Meanwhile elsewhere in Slavland...#3

a view on the way to Prague Castle - 2009

While you're waiting for this blog to maybe one day come back to life, I strongly suggest you turn your attention to my fellow African-American sister in Slavland, Ms. Tinu a.k.a. Black Girl in Prague, who has just done something I've been DYING to do for ages...she started a podcast! Her first interview is with Prague-based American expat jazz singer Lee Davison and is sharp, smart, and funny. Just like her*!

Don't just sit there, click over!

*She's also a gorgeous girl, so y'all gotta start sending around the petition for her to add a v-cast component ;)

Wait! What? A Brother IS Mayor in Slovenia?!

As the conclusion to our ongoing posts "Wait! What? A Brother Running For Mayor in Slovenia?!" (1, 2). I just want to report to you what the UK newspaper The Guardian has already splayed across their own pages....

DR. PETER BOSSMAN IS THE FIRST BLACK MAYOR IN SLOVENIA!!!!



As he said on BBC World Service this morning, "It will take some time to see if there will be any real change."

All who know me, know that I'm not holding my breath. I'm just celebrating.

Sara Rajh, architect

Just came across another fascinating young Afro-Slovenian.

This lovely woman is Sara Rajh, a Ghanaian-Slovenian architect who enjoys the richness of her Hungarian, Slovenian, and Ghanaian heritages.


Sara Rajh with her husband, the academic sculptor Jürgen Rajh - photo credit

She was raised in northeastern Slovenia and now calls the Austrian town of Graz her home, but still works on projects in Slovenia and with family and associates in Ghana. Among her many endeavours has been: the establishment of a Slovenian association in Graz (which already had quite a large Slovenian population), working on the local radio station, organizing fund-raising exhibitions of Ghanaian jewelry/artistry, and developing an eco-farm in northeastern Slovenia (one of the most economically depressed regions in the country). All this from a woman that the article (Slovenian-language only) describes as "a true little miracle in a Slovenian countryside where no one had ever seen a dark-skinned person up close before."* Bravo and best wishes to you Ms. Rajh!


* As regular readers may have already noted, there is a lack of tact here, especially as regards race.

Update on Wait! What? A Brother Running For Mayor In Slovenia

Quick follow up to July's post Wait! What? A Brother Running For Mayor In Slovenia ....

According to news reports (Slovenian only), Slovenian-based Ghanaian doctor and politician Peter Bossman was in the lead with over 30% of votes after yesterday's election to become mayor of the lovely seaside town of Piran. The race will now go into run-offs against the current sitting mayor (who had just over 20%) of the vote. Here's hoping Dr. Bossman makes it all the way through and becomes the first black* mayor in Slovenia! Let's goooooo!

In further news, journalist Vlado Miheljak puts forth a more ambitious proposition..."Peter Bossman For President" and much mudslinging in the comments ensues! (Slovenian only)

*yes, say BLACK/črn not temnopolt/ "dark-skinned". Black comes in many shades (from light to dark) and is an experience, not just a state of melanin.

Meanwhile elsewhere in Slavland...

Interesting news slightly late off the presses from Slavland North (aka Russia)

Jean Gregoire Sagbo Becomes First Black Politician Elected In Russia
KRISTINA NARIZHNAYA | 07/25/10 09:22 AM | AP



NOVOZAVIDOVO, Russia — People in this Russian town used to stare at Jean Gregoire Sagbo because they had never seen a black man. Now they say they see in him something equally rare — an honest politician.

Sagbo last month became the first black to be elected to office in Russia.

In a country where racism is entrenched and often violent, Sagbo's election as one of Novozavidovo's 10 municipal councilors is a milestone. But among the town's 10,000 people, the 48-year-old from the West African country of Benin is viewed simply as a Russian who cares about his hometown.

Read the rest here....

Congrats to Mr. Sagbo and Good Luck Brothaman!

Scratch That ,Slovenia

Well I know I was all in favor of how humble the Slovenian players were the other day, but after watching the nervous way they played against England last week, I am going to have to sorta scratch what I said. When you are in competition, you gotta come with your game face. The field of battle is not the time to let your anxieties hang out. Slovenia certainly played hard and well, but I can't help feeling they could have done more with the right mind set. And so, I recommend that next time around Slovenia get a non-Slovenian coach.... May I present Mr. Ricky Bobby....

