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved and the Cederberg Municipality was established as a single local authority incorporating both rural and urban areas. In 2011 the Cederberg Wilderness Area, previously a District Management Areas, was added to the municipality when District Management Areas were abolished.

Politics
The municipal council consists of eleven members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Six councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in six wards, while the remaining five are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021, the African National Congress (ANC) won a plurality of seats on the council.

On 12 November, the Cederberg First Residents Association (CFRA), Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) announced a coalition agreement, with the CFRA getting the position of mayor, and the FF+ deputy mayor.

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.

By-elections from November 2021
The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period since the election in November 2021.

After the 2021 election, Cederberg First (or Cederberg Eerste, CE) (3), the DA (2) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) (1) formed a coalition. A motion of no-confidence in CE mayor Ruben Richards, after he was accused of corruption, was later passed with the support of one DA councillor, the speaker William Farmer. Farmer was then elected mayor with the support of the ANC and PA. Farmer was subsequently expelled from the DA, and joined the Patriotic Alliance (PA), standing as their candidate during the by-election. The new DA candidate increased the party's share of the vote, retaining the seat for the DA, and restoring the previous CE, DA and FF+ coalition government.

title: Cederberg Local Municipality


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Central Karoo District Municipality

The Central Karoo District Municipality (Sentraal Karoo-distriksmunisipaliteit) is a district municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its municipality code is DC5.

Geography
The Central Karoo District Municipality is divided into three local municipalities, which are described in the following table.

Adjacent municipalities

 * Pixley ka Seme District Municipality, Northern Cape (northeast)
 * Sarah Baartman District Municipality, Eastern Cape (east)
 * Garden Route District Municipality (south)
 * Cape Winelands District Municipality (southwest)
 * Namakwa District Municipality, Northern Cape (northwest)

Demographics
The following statistics are from the 2011 Census. Note that due to fuzzing applied to statistics, columns may not sum to exactly the indicated total.

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Politics
The council of the Central Karoo District Municipality consists of thirteen councillors. Six councillors are directly elected by party-list proportional representation, and seven are appointed by the councils of the local municipalities in the district: five by Beaufort West and one each by Laingsburg and Prince Albert.

there are six councillors from the Democratic Alliance (DA), four from the African National Congress (ANC), two from the Karoo Gemeenskap Party (KGP) and one from the Karoo Democratic Force (KDF). The DA, KGP and KDF are in a coalition which governs the council. The following table shows the detailed composition of the council.

The following table shows the results of the election of the six directly elected councillors.

title: Central Karoo District Municipality


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Kannaland Local Municipality

Kannaland Municipality (Kannaland Munisipaliteit) is a local municipality located within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The municipal area is situated in the western part of the Little Karoo and includes the towns of Ladismith, Calitzdorp and Zoar. , it has a population of 24,767. Its municipality code is WC041.

Geography
The municipality covers an area of 4758 km2 in the Little Karoo, stretching from the Swartberg in the north to the Langeberg in the south, and from the Anysberg in the west to the Gamkaberg in the east. It is drained by the Groot River and the Gourits River. It abuts on the Laingsburg and Prince Albert municipalities to the north, the Oudtshoorn Municipality to the east, the Hessequa Municipality to the south and the Swellendam and Langeberg Municipalities to the west.

According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 24,767 people in 6,212 households. Of this population, 84.6% describe themselves as "Coloured", 9.9% as "White", and 4.7% as "Black African". The first language of 95.4% of the population is Afrikaans, while 2.5% speak English.

The largest town and location of the municipal headquarters is Ladismith, which as of 2011 has a population of 7,127. Ladismith is at the foot of the Swartberg, as are Zoar (pop. 4,659) and Calitzdorp (pop. 4,284) to the east. Van Wyksdorp (pop. 833) is further south in the valley of the Groot River.

Formation of the municipality
At the end of the apartheid era, the area that is today the Kannaland Municipality was divided between two Regional Services Councils (RSCs): the northern part around Ladismith, Zoar and Calitzdorp formed part of the Klein Karoo RSC, while the southern part around Van Wyksdorp formed part of the South Cape RSC. The towns of Ladismith, Calitzdorp and Van Wyksdorp were governed by municipal councils elected by their white residents. The coloured residents of Nissenville (Ladismith) and Calitzdorp were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. The mission settlement of Zoar was governed by a board of management.

