The Cape Town 11th Jazz Festival Green market Square free concert

Me at the beginning of the doncert

Here with Olivier, gislain (handshowing) and the Soulman (next to gislain)

The first of April was a sort of a 'summer' day and had to end up as is with celebrations and enjoyments. At that very day was offered at the ‘Green market square’ a free concert in line with the Cape Town Jazz festival at it 11th edition. It was also the occasion to celebrate 300 years of the square where so much happened.

The people of the multicultural Cape Town garnered and very quickly, just before 7pm, the place was dark of a noisy crowd. It was possible to hear Portuguese, French, German, Chinese as well as other foreign and local languages words spelled out, in a Babylonian tower legend kind of tongs break down, to share the pleasure of meeting, of music, or just to be there. It was an impressive party at that place where others were sold less than two century ago.

The party started as indicated 5:30pm with Mezzoforte; then came Glenn Robertson Jazz Band, and Jonathan Rubain, and from Japan, the Soil & Pimp. The performances were awesome, and people were dancing, jumping, and shouting helped with some alcoholic ingredients.

Authorities join the event in the persons of the premier and former mayor of the city Helen Zille, as well as others.

But the vibe was with people in phase with the performer and the music. And there is more to hear at the festival…

Some updates on Cape Town end of 2009

Me on the 23rd of december 2009

Hi folks, long time no read? I’m still around the corner, stalking, observing and nourishing “To the unbeliever”. A lot of things certainly happened but it was a bit difficult for me to update you on them. Anyway, here is a summary of several marking events. There is a word on soccer (how Cameroonian living in cape town welcomed the news of the national team qualification to the world cup, the FIFA draw and Roger Milla visit), and a word on the Coons Carnival.

Yep, it’s summer time on Cape Town officially since the 1rst of December. The sun is high up there and people are showing off like you can imagine. They are defying the possible with their supposed relaxant outfits, quiet unveiling when it comes to women and rather home like when it is to consider men. Sun glasses of course are the rule.

Usually, the rather small Cameroonian community living in Cape Town assembles to watch the national team games at “Boom Boom Africa”, a small bar by Salt River (also Southriver). Every one has a dress with something referring to the country: a green shirt, a green red and yellow one, red hats or just a t-shirt with Cameroon written over it. That day, 12th of November 2009, Cameroon was playing Togo for the qualification to the 2010 football World Cup. South African television channels were not showing that game; but the Cameroonian national channel (CRTV) was. As usual, some problem occurred: No images for more than twenty minutes for purely Cameroonian reasons (The retransmission rights were not paid, the image provider didn’t fulfill his part of the contract … just guess what you can, the incredible truth is laying somewhere there). Anyway, once the images appeared soccer love and patriotism took over and at the end of the game, with 2 to 1 as score, it was time to celebrate all over the city, making noises to express how it feels to be from the country of the best African football team of the century. Yes Cameroon is qualified and now, the whole continent stands a chance to keep the cup for a while longer.

The FIFA draw was held in Cape Town, at the CT International Convention Center (CTICC) in the presence of President Jacob Zuma of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Blater, Mr Hayatou, as well as other excellences, dignitaries and celebrities from all around the world. Zakumi the mascot was also present, of course. As a distinguished guess,

Roger Milla was part for of the festivities. He was just arriving in the city and he heard about the funeral, thus he pitched up. He came to Salt River Hall where Cameroonians were gathered in order to pay respect to a young man remains. He presented his condolences to the family representatives present there and shared his sympathy with the community for the loss. He explained that as a Cameroonian, were ever he goes, if there is a body, it is a duty to pay tribute and participate to the remains repatriation. And he left to have some rest. During the draw, he received an ovation for the great player that he was and his role as an ambassador for the African football community.

The story behind the Coon Carnival comes from the past, during the slavery period in South Africa and was running for more than a century now here in Cape Town. It seems that it was the celebration of the New Year by slaves whish were granted on that day the freedom to enjoy themselves. It is principally a “colored” affair. The participant and most of the spectators are from that racial group. It is hard to find white or black watching the bands parading, coming from the “Cape flats”, dressed like clowns, with paint on their faces, smiling, shouting, singing, making as much noise as they can. They come from places like Kuirlsriver, Lentegeur, Bonteheuvel, Athlone, Bridgetown, lansdown, and it is all about having and giving fun. There are so many troupes at the “Grand Parade” place (Nelson Mandela did his first address as a freeman over here) that it takes the whole day to see them all. Late in the evening after the parade, the party continues in the Cape Flats.