Nora Chipaumire in Ljubljana's City of Women

On Saturday, I took my friend Pat from Zimbabwe into Ljubljana to see a dancer from Zimbabwe. The performance was a shortened lower-fi version of Nora Chipaumire's Chimurenga.I thought it was a little too short, but The Captain thought that 30 minutes was all he could handle. Pat found it very moving, as did I.

Anyway, we met up with Nora (who was gorgeous) afterwards and then this other guy from Zimbabwe showed up and there was this impromptu Zimbabwean lovefest and Pat was teary-eyed since she hadn't seen any other Zimbabweans since she had to flee the country (and landed in Radovljica) a few years back.

Thanks to Mesto Žensk (City of Women) for organizing the event and facilitating the Zimbabwean expat lovefest.


Nora again, because...why not?

The Danger of A Single Story

In response to this, but also something to keep in mind when reading this blog.

Thanks for posting this Whitney!

Of All The Bad Ideas...

Yesterday night, I was walking through the center of Ljubljana when I came across UNICEF's latest campaign, "Help Get Rwandan Kids off the street". The first image I saw was a big sticker over a bus shelter which featured the slogan up top and then a "Rwandan person" laying down writhing in pain at the bottom. I thought "Hey, this is dumb" and then walked off.

When I walked a little further I came upon this little fella.


A cardboard cutout of a Rwandan boy supposedly called "Eric".

The street ahead was filled with these young'uns. It was beyond bizarre.



I even saw a stack of back up "kids" laying in a side alley in case the originals got vandalized or someone decided to go Madonna with one.

They weren't joking when they said "get them off the street". The direct implication being, "You, nice white person, give us some money and we'll get these black kids out of your way."

I am annoyed by this on two fronts, first the idea that the black presence on Slovenian streets is posited in this way -- some sad, dirty, unfortunate character who needs handouts from white Europeans. Secondly, considering there are almost no black people in this country and many Slovenians can't help but stare and isolate the black people they do see, I can't imagine this ploy working. As a matter of fact, I think it far more likely that the cardboard kids will get tired of being gawked at and having their hair touched and just up and walk away...

A Slovenian In Uganda

Yesterday on Vest, there was a nice profile of Slovenian Miha Logar* and his beautiful wife/business partner Pamela Kanyunyuzi, founders of Ugandan-based free-trade workshop/tourism/education/multimedia company Edirisa. They are currently here in Slovenia conducting workshops and working with Slovenian students to educate them on the work and talk about developing new products.

See the interview below(which is mostly in English)& click above to read about Edirisa


*I'm gonna forgive him for calling his kids "our two little mulattoes", but only once. Good thing they live in Africa...

A Slovenian In Ghana

I just opened The Captain's favorite weekend news insert Sobotna Priloga (think New York Times magazine) and am in the middle of slowly reading an article about a wonderful Slovenian woman called Barbara Bizovičar who has retired to Ghana and runs her own little retreat, Barbara's Village! I was supposed to go "back home" this year, but my money is --erm -- tied up in other investments at the moment. However, when me and The Captain can count up enough pennies. We will be there and will certainly visit Gospa Bizovičar!

Here are some images







More gorgeous pictures here !

*Incidentally, it seems Mrs. Bizovičar is the mother of one of the hosts of my least favorite show in Slovenia, but luckily he is the other host (the one who has yet to really offend me).

Oh Dear!

I got up early because I couldn't sleep and this video came upon the screen. Everyone involved in this video needs to get slapped....hard. I'd be more than happy to do it. I've slapped people for lesser offenses.

Sandra Auer - Vroče Kakor Afrika (Hot Like Africa)





File under: White People What We Gon' Do With You?, What Were They Thinking?, Black people who are out they minds.

WOW WOW WOW

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW









WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW

Dar Fur: War for Water

Slovenian writer and activist Tomo Križnar, who I've briefly mentioned before, recently premiered his documentary Dar Fur: War For Water here in Slovenia. The film has been getting a lot of press and even showed at Cannes Film Festival. The Captain and I are planning to go see it this week. Here is an older version of the preview.



