Yinka Shonibare MBE: Where Art meets Post-Colonial African Artifice

Yinka Shonibare MBE: Where Art meets Post-Colonial African Artifice

“I am very interested in using the idea of something which is visually very beautiful because I think that I want my audience to engage with my work even though I am actually tackling quite serious issues…” Yinka Shonibare

Yinka Shonibare, the artist, in a portrait in Diary of a Victorian Dandy 14:00 Hours

Yinka Shonibare as the protagonist in The Picture of Dorian Grey series

Born in London, England and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, contemporary, multi-talented installation artist, Yinka Shonibare MBE, likes to refer to himself as a bi-cultural, post colonial hybrid. As an artist who is acutely aware of the two distinct cultures he inhabits; one Western, the other African, it is not surprising that Shonibare’s creative endeavors, whether sculpture, painting, photography, film or installation art, straddle both worlds.

“All art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story; to vomit the anguish up.” James Baldwin

The Swing

The Pursuit

Yinka Shonibare often brings an exaggerated, tongue-in-cheek sensibility to his installations even when the topics he addresses are serious. His use of Victorian themes, African inspired fabrics originally made for Indonesia by way of the Netherlands, and his use of highly stylized images in scenes, often variations of work from other artists, such as Fragonard’s “Swing” and Gainsborough’s portraits, all showcase Shonibare’s determination to juxtapose the obvious with the ambiguous.

“All that I desire to point out is the general principle that Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.” Oscar Wilde

How to Blow Up Two Heads at Once ~ Female

Piles of Ankara Dutch wax cloth ~ Extremely popular on the African Continent.

As a young art student in the mid 1980s in London, Shonibare recalls how an art teacher challenged him to seek an authentic African voice in his artistic work. This comment led him to the Brixton markets where he bought batik fabrics (Ankara, kente fabrics) favored by women and men in West Africa. Shonibare understood the popularity of these fabrics in his native Nigeria; especially for women’s social groups. Members of these groups often spent enormous amounts of money procuring unique designs that would become cultural identifiers of wealth, social club exclusivity or priviledged social connections.

“Art is both creation and recreation. Of the two ideas, I think art as recreation or as sheer play of the human spirit is more important.” Lin Yutang

Victorian Couple

Odile and Odette

Shonibare’s motivation might have been to portray how African women and men use these beautiful fabrics to highlight their special, idealized cultural connections. However, his research found something more; a remarkable historical paradox. The paradox was that the fabrics were originally manufactured in Holland for the Indonesian batik market. When the Indonesian traders rejected the designs as unsuitable for their market, the fabrics were sold to African traders who transformed this unexpected reject into a cultural windfall that remains a staple of every African woman’s wardrobe.

“Art is the imposing of a pattern on experience, and our aesthetic enjoyment is recognition of the pattern.” Alfred North Whitehead

Leisure Lady with Ocelots

Because many people presume the fabric origins are inherently African, Shonibare uses his artwork to force us to consider how the themes of artifice and authenticity can be presented and lampooned. How does he accomplish his objective? He dresses his Victorian mannequins in appropriately styled period clothing made from these “authentic African” fabrics. He then presents some of his mannequins in inappropriate, lascivious postures.

Interestingly, for the last several years, the Ankara trend has been overtaken by wax prints from Cote d’Ivoire and perhaps more recently, Ghana. The prints from Cote d’Ivoire are called “Woodin” (tied to Vlisco), while the Ghanaian ones are simply referred to as ..”Ghana!” These fabrics which bear special names like Treasures (a tradition of naming fabrics continues even today) are vibrant, colorful and rich… The designs show a high level of creativity too. Woodin did a range of animal prints, there’s liberal use of gold and silver paint, faux lace and more. The colors range from pastels to brilliant blues, bright reds, oranges to black and white monochromatic designs. Additionally, the younger generations have jettisoned the Dutch wax in favor of these newer fabrics especially because they are more affordable.

“There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality.” Pablo Picasso

Black Gold ~ A reference to the continent's Oil Resources

Maxa

According to Shonibare, another source of inspiration for his Victorian era installation pieces came from Margaret Thatcher’s call for Victorian values in the decadent 1980s. This was also the era when Thatcher re-evaluated British immigration policy and sent many British residents from the former colonies packing. His depiction of characters from the colonial era, dressed in African patterned Dutch made fabrics, was not accidental; any student of colonial African history knows that the scramble for Africa created chaotic geographic boundaries. The new nations that emerged were a mishmash of former opponents led by warlords eager to maintain the interests of their specific ethnic group. Today, leaders on the continent continue to seek ways to stem the resultant warfare; a legacy of those ancient affiliations.

“All art is contemporary, if it’s alive, and if it’s not alive, what’s the point of it?” David Hockney

The Scramble for Africa

La Meduse ~ The Ship to nowhere...

