After Africa

Unpacking Uhuru Street

Googl 'Uhuru Street, Pernille', and you'll know where I enjoyed to move around while in Dar es Salaam.

Now, e-x-a-c-t-e-l-y six months later, I've unpacked what I packed on February 28th in Dar es Salaam. My father and brother opening the rusty padlocks with the necessary tools, not believing their own eyes when the kangas, kikois and vitenge made it out into the open.

Asking why.

Asking what the point really was to buy half of Uhuru Street.

My modest father putting on a sarcastic face by the idea of the attention the colourful vitenge, turned into men's shirts, would create in rural Denmark.

Apparently, now after seven washing machine loads, it is clear that I have an unstoppable fetich for African fabric.

After the rain

 

Kenyan Artist: Rosemary Karuga

 
More about Rosemary Karuga here.

And a reminder that Markerere University in Kampala in Uganda has produced many fine artists!

Thanks to Kate for posting here.

5+ months in Denmark

 
I have now been back in Denmark for exactly five months.

Those five months feel like an endless amount of practical and bureaucratic achievements, and mentally I am still not here 100%. But I am here, and things are much better than I expected when I wrote this last year in July. In particular, I am happy with my new job (and the up-coming trip to Kenya in October).

But I still have this image above in my head when I think about work, and a feeling in my stomach that this is what I really should be doing. There hasn't been one day in those five months where I haven't missed good work days like this one.

During the past five months I have also realised the existence of the kind of expats who tend to do well where ever they go, and who'll easily live on happily without Africa.

I am not sure, but I don't think I'm one of them.

Sauti za Busara: Call for films

Sauti za Busara is East Africa’s No 1 music festival. Every year during February, Stone Town Zanzibar comes alive in celebration of African music.

New for the 2011 festival is the African Music Film programme. Throughout five nights the Old Fort’s amphitheatre becomes a cinema space under the stars where music films will be screened, complementing more than forty live music shows on the main stage next door.

We are looking for a variety of stimulating and entertaining music films from the African Continent and diaspora. These may be full length features, recorded concerts, documentaries, music clips and videos or more experimental films. We’re looking primarily for:

* Films telling a story of music and musicians from the African Continent and diaspora

* Music films that are of exceptional interest to the festival audience (regional and international)

* Music films that represent the wealth and diversity of music from East Africa and beyond

* Films with great visuals, quality sound and music that is firmly rooted in Africa

* Films that tell of new and unheard of sounds as well as established artists

* Foreign language films should ideally be subtitled in Kiswahili and/or English

Deadline for applications: 31st October 2010

More info and application form at www.busaramusic.org/callforfilm.

More about Sauti za Busara in my words and photos here.

Animal shaped towns in Sudan

Creativty has no limits. Not in Southern Sudan it seems.

Take a look at the article here explaining the idea that towns now have to be shaped like animals (well, actually one is to be shaped like a pineapple).

Joke?!

Tanzanian politics: Green and yellow

I am - sporadically - following the preparations for the elections in Tanzania.

First of all, I feel happy that I personally don't have to take side. Tanzanian politic is fascinating, but also complex.

Before I left Tanzania in March, I walked by the CCM head quarter in Kariakoo where merchandise was put on sale here. Having an affection for 1970-style, retro print with communist undertones, I'm fascinated with the creativity put into the CCM design.

I have recently wondered about Kikwete's campaigning strategy on Twitter, and it seems Kikwete and CCM might be doing better on Facebook. Take a look a here at rally photos, and see for yourselves how the green and yellow CCM merchandise is put into use.

Mzungu Kichaa & The Bongo Beats in Copenhagen

 
Check Mzungu Kichaa's Facebook page here.

Zitto running for Kigoma North

 
Zitto Kabwe is running for the Tanzanian Parliament - Ubunge. Again for Kigoma North.

When I moved to Tanzania in 2007 Zitto was blogging. However, not continously, but he has taken it up again, and has been using social media for a while promoting his view points. I've realised when I was interviewing him back in April for an article for a Danish development magazine that he is also surprisingly available and down to earth.

His Facebook profile is one of the most popular ones in Tanzania, and his statements receive many comments from his Facebook friends. Being well aware that one, especially an mzungu in Europe like me, will never fully comprehend the many layers and nuances of Tanzanian politics, I'll limit myself to say that Zitto undoubtedly makes Ubunge a more interesting place.

And - on a more personal note, the photo above taken from his blog post here on an election rally really makes me miss Tanzania.

Good luck, Zitto.

What did you mean?

Thanks to Jackfruity and Jill.