While the negotiations to end apartheid were taking place a process was established for local authorities to agree on voluntary mergers. In November 1993, the Municipality of Calitzdorp and the Calitzdorp Management Committee merged into a single municipal council.

After the national elections of 1994 a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. As a result of these negotiations, the existing local authorities were dissolved and transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village. In December 1994 Ladismith TLC replaced the Municipality of Ladismith and the Nissenville Management Committee. In January 1995 Calitzdorp TLC replaced the Municipality of Calitzdorp, and Zoar TLC replaced the Zoar Management Board. In October 1995 Vanwyksdorp Municipality was also converted into a TLC.

The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held. At these elections the Regional Services Councils were replaced by District Councils (DCs), and transitional representative councils (TRCs) were elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the DCs. The area that is today Kannaland included the Ladismith and Calitzdorp TRCs under the Klein Karoo DC as well as part of the Langeberg TRC under the South Cape DC.

At the local elections of December 2000 the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved and the Kannaland Municipality was established as a single local authority. At the same election the Klein Karoo and South Cape District Councils were also dissolved and replaced by the Eden District Municipality.

Political history since 2000
The December 2000 local government elections returned a council of four Democratic Alliance (DA) councillors, four African National Congress (ANC) councillors, and one Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) councillor. A short-lived coalition led by the DA took power after the December 2000 local government elections, but it collapsed when the single PAC councillor withdrew his support, and the ANC took control of the council in March 2001.

The March 2006 local government elections returned a council of four ANC councillors, two DA councillors, two Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (ICOSA) councillors, and one Independent Democrats (ID) councillor. An ANC/DA coalition took power until this coalition collapsed in August 2006 and was replaced by a coalition between the DA and ICOSA. This coalition collapsed in September 2007 when two ICOSA and three ANC councillors crossed the floor to the new National People's Party (NPP), giving that party a majority of five seats in a council which at that time consisted of nine members. The DA refused to recognize the new NPP-led council administration as it alleged that the 2 ICOSA defectors were sacked prior to the floor-crossing window being open, and it challenged the council recomposition in the Western Cape High Court. The former mayor refused to step down pending the outcome of the case.

In 2011 the auditor-general declared that he could not give a clear statement about the financial situation in the municipality because the records are missing and no one seemed to know where they were. After almost a decade of financial problems an attempt to restore order was underway in 2011

In the election of 18 May 2011 the council was reduced in size to seven seats. No party obtained a majority; ICOSA won three seats while the ANC and the DA won two each. ICOSA and the ANC formed a coalition to govern the municipality.

The election of 3 August 2016 left the party composition of the council unchanged. The DA and ANC councillors formed a coalition to govern without ICOSA, but DA national leadership said that the coalition had not been authorized. In March 2017 the ANC recalled its councillors to put an end to the coalition. However the mayor has not been recalled despite the national ANC structures stating that this would happen. A motion of no confidence in the mayor and speaker of the municipality was put forward in August 2017. The motion failed with the DA and ANC in the municipality against the motion, leaving the ANC mayor Magdalene Barry in power. The Democratic Alliance spokesperson on local government stated that the party would side with the ANC in order to keep the Independent Civic Organisation away from the public purse. This follows forensic evidence detailing financial misconduct that amounted to more than R14 million under Jeffrey Donson's tenure.

Politics
The municipal council consists of seven members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Four councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in four wards, while the remaining three are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.

Election results
The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.

title: Kannaland Local Municipality


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Lord of Galloway

The lords of Galloway consisted of a dynasty of heirs who were lords (or kings) and ladies who ruled over Galloway in southwest Scotland, mainly during the High Middle Ages. Many regions of Scotland, including Galloway and Moray, periodically had kings or subkings, similar to those in Ireland during the Middle Ages. The Scottish monarch was seen as being similar to a high king (Ard-Righ in Gaelic). The lords of Galloway would have either paid tribute to the Scottish monarch, or at other times ignored him. The Lords of Galloway are fairly well recorded in the 12th and 13th centuries, but the records are incomplete or conflicting at other times. Later on, the kings were known as "lords" at the Scottish court, and "kings" at home, finally becoming "lords" in both arenas.

The boundaries of the Kingdom of Galloway were ill-defined, and varied over time. During many periods Galloway was much larger than it is today, and took in parts of southern Ayrshire, such as Carrick, Upper Douglasdale and Nithsdale. The area appears to have been the main bastion of Scottish Gaelic culture south of the Highlands in the Middle Ages.