The Scramble for Africa left behind a complex hodgepodge of competing cultures created by European colonialists in the form of Anglophone/Francophone/Lusophone nations on the continent. The terms actually identify English/French/Portuguese speaking African nations; each nation representing a miniature cultural version of the former ruling entity. Ironically, in the similarly named installation by Shonibare, “The Scramble for Africa,” he depicts a scene where African leaders sit around dinner table considering ways to divide and pillage the continent’s resources; thereby perpetuating the atrocities of its past history.

“I want the point of entry to be intriguing and to be engaging and hopefully people will enter the other levels of the work.” Yinka Shonibare

Big Boy: The Dandy in his regalia

Reverend on Ice

In reviewing Shonibare’s art, one is led to see how a Post colonial African artist juxtaposes artifice with the authentic and creates something refreshingly original that can’t be easily typecast. The fabrics on these Victorian figures (from the staid to the sexualized) are an artificial construct exported to the continent by textile merchants from Manchester, England and from, Vlisco, a company in the Netherlands.

“Respect the masterpiece. It is true reverence to man. There is no quality so great, none so much needed now.” Frank Lloyd Wright

Gallantry and Criminal Conversations

Sun, Sea and Sand

While Shonibare’s work addresses issues of culture, race, identity politics and reconstructed history, his art is still quite entertaining, playful and colorful. Even his acceptance of an MBE (Member of the British Empire) from the Queen, and his subsequent use of that honorific title in his recent exhibitions, hints at the humor he finds in what could potentially be deemed ironic. Here is an outsider, particularly one who lampoons the draconian dictates and high brow hypocrisies of the old establishment, being honored instead of vilified by the descendants of the establishment.

“Is there such a thing as pure origin? For those of the post colonial generation this is a very difficult question. I’m bilingual because I was brought up in Lagos and London.” Yinka Shonibare

The Sleep of Reason ~ Asia and Africa

Dysfunctional Family

As Yinka Shonibare shared in an interview with Anthony Downey for Bomb Magazine, “In the end, I felt that, given what my work is about; to have actually been acknowledged and honored by the establishment was quite interesting … I think it’s better to make an impact from within rather than from without. In a way I feel flattered, because I never really thought the establishment took any notice of what artists did.” As long as he maintains creative license, some artistic distance and remains observant of the cultural mores of the social milieu he tackles in his art work, his impact from “within” should remain fresh and unencumbered. We hope…

“Another unsettling element in modern art is that common symptom of immaturity, the dread of doing what has been done before.” Edith Wharton

Deep Blue ~ Acrylic paint on 25 Dutch printed cotton fabric

Alternating Currents ~ Fabric on wall shows Nigerian Eagles teammates

Shonibare’s art installations and short films are currently being exhibited at both the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, NY from June 26–September 20, 2009 and at the Newark Museum in Newark, NJ from July 1, 2009 – January 3, 2010. I encourage you to visit and share your thoughts with us here. What do you think?

Photo Credits: Photos culled from various sources in print and online media
Photo Credits: include photos from Yinka Shonibare’s website
Additional Photos from my personal collection.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Choi Jeong Hwa & Do-Ho Suh: Installation Artists Extraordinaire

“There is a vocabulary that belongs to the art world that we all inhabit, but there always has to be something local, something that comes out of your experience, or the work becomes generic, pallid and weak…” Lynn Zelevansky (Contemporary Art, LACMA)

Art is inspirational, passionate, visionary and revolutionary. It often makes social commentary on the world we share and showcases new creative directions and ideas; the creation of great art is not effortless yet reactions to art are always immediate. I enjoy most genres of art especially art that makes me pause… Today, I pause to bring you Choi Jeong Hwa and Do-Ho Suh. Next time, we will meet Yinka Shonibare.

The Flower Tree installation by Choi Jeong Hwa

“Practice what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know.” Vincent Van Gogh

Paratrooper V by Do-Ho Suh

Choi Jeong Hwa and Do-Ho Suh are two of the featured artists at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (LACMA) exhibit “Your Bright Future: 12 Contemporary Artists From Korea.” Set to run from June 28–September 20, 2009. While the exhibit showcases the works of some of the most well known contemporary Korean artists, it also includes a few up-and-coming rising stars. If you are in the Los Angeles area, do visit and come share your experience here.

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“Your heart is my art. Your shopping is my art” Choi Jeong Hwa

Choi Jeong Hwa with Happy Happy installation. Photo by Kirk McKoy for LATimes

Choi Jeong-Hwa is an internationally acclaimed, Seoul, South Korea born and based artist who incorporates an impressive range of raw materials in his artistic productions. Considered the father of pop art, Choi masterfully uses items from the local community where his work is exhibited, to create and capture perspectives representative of that particular culture; often translating his observations into artistic installations.

