REVISITING SOUTH AFRICA (III): “SHACK CHIC”

I already had the ‘coffee table’ book for a few years, but this time decided to buy (with this post in mind) the postcard set made out of it, in Cape Town.

Here’s how it is presented by its editors*: “This book is a documentary on the lives of ‘previously disadvantaged’ but presently overcoming individuals. It is about the dignity to be found in the dusty streets of South Africa’s shack-lands. While these people obviously don’t take pleasure in the poverty they live in, they stand proud in the face of it. These are people who are doing the best they can with the little they have and, in the process, coming up with something aesthetically unique and fresh to offer the world. This is creativity and ingenuity. This is Shack Chic.”

Yet, for some reason, I can't get 'round this question: is “Shack Chic” really about

CELEBRATING CREATIVITY OR GLAMOURISING POVERTY?

***

“victory: to build a shack and call it home”

“houses are built on foundations and walls and roof. homes are built with things much deeper and less concrete”

“temples are never built in one day. but mine, this shack, was built in half a day”



“there is something sensual about the rattle of rain on a corrugated roof”

“after the rain, earth, as whiff, comes knocking on my fragile door. earth as fragrance embracing the musk and unmasking the undressed breath of another night of tender love making under the naughty stars peeping through the transparency of a revealing plastic roof”



“on that chair there, we conceived Sipho the gift. that was before the bed and a job from Airflex Recliners (Pty) Ltd”


“jesus was not born here but sometimes he comes in through the little holes in the walls and sits on that chair”


“there are many ways to make music. sometimes it is a deep blue against the wall, a bright yellow against fear, another red to tribute imagination, hopefully an orange to earth bad vibes and my black voice saying my life is beautiful”



“these walls, thin as membranes, keep nothing outside. they are here to keep our beauty inside, away from that solitude out there”


“the tentacles of despair are challenged by the soft touches of eternal determination. many times between void and void it is only us testifying to creative essence as hope.”


Photography by Craig Fraser
Poetry by Sandile Dikeni

*Quivertree Publications, Cape Town, South Africa (2002)

ADENDA: Pela sua relevancia nao so' para o tema deste post, mas tambem para algumas discussoes aqui tidas, decidi colocar aqui em anexo este artigo publicado esta semana no jornal Capetoniano 'Cape Times'.

I already had the ‘coffee table’ book for a few years, but this time decided to buy (with this post in mind) the postcard set made out of it, in Cape Town.

Here’s how it is presented by its editors*: “This book is a documentary on the lives of ‘previously disadvantaged’ but presently overcoming individuals. It is about the dignity to be found in the dusty streets of South Africa’s shack-lands. While these people obviously don’t take pleasure in the poverty they live in, they stand proud in the face of it. These are people who are doing the best they can with the little they have and, in the process, coming up with something aesthetically unique and fresh to offer the world. This is creativity and ingenuity. This is Shack Chic.”

Yet, for some reason, I can't get 'round this question: is “Shack Chic” really about

CELEBRATING CREATIVITY OR GLAMOURISING POVERTY?

***

“victory: to build a shack and call it home”

“houses are built on foundations and walls and roof. homes are built with things much deeper and less concrete”

“temples are never built in one day. but mine, this shack, was built in half a day”



“there is something sensual about the rattle of rain on a corrugated roof”

“after the rain, earth, as whiff, comes knocking on my fragile door. earth as fragrance embracing the musk and unmasking the undressed breath of another night of tender love making under the naughty stars peeping through the transparency of a revealing plastic roof”



“on that chair there, we conceived Sipho the gift. that was before the bed and a job from Airflex Recliners (Pty) Ltd”


“jesus was not born here but sometimes he comes in through the little holes in the walls and sits on that chair”


“there are many ways to make music. sometimes it is a deep blue against the wall, a bright yellow against fear, another red to tribute imagination, hopefully an orange to earth bad vibes and my black voice saying my life is beautiful”



“these walls, thin as membranes, keep nothing outside. they are here to keep our beauty inside, away from that solitude out there”


“the tentacles of despair are challenged by the soft touches of eternal determination. many times between void and void it is only us testifying to creative essence as hope.”


Photography by Craig Fraser
Poetry by Sandile Dikeni

*Quivertree Publications, Cape Town, South Africa (2002)

ADENDA: Pela sua relevancia nao so' para o tema deste post, mas tambem para algumas discussoes aqui tidas, decidi colocar aqui em anexo este artigo publicado esta semana no jornal Capetoniano 'Cape Times'.

BRITAIN'S NEW PM: BROWN NOW SERVING...

WHAT DO I CARE?

Basically, about 3 things:

1. That Gordon Brown, who, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, sounded the most committed western decision-maker to the Millennium Development Goals and mainstream so-called "pro-poor" policies, keeps and extends that commitment (ideally by giving more centre stage to African-based concerns increasingly distancing themselves from "Bono-style" charity campaigns...) and effectively stands and delivers on it;

2. That he succeeds at achieving a speedy withdrawal of British troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and wisely guides Blair on his new role as putative Middle East peace broker (also hoping that he manages to get Alan Johnston out of there alive);

3. That he manages to put an halt to what emerged in the last few years of New Labour's government as new "facts of life" in Britain, e.g. gun and knife crime and what seems a general deterioration of council services everywhere, particularly bearing in mind that he was the man responsible for increasing council tax to the unprecedented levels witnessed in the last decade.

That said, I wish him the best of luck in, as he promised today in his inauguration speech, "trying (his) utmost" in "the work of change"!

WHAT DO I CARE?

Basically, about 3 things:

1. That Gordon Brown, who, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, sounded the most committed western decision-maker to the Millennium Development Goals and mainstream so-called "pro-poor" policies, keeps and extends that commitment (ideally by giving more centre stage to African-based concerns increasingly distancing themselves from "Bono-style" charity campaigns...) and effectively stands and delivers on it;

2. That he succeeds at achieving a speedy withdrawal of British troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and wisely guides Blair on his new role as putative Middle East peace broker (also hoping that he manages to get Alan Johnston out of there alive);

3. That he manages to put an halt to what emerged in the last few years of New Labour's government as new "facts of life" in Britain, e.g. gun and knife crime and what seems a general deterioration of council services everywhere, particularly bearing in mind that he was the man responsible for increasing council tax to the unprecedented levels witnessed in the last decade.

That said, I wish him the best of luck in, as he promised today in his inauguration speech, "trying (his) utmost" in "the work of change"!

LUANDA...?

Nope!

Com pelo menos 3 vidas reclamadas nos ultimos dias, estes sao os efeitos das inundacoes que teem afectado o Reino Unido por estes dias...

