Dunia Duara

VISA 2 DANCE FESTIVAL 2011: 'Creativity beyond the form’

TANZANIA'S INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM FOR CONTEMPORARY DANCE

DATES: 6,7,8 October 2011

TIME: 7pm

 VENUE - Dar es Salaam:

National museum and House of Culture. Entry: free.

Entrance on Shabaan Robert Street opposite Institute of Finance Management. Parking along Samora avenue and Sokoine drive.

 

VENUE – Zanzibar:

Mtoni palace ruins.

Fundraising event for Mtoni palace ruins preservation project. Creative Zanzibari cuisine by Emerson Spice. Tickets available in advance from Mrembo Spa.

MAIN SPONSORS – Dar es Salaam:

Arts Council Norway, Alliance Française, Embassy of Spain, Embassy of France, Goethe-Institut, Flusso Dance project, Institut Français, Mawazo Art centre, Pantarei dance theatre, Real2Reel, Regionteater Vast, Russian Tanzanian Cultural Centre, Southern Sun – The official accommodation of Visa 2 Dance, Vipaji Foundation

SPONSORS – Dar es Salaam:

Africa beat, Embassy of Italy, Esea –Ecosystem east african ltd, Fitness centre, Imperfect dancers, Makutano House, Michuzi blog, Ultimate security, Zuane Restaurant

 

SPONSORS – Zanzibar:

Arts Council Norway, Coastal Aviation, Embassy of France, Emerson Spice, Imperfect dancers, Mtoni Marine, Pantarei dance theatre, Regionteater Vast, Vipaji foundation, Zenji hotel

 

Check the full programme here.

Growth. But for whom?

Almost everyday I am observing the massive growth taking place in Dar es Salaam: Tall buildings stretching to the sky, brick making and mad traffic.

At the same time I am handing coins to the exact same beggars and buying papers of the exact same paper sellers on Ali Hassan as back in 2007.

I wrote about the scenario on Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road back in May 2009.

That hasn't changed much, though the people on the road soon will be looking at a totally different skyline than back then.

Something must be wrong, sio!?

Men on the streets of #Tanzania

First kijana  is from Bagamoyo, next one from Morogoro Road in Dar es Salaam.

I just realised today that I have total, minimum problem stopping people in the street - or where ever -  complimenting them for their choice of outfit, and asking if they will allow me to share it with the world.

In fact, I can't help asking, and will rather accept a rejection than not having tried something I believe worthy of passing on.

Rejections are few, though. Most of the times it seems to work the other way back.

Thanks back to the two men who did not think twice when I stopped them.

Livingstone: 'Positively. Not to be opened'

I guess Livingstone wouldn't have been fond of social media....

Picture taken at the historical museum in Bagamoyo.

A Question of Nationality?

A page from 'Questionnaire for collecting data on socio-economic profile of tenants of housing units of National Housing Corporation'.

If not looking at the part of questionnaire which can lead to obvious discrimination, but the practical, I have to ask:

What does someone, who has a father of one category and a mother of the other, answer?

What is it with this pink (and governments)?

In Tanzania National Housing Cooperation is paiting houses pink on full speed. Not just faint shades of calm pink, but whole streets of alarmly pink or peach:

And in Uganda the government sprayed demonstrators pink during the Walk to Work campaign some months ago:

Is my imagination going crazy?

Photo by Echwalu.

Deepening democracy: How Deep?

Review of Photo Exhibition 'Tanzanian Colours & Contrasts'

My photo exhibition in Ujamaa Art Gallery was reviewed in the Tanzanian weekly 'The Express' where the journalist amongst others noted:

'The exhibition entitled “Tanzanian Colours & Contrasts” was an attempt in the words of the artist for a more “nuanced representation of African rural areas.” But the subject matter of the photographs encompassed a wider variety of locales and not just rural areas. In her own words they were taken, “at Tanzania: Kariakoo, Kiteto, Kisutu, Kigoma...everywhere.”

What is important to note here is the acknowledgement that even these places inside Tanzania are different in their own rights.'

Download 'Review by The Express'.

Next #DarBlogCircle takes place Sept 21/ Cine Club/ 6.30pm

The Dar es Salaam Bloggers' Circle September meeting will take place this Wednesday (Sept. 21) at 6.30pm at Cine Club in Mikocheni.

All bloggers welcome!

Painting the town pink...

Here I thought I was the only one noticing that Dar es Salaam has turned pink, but the cartoonist David Chikoko has in today's Guardian also noted so.

Does it mean that people are actually questioning what went ahead inside the National Housing Corporation when someone ordered containers full of pink paint?

(Thanks to a friend for emailing me the cartoon).