Beautiful Africa 9th edition

Welcome to the 9th edition of Beautiful Africa. Even though the editions might come a bit less regularly - we do plan to publish one every two months so keep sending in the posts.

This edition includes amongst others a solar cooker recipe, writings by three very talented bloggers, you can also spend some time discovering South Africa's wildlife, get to see the Olive-backed forest robin, a newly spotted bird species from Gabon, read a post about South African jazz and also about a Malian Wassoulou musician. We do have some new contributors as well as our regular bloggers adding to the mix. Sit back and enjoy!

Personal experiences

Let's start with one of Esther's favourite posts the 'Sauce de Tanout' Solar Cooker Recipe posted at esthergarvi.com. Esthers intro goes : "The Eden farmers and their families mix the cooked Maerua crassifolia leaves with crushed peanuts, decorate with an onion and sell it in the village. There is a lot of money to be made this way, because the meal is good! And so when making one of the two casseroles I was going to serve with the Boscia senegalensis grains a few nights ago, I did my very own take on the choice of ingredients favoured by the Eden farmers, and hence the name of the casserole: Sauce de Tanout. "

My pick as a special personal experience is Abri's entire blog, Uit die Blou van Onse Hemel - it being a collection of photos as Abri and his friend flew from Cape Town to Potchefstroom in a helicopter and decided to live-blog it all. "Two helicopter pilots on a crazy trip through and around South Africa with a Robinson 44. Our final destination is Potchefstroom where we will stay a few days before we hit the sky again to our home sweet home the Cape of Good Hope." Click to visit the blog and see their journey.



Music of Africa

From Tony's place read Kwa Tebugo - jazz coming home. "After more than 30 years, a South African musician who has achieved great acclaim in Britain and Europe is coming back to get the land of his birth jumping with the power of his backbeat."



Next find out about The Songbird of Wassoulou posted at Szavanna_blog. "Oumou Sangare (born February 25, 1968, in Bamako, Mali) is a Malian Wassoulou musician, sometimes referred to as “The Songbird of Wassoulou.” Wassoulou is a historic region south of the Niger River, and the music there is descended from traditional hunting songs, and is accompanied by a calabash."


Sights of Africa


Next up is Pilanesberg posted at Szavanna_blog. This is a small photoalbum introducing you to the park. "Pilanesberg Game Reserve is in the Bojanala Region of the North West Province, adjacent to Sun City. Set in the crater of a long extinct volcano, the Park ranks among the largest of the parks in South Africa (it is in fact the fourth largest park) and covers an area of 55 000 hectare."

GrrlScientist presents New Bird Species Discovered in Gabon posted at Scienceblogs.com. "A new species of bird has been identified by ornithologists from the Smithsonian Institution. The bird, which was first discovered in Gabon, a small country in Africa, was unknown to the scientific community until now. Interestingly, this species is part of a larger group of closely-related birds in southwest Gabon known as the Gamba Complex."




Creative Writing

Loomnie submitted his Fola, A Short Story posted at Loomnie.com. "Fola stood before her father’s sickbed, staring at him with what seemed like rapt attention but she wasn’t seeing anything. As she stood staring, her feelings traversed the fields of sympathy, pity, disgust, and anger. These feelings were so deep that the images they called-up in her mind were so overwhelming she felt they would choke her if she didn’t run out of the hospital ward." Click to read on ...

Rushay's Bpm and therapy in one session is next posted at Rushay.org. His post speaks of itself - here is the start : "Instinctively walking the path to rhythmic drum woven beats thats been manipulated digitally and fed to hungry Africans over decades have left us malnutritioned.I have given this so much thought,how music feeds a world thats hungry not just to move the body but also to feed and sustain the soul."

Tauratinzwe concludes the list of posts with Mr Bean posted at Observations of Africa. It goes : "One day Baba Nyemba went to town to get some meat. At the butcher shop he saw a nice piece of steak in the window that was just what he wanted." Read on to find out Baba Nyembas day at the butcher shop.