(Mais fotos aqui)

Nope!

Com pelo menos 3 vidas reclamadas nos ultimos dias, estes sao os efeitos das inundacoes que teem afectado o Reino Unido por estes dias...

(Mais fotos aqui)

BROWN: "READY TO SERVE"...

"... The challenge of change: giving the party not just policies, but a soul...

New Labour, New Era",

so he says.

(So be it, I say)

"... The challenge of change: giving the party not just policies, but a soul...

New Labour, New Era",

so he says.

(So be it, I say)

MUZONGUE' DE DOMINGO

Kiabos kyanvimba... Mesa kyambote'...
(Gastei m'bora na kitanda de Brixton, aqui na Londo'...)


Diakandumba (Bonga)

Kiabos kyanvimba... Mesa kyambote'...
(Gastei m'bora na kitanda de Brixton, aqui na Londo'...)


Diakandumba (Bonga)

RECEITA PARA ULTRAPASSAR OS DOMINGOS

Como água dormida de véspera, aqui vos deixo esta receita para amanhã:

“Desce manso à cidade, na hora em que a noite indecisa se embrulha do terceiro pano e de joelhos compõe a cabeleira, retira do rosto os restos de luz e se recolhe tensa das horas por resolver. Não te deixes tentar pelas mãos de cacimbo que, de tão frescas, te poderão recolher, de novo, para o sítio dos sonhos onde as rosas de verdade nos podem explodir no peito.

A noite é enorme e hesita sempre na hora de partir. Os nossos fantasmas, lentos como cobras domésticas, gostam de se plantar – exactamente nesse momento – à beira da nossa condição frágil, rindo e à espera. Toda a gente sabe da sua paciência experimentada. Por isso acorda. Sacode a esteira e enrola-a devagarinho.

(…)

Desce, então, à cidade antes de toda a gente, porque esse é o unico momento em que Luanda se entrega à preguiça e te devolve o rosto, sem pintura, calcinado pelo tempo e ainda assim tão belo, na sua pobreza exposta maltratada pelo sol e pela fome, onde o erosinado casario se estende (a essa hora não parece sofrer de séculos de desorientação e amargura), ainda fechado ao dia, mas já desperto pelo choro de medo das canções de mar e de peixe com que as velhas preparam o caldo do pequeno-almoço. Atenção, estas nunca dormem, parecem ter escapado já à sua condição de dormir e acordar. Esperam, debruçadas na noite, envoltas num longo pano de musgo e capim e entregam aos outros (gente descuidada como tu e como eu) os sonhos que já não são capazes de sonhar.

A nossa cidade anda perdida de si mesma e não é só velhice, é antes um esquecimento que se instalou e a trata mal. Deixou de ser o espaço circular e protector de areia vermelha e súbitas lagoas. A propósito, evita, quando desceres, o Kinaxixi. Não se trata de um problema de sereias, esses seres nem machos nem fêmeas que o habitaram outrora. O problema tem a ver com pássaros que fugiram quase todos e foram inventar silêncio para outros cantos do mundo. Os que ficaram estão enredados nos limos do tempo e fabricam ninhos de seiva, na esperança de não morrerem. Não têm tempo para ti.

Por isso desce e procura as palmeiras. (…) Terás assim que visitar a ilha. Procura os antigos caminhos da água onde ainda podes ver barcos a dormir e demoradas redes postas em descanso por cima da areia. Descobre as marcas dos pés da noite e segue pelas rotas de seda para veres aonde te conduzem. Não digo já, para ser surpresa, e porque língua de coração não se escreve: é oral e perfeita.

(…)

Depois, e de alma lavada, podes voltar para casa. Mistura três colheres de sopa de café arábica (se ainda te sobrou algum do Amboim) com uma de robusta (pode ser de São Tomé) e deita na cafeteira da avó, onde deve já estar a ferver uma água dormida de pelo menos um dia. Acende uma vela branca e bebe até ao fim o café perfumado. Usa uma caneca de esmalte.

Talvez consigas então fechar os olhos, e já não digo dormir, mas entregar-te ao descanso. Os anjos, por essa hora, estão longe e deixaram acesas lamparinas de óleo de palma a marcar os caminhos. A sombra da palmeira maior velará por ti, enquanto deixa fermentar os seus pesados frutos.

É a essa hora que a cidade acorda, quando as mulheres inventam a água e um redemoinho de criancas se espalha respirando fundo a seiva da cidade. Todo o domingo passará por ti sem que o pressintas enquanto, na pá de zinco, alecrim, eucalipto, açucar mascavado e as horas se vão consumir suavemente.”

Extractos de “Receita para ultrapassar os domingos”, in A Cabeça de Salomé (2004), de Ana Paula Tavares.

Ler poema seleccionado de 'Manual para Amantes Desesperados' aqui.

Como água dormida de véspera, aqui vos deixo esta receita para amanhã:

“Desce manso à cidade, na hora em que a noite indecisa se embrulha do terceiro pano e de joelhos compõe a cabeleira, retira do rosto os restos de luz e se recolhe tensa das horas por resolver. Não te deixes tentar pelas mãos de cacimbo que, de tão frescas, te poderão recolher, de novo, para o sítio dos sonhos onde as rosas de verdade nos podem explodir no peito.

A noite é enorme e hesita sempre na hora de partir. Os nossos fantasmas, lentos como cobras domésticas, gostam de se plantar – exactamente nesse momento – à beira da nossa condição frágil, rindo e à espera. Toda a gente sabe da sua paciência experimentada. Por isso acorda. Sacode a esteira e enrola-a devagarinho.

(…)

Desce, então, à cidade antes de toda a gente, porque esse é o unico momento em que Luanda se entrega à preguiça e te devolve o rosto, sem pintura, calcinado pelo tempo e ainda assim tão belo, na sua pobreza exposta maltratada pelo sol e pela fome, onde o erosinado casario se estende (a essa hora não parece sofrer de séculos de desorientação e amargura), ainda fechado ao dia, mas já desperto pelo choro de medo das canções de mar e de peixe com que as velhas preparam o caldo do pequeno-almoço. Atenção, estas nunca dormem, parecem ter escapado já à sua condição de dormir e acordar. Esperam, debruçadas na noite, envoltas num longo pano de musgo e capim e entregam aos outros (gente descuidada como tu e como eu) os sonhos que já não são capazes de sonhar.