“One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself. Poor is the pupil who does not surpass his master.” Henri Matisse

Flower Flower photo by Romy Petrick

Choi is known to use plastics; tons of cheap, colorful, mass-produced, malleable plastic for his projects. He also uses recyclable supplies, video monitors, real/fake food, wires, instruments, religious art, shoes, all manner of bric-a-brac/tchotcke, and light fixtures to create video art, computerized animation and remarkable sculptural displays.

“There’s no retirement for an artist, it’s your way of living so there’s no end to it.” Henry Moore

Fluorescent Flower in Beijing

As one of the featured artists at the Los Angeles City Museum of Art (LACMA) exhibit “Your Bright Future: 12 Contemporary Artists From Korea.”, set to run from June 28 to September 20 2009, Choi brings a very well developed artistic eye to the event. For this event, Choi has created several contemporary pieces including three outdoor multimedia installations, comprised of computer animation, video art and sculpture.

“It took me 40 years to find out that painting is not sculpture.” Marc Chagall

Choi Jeong Hwa: Ok Towada Show

“With the most primitive means the artist creates something which the most ingenious and efficient technology will never be able to create.” Kasimir Malevich

LACMA Welcome

For the first of three outdoor installations at LACMA, “Welcome”, Choi wraps the Ahmanson Building in brightly colored fabric.

“Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.” Jackson Pollock

Happy Happy Installation at LACMA

“Happy Happy” is created from wire-strung, plastic bins, bowls, cups and tubs that hang down like the remnants of a giant psychedelic shower curtain. The third outdoor “Happy Happy” installation is an interactive project in which Choi has invited museum visitors to add their own plastic container sculptures to a section of LACMA’s chain-link fence.

“I am out to introduce a psychic shock into my painting, one that is always motivated by pictorial reasoning: that is to say, a fourth dimension.” Salvador Dali

Floral Horse at Ok Towada Show

What one finds particularly refreshing about this contemporary artist is the cheerful, playful, and colorful way he uses local materials, essentially junk, to engage and entertain his viewing public. Choi Jeong Hwa wants his audience to have an Aha! moment and a good time. His website showcases excellent, colorful renditions of his artwork.

Accumulation

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“Being an artist is very difficult like all other things and having fun while making art is important.” Do-Ho Suh

Do-Ho Suh

Do-Ho Suh is a highly respected and popular South Korean installation artist based in both Seoul and NYC. He is a contemporary of Choi Jeong Hwa and is known for his gravity-defying, highly detailed, intricate and truly spectacular artwork. Do-Ho’s work focuses on the myriad ways humans use and manage both private and public space.

“I’m not an abstractionist. I’m not interested in the relationship of color or form or anything else. I’m interested only in expressing basic human emotions: tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on.” Mark Rothko

Karma

Born in Seoul, the son of the nationally respected artist and scholar Se-Ok Suh, young Do-Ho was more interested in studying aquatic life than art. Se-Ok Suh’s influence gradually took hold and after completing his studies in South Korea, Do-Ho moved to the USA to study at the Rhode Island School of Design and Yale University.

“A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing.” William Dobell

Cause and Effect

He builds site-specific installations that challenge our perceptions of space, our understanding of individual boundaries, and that examine the interconnectedness as well as the separateness of our global society.

“At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.” Leonardo da Vinci

Someone ~ made of dogtags intricately pieced together to create a kimono

Do-Ho’s acutely detailed works of art also offer a social critique which brings to the mind the global conversation we ought to continue having on the creation and distribution of resources, the importance of our collective power to enforce positive change, and the questions that arise around the subject of identity and personal freedom.

“The only time I feel alive is when I’m painting.” Andy Warhol

Art:21 Do-Ho Suh

“Believe it or not, I can actually draw.” Jean Michel Basquiat

Fallen Star

Do-Ho Suh, as one of the featured artists at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (LACMA) exhibit “Your Bright Future: 12 Contemporary Artists From Korea.” set to run from June 28–September 20, 2009, contributed his famous installation “Fallen Star” to this event.
It shows a home partially destroyed with another, albeit smaller, home perched in the air, near it. Do-Ho’s works are exhibited worldwide and he has been showcased at, among a slew of venues, the Seattle Art Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the 49th Venice Biennale in Italy.

“The holy grail is to spend less time making the picture than it takes people to look at it.” Paul Cezanne

Who are We? A 4 sided installation of miniature photo portraits

The piece that remains a favorite for giving Do-Ho much satisfaction is “Who are We?” It is a wallpaper piece showing miniature photos of people and could be viewed as a creative way of maintaining genealogical memories and ties. He loves this one for its simplicity and subtlety.

