Sunday, June 28, 2009

My Africa

I was invited so kindly by Kulutempa to attend the free screening of the award winning documentary film, This is My Africa; a project released in 2009 as part of a trilogy to introduce the rest of the world to Africa by Africans who have an accurate understanding and awareness of the continent's true identity.

The 50 minute fare presented commentary from UK based Africans like Yinka Shonibare, Mpho Skeef, Nana o Anyim, Chiweitel Ejiofor and Mazzi Binaisa; just to name a few. The participants answered questions in attempts to describe what Africa meant to them.

As an introduction, the film served its purpose but would not be sufficient to stand as an encompassing portrait of Africa, possibly because the voices are incomplete or that the continent itself is so diverse and complex that such an attempt might be impossible. Still, being that This is My Africa was described by the filmmaker, Zina Saro-Wiwa as part of an intended series, I am excited at the prospect of projects that celebrate the continent continuously as Africa's image is dynamic.

Borrowing from the handouts that were given at the screening, I will tell you some things that represent Africa to me...

Books:
1. Eze goes to school
2. Koku Baboni
3. Mine Boy
4. Sugar Girl
5. Purple Hibiscus
6. Violence

Blogs/Sites:
1. Naijablog
2. Bella Naija
3. 234next
4. Timbuktuchronicles
5. SABC Africa

Art:
1. Any African fabric

Music:
1. Hugh Masekela
2. Eldee
3. Tiny
4. Koffi Olomide
5. Awilo
6. Kaysha
7. Femi Kuti
8. Sunny Ade


Film:
1. A reasonable man
2. We are together (Children of Agape Choir)
3. Beauty
4. White waters
5. Owo Blow
6. Ti Oluwa Nile
7. Tsotsi

Fashion
1. Tailors
2. Tiffany Amber
3. Mudi
4. Sofisticat
5. Idia
6. Headties

What is your Africa?

7 comments:

Afronuts said...

My own Africa?...hmm...that would probably be a blog entry. Maybe u shud turn this into a tag game - like a meme

LusciousRon said...

Mine would be similar to yours.
Arts: Ankara, wood carvings, bronze etc
Fashion: Mudi
What else? A blog post like Afronuts would be nice.

Minor Insurrection said...

Poetry: Lola Shoneyin
Prose: Jude Dibia
Drama: Wole Oguntokun

Yes, I think local and I am influenced, not by the past, but the present.

deni said...

"This is My Africa" seems interesting.

NikkiSab said...

Africa is beautiful and diverse. So many things make her lovely but the most important is dat she is a survivor.

Aee Bonrue said...

My Africa would be;

Written word: Wole Soyinka, Helon Habila, Jude Dibia, Buchi Emecheta

Fashion: Sighetu, Mudi

Art: African Fabric, fired clay/wood/bronze/brass Carvings, wooden beads et al...

i could go on and on...

This is one beautiful post...

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