A nossa cidade anda perdida de si mesma e não é só velhice, é antes um esquecimento que se instalou e a trata mal. Deixou de ser o espaço circular e protector de areia vermelha e súbitas lagoas. A propósito, evita, quando desceres, o Kinaxixi. Não se trata de um problema de sereias, esses seres nem machos nem fêmeas que o habitaram outrora. O problema tem a ver com pássaros que fugiram quase todos e foram inventar silêncio para outros cantos do mundo. Os que ficaram estão enredados nos limos do tempo e fabricam ninhos de seiva, na esperança de não morrerem. Não têm tempo para ti.

Por isso desce e procura as palmeiras. (…) Terás assim que visitar a ilha. Procura os antigos caminhos da água onde ainda podes ver barcos a dormir e demoradas redes postas em descanso por cima da areia. Descobre as marcas dos pés da noite e segue pelas rotas de seda para veres aonde te conduzem. Não digo já, para ser surpresa, e porque língua de coração não se escreve: é oral e perfeita.

(…)

Depois, e de alma lavada, podes voltar para casa. Mistura três colheres de sopa de café arábica (se ainda te sobrou algum do Amboim) com uma de robusta (pode ser de São Tomé) e deita na cafeteira da avó, onde deve já estar a ferver uma água dormida de pelo menos um dia. Acende uma vela branca e bebe até ao fim o café perfumado. Usa uma caneca de esmalte.

Talvez consigas então fechar os olhos, e já não digo dormir, mas entregar-te ao descanso. Os anjos, por essa hora, estão longe e deixaram acesas lamparinas de óleo de palma a marcar os caminhos. A sombra da palmeira maior velará por ti, enquanto deixa fermentar os seus pesados frutos.

É a essa hora que a cidade acorda, quando as mulheres inventam a água e um redemoinho de criancas se espalha respirando fundo a seiva da cidade. Todo o domingo passará por ti sem que o pressintas enquanto, na pá de zinco, alecrim, eucalipto, açucar mascavado e as horas se vão consumir suavemente.”

Extractos de “Receita para ultrapassar os domingos”, in A Cabeça de Salomé (2004), de Ana Paula Tavares.

Ler poema seleccionado de 'Manual para Amantes Desesperados' aqui.

TIRSO AMARAL (In Memoriam)

(Agosto 1957 - Junho 2002)

R.I.P.

(Agosto 1957 - Junho 2002)

R.I.P.

DE ESCRAVO A COZINHEIRO

Foi hoje lancado, pelo Centro de Estudos Afro-Orientais da Universidade Federal da Bahia, o livro “De escravo a cozinheiro: colonialismo e racismo em Mocambique”, de Valdemir Zamparoni.

Extracto do prefacio por Alberto Costa e Silva: “Esse processo de doloroso desarraigamento dos africanos, bem como a história das violências que sobre ele se exerceram, é narrado neste livro com tamanha vida, minudência e rigor,
que Valdemir Zamparoni parece não apenas haver lido os documentos a que teve acesso, mas ter neles entrado com a alma inteira, para reviver as situações que descrevem. (...) se algumas de suas personagens quase saem da tinta no
papel e voltam à vida, foi porque ele soube ouvir, emocionado, as suas vozes naquilo que escreveram. Não há nela um só capítulo que não revele a seriedade e a argúcia do pesquisador, a sua intimidade com a terra, com os povos e com os temas de que trata. Chega-se à sua última página já desejoso da releitura (...)."

Zamparoni é professor da Universidade Federal da Bahia, membro do conselho consultivo - Casa das Áfricas (São Paulo), membro do consejo de edición - Casa de África (Madrid), co-editor da revista Afro-Asia (Salvador), membro do conselho científico do Instituto de Investigacao Cientifica Tropical, revista Studia (Lisboa) , membro do Conselho Editorial da revista Saeculum (UFPB) e membro do conselho científico - Casa de Angola na Bahia.

(Ver indice do livro aqui/ Foto daqui)

Foi hoje lancado, pelo Centro de Estudos Afro-Orientais da Universidade Federal da Bahia, o livro “De escravo a cozinheiro: colonialismo e racismo em Mocambique”, de Valdemir Zamparoni.

Extracto do prefacio por Alberto Costa e Silva: “Esse processo de doloroso desarraigamento dos africanos, bem como a história das violências que sobre ele se exerceram, é narrado neste livro com tamanha vida, minudência e rigor,
que Valdemir Zamparoni parece não apenas haver lido os documentos a que teve acesso, mas ter neles entrado com a alma inteira, para reviver as situações que descrevem. (...) se algumas de suas personagens quase saem da tinta no
papel e voltam à vida, foi porque ele soube ouvir, emocionado, as suas vozes naquilo que escreveram. Não há nela um só capítulo que não revele a seriedade e a argúcia do pesquisador, a sua intimidade com a terra, com os povos e com os temas de que trata. Chega-se à sua última página já desejoso da releitura (...)."

Zamparoni é professor da Universidade Federal da Bahia, membro do conselho consultivo - Casa das Áfricas (São Paulo), membro do consejo de edición - Casa de África (Madrid), co-editor da revista Afro-Asia (Salvador), membro do conselho científico do Instituto de Investigacao Cientifica Tropical, revista Studia (Lisboa) , membro do Conselho Editorial da revista Saeculum (UFPB) e membro do conselho científico - Casa de Angola na Bahia.

(Ver indice do livro aqui/ Foto daqui)

AGORA LUANDA

Chega-me noticia de que o livro Agora Luanda, com fotografias de Ines Goncalves e Kiluanje Liberdade e textos de Jose Eduardo Agualusa e Delfim Sardo, recentemente publicado pela editora portuguesa Almedina, serviu de base a um documentario entitulado “Mae Ju” e a uma exposicao fotografica nas instalacoes do Centro Cutural Portugues de Luanda.

“Hoje, misturam-se pelas ruas de Luanda o umbundo oblongo dos ovimbundos. O lingala (língua que nasceu para ser cantada) e o francês arranhado dos regrês. O português afinado dos burgueses. O surdo português dos portugueses. O raro quimbundo das derradeiras bessanganas. A isso junte-se, com os novos tempos, uma pitada do mandarim elíptico dos chineses, um cheiro a especiarias do árabe solar dos libaneses; e ainda alguns vocábulos em hebreu ressuscitado, (...), colhidos sem pressa nas manhãs de domingo, em alguns dos mais sofisticados bares da Ilha. Mais o inglês, em tons sortidos, de ingleses, americanos e sul-africanos. O português feliz dos brasileiros. O espanhol encantado de um outro cubano que ficou para trás. E toda esta gente movendo-se pelos passeios, acotovelando-se nas esquinas, numa espécie de jogo universal da cabra-cega. Moços líricos. Moças tísicas. Empresas de esperança privada”, escreve Jose Eduardo Agualusa neste livro.