Once upon a time, The Basketball and me

At the multipurpose building of the Cape Peninsula University Of Technology, I was laying up a ball towards the basket. Yep... I still can do these things.

It just happens that I though about a game we played, some friends and I at KOTTO, Douala, Cameroon. It was warm and deligthful. A team of friends. The story continues ...

2009 ZAWWW international conference at Port Elisabeth

Just arriving at Port Elisabeth airport for the 2009ZAWWW where I was an invited speaker under CPUT banner. The conference venue was next to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University which was cohost of the event with CPUT.
I really don't want to explain how hard it is to speak in front of people; but it comes to do the exercise in front of a panel of expert on the subject you are speaking on, it get worse. I got good comment of my presentation of my article entitled "Mobilising an Obama nation using Web 2.0:Yes we can". It was all about online campaigning using web 2.0 .
A beach near the conference venue. I know nothing about it except that it is beautiful and fresh.


An unnamed building. Beautiful but no body told me anything about it.

My supervisor Marlon Parker and I at the end of the confernce.

Other speakers at the conference and lecturers at CPUT. at the right end is Mr Jay Barnes and at the left Mrs Ziestmann

Certaily the best part of the conference, the last relaxing meal with friends. We realy shared great moments together.

Goodby PE and 2009 ZAWWW International conference.

Ubuntu festival in Cape Town: Happy birthday Madiba

Hi folks. Aibo! The Ubuntu festival, celebration of a “Mandela’ day” by the Mandela Rhodes Hotel here in Cape Town, told us how “yes we are because others are”.

It was meant to “uniting people through dialogue, theatre, food, jazz, rock, pop, opera, dance, art, craft, produce, design, hospitality, sport, trade, enterprise and entrepreneurship.” A lot of people came along to taste the worldwide cuisine, to follow the rainbow rhythm and to feel the spirit of the Ubuntu togetherness.

The musical offer was jazzy with Jimmy Dludlu, Chad Saaiman, Coda, Tucan tucan, Thembi and many more others.

Just some pics:

A Madiba - Jackson apparition ... lol

Ubuntu is also about beautiful singer

Pop Idol 2007 winner, still great...

Gugulethu Tenors, a regal ...

Langa poets and drummers, inspiring ...

From the streets of Cape Town to the stage, the power of Ubuntu unfolding an unexpected talent...

Can't wait for next year to come...

Yes my father loves me!

My father don’t tell that he loves me
But when I suffer
He turns his back to me
He reproaches my mother
He watches me in glances
He considers me in secrete
He suffers in silence
He prays for me in each of his breaths

And after the trouble
He taps me on the back of the neck
He congratulates me louder
He looks me now
He mocks my mother who get upset
He prays for me every evening
He gets amused of me
He troubles my games and embarrasses me

And me
I always look to him
I see him struggling and surviving
I hear him selling his life to redeem mine
I pray
I am merely my father’s son

Exile

Exile

Step after step
With all our strength
With all our soul
With all our faith
Might we progress against all odds,
Leave… throwing hundreds and one glance behind

Leaving the ground of our loves, joys, peoples, dreams …
Closing eyes to shame, sadness, pain which enfold us
And on the road where dwell the death, hatred, fraught and oblivion
Feeling no pleasure, no suffering, no love, no hate and shedding no tear
Lost for ours, lost for ourselves, lost within the darkness,
Follow the invisible steps of the one who knows all the paths

Step over the waters
Calming storms
Step through
Breaking through bulwarks
Step upon death
Living again

Always

Everywhere, give, receive, love, enjoy and dream again
Yesterday in the soul, carpe diem under the skin, and tomorrow in the eyes
Run toward the cliff shape
Step upon void
And soar en route to hope
The world to come where our illusions have flesh and our fleshes have bodies

Laban