Spanish Concha Buika nominated for Latin Grammys and Mobo

Spanish singer Concha Buika is nominated for the Latin Grammys for her album El Último Trago, in the category Best Traditional Tropical Album. For the album she partnered with Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés.

In April 2009, Buika and Valdés got together in Abdala studios in Havana, convened by Spanish guitarist and producer Javier Limon, to pay tribute to the legendary singer Chavela Vargas on her 90th birthday.

And she is also nominated for the UK MOBO Awards, but in the category Best African Act: Concha Buika (Equatorial Guinea). But Best African Act!?

Buika was born in Palma de Mallorca in Spain, only her parents are from Equatorial Guinea. There is nothing Equatorial Guinean about her music, her music is Flamengo/Jazz/Latin.

See "Se me hizo facil", a collaboration with Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés

Strange MOBO, in the US she is nominated for the second time as Latin artist, and in her hometown Europe she is nominated as an African Act.

German Black actors battle stereotypes

The founders of the organization Black Artists in German Film (SFD) are determined to finally see the diversity of their lives portrayed realistically. They no longer want to be consigned to portraying just DJs, models or prostitutes, wrote The German Newspaper the African Times.

Afro-German Actress Araba Walton was most recently seen in the film “Berlin Calling,” set in the techno music milieu in Germany’s capital. She played a female bouncer but not some hideous dominatrix, rather a sort of “mother figure for night owls,” as she calls it.

For the last few years, she and some of her colleagues have been working together to do just that. Their association is called “Schwarze Filmschaffende in Deutschland” (Black Artists in German Film) or SFD. It is made up of actors, screenwriters, production personnel and directors. They want to see the multi-faceted reality that they live every day reflected in the media landscape.



“In comparison with, say, America, Germany has a long way to go in that respect. Everyone will go see a Will Smith film. But studios and producers here often don’t trust that black German actors will bring audiences into theaters,” said Walton, who is co-chairwoman of SFD, along with actress Carol Campbell.

Araba Walton hopes that one day soon, the reality of her own life will be seen on screen. “My family is represented in every profession from doctor to lawyer to military officer,” she said. “When will it become commonplace to see that kind of everyday diversity in German films and television as well?”

In Spiegel Online Carol Campbell, who is one of Germany's few successful African-German actors, explains: "Either filmmakers cast black people in roles that black people wouldn't want, or they don't cast black people at all."

Campbell says she has been lucky in that "only about half" of her roles have been stereotyped -- she says she typically gets cast as the "exotic" mistress. In her experience, German filmmakers only use black characters when the plot demands it. "There always needs to be a logical explanation of why the character is black," she says. "It's always used to represent difference and never overlap, always 'this is different' and never simply 'black life in Germany.'"

Scriptwriter Ebéné: "You always have to explain why the flight attendant or the doctor is black -- they can't just happen to be black," adds. "On the other hand, you never need to explain why the asylum-seeker or prostitute is black."

Video: Soul from Holland: Ntjam Rosie

Ntjam Rosie (Dutch/ Cameroonian) will release her new album “ ELLE” for Rotterdam on October 6th in Doelen in Rotterdam (Netherlands). The national release will be on Monday October 11th 2010 in Paradiso in Amsterdam.

I was listening to Ntjam's music yesterday and I was planning of writing a post about her music that same evening. But I am glad I didn't, because Aaron Byrd of the LA radio network KCRW published a very interesting interview about her that same day.

I was listing to her great performance at TED in Rotterdam. But she was very nervous in the beginning and it showed. She sings the songs in Bulu, which is the language of the Bulu people of Cameroon.



The interview: By KCRW DJ Aaron Byrd:

A couple of years ago I was looking in our “new” section of the KCRW music library. I stumbled upon a CD that was identified as African music but I noticed that the label was based in Amsterdam. I thought, “Hmm, sounds interesting” so I pulled it out and saw the cover was pretty cool and so was the name – “Atouba” by Ntjam Rosie. Not having any idea as to what that meant or what I would hear, I gave it a listen and was instantly impressed! “Atouba” is a clever fusion of world instrumentation and contemporary soulful groove.