Chega-me noticia de que o livro Agora Luanda, com fotografias de Ines Goncalves e Kiluanje Liberdade e textos de Jose Eduardo Agualusa e Delfim Sardo, recentemente publicado pela editora portuguesa Almedina, serviu de base a um documentario entitulado “Mae Ju” e a uma exposicao fotografica nas instalacoes do Centro Cutural Portugues de Luanda.

“Hoje, misturam-se pelas ruas de Luanda o umbundo oblongo dos ovimbundos. O lingala (língua que nasceu para ser cantada) e o francês arranhado dos regrês. O português afinado dos burgueses. O surdo português dos portugueses. O raro quimbundo das derradeiras bessanganas. A isso junte-se, com os novos tempos, uma pitada do mandarim elíptico dos chineses, um cheiro a especiarias do árabe solar dos libaneses; e ainda alguns vocábulos em hebreu ressuscitado, (...), colhidos sem pressa nas manhãs de domingo, em alguns dos mais sofisticados bares da Ilha. Mais o inglês, em tons sortidos, de ingleses, americanos e sul-africanos. O português feliz dos brasileiros. O espanhol encantado de um outro cubano que ficou para trás. E toda esta gente movendo-se pelos passeios, acotovelando-se nas esquinas, numa espécie de jogo universal da cabra-cega. Moços líricos. Moças tísicas. Empresas de esperança privada”, escreve Jose Eduardo Agualusa neste livro.

SUNDAY CHILL

GELADO DE MUKUA... ANYONE?

GELADO DE MUKUA... ANYONE?

RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON "LUSOPHONE AFRICA"

Christopher J. Colvin, "Civil society and reconciliation in Southern
Africa," Development in Practice, 17, 3 (June 2007): 322-337. (Findings of
the Southern African Reconciliation Project (SARP), a collaborative
research project involving five Southern African NGOs in Malawi,
Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

A. D. Harvey, "Counter-Coup in Lourenço Marques: September 1974,"
International Journal of African Historical Studies 39, 3 (2006): 487-98.

Sabine Asselle and Joseph Hanlon, "Tribute to Jose Negrão," Review of
African Political Economy, v.34, issue 111 (2007): 202-203

Julie A. Silva, "Trade and Income Inequality in a Less Developed Country:
The Case of Mozambique," Economic Geography 83, 2 (April 2007) 111-136.

Sandra Roque and Alex Shankland, "Participation, mutation and political
transition: new democratic spaces in peri-urban Angola," in _Spaces for
change?: the politics of citizen participation in new democratic arenas_,
edited by Andrea Cornwall and Vera Schatten P. Coelho (London: Zed Books,
2007).

Todd Howland, "Case study: the United Nations human rights field operation
in Angola," in _The human rights field operation: law, theory and
practice_, edited by Michael O'Flaherty (Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 2007).

Boubacar-Sid Barry [et al.], eds., _Conflict, livelihoods, and poverty in
Guinea-Bissau_ (Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2007).

Brian Michael King, "Guinea-Bissau: 'pull-and-tug' toward internet
diffusion," in _Negotiating the net in Africa: the politics of internet
diffusion, edited by Ernest J. Wilson III and Kelvin R. Wong (Boulder,
Colo.: Lynne Rienner, 2007).

Maria Emília Madeira Santos e Manuel Lobato, _Política e Territórios
Coloniais..._ A.A. V.V.*,O DOMÍNIO DA DISTÂNCIA. Comunicação e
Cartografia, *coord., Lisboa, 2006, História e Cartografia, Instituto de
Investigação Científica Tropical,192 pp. gravuras e mapas.


Compiled by Kathleen Sheldon (UCLA/ H-Net)
Picture: "Encyclopedia of Pleasure" (Ghada Amer, Egypt)

Christopher J. Colvin, "Civil society and reconciliation in Southern
Africa," Development in Practice, 17, 3 (June 2007): 322-337. (Findings of
the Southern African Reconciliation Project (SARP), a collaborative
research project involving five Southern African NGOs in Malawi,
Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

A. D. Harvey, "Counter-Coup in Lourenço Marques: September 1974,"
International Journal of African Historical Studies 39, 3 (2006): 487-98.

Sabine Asselle and Joseph Hanlon, "Tribute to Jose Negrão," Review of
African Political Economy, v.34, issue 111 (2007): 202-203

Julie A. Silva, "Trade and Income Inequality in a Less Developed Country:
The Case of Mozambique," Economic Geography 83, 2 (April 2007) 111-136.

Sandra Roque and Alex Shankland, "Participation, mutation and political
transition: new democratic spaces in peri-urban Angola," in _Spaces for
change?: the politics of citizen participation in new democratic arenas_,
edited by Andrea Cornwall and Vera Schatten P. Coelho (London: Zed Books,
2007).

Todd Howland, "Case study: the United Nations human rights field operation
in Angola," in _The human rights field operation: law, theory and
practice_, edited by Michael O'Flaherty (Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 2007).

Boubacar-Sid Barry [et al.], eds., _Conflict, livelihoods, and poverty in
Guinea-Bissau_ (Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2007).

Brian Michael King, "Guinea-Bissau: 'pull-and-tug' toward internet
diffusion," in _Negotiating the net in Africa: the politics of internet
diffusion, edited by Ernest J. Wilson III and Kelvin R. Wong (Boulder,
Colo.: Lynne Rienner, 2007).

Maria Emília Madeira Santos e Manuel Lobato, _Política e Territórios
Coloniais..._ A.A. V.V.*,O DOMÍNIO DA DISTÂNCIA. Comunicação e
Cartografia, *coord., Lisboa, 2006, História e Cartografia, Instituto de
Investigação Científica Tropical,192 pp. gravuras e mapas.


Compiled by Kathleen Sheldon (UCLA/ H-Net)
Picture: "Encyclopedia of Pleasure" (Ghada Amer, Egypt)

INICIANDO COLABORACAO NO 'GLOBAL VOICES ONLINE'

Com este post, iniciei a minha colaboracao regular no Global Voices Online (GV), cobrindo a “lusosfera” Africana:

"Kitanda - Uma Porta Aberta para a 'Lusosfera' Africana

Quando desejar encontrar o seu caminho na “lusosfera” Africana, um dos melhores lugares para comecar e’ o blog “Kitanda”. O “Kitanda” tornou-se ao longo dos anos, desde o seu lancamento em 2004, uma referencia incontornavel na “lusosfera”.

Dedicado principalmente a divulgacao de poesia escrita em Portugues por autores de todos os paises lusofonos, o Kitanda tambem oferece frequentemente um olhar critico sobre acontecimentos e situacoes com impacto social e politico nesses paises e internacionalmente, tudo “embrulhado” em imagens evocativas, musica ambiente e, nao menos importante, um abrangente ‘blogroll’ da “lusosfera”.