Also, if you are in Slovenia, there will be a benefit concert at Festivalna Dvorana this Wednesday (5th November)featuring such great talents as Vlado Kreslin and(my favorite) Maša Kagao Knez.

Hip Hop iz Slovenije

While I am unapologetically in the school of thought that (save a few choice MC Solaar tracks) the only good rappers are American, I didn't want that opinion to stand in the way of me giving props to a young creative brother in our all-too-tiny community of African people in Slovenia. I had the chance to see a brief performance by Murat & Jose at the very wonderful opening of Kolovrateater in Ljubljana on Friday night, and I gotta give them props for doing an earnest job of things.


In case you're wondering, Jose's father comes from the country of Burundi (don't be ashamed I had to recheck where it was on the map too).

Here's one of their videos for their track "Postan ti sam".

More Maša

Don't mind me, I am just posting more Maša Kagao Knez, because this girl is THE BUSINESS.



She is doing free dance classes this weekend as part of Trnfest, so I think I am gonna go over there and get all fan girl on her. Join me if you're in town!

Maša Kagao Knez

Just read an interview (in a Slovenian magazine) with the extraordinary dancer, actress, choreograher Maša Kagao Knez who is Slovenian and a sista!
Check out some of her dancing and choreography below and if you are in town next month check her dance classes out at Trnfest (KUD France Prešeren).
Spoštovanje! (Respect!)

Africa + Balkans =

I am stealing this post from my new blog, but only cause its appropriate here.

Just grabbed this great mix off of the fabulous Masalacism blog. West Africa (where my mother is from) and the Balkans (where I live) come together to make a sweet track.

Grandpamini- Les Princes du Tiers-Monde (direct dowload)

BTW, I am DYING to dance. I think I am going to have to find somewhere to DJ once a week.

The Great Escape!

These past few days have marked the one year anniversary of my first visit to Slovenia. Conveniently, the past few days have also been national holidays here. In honor of all these momentous occasions, I am following the cue of everyone else and getting out of Slovenia. The Captain, Captain's Mama (CapMom), and I are going on the annual 1st May trip to Munich. This will be my first ever trip to Germany, and my mother informs me I will be shocked at the cleanliness. As per habit, I will certainly be traipsing those glisteningly clean streets in search of all the purchasables that I cannot purchase here. Expect a full report-back next week.

In the meantime, I just came across this link to Tuesday's United States Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission)'s hearing on The State of (In)visible Black Europe: Race, Rights & Politics...if anyone is looking for any light holiday reading.

Oh and congrats to Congolese-born Jean-Leonard Touadi (former deputy mayor of Rome) for becoming Italy (our neighbor to the west) 's first black MP. Africa is on the move!

Errr, Thanks Mom

I love that The Captain's mom always runs over to tell me when she sees any Africans (or Slovene speaking Americans) on television. This is exactly what my own mother does any time I go home for visit (and what she did all throughout my childhood), "CAMILLE, COME LOOK!"

Anyway, as a result of such beckoning I ended up watching Die Weisse Masai (The White Masai) last night. This movie was a hot racist mess of the highest order, but darn if I didn't keep watching. It was totally guilty entertainment with pretty good cinematography.


Hey, they made a sequel to Mandingo? No.

This movie is supposedly one Swiss woman's "true story" of going to live with this (mostly mute and mildly insane) Masai(actually he was Samburu not Masai) man in his village with no running water or electricity. As far as I can tell, this woman was never in love at all, she just seemed to be fascinated with the "exoticness" and mostly just plumb out of her mind. And of course, as is the case with films like this the African people get a bad rap as being corrupt, backwards, irrational, and stubborn....but (on the bright side?)they are surprisingly phenomenal lovers (oh dear, good grief).

While there were a few moments early on in the movie where the woman's experience resonated with my own, I hope people don't think I'm anything like her. I am not here for some exotic party or to come up with a story I can sell for a fat book advance. I love The Captain and all but... no talking? no electricity? no water? living in a mud hut? Not happenin, my man. Anyone who goes into some dumb mess like that does not deserve a movie made about them, they need a swift kick in the pants.

So anyway, I don't recommend this movie. In fact, I un-recommend it, so if you choose to watch it don't come whining to me because you've been warned.

BTW, you can read a good, but not scathing enough, review of the film here).