Ntjam has since remained on my radar and we’re happy to be debuting her new single “In Need” right here!

2009 proved to be quite a pivotal year for Ntjam, after graduating from the Codarts Conservatory with a bachelors in Latin singing. Later that year, Ntjam went on to win the Music Matters Award, granting her the title of music ambassador in Rotterdam for 2010. On that very same day, she also won the ‘MCN World Up! Award’ for most promising talent during the first edition of the Dutch World Music Day.

She returns this Fall with her sophomore release “ELLE“. I recently interviewed Ntjam and we discussed the new record, her artistic approach to music, as well her multi-national background.

Read the interview at KCRW

Ntjam Rosie On MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/ntjamrosie

Caribbean Festival – Influences Caraïbes – Sept 29 – Oct 3 (Paris)

The festival "Influences Caraïbes" returns this fall and is celebrating its 5th anniversary from September 29 to October 3, 2010 in Paris France.

During these five festival days, musicians, visual artists and speakers will present their views, and play the music of the Caribbean.

The festival will be held on three important places of Parisian culture: L'International, le théâtre des trois baudets and Sciences Po Paris.

Artists: Mélissa Laveaux (Haiti / Canada), Licia Chery (Haiti / Switzerland), the duo Jatoba (Tony Hunter / Stéphane Castry), Edouard Glissant, and the quartet Sakesho (Martinique / Guadeloupe). And last but not least the Guadeloupean group Soft.

Main theme of this year's debate is Haiti.

See more information at http://influencescaraibes.cridupeuple.com/

Black in Belfast and the book "Where Are You Really From?"

The book Where Are You Really From? is a compelling story of a black mixed race man who grew up in Belfast Northern Ireland.

It´s the fascinating and powerful memoir about oneman’s struggle to establish his own identity and a moving tribute to the woman who risked everything to keep her son.

Tim Brannigan was born in 1966. He grew up in a white Catholic family on the Falls Road, all the time believing he was adopted.

Tim was actually the result of an extra-marital affair between his mum, Peggy, and a black junior doctor from West Africa. To avoid scandal, Peggy told her family the baby was stillborn. Tim was then hidden in a baby home for almost a year before his mum ‘adopted’ him.

Tim learned the remarkable truth of his mother’s true identity when his mum revealed the shocking truth on the day of the Live Aid concert in 1985.

Where Are You Really From? is a moving account of racial prejudice, sectarian tensions and family secrets. It also recounts his exceptional relationship with his mother and his attempts to trace the father who abandoned him. (Source: Blackstaff Press.)

Read a long story at Timesonline

And see the book details at Blackstaffpress.com

Black Community Northern Ireland promotes positive images of Africa

The Afro-Community Support Organisation of Northern Ireland (ACSONI) has celebrated the launch of its European Commission funded project, 'Images and Messages of Africa from an African Perspective'.

This programme is a joint initiative between the Africa Centre, Slovenia and the Africa Centre in Dublin. It is aimed at building the capacity of Africans and raising awareness of issues fuelling the migration of Africans to Europe and recognises that Northern Ireland also faces the challenges of an emerging intercultural society, there are pockets of the population which struggle with accepting people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

The Afro-Community is one of the largest Minority Ethnic Communities in Northern Ireland (1,126 people, 2001 Census, that today is estimated in excess of 6,000) while information on the life and experiences of African, Caribbean and other Afro-descendants in Northern Ireland is virtually non-existent. (Source: 4n.co.uk)

See website for more information: http://www.acsoni.org/

UK Survey: Skin Tone, Black Identity and Self Esteem

Please choose the skin colour that you would perfer to have.

What's the relationship between skin tone, black identity and self esteem? That's the question a UK research program aims to explore. People who live in the UK and are black or mixed race can take the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com.