O ‘post’ em anexo e’ apenas um exemplo do seu espirito: apresenta a musica e letra de "Luanda", do grupo luandense de ‘hiphop’ “Kalibrados”, expressando as tristezas e alegrias da capital Angolana e dos seus cidadaos. A musica e’ particularmente enriquecida pelo uso da linha melodica de uma das perolas da musica Angolana, “Monami”, pela eminente cantora, recentemente falecida, Lourdes Vandunem.”

(Ler o ‘post’ integral aqui)

***

Confesso que, embora sentindo-me honrada, nao me foi nada facil aceitar o convite que me foi feito ha’ uns meses pelo GV, por saber o quanto a tarefa nao sera’ facil. Mas, finalmente, decidi-me a aceitar o desafio, movida pelos objectivos que norteiam o GV: “agregar, preservar e amplificar a conversacao global online – iluminando lugares e pessoas que outros midia frequentemente ignoram.”

Mais especificamente, a minha funcao consistira’ em seleccionar, traduzir para o Ingles e editar ‘posts’ publicados em Portugues na “lusosfera”, sediada ou nao em Africa, com particular enfase nos ‘PALOP’. Os criterios de seleccao serao baseados nao tanto nos ‘blogs’ ou respectivos ‘bloggers’, mas nos ‘posts’ e sua relevancia para os paises em questao e os objectivos do GV.

Obviamente, nao me sera’ possivel estar sempre a par, em tempo oportuno, de todos os posts que obedecam a esses criterios na “lusosfera” Africana, pelo que desde ja’ agradeco a colaboracao de todos os ‘bloggers’ e leitores interessados em ver um particular ‘post’ publicado no GV que mo comuniquem pelo endereco electronico que poderao encontrar no ‘profile’ deste blog.

Com este post, iniciei a minha colaboracao regular no Global Voices Online (GV), cobrindo a “lusosfera” Africana:

"Kitanda - Uma Porta Aberta para a 'Lusosfera' Africana

Quando desejar encontrar o seu caminho na “lusosfera” Africana, um dos melhores lugares para comecar e’ o blog “Kitanda”. O “Kitanda” tornou-se ao longo dos anos, desde o seu lancamento em 2004, uma referencia incontornavel na “lusosfera”.

Dedicado principalmente a divulgacao de poesia escrita em Portugues por autores de todos os paises lusofonos, o Kitanda tambem oferece frequentemente um olhar critico sobre acontecimentos e situacoes com impacto social e politico nesses paises e internacionalmente, tudo “embrulhado” em imagens evocativas, musica ambiente e, nao menos importante, um abrangente ‘blogroll’ da “lusosfera”.

O ‘post’ em anexo e’ apenas um exemplo do seu espirito: apresenta a musica e letra de "Luanda", do grupo luandense de ‘hiphop’ “Kalibrados”, expressando as tristezas e alegrias da capital Angolana e dos seus cidadaos. A musica e’ particularmente enriquecida pelo uso da linha melodica de uma das perolas da musica Angolana, “Monami”, pela eminente cantora, recentemente falecida, Lourdes Vandunem.”

(Ler o ‘post’ integral aqui)

***

Confesso que, embora sentindo-me honrada, nao me foi nada facil aceitar o convite que me foi feito ha’ uns meses pelo GV, por saber o quanto a tarefa nao sera’ facil. Mas, finalmente, decidi-me a aceitar o desafio, movida pelos objectivos que norteiam o GV: “agregar, preservar e amplificar a conversacao global online – iluminando lugares e pessoas que outros midia frequentemente ignoram.”

Mais especificamente, a minha funcao consistira’ em seleccionar, traduzir para o Ingles e editar ‘posts’ publicados em Portugues na “lusosfera”, sediada ou nao em Africa, com particular enfase nos ‘PALOP’. Os criterios de seleccao serao baseados nao tanto nos ‘blogs’ ou respectivos ‘bloggers’, mas nos ‘posts’ e sua relevancia para os paises em questao e os objectivos do GV.

Obviamente, nao me sera’ possivel estar sempre a par, em tempo oportuno, de todos os posts que obedecam a esses criterios na “lusosfera” Africana, pelo que desde ja’ agradeco a colaboracao de todos os ‘bloggers’ e leitores interessados em ver um particular ‘post’ publicado no GV que mo comuniquem pelo endereco electronico que poderao encontrar no ‘profile’ deste blog.

CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE: FIRST AFRICAN ORANGE PRIZE WINNER

The winner of the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction 2007, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the UK, was just announced: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian, born in 1977, for her second novel “Half of a Yellow Sun” (Fourth Estate). The 29 year old became the first African and the youngest ever winner of this prize. She won over a shortlist of finalists from five countries, including American Pulitzer winner Anne Tyler, Indian Booker Prize winner Kiran Desai, Chinese Xiaolu Guo and the British Jane Harris and Rachel Cusk.

During the awards ceremony in London, at the ballroom of the newly refurbished Royal Festival Hall, the 2007 Chair of Judges, Muriel Gray, presented the author with the GBP30,000 prize and the 'Bessie', a limited edition bronze figurine, having said: "The judges and I were hugely impressed by the power, ambition and skill of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel. It's astonishing, not just in the skillful subject matter, but in the brilliance of its accessibility. This is a moving and important book by an incredibly exciting author."

“Half of a Yellow Sun”, set in the 1960s during the Nigeria-Biafra war, is described as a novel about Africa, about moral responsibility, the end of colonialism, ethnic allegiances, class and race and about how love can complicate all these things. Chimamanda’s first novel, Purple Hibiscus, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2004 and the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for debut fiction.

In her first interview to the BBC after receiving the prize, Chimamanda expressed her obvious joy for this achievement, saying that she wasn't particularly proud for being the youngest, but for being the first African to win the prize. Asked about her views on the understanding of Africa by the main protagonists of G-8 meetings (currently taking place in Germany), from Bush to Bono, in relation to the subject of her book, she said "I don't see the problem as one of how much Africa is understood, but how Africa is approached... not as a hopeless continent with people only waiting for aid and things to be done for them."

The Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction was set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote fiction written by women throughout the world to the widest range of readers possible. The prize is awarded to the best novel of the year written in English by a woman. Previous winners of this prize are Zadie Smith for On Beauty (2006), Lionel Shriver for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2005), Andrea Levy for Small Island (2004), Valerie Martin for Property (2003), Ann Patchett for Bel Canto (2002), Kate Grenville for The Idea of Perfection (2001), Linda Grant for When I Lived in Modern Times (2000), Suzanne Berne for A Crime in the Neighbourhood (1999), Carol Shields for Larry's Party (1998), Anne Michaels for Fugitive Pieces (1997), and Helen Dunmore for A Spell of Winter (1996).