Large Floor Art made of miniature figures under a wide Plexiglas cover

“Every good painter paints what he is.” Rembrandt van Rijn

Sometimes art and artists can get so serious that the basic point of it all is lost; art is meant to be enjoyed, collected, shared, and ultimately, to enrich our enjoyment of the creative process. What do you think?

Photo Credits: Kirk McKoy for The LA Times
Flower Flower photo by Romy Petrick
Misc Photos from various Media sources including Choi Jeong Hwa’s website

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Sweet Sensations II: African Divas Sing…

Sweet Sensations II: Those fabulous African Divas Sing…

“Every Friday and Saturday night, its Pata Pata time
The music keeps going on and on, till the morning sun begins to shine.” Miriam Makeba

Music has always carried the day for me. When I am feeling upside down, inside out, happy as a clam or simply running around like a very busy bee, music sets the mood that transports me someplace else; it grounds me.

Last week, I added the songs, voices, and lyrics of six African Divas for you to kick back and enjoy. These are women whose recordings and live shows I have enjoyed over the years. I admire all the women on my list and as I mentioned last week, this is not a comprehensive list. There are many singing divas I have not included because it is extremely difficult to build a blog around a list that could truly cover all the best singing divas on the continent. I have selected some of my top favorites and I will revisit this subject in the future and bring you more beautiful voices.

This week, we will visit the remaining five divas on my list of favorite singing ladies from the African continent: My favorite Divas… Yes. Again, these are singing queens many of us know and some of us might have forgotten or never met. Welcome to my mini showcase with promises to gradually present a global tour of my favorite ladies of song.

Stay with me, will you? In Sweet Sensations I and II, we will (in alphabetical order) meet in PART I: Angelique Kidjo, Asa, Cesaria Evora, Ejigayehu “Gigi” Shibabaw, Folasade “Sade” Adu, and Judee. In PART II: M’bilia Bel, Miriam Makeba, Oumou Sangare, Patience Dabany, and Suzanna Labruno

*To make best use of lyrics space, you may follow the lyrics all the way down on the left, and then follow the highlighted lyric parts all the way down on the right…*

Mbilia taking a breather from the African sun.

“If a song’s about something I’ve experienced or that could’ve happened to me it’s good. But if it’s alien to me, I couldn’t lend anything to it. Because that’s what soul is all about.” Aretha Franklin

M’bilia ‘Mbilia Bel’ Mboyo, the Queen of Congolese rumba, was born in Zaire (the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and became very popular in the early 1980s performing with top African artist Tabu Ley Rochereau on the Afrisa International band. She was adoredfor performing in the popular African Conga rumba style known as soukous; a fast paced dance music with afro rhythmic beats. After she left Tabu’s band, M’bilia moved to Paris in 1989 and joined forces with Rigo “Starr” Bamundele. Mbilia became a huge success traveling around the world with Rigo Starr and enjoyed comparisons to Makeba whom she admired. Her first album with Rigo Starr entitled “Phenomene” was a phenomenal success and solidified her solo career and position as an international performer.
Mbilia Bel reigned as one of Africa’s transcontinental divas in the 1990s and her fast paced songs were always a dance hit at African parties. She performs her songs in several languages; Lingala, French and Swahili and brings a unique sultry sound to the soukous afro zouk beat/sounds that fans enjoy. Naza is a song from “Welcome” which was her first album of the new millennium (2001).”Welcome” is filled with songs that showcase Rumba and Afro beat elements that work beautifully with Mbilia’s great voice. Below, she sings ~ Naza

M’Bilia Bel singing NAZA (I Exist)

Lyrics to NAZA: I Exist (Translated)
NAZA NAZA TE Naza Naza TE
NAZA NAZA TE Naza Naza TE

NAZA NAZA NAZA Naza Naza Naza
NAZA NAZA NAZA TE Naza Naza Naza TE

(2X)
Na Boyi koloba na bino soki na lobi na Memi ngambo
Na Bangi miso ya nzambe epekisa motema mabé
Na Boyi kotonga bato soki na tongi na memi ngambo
Na bangi miso ya nzambe epekisa kotonga mabé
Bino baluki Makambo mosala ko tongo baninga
Yuta kala ko yina boto koluka pasi ya bana ya baninga

Refrain:(2x)
Na Boyi eh Na Lobi eh Na Lobi eh Na Boyi eh
Ekila ya nzambe motema mabé Ouh ouh ouh ouh
Tika mwana ya moto kufa na malembe Na kozonga sima te
Futa nyongo odefaki na satan eh Fwila mulakwe Fwila bundundu
Nga na yo famille te Ouh ouh ouh ouh ouh ouh
Toyaki mboka mboka Banga eh Banga eh
Ponini oko Luka Liwa na nga
Na banga yo té na banga nzambe
Mokili naye te Na na yo eh

Repeat left side Refrain above
Bana ya Kwata au taux du jour Fwila monakwe Fwila monakwe
Bana ya kitambo magasin mère na bino aza Fwila kutima Fwila kutime
Na Lobi eh Na Boyi eh Ouh ouh banga eh ouh ouh banga eh
Ouh ouh ouh ouh Na Lobi eh Na Boyi na eh
Mama eh Mama eh Na lobi eh Lobi na eh
Ouh ouh ouh ouh

Miriam in a reflective mood... long before the music stopped.