Kingdom of Galloway
Suibne mac Cináeda (d.1034) is the first recorded king of the Gall-ghàidhil, the people of Galloway, although it is not until about 1138 that the succession is properly recorded. The Dynasty of Fergus appears to have continued until 1234 and the Laws of Galloway remained in force until 1426. It is thought that these laws originally derived their authority from the kings of Galloway.

Contrary to some popular conceptions, there is no evidence that Galloway was ever part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. It does not logically follow from that that Galloway (west of the Nith at least) lay outside the traditional area claimed by the Kingdom of Alba, Strathclyde's successor state in the area. Galloway, often defined as all of the area to the south and west of the Clyde and west of the River Annan, acknowledged the kings of Scotland as Ard Rí or over-king when politic. The year before his death, Fergus resigned Galloway into the hands of King Mael Coluim IV of Scotland. Though it formed part of the northern mainland of Britain, Galloway was just as much a part of the Irish Sea; part of that Hiberno-Norse world of the Gall-Gaidhel lords of the Isle of Man, Dublin and the Hebrides. The ex-King of Dublin and Man, Echmarcach mac Ragnaill, had the title Rex Innarenn (possibly "King of the Rhinns") attributed to him on his death in 1065. The western sections of Galloway had been firmly aligned with the Isle of Man, and Norse and Gaelic-Norse settlement names from the 10th and 11th centuries are spread all along the coastal lands of south-western "Scotland" and north-western "England".

Magnus III
In the late 11th century, the Norwegian King Magnus III Berrføtt ("Barefoot") led a campaign of subjugation in the Irish Sea area. In 1097, he sent his vassal, Ingimundr, to take control of the Kingdom of the Isles. However, when this man was killed, Magnus himself launched the first of his two invasions, the campaigns of 1098-1099 and of 1102-1103. In the former campaign, he took control of the Western Isles of Scotland, and deposed King Lagmann of Man. (Incidentally, this campaign also brought him to Wales, where he killed the Earl of Chester and the Earl of Shrewsbury, who were at war with the Prince of Gwynedd.) In this campaign, Magnus almost certainly brought Galloway under his suzerainty too. Magnus, moreover, gained the recognition of these conquests from the then-king of Alba, Etgair mac Maíl Coluim.

On his second campaign, Magnus went to Man, and with a huge fleet attacked Dublin and attempted to force the submission of Muircertach mac Toirrdelbach, the Uí Briain King of Munster. The campaign resulted in an alliance between the two kings, and the arranged marriage of Magnus' son Siguðr to Muircertach's daughter Bjaðmunjo. The alliance mitigated the threat of Domnall Ua Lochlainn, King of Ailech, bringing stability to the Irish Sea world, and security to Magnus' new Irish Sea "Empire." However, it all went wrong when Magnus was killed on his way back to Norway on a minor raid in Ulster. Much of Magnus' work lay in ruins.

Fergusan Dynasty

Fergus of Galloway took the throne of Galloway some time between 1110 and 1120. When he died in 1161 the year after taking canonical habit in Holyrood, according to the Chronicle of Holyrood, and resigning Galloway to Scotland’s King Mael Coluim IV, Galloway was left to his two sons, Uchtred and Gille Brigte (Gilbert). In 1174 Uchtred died after being brutally blinded and mutilated by his brother Gille Brigte and Gille Brigte's son, Máel Coluim (Malcolm). When Gilla Brigte died a few years later, in a meeting between the kings of Scotland and England and the two sons of Uchtred and Gille Brigte, it was agreed that Uchtred's son Lochlann (Roland) would take possession of the southern part of Galloway. Gilla Brigte's surviving son Donnchad (Duncan) was given the northern part, being made 1st Earl/Mormaer of Carrick.

Lochlann married Helen, the daughter of Richard de Moreville, Constable of Scotland, and inherited his father-in-law's title. Their son Alan of Galloway was the most powerful of the lords and upon his death in 1234, his holdings were divided between his three daughters and their husbands. However, an attempt was made, within Galloway, to establish Alan's illegitimate son Thomas as ruler, but this failed when King Alexander II of Scotland broke the line of rejected such claim for an illegitimate son to take over. In response, Gille Ruadh led a revolt against Alexander. The attempt failed resulting in Galloway being divided amongst Alan's three living daughters who were married to Anglo-Normans, Roger de Quincy (married to Ela), John de Balliol (married to Derborgaill) and William de Forz (married to Cairistiona). Galloway's period as an independent political entity eventually came to an end with John de Balliol delegated as Lord.

