Friday, August 29, 2008
momos, candlelight protests and more
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Lagos to Ogere-Remo and beyond
One of my favorite photographers, Pieter Hugo, recently covered Nollywood (3rd largest film industry after Hollywood and Bollywood).
"Nollywood produces movies on its own terms, telling stories that appeal to and reflect the lives of its public: it is a rare instance of self-representation in Africa. The continent has a rich tradition of story-telling that has been expressed abundantly through oral and written fiction, but has never been conveyed through the mass media before. Stars are local actors; plots confront the public with familiar situations of romance, comedy, witchcraft, bribery, prostitution. The narrative is overdramatic, deprived of happy endings, tragic. The aesthetic is loud, violent, excessive; nothing is said, everything is shouted."
Reminds me of the 'NTA2' days. Check out some of Pieter's work, especially The Hyena Men series. Intense.
"Nollywood produces movies on its own terms, telling stories that appeal to and reflect the lives of its public: it is a rare instance of self-representation in Africa. The continent has a rich tradition of story-telling that has been expressed abundantly through oral and written fiction, but has never been conveyed through the mass media before. Stars are local actors; plots confront the public with familiar situations of romance, comedy, witchcraft, bribery, prostitution. The narrative is overdramatic, deprived of happy endings, tragic. The aesthetic is loud, violent, excessive; nothing is said, everything is shouted."
Reminds me of the 'NTA2' days. Check out some of Pieter's work, especially The Hyena Men series. Intense.
Friday, July 25, 2008
what makes your soul sing
In pouring rain, we made it to Haji Ali, past the Masjid and the florists, through the dark, grimy lanes of Tardeo, to seek out the little establishment hidden behind the scaffolding. Hilsa fish steamed to perfection in mustard paste, wrapped in banana leaves, along side some chingri malai curry, mangshor jhol, fresh luchis, and washed down with some single malt. And, of course, there was mishti doi and paan to finish things off.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Kalakuta Republic
Imprisoned three times by past Nigerian military dictatorships, Chris Abani survived Kiri Kiri to tell some intense and inspiring tales. He recently gave a talk on a "shared humanity" at TED.
Ode to Joy, by Chris Abani
John James, 14
Refused to serve his conscience up
to indict an innocent man
handcuffed to chair; they tacked his penis
to the table
with a six inch nail
and left him there
to drip
to death
3 days later
Risking death; an act insignificant
in the face of this child's courage
we sang:
Oje wai wai,
Moje oje wai, wai.*
Incensed
they went
on a killing rampage
Guns
knives
truncheons
even canisters of tear-gas,
fired close up or
directly into mouths, will
take the back
of your head off
and many men
died singing,
that night.
Notes caught,
surprised,
suspended
as blows bloodied mouths
clotting into silence.
Ode to Joy, by Chris Abani
John James, 14
Refused to serve his conscience up
to indict an innocent man
handcuffed to chair; they tacked his penis
to the table
with a six inch nail
and left him there
to drip
to death
3 days later
Risking death; an act insignificant
in the face of this child's courage
we sang:
Oje wai wai,
Moje oje wai, wai.*
Incensed
they went
on a killing rampage
Guns
knives
truncheons
even canisters of tear-gas,
fired close up or
directly into mouths, will
take the back
of your head off
and many men
died singing,
that night.
Notes caught,
surprised,
suspended
as blows bloodied mouths
clotting into silence.