ADENDA: Meanwhile, Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe won the Man International Booker Prize Award 2007. (Read more about it here)

(Pictures by Getty Images/AFP and Orange)

The winner of the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction 2007, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the UK, was just announced: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian, born in 1977, for her second novel “Half of a Yellow Sun” (Fourth Estate). The 29 year old became the first African and the youngest ever winner of this prize. She won over a shortlist of finalists from five countries, including American Pulitzer winner Anne Tyler, Indian Booker Prize winner Kiran Desai, Chinese Xiaolu Guo and the British Jane Harris and Rachel Cusk.

During the awards ceremony in London, at the ballroom of the newly refurbished Royal Festival Hall, the 2007 Chair of Judges, Muriel Gray, presented the author with the GBP30,000 prize and the 'Bessie', a limited edition bronze figurine, having said: "The judges and I were hugely impressed by the power, ambition and skill of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel. It's astonishing, not just in the skillful subject matter, but in the brilliance of its accessibility. This is a moving and important book by an incredibly exciting author."

“Half of a Yellow Sun”, set in the 1960s during the Nigeria-Biafra war, is described as a novel about Africa, about moral responsibility, the end of colonialism, ethnic allegiances, class and race and about how love can complicate all these things. Chimamanda’s first novel, Purple Hibiscus, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2004 and the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for debut fiction.

In her first interview to the BBC after receiving the prize, Chimamanda expressed her obvious joy for this achievement, saying that she wasn't particularly proud for being the youngest, but for being the first African to win the prize. Asked about her views on the understanding of Africa by the main protagonists of G-8 meetings (currently taking place in Germany), from Bush to Bono, in relation to the subject of her book, she said "I don't see the problem as one of how much Africa is understood, but how Africa is approached... not as a hopeless continent with people only waiting for aid and things to be done for them."

The Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction was set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote fiction written by women throughout the world to the widest range of readers possible. The prize is awarded to the best novel of the year written in English by a woman. Previous winners of this prize are Zadie Smith for On Beauty (2006), Lionel Shriver for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2005), Andrea Levy for Small Island (2004), Valerie Martin for Property (2003), Ann Patchett for Bel Canto (2002), Kate Grenville for The Idea of Perfection (2001), Linda Grant for When I Lived in Modern Times (2000), Suzanne Berne for A Crime in the Neighbourhood (1999), Carol Shields for Larry's Party (1998), Anne Michaels for Fugitive Pieces (1997), and Helen Dunmore for A Spell of Winter (1996).

ADENDA: Meanwhile, Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe won the Man International Booker Prize Award 2007. (Read more about it here)

(Pictures by Getty Images/AFP and Orange)

OBAMA VS. CLINTON: THE MOTHER OF ALL BATTLES? (Take 4)

"THE ALL-ROUNDER"

I’ve been watching the just ended two-hour TV debate between the eight democratic candidates to the US Presidency: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich and Bill Richardson. It was the ideal occasion to gauge the “Obama vs. Clinton battle” in a wider context.

The first and, of course, highest point of the debate was Iraq and the recently approved new war funding bill, with Edwards accusing Hillary and Obama of acting as followers, not leaders, in the lead-up to the vote on it by the Senate, being the last to express their votes although eventually voting against. Obama made it a point to remind everyone that he had been against the war from the very beginning, unlike Edwards and all the other candidates, including Hillary, who had voted not only for the war but for all its funding bills until now. With this he got Edwards’ retraction and clearly won this segment of the debate.

The discussion went on to a range of topics, including immigration, health care, fiscal policy, gays in the military, legalisation of gay marriages, energy policy, Iran, Darfur and the role of Bill Clinton in a possible democratic presidency. On all these issues, I got a sense that Hillary, who is still heading all the polls, got the upper-hand over all the other candidates, except perhaps on Darfur where Bill Richardson put his experience as former US ambassador to the UN well to his service. His main proposal was to, among other measures, threaten to boycott the Beijing Summer Olympics to bring China to exert its power against the government of Sudan. All candidates seemed, however, to agree on one point: the US has lost its moral authority to act effectively on Darfur.

But, overall, I think Hillary managed to “win” even over Richardson on foreign policy, by putting a well articulated emphasis on diplomacy and reminding, particularly in relation to Iran, that the present Administration policy is “not to talk to anyone they don’t agree with, yet during the cold war we were talking with the Soviet Union throughout and they had missiles pointed at us”. Well, in spite of taking Hillary's point, I would’ve thought that that’s exactly what Iran is trying to achieve with its nuclear policy… Towards the very end of the debate, Kucinich made a very interesting pledge that might have been lost for not having been discussed: as president, he would cancel NAFTA and the WTO and get the world back to bilateral trade!

Other particularly interesting points to me were, in the context of immigration policy, Hillary’s support for English as a national, but not official, language in the US (I was specially interested in the fact that the US is having this debate when a very similar one is taking place in Angola on the role of the Portuguese language vis-a-vis the country's national African languages) and the way she “sealed” her advantage over the other candidates by stating: “when I become president, Bill Clinton, my dear husband, will be working all over the world as a roving ambassador for social causes.”

All in all, I don’t think Obama did badly, he just didn’t do as well as Hillary…

(See "Take 3" here)

"THE ALL-ROUNDER"

I’ve been watching the just ended two-hour TV debate between the eight democratic candidates to the US Presidency: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich and Bill Richardson. It was the ideal occasion to gauge the “Obama vs. Clinton battle” in a wider context.

The first and, of course, highest point of the debate was Iraq and the recently approved new war funding bill, with Edwards accusing Hillary and Obama of acting as followers, not leaders, in the lead-up to the vote on it by the Senate, being the last to express their votes although eventually voting against. Obama made it a point to remind everyone that he had been against the war from the very beginning, unlike Edwards and all the other candidates, including Hillary, who had voted not only for the war but for all its funding bills until now. With this he got Edwards’ retraction and clearly won this segment of the debate.

The discussion went on to a range of topics, including immigration, health care, fiscal policy, gays in the military, legalisation of gay marriages, energy policy, Iran, Darfur and the role of Bill Clinton in a possible democratic presidency. On all these issues, I got a sense that Hillary, who is still heading all the polls, got the upper-hand over all the other candidates, except perhaps on Darfur where Bill Richardson put his experience as former US ambassador to the UN well to his service. His main proposal was to, among other measures, threaten to boycott the Beijing Summer Olympics to bring China to exert its power against the government of Sudan. All candidates seemed, however, to agree on one point: the US has lost its moral authority to act effectively on Darfur.