Mr Bean's story ends this edition. Thank you so much once again for your contributions!
Submit your blog article to the next edition of beautiful africa using the carnival submission form. Help us make this blog represent all parts of Africa - if you know of a post that would fit the idea behind this carnival - please make sure you let us know about it!

many greetings to all, keep blogging!

Szavanna & BA Team

I take part in putting together the editions of the Beautiful Africa blog - have a peak at the latest edition :

Personal experiences

Tim Abbott is first with Teddy Landrover posted at Walking the Berkshires, saying, "A tribite to our old landrover, and the extraordinary friendship it allowed us to establish with Namibian bush mechanics."

Esther presents Today, 20 years ago posted at her blog at esthergarvi.com "This very day, twenty years ago, I was visiting the field station with my family to see the development of the new mud buildings that Eden was setting up in Dalli, 13 km south of Tanout city. Although the buildings themselves were nice, the field station did not make that much of an impression on my seven year old mind. "

Loomnie's post is last in this section with Yoruba and English, Yoruba and French posted at Loomnie.com . "It is always interesting to speak Yoruba with Beninese Yoruba speakers. I – like most Nigerian Yoruba speakers – don’t speak Yoruba without code-mixing, and the other language in the mélange is almost always English."

Culture and tradition

Peter Jones presents Midwifery in Mali: Working with the Indigenous Minianka People posted at Indigenous Issues Today. This book review is about Monique and the mango rains - Kris Holloway’s Peace Corps experience among the Minianka indigenous peoples in Mali’s southeastern region near the Burkina Faso border. Peter writes : "The relationship between Fatumata and Monique is what makes this book succeed as it offers a unique glimpse into the day-to-day lives of the Minianka indigenous people and their contemporary struggles. The rarity of this glimpse is that we are given access to a component of Minianka life not often shared with the outside world – the inner realm of womanhood, midwifery, and childbirth."

Arts

Tauratinzwe sent us A Little Art Work posted at Observations of Africa, saying, "Lacking artistic talent myself, I can only enjoy and envy the work of those who are talented."




Sounds of Africa

My pick for this edition's music section comes from naijajams.com, a great blog for all those interested in Nigerian music - Yoruba Bata - A Living Drum and Dance Tradition from Nigeria . The YouTube description says : "Introduction to Yoruba Bata Performance as practiced in Erin-Osun, Nigeria. Featuring Lamidi Ayankunle, master Bata drummer from Erin-Osun."

Szavanna's contribution to this section is Abdullah Ibrahim's classic piece - Mannenberg posted at Szavanna_blog. The YouTube description goes : "For the first time ever, Abdullah Ibrahim, formally known as Dollar Brand, went to Robin Island, where Mandela was imprisoned. All forms of music were banned. A lawyer smuggled one of Abdullah’s songs into the control room, blocked the doors and played it over the loud speakers. Mandela’s first sound of music in decades. "

Sights of Africa

To end this edition have a look at The wild flowers of Namaqualand posted at Szavanna_blog. "Namaqualand in the north-west of South Africa is a sunburnt and barren semi-desert. But that changes dramatically in spring, when after a short rainy season the countless wildflowers spread over the wide plains like a colourful carpet."

That concludes this edition. Thank you for your contributions!
Submit your blog article to the next edition of beautiful africa using the carnival submission form.

Help us make this a great resource - please contact us if you come across great posts and bloggers that could be possible contributors to this carnival in the future.

Warm greetings and happy blogging,

Szavanna & BA Team

Margie has just posted this letter - I never really post mails like this but I felt it was necessary to listen - and get more conscious about what is goin on :

Letter from Zimbabwe sent in by John Winter

I reckon that these are the last days of TKM and ZPF. The darkest hour is always before dawn.
We are all terrified at what they are going to destroy next……..I mean they are actually ploughing down brick and mortar houses and one white family with twin boys of 10 had no chance of salvaging anything when100 riot police came in with AK47's and bulldozers and demolished their beautiful house - 5 bedrooms and pine ceilings - because it was “too close to the airport”, so we are feeling extremely insecure right now.

