Djin Djin

I recently purchased this spectacular album in which Kidjo collaborates with accomplished artists to create some wonderful tracks.

My favourite is the title track 'Djin Djin' which brings together Kidjo's powerful voice and Alicia Keys' soulful one. I was surprised to find a Rolling Stones number on the album and oh, how wonderful it is! (Gimme Shelter sung with Joss Stone). I am enamored with Josh Groban's voice in Pearls, a truly moving song. Arouna and Sedjedo are old favourites, but Ziggy Marley really spices up this version of Sedjedo. And finally, Salala with Peter Gabriel is simply out of this world. An excellent album overall.

Bébé(s)

I just watched this wonderful, funny, touching documentary film that follows the first year of 4 babies located around the world in Namibia, Mongolia, Tokyo and San Francisco. It was so interesting to see both, how similar and different the life of a baby is in different cultures in different parts of the world. The most stark difference was with the baby in Namibia. The little one was crawling around in the dirt, drinking water from a stream, putting fingers inside a stray dog's mouth and chewing a random bone in the dust. The film has no narration and yet, it is immensely interesting.

Watch French filmmaker Thomas Balmes speak about the film in this BBC clip.

46664

If you ever wondered what 46664 meant, here's an excerpt from the Wiki Page:

Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island in 1964, and was the 466th prisoner to arrive that year. The prison administration's scheme of numbering prisoners was to follow the sequence number of the prisoner (466 in his case), with the last two digits of the year (64). The number was imposed on him by the prison for over 25 years, until his release in 1990. "Prisoner 46664" continues to be used, as a reverential title for him, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation uses 46664.com as its website address. Read more about the concerts.

Adventures of Beetlecam

The Burrard-Lucas brothers find a novel way to photograph African Wildlife. Check out their blog and the stunning pictures shot by the Beetlecam.

Thanks, ZS.

Yé ké yé ké

Mory Kanté (born March 29, 1950 in Kissidougou, Guinea) is an acclaimed vocalist and player of the kora harp. He was born into one of Guinea's best known families of griot (hereditary) musicians. After being brought up in the Mandinka griot tradition in Guinea, he was sent to Mali at the age of seven years – where he learned to play the kora, as well as important voice traditions, some of which are necessary to become a griot.

Kanté is best known internationally for his 1987 hit song "Yé ké yé ké", which was one of Africa's best-ever selling hits as well as being a European Number One in 1988 making it the first ever African single to sell over one million copies. Kanté received unexpected fame again in 1994 when the German techno duo Hardfloor created a dance remix of "Yéké Yéké." He also appeared in 2006 as vocalist on British DJ Darren Tate's release, "Narama". More at Wiki.

Official Website.

Merci, H.

Art

H brought back this beautiful handmade bracelet from Cape Town.

Camel Libraries

Ah, the wonderful, mobile camel libraries of Kenya.

Lost in Translation

Here's an interesting NPR article our Prof. shared with us. It draws a comparison between people in London and the semi-nomadic Himba people of the Kaokoland region in Northern Namibia to bring out the similarities and differences in culture, particularly sounds associated with emotions.

Henna in Sudan

Here's an interesting BBC slideshow about the importance of Henna in Sudanese culture. Also, check out this website about Sudanese traditions (and its henna page).

Of Travels

Check out this beautiful travel slideshow that features Africa right from the beginning (KwaZulu Natal and Zambia). My husband will identify with this, he just did the bungee jump at Victoria Falls. He brought back some wonderful photos and I will post selected ones shortly.

Naming my daughter

A friend shared this interesting piece and it reminded me of a recent BBC article about naming children in Africa. Not to forget the wonderful punning capabilities of the current Nigerian President's name, Goodluck Jonathan. :0)

Naming My Daughter

"In the Uruba tribe of Africa, children are named not only at birth but throughout their lives by their characteristics and the events that befall them."

The one who took hold in the cold night
The one who kicked loudly
The one who slid down quickly in the ice storm
She who came while the doctor was eating dessert
New one held up by heels in the glare
The river between two brothers
Second pot on the stove
Princess of a hundred dolls
Hair like water falling beneath moonlight
Strides into the day
She who runs away with motorcycle club president
Daughter kicked with a boot
Daughter blizzard in the sky
Daughter night-pocket
She who sells sports club memberships
One who loves over and over
She who wants child but lost one.
She who wants marriage but has none
She who never gives up
Diana (Goddess of the Chase)
Doris (for the carrot-top grandmother
she never knew)
Fargnoli (for the father
who drank and left and died)
Peter Pan, Iron Pumper
Tumbleweed who goes mouths without calling
Daughter who is a pillar of light
Daughter mirror, Daughter stands alone
Daughter boomerang who always comes back
Daughter who flies forward into the day
where I will be nameless.

"Naming My Daughter" by Patricia Fargnoli, from Necessary Light. © Utah State University Press, 1999.