From January - June 2008
More arts features
Artists in Tanzania are hoping that their unique style of painting called Tingatinga, could soon become an international brand with their work selling for thousands of US dollars rather than thousands of Tanzanian shillings. Daniel Dickinson went to meet some of the artists to find out how they intend to make their art a valuable export commodity.
Molora, conceived and directed by Yael Farber, is an adaptation of the classical Greek tragedy, the Oresteia, to a South African setting. Catherine Fellows spoke to actors Dorothy Ann Gould and Jabulile Tshabalala when Molora was on stage here in London's Barbican. She started by asking them if they felt the analogy between the Greek Oreisteia and the South African experience worked.
For the first time in history there will be a black man standing in the United States presidential election. Enthusiasm for the Democratic party candidate, Barack Obama has spread both inside and outside the country, and musicians worldwide have also expressed excitement at the prospect of a black American president. Catherine Fellows takes us on a musical tour of some of the tracks he has inspired.
Senegalese musician Wasis Diop has released a new album called Judu Bek, it means full of joy. Bola Mosuro spoke to Wasis Diop about his new album.
A young Nigerian writer, Sade Adeniran has won the Best First Book (Africa) category of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Awards announced at the Franschhoek Literary festival in South Africa. Sade came to our Bush House studios to talk to Bola Mosuro about the award and her winning book, Imagine This.
Asa (Asha) - means hawk in Yoruba and is a childhood nickname that stuck to one of Nigeria's rising musical stars. She's just played a sold out concert in London. It was the first concert she's performed since her eponymous debut album was released and the crowd went wild. Asa came to our Bush House studios and spoke to Bola Mosuro.
Dieu Merci Mapumba Cilombo is a Congolese musician based in Cape Town. He has a unique style with a distinct pan-African flavour and his record label, Putumayo, has selected him to go on 20 city tour of the US and Canada to promote its showcase 'African Party' and 'African Dreamland' compilation albums. Mapumba met Network's Nnamdi Moweta in Hollywood to talk about his music.
As part of the Abidjan International Short Film Festival a group of film makers in Ivory Coast have held screenings of five short films in the city's prison. The inmates there were shown films from across Africa dealing with themes like family life and HIV and Aids,John James went along have a look.
Author Dinaw Mengestu was one of many Ethiopians who fled their country during the Red Terror in the 1970s. Though he was only two years-old at the time, events which occurred when Ethiopia was ruled by the oppressive Derg regime under Mengistu Haile Mariam, have played much in his work as a writer.
In his novel Children of the Revolution the main character Sepha flees the horrors perpetrated by Derg authorities. Sepha witnessed the brutal beating and disappearance of his father; and encouraged by his mother he leaves Ethiopia for a new life in the United States. But his new life is challenging in a different way.
On Network Africa,Bola Mosuro asked Dinaw Mengestu if he had felt an obligation to write about the impact of the Derg?
In Sierra Leone, a controversial song released by local musician Buberry is causing quite a stir. Kor-Bukor, the title of the song, means in a local dialect Temne "Go and wash" or "Go and have your shower." Now, "Kor-Bukor" is being used to taunt people and has provoked incidents of violent retaliation. The song remains very popular.Lansana Fofana met Buberry, the artist behind the song in Freetown.
Traditionally in Morocco Berber women - and sometimes men - used to get tattoos, but the practice has been dying out in recent times because increasingly it's considered un-Islamic to alter the body. Tattoos are seen as a defilement. James Copnall and BBC colleague Merieme Addou headed off to the weekly market in the small village of Ait Wahi to meet some women who have been decorated in tattoos.
End of Section
