LIFESTYLE - The African Mirror

May

25

2023

‘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…

May

16

2023

By The African Mirror

Fear and loathing in South Africa: book examines how anxiety plays out in everyday life

LITERATURE

SOCIAL scientists have shown how freedom in South Africa has lost its meaning for many in the country. Despondency about democracy is on the rise as the promise of prosperity under a caring government continues to ring hollow for many, thanks to poor governance, corruption and incompetence. Nicky Falkof is a media studies professor who researches race and anxiety. The Conversation Africa’s Thabo Leshilo spoke to her about her book, Worrier State, which shows how narratives of fear manifest in mainstream and digital media, and the role that ‘race’, class, gender, space and identity play in these in the country.…

May

16

2023

By The African Mirror

Souleymane Cissé is honoured as one of Africa’s boldest and most pioneering film-makers

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SOULEYMANE Cissé is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest African filmmakers of all time – and the world’s most prestigious film festival, Cannes, agrees. The Mali-born director has been announced as this year’s recipient of the Carrosse d’Or (the Golden Coach) award. David Murphy, a critic and scholar of African cinema and Cissé’s work, told us more about why his films are so important – and particularly his classic Yeelen. Author DAVID MURPHY, Professor of French and Postcolonial Studies, University of Strathclyde Who is Souleymane Cissé? Cissé is a celebrated Malian film director who has been making movies since…

May

12

2023

By PHENDU KUTA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Bringing African creativity under one roof

LIFESTYLE

AFRICAN and diaspora artists, collectives and galleries will be hosted by Latitudes, one of the largest online markets for African art, at the RMB Latitudes art fair, a pioneering, artist-forward exhibition celebrating contemporary African art and creativity, according to the event's curator, Nkhensani Mkhari. The exhibition includes a dynamic roster of artists, from recent graduates to emerging artists and mid-career artists. The indoor-outdoor art experience's second instalment will be held at the baroque-style three-acre Shepstone Gardens in Johannesburg from the 26th to the 28th of May. "The art fair's overarching theme is co-emergence," says Mkhari, referring to artistic concepts developed…

May

10

2023

By PATRICK NELLE, BIRD STORY AGENCY

From food pilgrimages to gastronomy festivals, Africa is betting on its rich cuisines to boost tourism

LIFESTYLE

IN March, Cameroon hosted the 'Diaspora Kitchen' on the banks of the Sanaga River in the small coastal town of Mouanko. The two-day culinary event featured 20 chefs and hundreds of visitors from both local and international backgrounds. The event focused on cultural exchange, with a special emphasis on the gastronomic traditions of Cameroon. Attendees were treated to dishes that showcased the diverse flavours of the country's cuisine, with discussions, training sessions, workshops and demonstrations revolved around only one topic: Food. "Seeing these ingredients being used in their indigenous context as opposed to just being sprinkled for curiosity's sake is…

May

07

2023

By The African Mirror

Pretty Yende wows King Charles and Queen Camilla

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

FROM a small rural town of eMkhonto, in Mpumalanga, South Africa to Westminister Abbey, singing at the coronation of an English, an event beamed to millions around the world. This is the incredible and inspirational story of Pretty Yende, the supremely talented South African opera singer who made history by becoming the first soloist to perform at the coronation of an English monarch. Yende, dressed in a stunning yellow Stéphane Rolland gown and Graff jewellery, wowed the global A-listers who made it to the front row to witness the coronation of King Charles III. Yende sang "Sacred Fire," a piece…

May

09

2023

By JANE DRAYCOTT

Queen Cleopatra: experts save this poorly scripted Netflix docuseries

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE trailer for Netflix’s new four-part documentary series, Queen Cleopatra, was deliberately provocative. Promoting the show as executive produced by actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, it prominently featured historian Professor Shelley Haley declaring that: “Cleopatra was black.” https://www.youtube.com/embed/IktHcPyNlv4 The controversy-inciting trailer for Netflix’s Queen Cleopatra. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the trailer is pure clickbait. The show itself is a much more complex piece of work. There are two ways to watch Queen Cleopatra. The first – and easiest – is by paying more attention to the dramatisation of Cleopatra’s life and times than to the academic talking heads. The second is to do the…