dunia duara (the world is round)

Circling #Nairobi #Kenya

Kenyan Punk? #Photography from #Nairobi #Kenya

I walked about 10 km yesterday in down town Nairobi. In the good company of a friend. And part of the walk also in the company of Stanley, a friend of a friend - for 'protection'.

This photo, a young Kenyan woman on her way, sprinting across the road - possibly from the National Teatre to catch a matatu - says it all:

Nairobi down town is wild, energising, self-made, special, full of secrets - and has little time to stop to stand still.

But this woman did.

This is Nairobi 2013. In between tradition and modernity. 

If you want music with the pictures, try 'Kenchik' by The Villagers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWtDgg_g_kQ

The Mobile Phone OR the Brown Envelope? #Nairobi #Kenya

The world is insanely fascinated by Kenya's use (obsession with) of mobile phones. It is a sign of development and change. Of a 'different' Africa than the one we were brought up with (in my case in Denmark).

I get occasional requests for this kind of photos. It made me wonder today when I walked round down town Nairobi if the mobile phone really is it?! - And there actually seems to be one other thing, which we shouldn't forget: THE BROWN ENVELOPE.

We stopped during our walk and looked around to spot people carrying brown envelopes. Not as many as mobile phones, but still, it is there. But why? A friend suggested: 'CVs or tenders'. I concluded all which has to be printed, in spite it could've been emailed.

Yes. So, Kenya is changing fast. But not that fast.

Photography from down town #Nairobi #Kenya

 

Social Media Trend: From X to #Boston with Love - “I wish there was something I could do.”

I have followed the Palestine Loves Israel and Israel Loves Palestine initiatives on Facebook for a while. There are plenty more - i.e. Turkey Loves Israel and America Loves Iraq. Look them up on Facebook. 

After the explosions in Boston the Facebook pages started sharing some of the images above.

Others come from the blog Principle Pictures which here explains the background for posting these images. I guess these may be the main source of inspiration for others to do similarly - but I am not totally sure of the swing of things. 

Back at the blog Principle Pictures the author, Beth Murphy, explains how it all started with a: “I wish there was something I could do.” I love that. No matter how hopeless things are, and how unjust the media coverage is depending on where in the world the bombs are exploding, there is something you can do. 

However, I had to add the graphic illustration which is shared on primarily Kenyan social media (below) - (some) Kenyans seem to follow a much more cynical track here. 

And on Twitter the infamous (Kenyan) @RobertAlai tweets: 'After the explosion in Texas we should have a #ViolenceInUSA tag just to get to CNN.'

It is not all love out there. 

 Please note that you may click each image for source of origin,