Douglas Lords
In 1369, Archibald the Grim had been appointed Lord of Galloway by David II of Scotland, "becaus he tuke git trawell to purge the cuntrey of Englis blude". Later he would construct his mighty fortress of Thrieve, near present-day Castle Douglas.

 * Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway
 * Archibald Douglas Lord of Galloway
 * Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway
 * Margaret Douglas, Fair Maid of Galloway

title: Lord of Galloway


text:
Laingsburg Local Municipality

Laingsburg Municipality (Laingsburg Munisipaliteit) is a local municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. , the population is 8,289. Its municipality code is WC051.

Geography
The municipality covers an area of 8784 km2 on the south-western edge of the Great Karoo. The southern edge of the municipality lies along the Anysberg and Swartberg mountains, while its northern edge is the provincial border with the Northern Cape. It abuts on the Beaufort West and Prince Albert Municipalities to the east, the Kannaland Municipality to the south, the Langeberg, Breede Valley and Witzenberg Municipalities to the west, and the Karoo Hoogland Municipality to the north.

According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 8,289 people in 2,408 households. Of this population, 79.0% describe themselves as "Coloured", 13.3% as "White", and 7.0% as "Black African". The first language of 94.3% of the population is Afrikaans, while 1.7% speak English and 1.2% speak Xhosa.

The principal settlement in the municipality is the town of Laingsburg, which as of 2011 has a population of 5,667. West of Laingsburg is the village of Matjiesfontein, population 422.

History
At the end of the apartheid era, the area that is today the Laingsburg Local Municipality formed part of the Central Karoo Regional Services Council (RSC). The town of Laingsburg was governed by a municipal council elected by the white residents while the coloured residents were governed by a management committee subordinate to the white council.

After the national elections of 1994 a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. As a result of these negotiations the municipality and the management committee were dissolved, and the Laingsburg Transitional Local Council (TLC) was established to replace them in December 1994.

The TLC was initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held. At the time of these elections the Central Karoo District Council was established in place of the Central Karoo RSC, and transitional representative councils (TRCs) were elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council. The area that was to become Laingsburg Local Municipality was covered by the Laingsburg TRC.

At the local elections of December 2000 the TLC and TRC were both dissolved and the Laingsburg Local Municipality was established as a single local authority. At the same election the Central Karoo District Council was dissolved and replaced by the Central Karoo District Municipality.

Politics
The municipal council consists of seven members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Four councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in four wards, while the remaining three are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 no party obtained a majority of seats on the council. The African National Congress (ANC) subsequently formed a coalition with the Karoo Democratic Force (KDF) and the Patriotic Alliance to govern the municipality with the PA's Mitchell John Smith voted in as mayor.

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.

title: Laingsburg Local Municipality


text:
Hessequa Local Municipality

Hessequa Municipality (Hessequa Munisipaliteit), known before 24 June 2005 as Langeberg Municipality, is a local municipality within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is flanked by the lower Breede River to the west and the Gourits River to the east. , the population was 52,642. Its municipality code is WC042. The name Hessequa, meaning "people of the trees", refers to the indigenous Khoikhoi people.

Geography
The municipality covers an area of 5733 km2 between the Langeberg mountains and the Indian Ocean, stretching from the Breede River in the west to the Gourits River in the east. It abuts on the Swellendam Municipality to the west, the Kannaland Municipality to the north, the Oudtshoorn Municipality to the northeast, and the Mossel Bay Municipality to the east.

According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 52,642 people in 15,873 households. Of this population, 68.5% describe themselves as "Coloured", 23.2% as "White", and 7.4% as "Black African". The first language of 92.4% of the population is Afrikaans, while 3.6% speak English and 2.1% speak Xhosa.

The largest town in the municipality is Riversdale, which as of 2011 has a population of 16,176. Riversdale, which is the location of the municipal headquarters, is located on the Vet River close to the foothills of the Langeberg. Heidelberg (pop. 8,259) and Slangrivier (pop. 3,011) are to the west of Riversdale, while Albertinia (pop. 6,372) is to the east. Stilbaai (pop. 3,514) is on the coast south of Riversdale at the mouth of the Vet River, with Jongensfontein (pop. 355) and Melkhoutfontein (pop. 2,533) nearby. Witsand (pop. 321) is on the western edge of the municipality at the mouth of the Breede River, while Gouritsmond (pop. 515) is on the eastern edge at the mouth of the Gourits River.