The survey is conducted by Akaysha Browne who is principal investigator at the Brunel University (UK).

The main aim of this study is to examine whether or not there is a relationship between one’s level of black identity, skin tone and self esteem. This study also looked at whether perceived ethnic discrimination has an influence on the way in which individuals perceive skin tone and their personal satisfaction with their own skin tone. The study also aimed to look at whether there was a gender or an age difference in the perception and satisfaction of differing skin tones in Britain.

The survey referred to some other studies on this topic:

Black Beauty: Skin Colour and body images among African American college women (1992)

Perceptions of and preferences for skin Color, Black racial identity, and self esteem among African Americans

The blacker the berry: Gender, skin tone, self esteem and self-efficacy.

Very thought provoking questionnaire. Here are some of the questions and my answers:

It is important for Black people to surround their children with Black art, music and literature.
Of course.

Because Britain is predominately white, it is important that Blacks go to White schools so that they can gain experience interacting with Whites.
I think that mixed schools are better. Having black teachers on a school is also very important.

Please choose the colour that most resembles your actual facial skin colour. It depents of the time of the year.

Lura will perform at Jazz Touraine 2010 on September 17 (France)

Portuguese singer Lura will perform at French Festival Jazz Touraine 2010 on September 17

Lura, born Maria de Lurdes Assunção Pina (1975) is a singer and musician. Born in Portugal to Cape-Verdean parents, she considers herself as a Cape-Verdean.

Lura stands at the crossroads of Portuguese and Cape Verdean culture. Growing up in the Creole quarter of Lisbon, Lura was surrounded by beats from the leeward and windward islands, as well as Portugal’s pop, jazz, African music and American soul.

The song "Quebrod Nem Djosa" from the album Eclipse.



Yet she also felt intensely drawn to the African archipelago that her parents had been forced to leave, and determined to reclaim for herself. Today, all these influences are to be found on Eclipse. The album expresses love, joy and sometimes sadness. Its thirteen new tracks display incredible energy as well as Lura’s burgeoning songwriting skills. (Source 4Q)

Film "Enjoy Poverty" from Dutch artist Renzo Martens

Dutch artist and filmmaker Renzo Martens made the provocative film Enjoy Poverty, Episode III (2009). In the film Martens proposes to a group of Congolese photographers that they should take pictures of war corpses, raped women, and malnourished children--just as Western journalists do.

Martens's provocative position is that poverty is Africa's most important export product, and the poor should learn how to profit from it. ENJOY POVERTY PLEASE, reads the bright neon sign Martens shamelessly brings in to the remotest villages; it also serves as the title of the ninety-minute video he shot in the Democratic Republic of Congo. (source Arts Publication)

An interview with Martens


The interesting part is that Renzo Martens is also making money with his film, it kept him up and running for four years. When asked in an interview if he had shared the money with the poor people in Congo he replied that it was a "private" matter and not really relevant.

To be honest, I really don't know what to make of this film. Is it an eye opener, or is it just a cheap attempt of a filmmaker to exploit poverty?

Renzo Martens is exhibiting in the temporary program of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, which runs from 28 August 2010 – 9 January 2011.

Jenny Alpha, an icon of French Caribbean culture dies at 100

Martinican actress and singer Jenny Alpha (1910-2010), a leading exponent of Creole culture, died Wednesday, September 8, at the age of 100.

Her fight for recognition of Creole culture and her incredible talent as an actress and singer were celebrated with a Honour Trophy award on September 21, 2009 at the 4th Awards of the French “Trophées des Arts Afro-Caribéens”.

An icon of Martinique has gone to join her old friends, Duke Ellington, Aime Cesaire, Josephine Baker, and many others.

The blog Repeating Islands wrote: The announcement of her death has prompted many reactions in France and overseas. Overseas Minister Marie-Luce Penchard praised the “exceptional and talented woman” that Jenny Alpha has been; ministerial delegate



Patrick Karam recalled the “talent and elegance of one of the greatest overseas artists of the 20th century.” Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, traveling to the Caribbean, paid tribute to “a pioneer of the arts” who “made her life a struggle for black women to have their full rights.”