“When music fails to agree to the ear, to soothe the ear and the heart and the senses, then it has missed its point.” Maria Calla

Zenzile Miriam Makeba, often referred to as Mama Africa, was born in Johannesburg, South Africa to a Xhosa dad and Swazi mom who encouraged her to start singing as a child. Miriam recorded Pata Pata in 1956 which became a major international hit and she traveled around the world performing to enthusiastic audiences. Due to her activism and efforts to bring attention to the oppression of apartheid in South Africa, Miriam Makeba’s citizenship was revoked in 1963. She returned home, for the first time in years, at the urging of Nelson Mandela in 1990.
Miriam was married to Hugh Masekela and Stokely Carmichael, moved to Brussels after her only daughter, Bongi, died and traveled constantly to share her music. Miriam Makeba was a dynamic, consummate entertainer and her songs were as passionate as the lady herself. I remember meeting and interviewing Miriam Makeba for a small African publication in the early 1990s. She was elegant, gracious and brutally honest about her life; its ups and downs. Sadly, she passed away in Castel Volturno near Italy on November 9th 2008. She will be missed. Below, she sings ~ PataPata

Miriam singing Pata Pata in the 1960s

Lyrics to PataPata
Pata Pata Pata Pata is the name of a dance
Saguguka sathi beka We did down Gauteng* way
(Nantsi, pata pata) Everybody starts to move
Saguguka sathi beka As soon as Pata Pata begins to play
(Yiyo, pata pata) Every Friday and Saturday night
Yi yo mama yiyo mama Its Pata Pata time
(Nantsi, pata pata) The music keeps going on and on
Yi yo mama yiyo mama Till the morning sun begins to shine
(Yiyo, pata pata)

Oumou looking every bit the African Diva here

“You have got to discover you, what you do, and trust it.” Barbra Streisand

Oumou Sangare was born in Bamako, Mali, into a Wassoulou musical household. Her mother was the great Malian singer Aminata Diakité and Oumou grew up appreciating the traditional hunting songs and accompanying stories from the griot tradition that were popular in the area. She is often called “The Songbird of Wassoulou.” She recorded her first successful album, Moussoulou (“Women”), with the help of another great artist Amadou Ba Guindo. Amadou was the arranger/bass player on her 1st album. Oumou is a very generous entertainer and is known to add more songs to her live shows; just to keep her audience jumping, dancing and shouting for more. Below, she sings ~ Saa Magni.

Oumou singing Saa Magni

Lyrics to Saa Magni: Death is Terrible (Translated)
Dedicated to Amadou Ba Guindo
O death; O death Death is so harsh
Death is so cruel Death who struck down Amadou Ba Guindo
But spares no creature Nothing can stop it
Not even fame Or having many children, great riches and many friends Amadou is gone And when I go to Douentza I will not see him again

He will never be seen again in Bamako
In Douentza Tenin Ongoïna cries for you
Whilst in Bamako Amadou cries for you
As Adja’ cries for you
Your widow Fanta cries for her missing husband

For Guindo has disappeared, struck down by treacherous death
In Bamako your old friend Alou Tracré misses you
How bitter is death, how bitter separation
It is hard to break the friendship links
How hard it is to be separated from one’s people, Guindo
But death spares no one
The Grim Reaper of hope did not spare Amadou Guindo

If it did not spare the Prophet Mohammed Just as it struck down Amadou Chérif
Leaving his father Bouba in pain May his soul rest in peace
How harsh is separation, how harsh death
And merciless death strikes without distinction
Villainous death crouches at a bend in the path, lying in wait for us

May God preserve us from it But death spares no one
It strikes in the prime of life Perfidious death crouches at a bend in the path
O death; O death You did not spare Guindo
No creature can escape you O death; O death, how you are cruel

Death is terrible, death is terrible, oh my brothers,
Guindo has lain down for ever
Death won’t leave you alone even if you’re rich. or popular
or you have small children -death needs you, he’ll come
and find you anywhere and take you with him
Death has claimed B Guindo, all Mali mourns him,

his wife has been left on her own, Oumou has been left on her own,
Death showed no pity for Amadou Ba Guindo

The ever youthful Ms. Patience rocking the music - lyrics please!

