random goodness, 9/3
Posted: September 3rd, 2008 | Author: kamau | Filed under: books, film, globalization, internet, photography, politics | Comments Off
Picture by Hans Silvester from the book Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa by Hans Silvester,
PHOTOGRAPHY: Omo tribal decorations.
… these looks are the sole creation of the Surma and Mursi tribes of East Africa’s Omo Valley. Inspired by the wild trees, exotic flowers and lush vegetation of the area bordering Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan, these tribal people have created looks that put the most outlandish creations of Western catwalk couturiers to shame.
Ory Okolloh’s talk at TEDGlobal 2007 in Arusha Tanzania, 2007
TECHNO-ACTIVISM: Ory Okolloh: The Making of an Activist. Ory’s site Kenyan Pundit was the site of record for information on the post-election fracas in Kenya, she practically live blogged the events on the ground. In her talk she makes a great point about Africans creating original content or forfeiting the right to complain about how others portray us (a big reason that blog exists). She discusses how she became an activist as well as her work with the site Mzalendo that monitors the doings in Kenya’s parliament. More on TEDGlobal 2007: Africa the Next Chapter including writer Chris Abani’s talk on the importance of storytelling in rethinking the African narrative.
Trailer for Jerusalema directed by Ralph Ziman
FILM: Jerusalema. Tsotsi’s Rapulana Seiphemo switches sides from outraged middle class husband/dad to gangland boss ala Scarface in post-apartheid Hillbrow in Johannesburg. Mines the same themes of urban poverty and its repercussions as Fernando Meirelles’ Cidade de Deus Gavin Hood’s Tsotsi, Jose Padilha’s Tropa de Elite. Can’t wait to see this, will keep eyes peeled for Stateside release. [via afripop!]
See also: Johannesburg Series by South African Guy Tillim, a great photo essay on the decaying center of Jozi that forms the main location and is a central part of the plot in Jerusalema.