You know - I am aware that this does not help you sleep at night, but if you do not know - how can you help? Even if you put us in your own mental ring of light and send your guardian angels to be with us - that is a help - but I feel so cut off from you all knowing I cannot tell you what's going on here simply because you will feel uncomfortable. There is no ways we can leave here so that is not an option.

I ask that you all pray for us in the way that you know how, and let me know that you are thinking of us and sending out positive vibes… that's all. You can't just be in denial and pretend/believe it's not going on.
To be frank with you, it's genocide in the making and if you do not believe me, read the Genocide Report by Amnesty International which says we are - IN level 7 - (level 8 is after it's happened and everyone is in
denial).

If you don't want me to tell you these things-how bad it is-then it means you have not dealt with your own fear, but it does not help me to think you are turning your back on our situation. We need you, please, to get the news OUT that we are all in a fearfully dangerous situation here. Too many people turn their backs and say - oh well, that's what happens in Africa. This Government has GONE MAD and you need to help us publicize our plight— or how can we be rescued? It's a reality! The petrol queues are a reality, the pall of smoke all around our city is a reality, the thousands of homeless people sleeping outside in 0 Celsius with no food, water, shelter and bedding are a reality. Today a family approached me, brother of the gardener's wife with two small children. Their home was trashed and they will have to sleep
outside. We already support 8 adult people and a child on this property, and electricity is going up next month by 250% as is water.

How can I take on another family of 4 —–and yet how can I turn them away to sleep out in the open?
I am not asking you for money or a ticket out of here - I am asking you to FACE the fact that we are in deep and terrible danger and want you please to pass on our news and pictures. So PLEASE don't just press the delete button! Help best in the way that you know how.

Do face the reality of what is going on here and help us SEND OUT THE WORD.. The more people who know about it, the more chance we have of the United Nations coming to our aid. Please don't ignore or deny what's happening. Some would like to be protected from the truth BUT then, if we are eliminated, how would you feel? “If only we knew how bad it really was we could have helped in some way”.
[I know we chose to stay here and that some feel we deserve what's coming to us]
For now,— we ourselves have food, shelter, a little fuel and a bit of money for the next meal - but what is going to happen next? Will they start on our houses? All property is going to belong to the State now. I want to send out my Title Deeds to one of you because if they get a hold of those, I can't fight for my rights.

Censorship!—-We no longer have SW radio [which told us everything that was happening] because the Government jammed it out of existence - we don't have any reporters, and no one is allowed to photograph. If we had reporters here, they would have an absolute field day. Even the pro-Government Herald has written that people are shocked, stunned, bewildered and blown mindless by the wanton destruction of many folks homes, which are supposed to be 'illegal' but for which a huge percentage actually do have licenses.

Please! - do have some compassion and HELP by sending out the articles and personal reports so that something can/may be done. “I am one. I cannot do everything, —but I can do something.. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do.” - Edward Everett Hale

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Quite some time ago I put together a few questions for Ishtar on solar cooking. Today I was happy to see that the answers arrived Thanks so much Ishtar! I really enjoyed reading all about it - of course Ishtar by now has a number of solar cooking recipes on her blog - click to see the list to get familiar with the basics.

Photo from esthergarvi.com

… and here is the Peopleized interview about solar cooking :

Solar Africa - Ishtar’s thoughts on using solar energy

Peopleized by: Szavanna - Wednesday, 23 April 2008

Ishtar\’s thoughts on using solar cooking and solar energy in Niger

Szavanna: Hi there Ishtar, after that fantastic discussion on Ishtar basics in my previous interview ( and the intro about Niger and the Eden foundation) - let me carry on with a few questions on solar energy and solar ovens.