Jean-François Lamour and Philippe Goujon, deputies from the 15th arrondissement, where the actress lived, expressed that she “embodied with panache the richness of French cultural life of the 20th century, at the crossroads of multiple influences.” And President of the General Council of Martinique Claude Lise praised “the exceptional trajectory of an artist of outstanding standards” with a “talent that overcame all difficulties and all prejudices.” Read more here

A child of the diaspora has died. Jenny Alpha, rest in peace.

Sweden's First Black Prime Minister?

Sweden's Minister of integration Nyamko Ana Sabuni (1969), currently serving as Swedish Minister for Integration and Gender Equality , wants to become Prime Minister of Sweden. But does she really have chance to become the female Barack Obama of Europe, or is it just a political daydream?

The Times wrote about her: Ms Sabuni has never made any secret of her ambition to be Sweden’s first black Prime Minister. Some see parallels between her and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somali refugee who renounced Islam, became a Dutch MP and spoke out against the religion, only to relocate in the US after a row about her asylum application.

“We are compared because we are both young, we are both black, we are both politicians,” Ms Sabuni said. “The mission of Ayaan is to reform Islam. My mission is not to reform Islam, my mission is to say that certain traditions are unacceptable. ” Read: Young, black, Swedish – the minister for controversy.



On Zuseeko's official Blog I read a very interesting opinion about Sabuni and her ambition. You can read part of it below.

“
Despite the recent Increase in "White Power" Groups and outright Violation of Civil Rights in the Scandinavian country. This might come as a surprise to you because you probably think Sweden would be one of the last countries in Europe to have a person of African descent occupy the highest office in the land - Office of the Prime Minister. You're wrong!

It is worth mentioning that despite Sweden's generosity, there is a glass ceiling all across the continent. The odds of a person of "color" becoming Sweden's prime minister anytime soon are slim, but make no mistake - Sabuni might as well be setting the stage. When Barack Obama claimed victory in November 2008, he said his presence on the stage was unlikely and that in no other country on Earth is his story even possible. Could this be true? Is it impossible for a person of African descent to be in the realm of political power in a country in Europe? Read more on Zuseeko's official Blog

”
It is interesting that she is compared with Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Black people in Sweden – An African American experience

“African and African Diasporans have been living in Sweden since the 1300s,” writes Madubuko A. Robinson Diakité in his briefing ‘Afro Diasporians in Sweden, An unfinished History’ (2005). Diakité is a US born Swedish human rights lawyer and academic who has lived in Sweden since 1968.

His briefing is about Sweden’s “Blue men” during slavery, the African-American experience from the 1960s until today, and about the new arrived African immigrants in Sweden. In the intro he writes: “It's the result of many personal interviews and oral histories I have listened to with people here since my arrival in 1968.”

See snippets of the document below and download the pdf-document here.

M. A. Robinson Diakité is also Publisher and Managing Editor of a English University magazine entitled The Lundiun . A must read for everyone who is interested in Sweden.

Snippets of Afro Diasporians in Sweden

Post World War II arrivals

During 1950s and 60s, most African Americans who came to reside did so to join Family members (wives, husbands), or in the promotion of their arts. Also Jazz musicians, choreographers and others came during that time and made a lasting contribution to the development of post-ware Swedish artist, dancers and singers.

Bad Icons

It has been estimated that during the Vietnam era, between 600 and 800 US deserters came to Sweden, and appromatitely 15% of these were African American. [Unfortunately some of them became bad icons, because they were involveld in criminal activities.]

When president Jimmy Carter's Amnesty was adopted most of deseters returned home, Today, there are only a few (less than 20) African American military deserters living in Sweden.

African American Business in Sweden

One of the success stories is the language school and translation company from New Orleons native Ronald B. Antoine. The company was founded in 1970 and expanded in the period of 1971- 1980.