But, overall, I think Hillary managed to “win” even over Richardson on foreign policy, by putting a well articulated emphasis on diplomacy and reminding, particularly in relation to Iran, that the present Administration policy is “not to talk to anyone they don’t agree with, yet during the cold war we were talking with the Soviet Union throughout and they had missiles pointed at us”. Well, in spite of taking Hillary's point, I would’ve thought that that’s exactly what Iran is trying to achieve with its nuclear policy… Towards the very end of the debate, Kucinich made a very interesting pledge that might have been lost for not having been discussed: as president, he would cancel NAFTA and the WTO and get the world back to bilateral trade!

Other particularly interesting points to me were, in the context of immigration policy, Hillary’s support for English as a national, but not official, language in the US (I was specially interested in the fact that the US is having this debate when a very similar one is taking place in Angola on the role of the Portuguese language vis-a-vis the country's national African languages) and the way she “sealed” her advantage over the other candidates by stating: “when I become president, Bill Clinton, my dear husband, will be working all over the world as a roving ambassador for social causes.”

All in all, I don’t think Obama did badly, he just didn’t do as well as Hillary…

(See "Take 3" here)

"THE ANTITHESIS OF PORNOGRAPHY"...

(Two first pictures: thousands of naked people pose in a parking garage during a massive naked photo session with U.S. photographer Spencer Tunick in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, early Sunday, June 3, 2007. )







(All pictures: "Photo art installations" by Spencer Tunick)

(Two first pictures: thousands of naked people pose in a parking garage during a massive naked photo session with U.S. photographer Spencer Tunick in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, early Sunday, June 3, 2007. )







(All pictures: "Photo art installations" by Spencer Tunick)

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Still on the subject of African Maths, a few days ago Ndesanjo Macha brought to my attention the history of the “Ishango bone”, which was totally unknown to me.

The Ishango bone is a calculus instrument which scientists suggest indicates a mathematical understanding that goes beyond counting. Found in 1960 by a Belgian explorer in the area of Ishango, which was centered near the headwaters of the Nile River, on the border between modern-day Uganda and Congo, the artifact was first estimated to originate between 9000 BC and 6500 BC. However, the dating of the site where it was discovered was re-evaluated, and is now believed to be more than 20,000 years old.

The lakeside Ishango population of 20000 years ago may have been one of the first counting societies, but it lasted only a few hundred years before being buried by a volcanic eruption.

(Read more detailed information here)

Still on the subject of African Maths, a few days ago Ndesanjo Macha brought to my attention the history of the “Ishango bone”, which was totally unknown to me.

The Ishango bone is a calculus instrument which scientists suggest indicates a mathematical understanding that goes beyond counting. Found in 1960 by a Belgian explorer in the area of Ishango, which was centered near the headwaters of the Nile River, on the border between modern-day Uganda and Congo, the artifact was first estimated to originate between 9000 BC and 6500 BC. However, the dating of the site where it was discovered was re-evaluated, and is now believed to be more than 20,000 years old.

The lakeside Ishango population of 20000 years ago may have been one of the first counting societies, but it lasted only a few hundred years before being buried by a volcanic eruption.

(Read more detailed information here)

RECENT BOOKS ON AFRICAN MATHS

Drawings from Angola: Living Mathematics

For children from age 8 to 14. By Paulus Gerdes “Drawings from Angola” present an introduction to an African story telling tradition. The tales are illustrated with marvelous drawings made in the sand. The book conveys the stories of the stork and the leopard, the hunter and the dog, the rooster and the fox, and others. It explains how to execute the drawings. The reader is invited to draw tortoises, antelopes, lions, and other animals. The activities proposed throughout the book invite the reader to experiment and to explore the ‘rhythm’ and symmetry of the illustrations. Surprising results will be playfully obtained, such as in arithmetic, a way to calculate quickly the sum of a sequence of odd numbers. Children will live the beautiful mathematics of the Angolan sanddrawings. Answers to the activities are provided. The book can be used both in classrooms and at home.For youngsters from 15 years onwards, Paulus Gerdes wrote the book “Lusona: Geometrical Recreations of Africa” (L’Harmattan, Paris, 1997).Parents and teachers who like to know more about the Cokwe story telling and drawing tradition, may consult his book “Sona Geometry from Angola: Mathematics of an African Tradition” (Polimetrica, Monza, 2007).

(Read more about Sona here)

African Doctorates in Mathematics. A Catalogue

This volume presents a catalogue of over 2000 doctoral theses by Africans in all fields of mathematics, including applied mathematics, mathematics education and history of mathematics. The introduction contains information about distribution by country, institutions, period, and by gender, about mathematical density, and mobility of mathematicians. Several appendices are included (female doctorate holders, doctorates in mathematics education, doctorates awarded by African universities to non-Africans, doctoral theses by non-Africans about mathematics in Africa, activities of African mathematicians at the service of their communities). Paulus Gerdes compiled the information in his capacity of Chairman of the African Mathematical Union Commission for the History of Mathematics in Africa (AMUCHMA). The book contains a preface by Mohamed Hassan, President of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and Executive Director of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS).

Mathematics in African History and Cultures: An Annotated Bibliography

This volume constitutes an updated version of the bibliography published in 2004 by the African Mathematical Union. The African Studies Association attributed the original edition a ‘special mention’ in the 2006 Conover-Porter Award competition. The book contains over 1600 bibliographic entries. The appendices contain additional bibliographic information on (1) mathematicians of the Diaspora, (2) publications by Africans on the history of mathematics outside Africa, (3) time-reckoning and astronomy in African history and cultures, (4) string figures in Africa, (5) examples of books published by African mathematicians, (6) board games in Africa, (7) research inspired by geometric aspects of the ‘sona’ tradition. The book concludes with several indices (subject, country, region, author, ethnographic and linguistic, journal, mathematicians). Professor Jan Persens of the University of the Western Cape (South Africa) and president of the African Mathematical Union (2000-2004) wrote the preface.