You say in your blog :

“So somewhere after supper, I normally go into the kitchen and put together what seems to be a good mix. I really enjoy cooking and the solar oven has been an intriguing challenge as you have to rethink, as slow cooked food needs to be positioned in a certain way, and you also have to think about differences in texture and moisture. The best thing about solar cooked food however is neither that it’s time consuming or cheap, but the amazing richness is taste that you get!”

Can you please tell us about your solar oven - how it works.

Ishtar: My solar oven is very simple! It’s a wooden box with a folded lid. You open the box, put in your black casserole, close the box, and then unfold a mirror like surface towards the sun. You then leave the solar oven until it’s time to get out your food. If something is cooking for a long time, then it might be a good idea to go turn the solar oven towards the sun (when then sun has moved) to get maximum solar energy.

Szavanna: Can you describe the whole process of making one of your favourite dishes in the oven - from starting with the ingredients, till you take out the finished meal from the oven.

Ishtar: My personal favourite is probably my green-curry & peanut casserole. On the night before, I just chop the veggies that I want to use, put them all in a black casserole and put it in the fridge over night. In the morning, I put the casserole in the solar oven and leave it for a number of hours. I will probably have set out another casserole as well with rice or sorghum. When the dish is done, I take it out and add some yoghurt, peanut butter, milk and Eden nuts - and there you have it! Ready to be served…

Szavanna: Here in South Africa I heard funny stories from some people using solar ovens in the townships. Since it takes a long time to cook the food - the oven has to stay in the sun for a long time unattended - and many occassions by the time one went back to check on the food in the solar oven - it was gone - I mean to food was gone - the oven was standing empty - does this ever happen to you when cooking ?

Ishtar: Lol, no that never happens because the solar cooker stands in the middle of our garden, and we have a good guard dog…

Szavanna: Using solar panels in Niger - how popular solar panels and solar ovens are in Niger - can this be a possible source of energy on a bigger scale?

Ishtar: I hear that Niger has the best hours of sunshine in the world, but solar panels and solar ovens are surprisingly scarce… It’s going to take a while to change the mindset, but that’s how all things develop in Africa - with patience!

Szavanna: In Africa lack of electricity is still a huge problem - what are your thoughts on possible solutions for providing electricity in all households?

Ishtar: I don’t see the need for electricity on the same level as the need for nutritious food and a healthy diet, so I’ll get back to you on that one when the kids in Niger have a surplus of food!

Ishtar’s Page: esthergarvi.com

Authors Page: Szavanna

powered by Peopleized!

I am busy helping a friend from India to create an online Suryayog community by building the Suryayog blog at http://suryayog.wordpress.com/ .

SuryaYog is an advanced Yoga that helps a common individual to merge (Laya) with Nature. Problems like excess sugar, high blood pressure, chest and heart problems, headache, skin cancer, asthma, spondylitis, eye problems, depression, lack of memory, lack of concentration & will power, phobias etc can be vaporized through regular SuryaYog Sadhana.

This is a beautiful song by Surya Swami - visit suryayog.wordpress.com for more info about him and Suryayog.




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Even wondered what the word "Irie" means? Ntate Lucky's song is explaining it all :

