After Africa

Do you ever think about who read your tweets?

'@tzshafeeq This ongoing debate about the failure of the Union makes me feel like taking a gun and wipe some top dogs in the gov.THEY SUCK #Tanzania

8:25 AM Apr 26th via mobile web'

I find this tweet from @tzshafeeq in Dar es Salaam fascinating. I doubt he is a violent person in daily life (I reckon so from the rest of his tweets, and the fact that it still takes about 6 hours to drive to Dodoma from Dar es Salaam) - and that he has picked up a phrase, probably inspired from American gangsta style.

Pure guessing.

But the statement is still somewhat disturbing.

In Denmark you can be taken to court for stating a violent intention on i.e. Facebook. You can also get fired for sharing idiotic statements.

Recent debate in Denmark on how politicians - and their communication officers use social media - has drawn new lines for what is acceptable. A debate which has gone a little bit out of proportions, but at the same time has shown how important it is to know the reach and impact of your tweets and statements.

Fortunately @tzshafeeq does not tweet in a Danish context.

Video: Shakira and South African band Freshlyground in 'Time for Africa', World Cup song.

 

Somehow I'm not completely convinced that this is the best Freshlyground and Shakira can do, though the song has good parts. Like the mix of artists from Africa and Columbia, the energy, the beat, Zolanis voice, and the Cameroonian marching chant...

But the lyrics are rather simple, to say it mildly. For instance, using the metaphor 'soldier' for a football player is not cool, and the title 'Time for Africa' doesn't make a lot of sense in the rest of the context.

The official video is plain copy paste. Phootage we have already seen. No surprise there.

The video variations are predictabtly strange - just try and google 'waka waka, 'this time for africa'.

Hm. I'm a little disappointed. I hate to admit it. I absolutely love Freshlyground.

Ujamaa wrongs; can they be corrected? Another blog post on Tanzanian land issues

From my friend Rasmus' blog Land Affairs.

And then just a personal note in regard of the one and only Julius Kambarage Nyerere.

Ujamaa was the concept that formed the basis of his famous social and economic development policies in Tanzania, but in spite being the most popular president of Tanzania ever, Ujamaa cannot be defined among his best ideas.

Not if you ask Tanzanians who were affected by the villagisation.

Maybe the lack of real time heroic presidents, makes us look back in history and reject the fact that even good president makes mistakes?

How do you spell Eugène Terre’Blanche?

The Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (yes, the AWB) spells the name of its erstwhile head in all its accented glory, Eugène Terre’Blanche, but online news sites across the world have at least two other spellings of the infamous AWB leader’s name.

Read why here. Very useful update.

Follow the debate on #1millionshirts (or #1milliontshirts)

Yesterday I wrote about the criticism of the One Million Shirts campaign here. The debate went fast on Twitter and blogs, and can be followed here or here (depending on you use 't' or not) for a start.

It is a rather interesting example of how aid/development individuals use social media to debate issues related to aid/development.

In a rather fast way.

I also find it rather curious, that the guys behind One Million Shirts are (supposedly) skilled in the use of social media, but (certainly) not in regard of aid issues - when you on the other hand have the whole institution of aid and development NGOs (often) not so skilled (yet) in the use of social media.

Another bad one million idea

Alanna Shaikh from Blood and Milk is here sharing her opinion on a new campaign called One Million Shirts.

They want to collect 1,000,000 used and new t-shirts and send them to Africa to help people with no clothes. They are also collecting money for the shipping costs. They’ve got some NGO partners, and they are starting to think about how best to distribute the t-shirts.

One of the guys behind the project speaks back in a video answering the criticism the idea has received.

His tactic is frighteningly bad, but also entertaining.

If in doubt about why used clothes for Africa isn't the best idea, check Alanna's links:

1)   The T-shirt Travels – a documentary on used t-shirts in Africa

2)   Dead White People’s Clothes

3)   Oxfam Report on secondhand clothing in Africa

Waka Waka (This Time For Africa),

 

Waka Waka by Shakira featuring Freshlyground has been announced as the official song of the Fifa 2010 World Cup.

The song will be performed by Shakira and South African group Freshlyground, at the Closing Ceremony before the World Cup Final on July 11 in Johannesburg Soccer City Stadium. The chorus borrows from a favorite Cameroonian marching chant made popular by the group Golden Voices.

“We are thrilled to have collaborated with Shakira on Waka Waka (This Time For Africa), especially as we feel that the song captures the spirit and energy of the African World Cup,” said Zolani Mahola of Freshlyground. “We are certain the song will inspire people around the world to celebrate the gathering of nations at the place where it all started. Here in Africa!”

The song will be made available for download through digital retailers the week of May 11. It also will be included on “Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album” to be released the week of May 31 by Sony Music Entertainment. A Spanish language version of the track, Waka Waka (Esto es Africa), will be made available in certain markets.

Proceeds from the album will benefit FIFA’s “20 Centers for 2010” initiative, whose aim is to achieve positive social change through football by building twenty Football for Hope centres for public health, education and football across Africa, and other African charities.

 

From Freshlyground's Facebook group.

The shadow of an Icelandic horse and a woman

Photography: African Football

I've been working on a set of articles for the Danish youth magazine Zapp about youth and football in Africa. Here's a slideshow of selected photos.

Click on the play icon and watch.

Self-torture. Reaching out for something

I can't help constantly - partly subconsciously - wondering how the Danes do this. How to accept the cold climate? How to repress the facts of the long winter and live in the hope that this summer will be longer and warmer than the previous? How to accept that the sun is frequently hidden behind gray skies?

Or that the branches of the naked trees everyday seem to reach out for something they obviously don't get?

When you could have it all in daily overdoses?

This is plain - ridiculous - self torture. But I miss the Indian Ocean, the humidity, the heat and the vitamin D to an extent which isn't motivating for whatever reason I am here for.

More photos here.