(More details on these books here)

Drawings from Angola: Living Mathematics

For children from age 8 to 14. By Paulus Gerdes “Drawings from Angola” present an introduction to an African story telling tradition. The tales are illustrated with marvelous drawings made in the sand. The book conveys the stories of the stork and the leopard, the hunter and the dog, the rooster and the fox, and others. It explains how to execute the drawings. The reader is invited to draw tortoises, antelopes, lions, and other animals. The activities proposed throughout the book invite the reader to experiment and to explore the ‘rhythm’ and symmetry of the illustrations. Surprising results will be playfully obtained, such as in arithmetic, a way to calculate quickly the sum of a sequence of odd numbers. Children will live the beautiful mathematics of the Angolan sanddrawings. Answers to the activities are provided. The book can be used both in classrooms and at home.For youngsters from 15 years onwards, Paulus Gerdes wrote the book “Lusona: Geometrical Recreations of Africa” (L’Harmattan, Paris, 1997).Parents and teachers who like to know more about the Cokwe story telling and drawing tradition, may consult his book “Sona Geometry from Angola: Mathematics of an African Tradition” (Polimetrica, Monza, 2007).

(Read more about Sona here)

African Doctorates in Mathematics. A Catalogue

This volume presents a catalogue of over 2000 doctoral theses by Africans in all fields of mathematics, including applied mathematics, mathematics education and history of mathematics. The introduction contains information about distribution by country, institutions, period, and by gender, about mathematical density, and mobility of mathematicians. Several appendices are included (female doctorate holders, doctorates in mathematics education, doctorates awarded by African universities to non-Africans, doctoral theses by non-Africans about mathematics in Africa, activities of African mathematicians at the service of their communities). Paulus Gerdes compiled the information in his capacity of Chairman of the African Mathematical Union Commission for the History of Mathematics in Africa (AMUCHMA). The book contains a preface by Mohamed Hassan, President of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and Executive Director of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS).

Mathematics in African History and Cultures: An Annotated Bibliography

This volume constitutes an updated version of the bibliography published in 2004 by the African Mathematical Union. The African Studies Association attributed the original edition a ‘special mention’ in the 2006 Conover-Porter Award competition. The book contains over 1600 bibliographic entries. The appendices contain additional bibliographic information on (1) mathematicians of the Diaspora, (2) publications by Africans on the history of mathematics outside Africa, (3) time-reckoning and astronomy in African history and cultures, (4) string figures in Africa, (5) examples of books published by African mathematicians, (6) board games in Africa, (7) research inspired by geometric aspects of the ‘sona’ tradition. The book concludes with several indices (subject, country, region, author, ethnographic and linguistic, journal, mathematicians). Professor Jan Persens of the University of the Western Cape (South Africa) and president of the African Mathematical Union (2000-2004) wrote the preface.

(More details on these books here)

OUTBLOGGING @ AFRICANPATH (IV): CAPITALIST NIGGER...

... THE MOST RACIST BOOK EVER WRITTEN ABOUT THE BLACK RACE, OR THE MOST UPLIFTING?

Let me state this upfront: I have mixed feelings about this book. And I would be inclined to believe that I have lots of company in this. Yet, when faced with its explosive mixture of provocative statements, I rend myself to what might be more plausible: this is not for the faint-hearted, it doesn’t leave any middle ground to anyone, you are either for or against its tenets, because it’s not everyday you are punched in the face with things like this, written by a Black man: “Nobody owes the Black race anything!”

This is the opening paragraph of my fourth input to AfricanPath's "Guest Blogger Series". (Read article here).

SEE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS BOOK HERE.

... THE MOST RACIST BOOK EVER WRITTEN ABOUT THE BLACK RACE, OR THE MOST UPLIFTING?

Let me state this upfront: I have mixed feelings about this book. And I would be inclined to believe that I have lots of company in this. Yet, when faced with its explosive mixture of provocative statements, I rend myself to what might be more plausible: this is not for the faint-hearted, it doesn’t leave any middle ground to anyone, you are either for or against its tenets, because it’s not everyday you are punched in the face with things like this, written by a Black man: “Nobody owes the Black race anything!”

This is the opening paragraph of my fourth input to AfricanPath's "Guest Blogger Series". (Read article here).

SEE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS BOOK HERE.

ON "INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S DAY": WHERE IS MADELEINE?

I have been keeping this story on the “backburner” since its beginning. Initially because it appeared to me as just one more number in statistics telling us that something like 11 children are reported disappeared in Portugal and around 100 others in the UK only last year… Then, I started feeling that the media frenzy in Portugal, the UK and increasingly all over the world around this case was, if not exactly tantamount to “much ado about nothing”, at least somewhat overblown.

My feelings about the case were themselves "somewhat overblown" yesterday with the news that the parents of the little girl were meeting the Pope (I am terribly sorry to say that, for some “unreasonable reason” (?), it kept bringing back to my mind the “opportune” meeting with the Pope by Liz Hurley in the aftermath of Hugh Grant’s shenanigans with Devine Brown in Hollywood…) and definitely blown away today when, while recharging my electricity key at a local corner shop (something I’ll probably come back to one of these days about the energy crises in Angola and South Africa…), I looked over one of the tabloids on the counter and, seeing a picture of Madeleine’s mother with a kid on her lap under the headline “finally back to mom’s arms” only to find that it was not Madeleine but one of her siblings after the parent's return from their meeting with the Pope, I just felt nothing less than “duped”!

Now, let me make something clear: I am a mother and can totally understand and sympathise with these parents’ angst, feel and express all my solidarity towards anything meant to find their daughter, but still cannot avoid the question “is all this media hype about finding Madeleine alive or keeping the story and the media reporting it alive, while alleviating her parents’ guilt?”

I have been keeping this story on the “backburner” since its beginning. Initially because it appeared to me as just one more number in statistics telling us that something like 11 children are reported disappeared in Portugal and around 100 others in the UK only last year… Then, I started feeling that the media frenzy in Portugal, the UK and increasingly all over the world around this case was, if not exactly tantamount to “much ado about nothing”, at least somewhat overblown.

My feelings about the case were themselves "somewhat overblown" yesterday with the news that the parents of the little girl were meeting the Pope (I am terribly sorry to say that, for some “unreasonable reason” (?), it kept bringing back to my mind the “opportune” meeting with the Pope by Liz Hurley in the aftermath of Hugh Grant’s shenanigans with Devine Brown in Hollywood…) and definitely blown away today when, while recharging my electricity key at a local corner shop (something I’ll probably come back to one of these days about the energy crises in Angola and South Africa…), I looked over one of the tabloids on the counter and, seeing a picture of Madeleine’s mother with a kid on her lap under the headline “finally back to mom’s arms” only to find that it was not Madeleine but one of her siblings after the parent's return from their meeting with the Pope, I just felt nothing less than “duped”!

Now, let me make something clear: I am a mother and can totally understand and sympathise with these parents’ angst, feel and express all my solidarity towards anything meant to find their daughter, but still cannot avoid the question “is all this media hype about finding Madeleine alive or keeping the story and the media reporting it alive, while alleviating her parents’ guilt?”