Feel Irie - Lucky Dube

How long shall you carry
That burden on your shoulders?
How long shall those tears
Keep running down
Your beautiful face?
We all have troubles
Now and again, know what I'm saying?
No matter how hard we try,
Trouble will find us one way or another.
People had troubles since the pope
Was an altar boy
People had worries from when the
Dead Sea was only wrinkled.
Hear those drums running and
Listen to those guitars skanking
Yeah... Put a smile on your face
Don't let the troubles get you down
Shoop shoop doo doo
Put a smile on your face
Don't let the troubles get you down
Let me tell you how we feel
We feel irie
Irie!
We feel irie
Irie!
We feel irie yeah yeah
Irie
We feel so irie
Irie!
Tell me,
Do you feel like we do?
Do you feel like we do?
I say,
Do you feel like we do?
No man can hide from his fears
Since they are part of him
They always know where to find him,
Come on walk tall and
Keep your head high
I tell you again and again
Put a smile on your face,
Don't let the troubles
Get you down
Shoop shoop doo doo
Put a smile on your face,
Don't let the troubles
Get you down
We feel irie
Irie!
We feel irie yeah
Irie!
We feel irie
Irie!
We feel irie yeah
Irie!
Tell me,
Do you feel like we do?
Do you feel like we do?
Tell me now,
Do you feel like we do?
'cause we feel irie
Irie!
We feel irie yeah
Irie!
We feel irie
Irie!
We feel so irie
Irie!
Do you feel like we do?
listen now,
Put a smile on your face,
Don't let the troubles
Get you down
Shoop shoop doo doo
Put a smile on your face,
Don't let the troubles
Get you down
shoop shoop doo doo
Put a smile on your face,
Don't let the troubles
Get you down
shoop shoop doo doo

(lyrics from here)

Beautiful Africa is a blog carnival - put together by Ishtar, Loomnie and me. if you are interested in reading exciting stories about Africa from bloggers from all over the world - go and visit - we have assembled quite a selection that will give you a fresh view of the amazing cultures, music, people that we have here on the African continent.

Here is the 7th edition just to give you an idea :

Personal Experiences

"The first post is by Ishtar Making friends at the race track posted on IshtarNews - what an interesting day spend at the Zinder race track...

Tim Abbott presents Teddy Landrover posted at Walking the Berkshires, saying, "A tribite to our old landrover, and the extraordinary friendship it allowed us to establish with Namibian bush mechanics."

Tauratinzwe presents Observations of Africa: Mwindaji* -- The Last Hunt posted at Observations of Africa, saying, "I still get an adrenaline flow remembering this experience. There's an epilogue involving a cobra, but that's for another campfire tale."

Alison Sharley presents Hope for Madagascar posted at Green Me, saying, "Hi -- great to find this carnival. My post is both personal experience and that of others doing work in Madagascar. Thanks!"

Culture and Traditions

Ishtar presents Ramadan celebrations in Zinder on Ishtarnews. The post starts saying : "This year, the Ramadan celebrations went by very quietly, due the region being split in three different groups, each choosing a different day of celebrations."

Sights of Africa

GrrlScientist presents Mirror Image posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, "this animal is almost an icon for Africa itself!"

Sounds of Africa

Afromusing recently wrote about the CD Ngoma Process - The post says : "This is a CD that would fit neatly into the category ‘ World Music’, though i would call it something like Kenyan Ngoma. There is Kapuka, Genge, Bongo, time for the genre Kenya ngoma? The CD has the types of songs that have a cultural thumbprint; it is immediately identifiable to Kenyans."

Arts & Creative Writing

From Fasy's blog, The Other Side of Africa, here is Fatiha - a short story : "She is six years old and loves to listen to stories on the moonlight. Pure and innocent daughter of the Sahel, she loves to play with her friends on evenings and help milk the cows in the morning. Knee high, the only type of life she knows is happy-go-lucky."

Nasra sent us her poem entitled The Islands of the Moon posted at A window within Myself - in her post she also writes about her experiences growing up on the Comoros Islands ...."The first time I had set foot in Comoro Islands, I was a teenager but till now I recall the scene of the road which was constructed on frozen lava. Clearly it was evidence that the island at one time had perhaps tremendous volcanic activities. .... "

That concludes this edition. Thank you for your contributions!

Submit your blog article to the next edition of beautiful africa using the carnival submission form."

The amazing sounds of Cameroon - through Manu Dibango's famous Soul Makossa :


Video link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmWTLDlj6SQ