LIFESTYLE - The African Mirror

May

30

2023

BOOMTOWN confirms the freshest lineup for the ‘July’

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

WITH less than 6 weeks to the most anticipated annual horse race event of the year, BOOMTOWN organizers have finalized their lineup for the much-coveted lifestyle experience at the Hollywoodbets Durban July this past week. BOOMTOWN presented by Heineken®, over the past two weeks have announced the 2023 lineup on their social media platforms. This includes the multiple award-winning Afropop music outfit Mafikizolo, platinum-selling artist Prince Kaybee, hip-hop royalty Blxckie, dance duo sensation Murumba Pitch, superstar DJ Fresh, local fav Okmalukoolkat and newcomer singing sensation TenOceans. Also set to dazzle the attendees with fresh tunes are DJ duo No Comply,…

May

30

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigerian architect Demas Nwoko on his award-winning work: ‘Whatever you build, it should suit your culture’

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

DEMAS Nwoko, born in Nigeria in 1935, has been awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale, arguably the world’s most prestigious architecture event. At the Stirling Pavilion in the heart of the Giardini venue, Nwoko generously gave us an interview amid a display of his works. Nwoko’s multidisciplinary practice includes architecture, sculpture, painting, design and writing. This expanded notion of an “architect” has kept his name off the radar of the discipline. Until now. Author PAULO MOREIRA, Researcher, Universidade de Lisboa Nwoko has always blurred boundaries between industry and craftsmanship, between geographies and creative…

May

30

2023

By ATIENO ODERA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Using radio to save the ocean and create jobs – online station started by two students shows how

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

"JAMBO listeners, Karibuni sana to the Blue Drive show. We know it's been a long day at work, and you can't wait to get home. We are here to ease your stress with good music, good vibes…" Diana Wambui's voice reverberates from the radio as the music slows to a stop in the background. "Kama kawaida here at Blue Drive, we talk about all the opportunities available in the Blue Economy. As young people, it's good to know and explore the many opportunities we can venture into, don't you agree, Shirley?" says Wambui as she hands the baton to her…

May

30

2023

By The African Mirror

Abdellah Taïa is Morocco’s first openly gay writer – his work reimagines being Muslim, queer and African

LITERATURE

ABDELLAH Taïa was born in 1973 in Rabat, Morocco. He currently lives in Paris. He is the first writer from North Africa – and in fact the Arab world – to openly declare that he is gay. In 2006, he came out in a highly publicised article in the Moroccan magazine Tel Quel. This was considered scandalous by conservative Muslims. Authors GIBSON NCUBE, Lecturer, Stellenbosch University ADRIAAN VAN KLINKEN, Professor of Religion and African Studies, University of Leeds Being queer is often seen as conflicting with being religious. Yet, in African contexts – as in other parts of the world…

May

27

2023

By The African Mirror

Musicians launch drive for more funding for arts in Africa

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

PERFORMERS from Ghana, Ethiopia and Tanzania have helped launch a five-year project to try to secure more funding for arts and culture, aiming to persuade African governments to allocate at least 1% of their budgets. The project, called Connect for Culture Africa (CfCA) has been started by the African Union in collaboration with Selam Ethiopia, a non-governmental organisation that uses film, music and circus performances to address issues such as women's rights. "We want to empower artists. A lot of artists want to participate in these discussions about good governance, human rights but they are scared of the consequences," Lucy…

May

27

2023

By The African Mirror

Beans and violins – orchestra blends classical roots with modern Nigeria

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AT a Lagos cultural centre, a rapt audience listened to baritone John Onosolease perform an operatic song in the Yoruba language about a hapless soldier being admonished for his failure to cook a flavoursome dish of beans. It was the latest show staged by the Vesta Orchestra, founded in 2017 by violinist Rosalyn Aninyei, which has enlivened the classical music scene in Lagos by performing new works by contemporary Nigerian and African composers. "He cooks and there's no pepper, no oil, no salt, no onions. It is bland. What sort of food is this?" sang Onosolease, drawing laughter and cheers…

May

25

2023

By MIKE DAVIDSON

‘Queen of rock ‘n’ roll’ Tina Turner dies at 83

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

TINA Turner, the American-born singer who left a hardscrabble farming community and abusive relationship to become one of the top recording artists of all time, has died at the age of 83. She died peacefully after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, her representative said. Turner began her career in the 1950s during the early years of rock and roll and evolved into an MTV phenomenon. In the video for her chart-topping song "What's Love Got to Do with It," in which she called love a "second-hand emotion," Turner epitomized 1980s style as she strutted…

May

19

2023

By The African Mirror

National anthems: how composers in South Africa and India are reimagining them

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE rousing notes of the British national anthem God Save The King rang loudly in London’s Westminster Abbey when King Charles III was crowned – and in official and informal celebrations in many other places, though not always to an enthusiastic reception. The song is still sung in many Commonwealth countries. But its place and the oppressive imperial legacy trailing it are increasingly questioned. Author GWEN ANSELL, Associate of the Gordon Institute for Business Science, University of Pretoria That debate can be extended beyond one song. What baggage does any music acquire when it shifts from being – in South…

May

18

2023

By The African Mirror

Winnie and Nelson: new book paints a deeply human portrait of the Mandela marriage and South Africa’s struggle

LITERATURE

A powerful new book on Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has just been published. Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage is at once a double biography of South Africa’s two famous liberation leaders and a historical love story about their personal lives. Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years during apartheid and went on to become the country’s first democratic president. For her part, Madikizela-Mandela was persecuted relentlessly by the white minority government as she organised the resistance. After democracy, the couple divorced. Jonny Steinberg, political scientist and award-winning author, answers six questions about his book. Author JONNY STEINBERG, Senior…

May

16

2023

By The African Mirror

Black and Bold Queens is a new children’s book celebrating women in Ghana’s history

LITERATURE

A new children’s book, Black and Bold Queens: Women in Ghana’s History explores the lives of 16 notable female pioneers and leaders in the West African country, with a strong focus on the independence period of the 1950s and 1960s. It was written by Dr Nikitta Dede Adjirakor, a writer and academic researcher in east and west African literature and popular culture. We asked her about this trailblazing project. Author NIKITTA DEDE ADJIRAKOR, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Ghana What made you decide to write the book? In 2020, during the first months of the COVID pandemic, I kept thinking…