History
At the end of the apartheid era, the area that is today the Hessequa Municipality formed part of the South Cape Regional Services Council (RSC). The towns of Riversdale, Heidelberg, Albertinia and Stilbaai were governed by municipal councils elected by their white residents. The coloured residents of Riversdale, Heidelberg and Theronsville (Albertinia) were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. The seaside resorts of Witsand, Jongensfontein and Gouritsmond were governed by elected local councils, and the town of Slangrivier was governed by a board of management.

While the negotiations to end apartheid were taking place a process was established for local authorities to agree on voluntary mergers. In March 1992, the Municipality of Riversdale and the Riversdale Management Committee merged into a single municipal council, and in August 1992 a similar merger took place in Heidelberg.

After the national elections of 1994 a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. As a result of these negotiations, the existing local authorities were dissolved and transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village. The smaller seaside resorts were also combined with larger towns.
 * Riversdale TLC replaced the Municipality of Riversdale in October 1994.
 * Heidelberg TLC replaced the Municipality of Heidelberg and the Witsand Local Council in December 1994.
 * Albertinia-Gourits TLC replaced the Municipality of Albertinia, the Theronsville Management Committee and the Gouritsmond Local Council in January 1995.
 * Stilbaai TLC replaced the Municipality of Stilbaai and the Jongensfontein Local Council in January 1995.
 * Slangrivier TLC replaced the Slangrivier Management Board in January 1995.

The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held. At the time of these elections the Albertinia-Gourits TLC was dissolved and replaced by separate TLCs for Albertinia and Gouritsmond. The South Cape District Council was established in place of the South Cape RSC, and transitional representative councils (TRCs) were elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council. The area that was to become Hessequa Municipality formed part of the Langeberg TRC.

At the local elections of December 2000 the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved and the Langeberg Municipality was established as a single local authority. At the same election the South Cape District Council was also dissolved and replaced by the Eden District Municipality. In 2005 the name of the local municipality was changed from Langeberg to Hessequa. (The Langeberg name was subsequently reused for the municipality formerly known as Breede River/Winelands.)

Politics
The municipal council consists of seventeen members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Nine councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in nine wards, while the remaining eight are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the Democratic Alliance (DA) won a majority of seats on the council.

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.

title: Hessequa Local Municipality


text:
Talk:Polaritonics

The original version of this article has been copied from http://web.mit.edu/nelsongroup/research/polaritonics.shtml. I have asked Prof. Keith A. Nelson, the head of the lab at the MIT, whether he would allow re-publishing the text from his lab's website under the GFDL. I also explained that doing so would mean that the text could be "edited mercilessly" by anyone, and could be redistributed by anyone, even for commercial purposes. He replied on February 18, 2005:

Date:   Fri, 18 Feb 2005 18:21:53 -0500 To:     User:Lupo's e-mail address omitted From:   Keith A Nelson  Subject: Re: Wikipedia article on polaritonics

[...] it is OK with me that the material on polaritonics that is now posted on the Wikipedia article be copied and/or edited and redistributed. [...]

Thank you, Prof. Nelson!

Lupo 07:48, 21 Feb 2005 (UTC)

No original research
The creator of the article seems to be the creator of the field, very nearly. --Wtshymanski 00:11, 1 May 2005 (UTC)

 * Hm. Are there any peer-reviewed publications? Lupo 07:41, 1 May 2005 (UTC)

The founders of the field are Thomas Fuerer, Richard Koehl, Keith A. Nelson, Nikolay Stoyanov, Joushua A. Vaughan, and David W. Ward (me). Some of the pioneering theoretical work dates back to Born and Huang (circa 1945) and experimental work by David Austen (circa 1980). There are around 30 peer reviewed publications on polaritonics, though not all with polaritonics in the title. Some of them are listed at http://web.mit.edu/nelsongroup/research/polaritonics.shtml. There are also a couple of US Patents. The version of this article posted on the Nelson group website is from the introduction chapter of my thesis (http://thesis.davidward.org) Since I am the copywrite holder there should be no legal issues with my having passed it to the public domain. On a personal note: you folks have done a nice job sprucing up the polaritonics wikipedia page!

politronics
The latest edition of "Nature" has a piece about "politronics" (with an extra "r"). is that just a spelling mistake?

title: Talk:Polaritonics


text:
Matzikama Local Municipality

Matzikama Municipality (Matzikama Munisipaliteit) is a local municipality which governs the northernmost part of the Western Cape province of South Africa, including the towns of Vredendal, Vanrhynsdorp, Klawer and Lutzville, and the surrounding villages and rural areas. , it had a population of 67,147. It forms part of the West Coast District Municipality, and its municipality code is WC011.