The end of A love affair

The handfull of African American in Sweden who live here today seem to be well assimilated even though they are, like other non-European immigrants, the victims of ethnic discrimination on the job and housing markets. To earn of living most of us have either low-level service-oriented job, are engaged in the production of fine art, or are on disability pensions for one reason or another.

New and recent arrivals

Today's fresh arrivals of African Americans are nearly all young men who are employed for their skills at basketball to work as coaches or team members. But this a skills-bank which is not open to other sports where African American have a high profile such as boxing or track.

Many members of the older generation now have children who, because they attend elementary school here and may have one Swedish parent, have integrated into Swedish society better then they did. But there are also those whose now grown children have left Sweden because they failed to find their place in Sweden society.

However, there are some succes stories too: the country's most popular Rap artist, Timbuktu, is an African American by parentage (both parents are Americans: one black, one white). [His real name is Jason Michael Robinson Diakité, he is the son of the author.]




Africans and African Diasporans have a long, intensive history in Sweden, and have left many legacies. Scores of Swedish singers, musicians and civil rights activist proudly tell long stories of the contributions that African American dances and musicians made to their own interpretations of the arts and cultures. But these stories are never written in Swedish history books.

The older generation of African and Diasporians in Sweden is aging and passing on. The new generation, consisting largely of political refugees from Sub-Saharan Africa and their families, are beginning to enter the political arena, albeit slowly. The national election of 2001 saw the election of two Sub-Saharan Africans to the Swedish Parliament. [One of them is of course Nyamko Sabuni (politician, currently serving as Minister for Integration and Gender Equality in the Swedish government)]

Some links:

African immigrants to Sweden (Wikipedia)
Urban Life (portal for the Afro-Swedish community)

Nikyatu Jusu- Winner of the Shadow And Act Filmmaker Challenge

Under the Mush interview with Nikyatu Jusu
The winner of the Shadow And Act $3300 Filmmaker Challenge is Nikyatu Jusu, and her screenplay tentatively titled Black Swan Theory. See the video for a recent Under the Mush interview with Nikyatu.

About Nikyatu Jusu, in her own words: “Originally bred in Atlanta, Georgia to Sierra Leonean parents, Writer/Director Nikyatu Jusu is an MFA candidate at New York University’s graduate film program. Her second short film, African Booty Scratcher garnered her a Director’s Guild Honorable Mention, HBO Short Film Award and JT3 Artist Award.

Nikyatu is currently touring the festival circuit with her thesis film, Say Grace Before Drowning; the screenplay alone earned her a Spike Lee Scholarship and a Princess Grace Foundation-US Graduate Film Scholarship. Because she has a preoccupation with foreigners, damaged women and the contradictory nature of humanity, these themes presently permeate her work.”

About the contest: The Shadow And Act Filmmaker Challenge is a contest of the US black Film and Media Blog Shadow and Act. Every 3 to 4 months, A MINIMUM of $1,200 will go towards the funding of a 3 to 10 minute short film by a filmmaker of African descent, with a story about people of African descent, based on their own original idea.

The contest is only open to US filmmakers, but it's likely they will expand to other regions over time. Some international donations may speed up the process of course. Read more here.

The Screenplay

The Black Swan Theory synopsis: A psychiatric casualty of war, recently returned to the US, Sonya’s imagined sense of normalcy crumbles around her; she must hunt or become the hunted.

About the screenplay she explains: “I’m always intrigued with black women in settings that are typically not seen as conducive to their presence: for instance a former US Soldier struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. We rarely, if ever, hear about the experiences of black women who have fought for this country and I thought it would be interesting to explore such a character in the context of an attempted return to normalcy–when normalcy is no longer definable. I hope to convey a woman battling both her own private demons and the demons of war. I’m also very influenced by graphic novels and have been craving a black female heroine.”

Read more about her film and the Shadow And Act Black Filmmaker Challenge here.

See also the 2010 Shadow And Act Black Filmmakers To Watch list, here.