“I don’t think you get to good writing unless you expose yourself and your feelings. Deep songs don’t come from the surface; they come from the deep down. The poetry and the songs that you are supposed to write, I believe are in your heart.” Judy Collins

Patience Dabany, a highly regarded Gabonese chanteuse, was born Marie Joséphine Kama in Brazzaville Congo. Patience was raised in a musical family; her mom was a traditional singer and both her dad and brother played string instruments. Her parents started her on the path to a successful music career by encouraging her to sing from an early age. She traveled throughout Brazzaville as a member of the local choir singing popular traditional songs.
In 1959, setting her music aside, she married the President of Gabon, Omar Bongo, and started a family. By 1986, the marriage had ended and Patience returned to her love for music. A prolific songwriter, Patience has written music for film and collaborated with many over the years including artists such as James Debarge, Tabu Ley Rochereau, and Tshala Muana. She continues to perform when possible. She lives in the USA and Libreville and her music is loved by her fans around the world. Below, she sings ~ C’est Pour la Vie ~ This is for Life

Patience Dabany singing C’est Pour La Vie (This is for Life)
The search for the lyrics or translation continues.
If you have them, do share…

Suzanna performing in Angola to a full house.

“You could write a song about some kind of emotional problem you are having, but it would not be a good song, in my eyes, until it went through a period of sensitivity to a moment of clarity. Without that moment of clarity to contribute to the song, it’s just complaining.” Joni Mitchell

Suzanna Lubrano is a very popular, award winning Zouk singer. She was born in Cape Verde and now lives in Rotterdam. Zouk means “festival/party” and is a fusion of rhythmic party/festival music sung in creole with French and English influences. It is particularly associated with musicians from francophone (French speaking) and lusophone (Portuguese speaking) countries on the African continent. Suzanna performs her R&B tinged upbeat songs around the world; captivating her audience in English, Dutch and French creole. In 2003, she won the Kora All African Music Award for Best Female Artist of Africa of the year. Below, she sings ~ Taxi

Suzanna Lubrano singing Taxi

Lyrics to Taxi:
I’m leaving… Taxi Because you don’t care about us… Taxi
Taxi in front of the door, waiting to bring me to the station
The train leaves at 6 You had enough time to change my mind
And convince me You had enough time to change my mind
And convince me to stay (4x chorus)
Now I’m telling you Now I’m telling you bye

You had enough time to change my mind And convince me
You had enough time to change my mind And convince me to stay
Now I’m telling you bye I’m leaving ‘cause you don’t care
Now I’m telling you bye (3x chorus)
You don’t need to look for me anymore
You had enough time to convince me to stay Taxi in front of the door(4x)

You made time for everyone instead of me(2x)
Your priority went to everybody, but not me
My heart… I’m sorry I didn’t understand all the signs you gave me
Now I’m telling you Now I’m telling you bye

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” Judy Garland

Let me know what you think of the list I have shared. Share your list with me and if you know any up and coming divas from the continent you’d like me to meet, do share. Thank you! Merci!

Photo Credits: Various Newsmedia publications, Wikipedia, and other sources TBD.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Fra

Sweet Sensations I: African Divas Sing…

Sweet Sensations I: Those fabulous African Divas Sing…

“Do you think anyone else can do it ? Really, this dance has got something.
Something…you can’t beat… Wombo Lombo.” Angelique Kidjo

Music has always carried the day for me. When I am feeling upside down, inside out, happy as a clam or running around like a very busy bee, music sets the mood that transports me to someplace else; it grounds me.

I have always loved music and dance and it doesn’t take much, but definitely good tracks and syncopation, to engage me musically. While I do have memories of those musical periods of my life when I gravitated to songs that were romantic, tear jerking, thump you in the back beats, I have other fond memories of the days when Barry White crooned, Michael Jackson sizzled, Fela Anikulapo Kuti dazzled, Poison, Prince, The Police and The Beatles rocked and many other groups kept the music flowing.

Today, I want to revisit some of my favorite ladies from the African continent: My favorite Divas… Yeah, the ones many of us know and the ones some of us might have forgotten or never met. This is not a comprehensive list by any stretch of the imagination, just my mini showcase with promises to gradually present a global tour of my favorite ladies of song.

Stay with me, will ya? In Sweet Sensations I and II, we will (in alphabetical order) meet in PART I: Angelique Kidjo, Asa, Cesaria Evora, Ejigayehu “Gigi” Shibabaw, Folasade “Sade” Adu, and Judee. In PART II: M’bilia Bel, Miriam Makeba, Oumou Sangare, Patience Dabany, and Suzanna Labruno
*To make best use of lyrics space, you may follow the lyrics all the way down on the left, and then follow the highlighted lyric parts all the way down on the right…*

Angelique Kidjo: The diva in a relaxed mood.

