After Africa

The Beat Festival

Walk Like An Egyptian

 
All the school kids so sick of books
They like the punk and the metal band
When the buzzer rings (oh whey oh)
They're walking like an Egyptian

All the kids in the marketplace say
Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh
Walk like an Egyptian

Slide your feet up the street bend your back
Shift your arm then you pull it back
Life is hard you know (oh whey oh)
So strike a pose on a Cadillac

If you want to find all the cops
They're hanging out in the donut shop
They sing and dance (oh whey oh)
Spin the clubs cruise down the block

All the Japanese with their yen
The party boys call the Kremlin
And the Chinese know (oh whey oh)
They walk the line like Egyptian

Music from Bongo. 2 music videos

 

 

 

I'm not daring to call it Bongo Flava, as I'm simply not up to date on the finer details of Dar es Salaam's music genres. In fact, I never was.

What I do know, is, that the second video is recorded on the Kigamboni Ferry, and entails some really fine details of unusually high quality. Especially, I like the backseat scenes.

Have a look for yourself!

Africans redefine Africa (without my help)

While a selection of Denmark's largest development NGOs together with Denmark's Broadcasting Corporation (DR) and private companies enter a collective coma on Saturday (in Danish), nationally fundraising for what they dubbed 'The New Africa', Africa is redefining itself.

Every day, in all ways, by its own drive, creativity, history and energy.

If you want to know what's rocking Africa, circle Twitter, blogs and Facebook for inspiration and updates. Or, if in Africa, attend the events included on the list below, check out the products produced, or ask people out and discuss what's going on between reality and cyberspace.

Activism, intellect, ideas and creative skills are here combined via social media, which provides options for exchanging and learning. It is interesting because it is relatively new, it is inviting to engage and share, but it is also rather unfiltrated.

The list below isn't prioritised in any ways, but impulsively compiled based on my specific interest in art, culture, music, social media, photography, design, fashion, politics, activism - and East Africa. 

• This Is Africa… How Music and Social Media Are Re-defining A Continent
• Doreen Mashika
• Society hae - Change the World, Create Something!
• TedxDar
• A new breed of techno-savvy politicians in Africa?
• Afri-Love
• Swahili Fashion Week
• Kate Bomdiggity
• PEN & MIC 1
• Alfredmutua
• iHub, Nairobi
• Ladies' Mapping Party
• The Mikocheni Report
• Vijana FM
• Pecha Kucha, Dar es Salaam
• Sanaa Republic
• Kina Klothing
• Global Voices Tanzania
• Sauti za Busara
• MaKuYa Festival in Mtwara
• Swahili Street
• White African
• Mzungu Kichaa
• Pop Africana

And the list doesn't end here, please let me know what I've missed...

Non-violent Struggle Multi-Media Library. What did we learn from Serbia?

I lived in Belgrade in 2000. Most of the time in a rented room in a big house in Ulica Ivana Milutinovica, where a hopeful boyfriend of my landlord had painted 'I love Irina' on the opposite house in the street. 

A rather famous grafitti around Belgrade at that time, which every morning reminded my landlord - and me - that even though love might not last, original intentions can still be real.

The house was normally full of visitors of all sorts - and occasionally young men were sleeping on the couch while escaping the rough facts of life, like military service (or doing the dishes).

At one point I slept with over 10.000 USD under the mattress, while having a resistance movement poster in the window towards the street. This was my first experience of volunteering in a country where youth appeared to be living on a constant edge of emergency. Not just politically, but also emotionally. I quickly realised that I wasn't going to suggest that poster to be taken down, but to figure out a safer solution till someone did.

And I never really got over the addiction I gradually grew in Belgrade for:

Political activism combined with intellect, mad ideas and creative skills.

The feeling that it can all be over tomorrow, or next week.

Living in a pocket that the rest of the world is ignoring.

The pride that sets in with lack of money, but not ideas, and which makes you recycle your mother's vintage Chloé and Chanel from the 1970ties.

'Vreme je!' - the time is now - was one of the slogans of a campaign running at that time, amongst others from the concert tour with Darkwood Dub, Kanda, Kozda i Nebojsa etc., where the photo above is taken. I remember I was offered a seat on a bus going to Nis and back again the same day by a hard core photographer (who convinced me that I could take photos, too).

Another slogan was 'Life is what you make it' - advertising for the Exit festival in Novi Sad.

It pretty much said it all:

Like is exactly what you make it. (Add to that luck and hard work, and it cannot go totally wrong).

Belgrade 2000 was one of the best periods of my life.

