Liberation Artists

Griot Magic

There exists in several West African countries, most pertinently
in Gambia, Senegal and Mali, a traditional system used to
chronicle family clans or tribal past, through renditions in poetry, music which recount from memory the most minute details of a family, clan or tribe which took place hundreds of years ago.
We may recall Roots, the epic by Alex Haley (see Africa Unite, Capital 509/510), when the Haley protagonist was lulled by the drowsy monotony of the voice of the ‘griot’, who had by then been reciting for hours, the history of the Kinte of Juffure village.
Haley’s epic journey came full circle when the wizened griot – a human archive storing hundreds of years of history, began to speak of Kunta Kunte, a young warrior, who strode off in to the all providing African bush in search of a particular tree from which he would fashion the drum he had promised his 7 year old brother. Kunta didn’t see Juffure again, falling prey to slavers on the way back. It was the exact story Alex had heard from his maternal aunts...
Kinte ‘returned’ 200 years and 7 generations later in the body of his great – great – great- great grandson, Alex Haley.
Griots (female - Griottes) are an intrinsic part of each and every event in the life of their respective communities. Originally, the griot’s duty was strictly that of historian who also provided royal counsel and functioned as mediator – messenger.
Thomas A- Hale, professor of African literature at Penn State, USA has extensively researched the griot culture.
“Griots are very different from the rest of society – almost a different ethnic group. They are both feared and respected by people in West Africa for their wisdom and talent with words.
They can sing your praises, but they can also sing your doom.”

The following is an example of one such mixed praise.

My master has requested that I ask you the exact meaning of your name Da,
Is it Da Guinea hemp?
Is it Da syphilis?
Is it Da mouth?
Is it Da the door?
Is it Da do you sleep there?
If you are a pot, Kaurta Flema will break you
If you are Guinea worms he will harvest you in order to give you to his fisherman who will make nets of you.
If you are syphilis, he will treat you with a red hot iron.
If you are a mouth, he will rip you open to your ears.
If you are a door he will close you for good and you will never serve for any pathway
If you are sleeping there he will stand you up like a house at the top of the hill
That’s what my master put in my mouth with the order to spit right in to your face!

Weddings
Stop crying, bride.
Stop crying and listen to me.
If your mother – in- law abuses you,
Just cry, but don’t say anything
If your sister or brothers- in- law abuse you,
Just cry don’t say anything
If your husband’s mother abuses you,
Just cry, but don’t say anything,
But leaving your house is not a crime.

Haley’s epic journey came full circle when the wizened griot – a human archive storing hundreds of years of history, began to speak of Kunta Kunte, a young warrior, who strode off in to the all providing African bush in search of a particular tree from which he would fashion the drum he had promised his 7 year old brother. Kunta didn’t see Juffure again, falling prey to slavers on the way back. It was the exact story Alex had heard from his maternal aunts...

October is when activities take full gear at the Italian Cultural Institute after Ethiopian rainy months slow it down. This year’s October we just entered is a special one for its friendly Director, Dr. Emiliano Longhi, as it will be his last month in Ethiopia, after serving for more than six years as Cultural and Scientific Attaché at the Italian Embassy here in Addis Ababa. Early this week, Dr. Longhi detailed the Institute’s one month program.

This October

By Kirubel Tadesse

Two movies based on the novels by Giovannino Guareschi opens October programs. Don Camillo and II Ritorno di Don Camillo are the titles of these comedy films which will be premiered on Tuesday, Oct. 7 and Thursday, Oct 9.
October program continues with the Italy’s Socitea’ Geografica and the University of Perugia launching their project named after Ethiopia’s town - Ankober. The Ankober project comprises the construction of a laboratory for the study of biodiversity and a small museum dedicated to Orazio Antinori, a distinguished Italian naturalist who built the fist metrological station in Ethiopia. The town Ankober was selected for the construction of the museum and laboratory for historical purposes - it was the area where Antinori built the station. This program with other events kicks off on November the 10th.
The programs take turn to Hawzen [Tigray region] where two movies on mountain climbing and adventure will be screened.
In collaboration with the Trento Film Festival the Institute takes Set in stone and coast to coast: ‘A Piece of My Heart’, both with English subtitles, to Gheralta lodge in Hawzen, Tigray. The first movie - Set in Stone - follows the trails of one of the greatest climbers worldwide, Dave Birkett.
Set in stone and coast to coast: ‘A Piece of My Heart’ takes viewers through the adventures of two explorers, Mike Blyth and Oliver Aubert. The films are screed on Saturday October 11, 2008. The opening ceremony is expected to be attended by Kebede Amare, head of the Tigray Tourism Bureau and the Italian Ambassador in Ethiopia Raffaele de Lutio.
High level conferences and lectures on various topics such as on conservation of public archives, restoration of books and architecture are lined up to color the month at the Institute and other locations - also the usual music shows - are included. But for the Dr. Emiliano, the heart of October will be the Grinzane Cavour Prize for Africa which will be hosted in Addis Ababa for the first time.
The Italian Embassy in collaboration with the United Nations Economic for Africa (ECA) will host the award which will be given for African writers for the first time.
Founded in 1982 with the aim of inspiring the youth with literature, the Grinzane Cavour Prize is given to writers from twenty nine countries. The prize will name its two winners selected from the Africa continent here in Addis Ababa at October 24th.
The prize’s candidates shortlist doesn’t contain Ethiopian names but the Director is confident the coming years will be different. Veteran authors, Sisay Nigussu [the author of Sememen], Wondesen Adane and Sahleselassie Berhanemariam, will join other African authors who are expected to arrive in Addis Ababa for the Award ceremony.
Over the past 25 years, more than 400 Italian and foreign writers have received the Grinzane Cavour Prize and two new African names will be added in the list this October.

DStv launches E! Entertainment

DStv audiences across Ethiopia can tune in to E! Entertainment starting from October 1, 2008. Showcasing celebrity news, star trends and all the Tinseltown talk, the channel will broadcast 24 hours daily on DStv channel 124.
E! Entertainment showcase broadcasts latest Hollywood glitz and scandal as you get the low-down on glamorous celebrities and privileged access to Tinsel town’s hottest award shows, movie premieres and live events.
Famous for giving viewers an inside look at Hollywood, E! Entertainment’s program line-up includes the acclaimed True Hollywood Story series that delves into the lives of the world’s most famous entertainers, offering viewers a look at their remarkable journeys into the spotlight.
Other great programming on the channel includes the up-to-the-minute E! News and The Daily 10, the reality TV hit Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the dramatic Sunset Tan and the transformative Dr. 90210.
In addition, the channel features a host of LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET broadcasts from the world’s most prestigious awards events including the Grammy Awards and the Oscars. Plus, viewers can tune in for a host of red-hot entertainment specials, from the Special Forbes Top 20 Hip Hop Cash Kings to the 50 Cutest Child Stars and almost every other celeb subject in between!
This month, audiences can tune in for more riveting E! programming. On October 5, the channel screens the Forbes Top 20 TV Cash Queens. E! explores the mega-rich ladies of primetime TV, who pull down big bucks, and know how to spend it.  From the gossips of Wisteria Lane, to the former models who are rocking TV, we’ll reveal the perks and bling that go along with being Primetime TV Princesses.  (Press release)