Matzikama is of Khoekhoe origin, the first people of South Africa. It contains the Khoekhoe language words ma which means "give", tsî which means "you", and ǁgamma which means "water", and loosely translates into "you that give water".

Geography
The municipality covers a total area of 12981 km2 in the northernmost part of the Western Cape province, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the mountains of the Bokkeveld Escarpment in the east. The Olifants River flows through the southern part of the municipal area, while to the north lies the hilly area known as the Knersvlakte. The municipality abuts on the Kamiesberg Municipality to the north, the Hantam Municipality to the east and the Cederberg Municipality to the south.

At the 2011 census, the municipality had a population of 67,147 people in 18,835 households. Of this population, 74.7% describe themselves as "Coloured", 14.8% as "White", and 8.5% as "Black African". The first language of 91.8% of the population is Afrikaans, while 3.5% speak Xhosa and 1.8% speak English.

The principal town and seat of the council is Vredendal, which is situated in the valley of the Olifants River and has a population (according to the 2011 census) of 18,170. Other large towns in the municipality are Klawer (pop. 6,234) situated upstream from Vredendal, Lutzville (pop. 5,232) situated downstream from Vredendal, and Vanrhynsdorp (pop. 6,272) to the north-east towards the escarpment. In the Olifants River valley there are also smaller agricultural settlements at Ebenhaeser (pop. 1,305) and Koekenaap (pop. 1,551). South of the mouth of the Olifants River are the coastal villages of Doringbaai (pop. 1,260) and Strandfontein (pop. 431). The villages of Bitterfontein (pop. 986), Kliprand (pop. 205), Nuwerus (pop. 650) and Rietpoort (pop. 970) are situated in the sparsely-populated Knersvlakte in the northern part of the municipality.

History
At the end of the apartheid era, in the area that is today Matzikama, there were municipal councils for the towns of Vredendal, Klawer, Lutzville, Vanrhynsdorp and Bitterfontein, and a local council for the villages of Doringbaai and Strandfontein known as the Louis Rood Local Council. These councils were elected by the white residents. The coloured residents of Vredendal, Klawer, Lutzville, Vanrhynsdorp, Koekenaap, Bitterfontein and Nuwerus were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. The former mission stations of Ebenhaeser and Rietpoort were governed by management boards, and the remaining rural areas fell under the West Coast Regional Services Council.

While the negotiations to end apartheid were taking place a process was established for local authorities to negotiate voluntary mergers. Several towns in the Matzikama region took part in this process, resulting in each municipal council merging with its corresponding management committee: Klawer in September 1992, Vanrhynsdorp in December 1992, Vredendal in January 1993, and Lutzville in January 1994.

After the national elections of 1994 a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. As a result of these negotiations, the existing local authorities were dissolved and transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village. In total eight TLCs were created. The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held. At these elections the West Coast District Council was established, replacing the West Coast Regional Services Council. Transitional representative councils (TRCs) were also elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council; the area that was to become Matzikama was covered by the Vredendal and Vanrhynsdorp TRCs.
 * The Vanrhynsdorp TLC replaced the (merged) Vanrhynsdorp Municipality in December 1994.
 * The Vredendal TLC replaced the (merged) Vredendal Municipality in December 1994.
 * The Klawer TLC replaced the (merged) Klawer Municipality in January 1995.
 * The Doringbaai/Strandfontein TLC replaced the Louis Rood Local Council in January 1995.
 * The Ebenhaeser TLC replaced the Ebenhaeser Management Board in January 1995.
 * The Lutzville TLC replaced the (merged) Lutzville Municipality as well as the Koekenaap Management Committee in February 1995.
 * The Bitterfontein/Nuwerus TLC replaced the Bitterfontein Municipality, the Bitterfontein Management Committee and the Nuwerus Management Committee in February 1995.
 * The Rietpoort TLC replaced the Rietpoort Management Board in May 1995.