“Music is love in search of a word.” Sidonie Gabrielle

Angelique Kidjo was born in Cotonou, Benin and started quite early, at age six, singing and dancing with her mother’s performing group. Her musical influences came from both her father’s Fon and mother’s Yoruba backgrounds. She grew up listening to both African and American music and became successful during her teen years by borrowing and adapting her repertoire from one of her favorite singers, Miriam Makeba.
Today, Angelique continues to thrill her fans worldwide with her well choreographed, highly energetic performances. She speaks and performs in four languages; Fon, French, Yoruba, and English. Below, she sings ~ Wombo Lombo

Angelique singing Wombo Lombo

Lyrics to Wombo Lombo
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo

Gbogbo ènyan n' so houn kpé onindjo kan m'bè Have you ever seen this man moving?
Niboni mon léri ènikan odamin lohoun Do you think anyone else can do it ?
Ilé onindjo wa lègbè odo Really this dance has got something,
Inou gbèrèko oman tou oko akpèdja Something, no way you can't beat it.

Wombo lombo Wombo lombo
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo

Gbogbo ènyan n'so kpé onindjo kan m'bè Have you ever seen this man moving ?
Niboni mon léri ènikan odamin lohoun Do you think anyone else can do it ?
Ilé onindjo wa lègbè odo Really this dance has got something
Inou gbèrèko oman tou oko akpèdja Something, no way you can't beat it.

Ho ham ham ho ham Ho ham ham ho ham
Yélélé ho ham ham ho ham Yélélé ho ham ham ho ham
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo

Have you ever seen this man moving ? Really this dance has got something
Do you think anyone else can do it ? Something, no way you can't beat it.
Wombo lombo Wombo lombo

Asa contemplating her unique sound. Musically, she is going somewhere fabulous.

“Songwriting is a very mysterious process. It feels like creating something from nothing. It’s something I don’t feel like I really control.” Tracy Chapman

Aṣa (Bukola Elemide), a young, up-and-coming Nigerian artist, was born in Paris, France where she lived till age two. Her family moved back to live in Lagos, Nigeria (West Africa) and Asa spent her formative years listening to a wide range of performers. Years later, she returned to Paris to develop her music which remains very popular in Europe and Africa. While her songs might be reminiscent of the soulful sounds of Tracy Chapman, Asa brings a sensibility to her music that includes African influences with a tinge of reggae and rap. Below, she sings ~ Fire On The Mountain.

Asa singing Fire on the Mountain

Lyrics to Fire on the Mountain:
There is fire on the mountain, I wake up in the morning…
and nobody seems to be on the run. tell you what I see on my TV screen :
Oh there is fire on the mountain top, I see the blood of an innocent child,
and no one is’ah running. and everybody’s watching.

Now, I’m looking out of my window, What did they say to make you so blind,
and what do I see ? to your conscience and reason ?
I see an army of soldiers that’re Could it be love for your country,
marching across the street, heh… or for the gun you use in killing ? So…

There is fire on the mountain, Heh, Mister Loverman !
and nobody seems to be on the run. Can I get a chance to talk to you ?
Oh there is fire on the mountain top, ’cause you are fooling w/ a dead man’s corpse,
and no one is’ah running. and you don’t know what you do. Oh…
So little Lucy turns sixteen, For there is fire on the mountain,
and like the movie she’s been seeing, and nobody seems to be on the run
she has a lover in her daddy. Oh there is fire on the mountain top,
She can’t tell nobody… and no one is’ah running. Oh yes.
’till she makes the evening news.

One day the river will overflow,
and there’ll be nowhere for us to go;
and we will run, run…
wishing we had put out the fire, oh no…

Cesaria, The Barefoot Diva, pauses between songs to enjoy her beautiful flowers.

“You can’t copy anybody and end with anything. If you copy, it means you’re working without any real feeling. No two people on earth are alike, and it’s got to be that way in music or it isn’t music.” Billie Holiday

Cesária Évora, the barefoot diva, was born in Cape Verde and is internationally known for the beautiful way she sings morna or dirges. Mornas are songs of sadness, sorrow and great yearning; they are sung very much the way Billie Holiday sang the blues. Cesaria spent her early years in an orphanage and soon found comfort singing in local bars. As her reputation and skill grew, local fans named her the “Queen of Mornas.” Cesaria added lyrics written by her uncle, B. Leza to her repertoire of sad, haunting songs and became very popular in the region.
As word of her musical prowess and fame spread, Cesaria went through a very difficult phase of her life. She stopped performing for 10 years and struggled with financial problems and alcoholism. Cesaria found her musical footing again and subsequent fame when she met José da Silva who encouraged her to move to Paris in 1988.
The albums, La Diva Aux Pieds Nus (The Barefoot Diva) and Miss Perfumado, brought Cesaria international acclaim. Her music continues to bring warmth and longing to the hearts of her fans worldwide. Even the Turkish President is a fan. The lyrics to Cesaria’s songs are often in Portuguese and the local Cape Verdean Creole. Below, she sings ~ Embarcacao accompanied by the beautiful Kayah

