ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT - The African Mirror

Sep

22

2023

Somalia’s voice of hope: a tribute to Axmed Naaji, legendary singer and trailblazing composer

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SOMALIS are natural-born critics, yet for over six decades, Axmed Naaji Sacad (Ahmed Naji Sa'ad) was almost unanimously revered. A household name in urban Somalia, the popular singer and poet has passed away at the age of 84 in London. Venerated as an elder of the country’s cultural life, Axmed Naaji Sacad Cali Naasir was not merely a singer, composer and musician who played guitar, lute, mandolin, piano and violin, he was also a radio host, playwright and a poet. MOHAMED HAJI INGIRIIS, Fellow, King's College London First known for his love songs like Garan Waaye (I Couldn’t Know), he…

Jul

12

2023

By The African Mirror

How an African collection of art in Canada is celebrated with care and community

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

A significant collection of traditional African art has had a home in Canada for almost a hundred years. At Agnes Etherington Art Centre, we are working on new, more hospitable practices of care for this collection. This means that we are attentive to the unmet needs of the collection and are taking responsibility for responding to these in ways that encourage community access and inclusion. QANITA LILLA, Associate Curator Arts of Africa, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Queen's University, Ontario We are located at Queen’s University, in Kingston, Ont., on the territories of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee and Huron-Wendat, in a city…

Jul

12

2023

By NGOUDA DIONE and JOEL KOUAM

Senegal’s lone developer fights to revive photography with film

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

FROM a concrete jetty on Dakar's sun-baked coastline, Senegalese photographer Amy Saar clicked the shutter of her vintage Pentax camera, capturing the light of the horizon on colour film purchased from the country's only developer. "Dakar looks great with certain coloured films because they really bring out the warm, vibrant colours," Saar said, loading a fresh roll into the camera. "Film can be really great in Africa because in general, it’s sunny (and) very colourful.” Saar is part of a growing resurgence of analogue photography enthusiasts in Senegal, nurtured by Le Sel studio in the capital’s Ouakam neighbourhood. Founded two…

Jul

11

2023

By The African Mirror

The fascinating Cameroonian art of spider divination is on display at London exhibition

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

TOMÁS Saraceno In Collaboration: Web(s) of Life, which opened at London’s Serpentine South Gallery in June, explores how humans relate to spiders. It features installations of spider webs displayed and lit to be viewed as sculptures. There are also films: one made about Saraceno’s work with groups battling lithium mining in Argentina and another about spider diviners from Somié village in Cameroon. DAVID ZEITLYN, Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Oxford That’s where I came in. ?gam dù (the Mambila term for spider divination) is one of many types of oracle or divination used by Mambila people in Cameroon. It…

Jul

11

2023

By The African Mirror

Unicorns in southern Africa: the fascinating story behind one-horned creatures in rock art

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ONE-HORNED creatures are found in myths around the world. Although unicorns in different cultures have little to do with one another, they have multiple associations in European thought. For example, the Roman natural historian Pliny the Elder wrote about unicorns in the first century AD. The unicorn features in both medieval Christian and Celtic beliefs and is Scotland’s national animal. The unicorn’s prominence in European culture spread across the globe with colonisation. DAVID M. WITELSON, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of the Witwatersrand In southern Africa, colonial European ideas encountered older indigenous beliefs about one-horned creatures. I’ve highlighted this in a…

Jul

06

2023

By The African Mirror

Dancing the blues away: Nigerian salsa teacher fights mental health stigma

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

NIGERIA'S Emeka Adindu says salsa saved his life. Growing up in a country with a deep-rooted stigma against mental health issues, Adindu, 35, found solace in the popular Latin dance as he battled abuse, depression and suicidal thoughts. He now helps others do the same - with free dance classes in the capital city Abuja. "Salsa was the only thing that could make me smile all those days that I was battling, fighting with my demon," he says. A 2021 UNICEF report shows one in six Nigerians aged between 15 and 24 are depressed, anxious or have other mental health…

Jul

04

2023

By The African Mirror

Tshimologong targets youth for global video game and animation skills

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, is providing wide-ranging opportunities for South African youth to access the necessary tools, technical training, and business support to pioneer the African games and animation industry and compete in the global market. As the global gaming industry's revenue soars to over $180 billion per year (a staggering three times higher than movie revenue), young aspiring developers are establishing a thrilling entry point into this highly lucrative industry with specialised skills in coding, programming, game development, UX, and app development. Launched in 2021 and supported by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the…

Jul

04

2023

By OWEN KONZOLO FOR BIRD STORY AGENCY

The vinyl revival: This man is helping African millennials rediscover the groove

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

"ONE of the beautiful aspects of vinyl is its ability to preserve cultural heritage. In Africa, vinyl has become more than just a medium for music; it has transformed into a cultural artefact," proclaims James 'Jimmy' Rugami, from amongst the hundreds of vinyl records on display in his market stall in Nairobi. "People are rediscovering old recordings of traditional music, reconnecting with their heritage, and finding a sense of pride in their identity." Rugami should know; he has been selling vinyls to a mostly African audience for over 30 years. Located in the bustling Kenyatta Market in Nairobi, Rugami occupies…

Jul

01

2023

By IRENE KALULU, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Tsitsi Dangarembaga speaks

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

TSITSI Dangarembga is a Zimbabwean playwright, filmmaker and award-winning novelist who is vocal about freedom of expression and human rights. In 2020, she was arrested and later convicted by a Zimbabwean court for inciting violence after carrying out a march calling for political reforms. The charge was later overturned. Her first book, "Nervous Conditions" earned her the Commonwealth Writers Prize, with the New York Times calling it one of the 20th century's most significant works of African literature. Other works include "This Mournable Body", "The Book of Not", and most recently, a book of essays titled "Black and Female". This…

Jun

27

2023

By NOKUKHANYA MUSI - AIMIENOHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Eswatini brings the world to its doorstep at the Annual MTN Bushfire

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, MULTIMEDIA

THE road to Malkerns Valley in Eswatini is packed with cars, causing a massive traffic jam. Despite this, the atmosphere is jolly and lively, and no one seems bothered by the delay. That's because the road leads to Eswatini's annual MTN Bushfire Festival of the Arts. People are already starting to party and as the cars start moving again, Malkerns comes into view, a tranquil pineapple-growing town known for its picturesque farmland and mountains. In the distance, the pulsating beats of Amapiano music can already be heard. The entrance is crowded the food stalls offering a variety of quick bites,…