So, obviously, I was happy to find the Canvasopedia, a non-violent multi-media library, yesterday, which is made by the people behind the Serbian resistance movement, Otpor.

They have also produced a fantastic handbook to non-violent struggle, which can be downloaded here: Download Nonviolent_Struggle-50CP.

Soundtracks:
  

 
  

Tanzania and jazz...?

 

Few people connect Tanzania with jazz.

However, jazz is also part of Tanzania's musical history, and one of today's - probably (?) - best known CDs, is the one depicted above, which is a compilation of songs from the 1960ties. The CD can be bought on-line or in tourist shops in Zanzibar - or you can listen to one of the songs here.

And I still remember the first time I listened to it back in 2006 in Uganda, sitting in the backseat on road from Entebbe to Kampala. Afternoon turning into evening, while approaching the Kampala skyline. All impressions enhanced under a heavy influence of good company and Nile Special.

Now, the 1st Dar Jazz Event 2011 is taking off. The first in a series of annual events featuring several days of concerts, jam sessions, seminars & workshops in celebration of US International Jazz Appreciation Month, thereby promoting the spirit of creative collaboration between performing artists from the United States and Tanzania.

Check it out here:

Hibernating (in the wrong continent)

I prefer snow on the Kilimanjaro.

And ice in Konyagi.

Not outside my office.

Heavy rain seasons I do, but this is my first winther in snow and minus degrees since 2004.

It is not that I can't do it, I just don't enjoy it.

I realised today, that I only look upon this season as something to get through, over and done with, and not experience in too many dimensions. I back out of the many conversations where Danes are interpretating weather forecasts while entering speculations of what might or might not be possible today or next week.

It is what it is, and nobody knows what it will be next week or the following.

But eventually it will be over.

Till then I'm regressing to a combination of denial and hibernation, wondering what I used to do to get through it.

Soundtrack: Water by Sugarcubes (Icelandic version). English lyrics here.

 

Saying no (but wishing to say yes)

 
In Tanzania you hardly ever hear a clear no.

Maybe a haya, a labda or a baadaye.

Maybe because Africa is the continent of opportunities, where you gotta keep all doors and windows open as no one knows what tomorrow will bring.

If you say yes, you can always say no later. (Or blame it on the lack of network, electricity, air time or that you (thought you) had malaria, the road was full of pot holes, the rain season began or that you didn't know what time you were on).

Keep everything open. Let it flow.

I think I brought this thing with me.

Grabbing all opportunities I see, instantly thinking they might not be there tomorrrow or later. That it is so fantastic to be asked about something, that how can I say no?

However, Denmark, is different.

Somehow the other way round.

This is no longer the place of opportunities, time is limited, we close our doors and windows (literally and physically) and we more or less know what tomorrow will bring.

And if you say yes, you have to do it.

So, I've started saying no (though I'm highly against it).

'Chicken to Change' by Freshlyground

The South African band The Casette, has already told Mugabe to fuck off in their song 'Get in the ring'. Now another great South African band, Freshlyground speaks directly to Mugabe in a music video which is a collaboration between the South African band Freshlyground and ZA NEWS, a satirical South African web-tv puppet show. The song 'Chicken to Change' is from the band's latest album 'Radio Africa'.

In a less direct tone, though, than The Casette.

Do also read:

Mighty African

The Guardian

Priceless!

 

The Tanzanian Jagwa Music (Tanzania) touring Denmark, 10-11 September.

From the poor suburbs of Dar es Salaam, Jagwa Music play a style of music with chakacha roots known as mchiriku. Jagwa Music guarantees to set any concert venue ablaze with explosive performances that always keep the crowds jumping and bouncing from start to finish. Their stage show is unique – a non-stop gymnastic workout choreographed with skill and sensitivity, combining theatrics, acrobatic prowess, a big amount of humour and energy. The group features minimal instruments including a hand-held Casio keyboard, drums, whistles and a battered old stool beaten with sticks for extra percussive flavour.

"Suddenly, we are all swept up in something so frantic it’s difficult to know whether to run or get pummelled into the sand. It’s like walking into a monsoon. This is possibly the most outrageously thrilling spectacle in Africa today”. (MOJO Magazine)

Please go and check out this amazing live show at: 

10th of September, 20:00 - Global (København)

11th of September, 20:00 - Gimle (Roskilde)

The concerts are part of the festival My World IMAGES 2010

Links:

 

http://www.myspace.com/jagwamusicmchiriku 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0lsyoWjGco 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6NLTJGOd6Y 

 

 

For further information please contact: 

 

Werner Graebner @ Jahazi Media 

phone +49-6209-725950, fax +49-6209-725951 

email: WGraebner@aol.com