At the local elections of December 2000 the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved. The Matzikama Municipality was established, though in 2000 it incorporated only the southern half of the area it governs today. That area included Vredendal, Vanrhynsdorp, Klawer, Lutzville, Ebenhaeser and Doringbaai/Strandfontein. The sparsely populated northern area, including Bitterfontein/Nuwerus and Rietpoort, became a District Management Area of the West Coast District Municipality. In 2011 this area was incorporated into the Matzikama Municipality when District Management Areas were abolished.

Politics
The municipal council consists of fifteen members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Eight councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in eight wards, while the remaining seven are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the Democratic Alliance (DA) won a plurality of seats on the council.

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.

In August 2020, the Hawks began investigating corruption in the municipality.

In August 2021, the Matzikama Local Municipality was flagged as one of the four Western Cape municipalities owing millions of rands to Eskom

By-elections from November 2021
The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period since November 2021.

After the by-election, the council was reconfigured as below:

title: Matzikama Local Municipality


text:
Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2005-02-21/Feature storm

Natural disasters continued to be popular topics among featured article candidates last week, and one such article completed the journey from creation to becoming a featured article impressively in just two weeks.

From fresh to featured in a fortnight
This singular accomplishment was by the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 article, which deals with a gale and blizzard that devastated the region that year. The article didn't even exist until 3 February, when Brian0918 started it with a few paragraphs, a table of the vessels destroyed in the storm, and various references and external links. Already as a new article, it earned a spot on the Did you know section of the Main Page on 6 February, which noted that it was the deadliest natural disaster ever to hit the Great Lakes.

Over the following days, Brian continued to work steadily on the article. On 9 February, he submitted it to peer review with the comment, "This is my first attempt at putting together an entire article". When Maveric149 responded that very little needed improvement, Brian went ahead and submitted it as a featured article candidate.

When the nomination was made, a few issues cropped up with image copyright tags, along with layout problems in several different browsers. After some discussion, the shipwreck table that was causing the layout problems was removed.

However, none of this dented the article's progression to featured status, as the only objections were easily handled. It was designated a featured article last Thursday, barely two weeks into its existence. Several supporters of the nomination urged its author, having produced such an impressive specimen, to please write more articles.

Since its creation, the article has accumulated 200 edits, 90% of which were made by Brian0918. It has even spun off several related articles — the original table is now a separate article on Shipwrecks of the 1913 Great Lakes storm, a list of individual victims is at Wikisource, and there is also an image gallery.

Lisbon earthquake article seeking redemption
The fate of another disaster article, the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, remained uncertain as discussion went back and forth over several objections. In response to some concerns that the philosophical ramifications were inadequately covered, an expanded section on the earthquake's impact on Enlightenment thought was added.

Another objection raised was based on the article being publicly criticized as a source of misinformation, because the Washington Post apparently relied on it in saying that after the earthquake, priests went about hanging suspected heretics, whose sins they believed had caused the disaster (see archived story). This was withdrawn, however, after several people pointed out that the inaccuracy was no longer present in the article and it seemed unfair to deny featuring on these grounds.

Meanwhile, Markalexander100 found a possible explanation for the earlier mistake in an engraving of the aftermath, part of the description for which on About.com read, "criminals are being hanged under the supervision of soldiers and priests". To this he observed, "I suspect that the crimes involved were looting and suchlike rather than heresy, however." An image of the engraving was added to the article, but with an accurate caption this time.

Finally Sandover, who had nominated the article originally, reconsidered and said "it should be made much better on a number of levels, including the historical and philosophical." This was in spite of the fact that most of the other objections had already been resolved. His ultimate goal remained, however, to improve the article further and have it ready in time for the 250th anniversary of the event on 1 November this year.

New featured articles and pictures
A total of ten articles, including the Great Lakes storm article, received featured article status last week. Former Collaborations of the Week League of Nations and Space Race succeeded on their second and third try, respectively. The others were cricket recordholder A. E. J. Collins, Sikkim, Names of God in Judaism, Michel Foucault, Nafaanra language, War of the Spanish Succession, and the computer game BZFlag.

Activity returned in featured pictures last week, as two new images were so designated. One of them happens to be a very famous photograph taken by Dorothea Lange; the other is by Wikipedian Chris 73.