Cesaria Evora singing Embarcacao with Kayah

Lyrics to Embarcacao: The Boat/Vessel (Translated)
Ai, ness mundo ca tem sô sofrimento There’s not only suffering in the world
Ma naquel olhar cheio di mágoa Looking into these sad eyes
Modê crê tão cedo na felecidade But how can you believe in happiness
Tcheu titá fogá na solidão That drown in tears alone

Ma na embarcação quta levá nôs vida On the boat of our fate
Um bom timonero nô ta desejá, pa guiá-no We need a skilled helmsman
Na temporal nô ta reá vela Who will manage to pull down the sails on time
Pa nô ca perdê na profundeza dum amargura And break us away from the embrace of starving waves of despair

Terra longe à vista é um doce promessa Probably the far off desired land
Ma qui ta desfazê nindiferença Will be the usual broken promise
Um sonho nascê na porto dilusão Because dreams are born in the haven of illusion
Fgi pa longe parcê um solução From which something keeps on chasing us away to the sea
Ma na ro ta incerta di nôs destino Our future has an unknown destination
Nô ta pô esperança num brisa mansa e constante In you, I hope for a tame and constant breeze
(2x)
Pintchi vela dnôs existencia But your wind, blows into the sails
E na paz levá, assim, nôs nau And lead our boat in peace
Pum horizonte cheio di luz e bonança Towards the horizon with peaceful and bright shores

Gigi chilling and posing for her fans.

“It isn’t where you came from; it’s where you’re going that counts.” Ella Fitzgerald

Ejigayehu “Gigi” Shibabaw, an Ethiopian singer/songwriter, was born in Chagni; a small town in the north-west region of the country. Her parents moved to Kenya when she was a child and then to San Francisco in 1998. She is married to Bill Laswell who helped produce her “GiGi” album. Gigi has a powerful voice with a range often compared to that of the great Ethiopian chanteuse — Aster Aweke. Gigi writes and sings her mellifluous songs in both Amharic and English and lives in NY. Below, she sings ~ Gud Fella

Gigi singing Gud Fella

Lyrics to Gud Fella: Trouble is Brewing (Translated)
Thought I had given it up – heeded their words Where does he learn these things?
What brought it on again, that old forgotten love Takes me like candy then chews me like gum!
Trouble is imminent, oh where, Trouble, imminent trouble (2x)

Hear the trumpets of his soul Trouble brews, trouble in the air (2x)
I hear it from afar. This is my jubilee You’d think I care what they say
My love returns to me I only care about your love

Look how he moves, watch his swagger He stands so tall, he’s ripe no doubt
Killing me with his eyes, with his smile He tempts, but he can’t be eaten
How many times am I to die? To think there is such a vine
A frame so fine along his spine So fine (2x)

Sade Adu, forever the sultry African Diva

New Sade Album cover ~ 'Soldier of Love' courtesy Sony Music via Billboard.com

“When I sing, trouble can sit right on my shoulder and I don’t even notice.” Sarah Vaughan

Folasade “Sade” Adu was born in Ikere, Nigeria. Her Yoruba name means love confers your crown. Sade’s parents, a Nigerian lecturer and an English nurse, met in London. When she was quite young, a few months old, her mom moved back to England with the children; Sade and brother Banji. Sade’s love and artistic flair for fashion, dance and music exposed her to many creative people in the London scene and soon evolved from a chance singing opportunity with the Latin soul group Arriva, to the band Pride which became the phenomenally successful group – Sade.
Sade and her band of four have enjoyed a very rewarding music career since the debut of their first album Diamond Life in 1984. Sade’s sensual melodies and evocative songs make her a fan favorite and she remains one of the most loved international recording stars. She has a daughter (Ila) and rumor has it that an album is due out in the fall. The latest update is that Sade’s new album ‘Soldier of Love’ will drop on February 8, 2010; all her fans will be excited to learn this bit of great news. Below, she sings ~ The Sweetest Taboo

Sade Adu singing The Sweetest Taboo

Lyrics to The Sweetest Taboo: by Adu – Ditcham
If I tell you There’s a quiet storm
If I tell you now And it never felt like this before
Will you keep on There’s a quiet storm
Will you keep on loving me That is you
If I tell you There’s a quiet storm
If I tell you how I feel And it never felt this hot before
Will you keep bringing out the best in me Giving me something that’s taboo
You give me the sweetest taboo Sometimes I think you’re just too good for me
You’re giving me the sweetest taboo Too good for me

You give me the sweetest taboo I’d do anything for you, I’d stand out in the rain
That’s why I’m in love with you Anything you want me to do, don’t let it slip away
You give me the sweetest taboo Sometimes I think you’re just too good for me

There’s a quiet storm You give me the sweetest taboo
And it never felt like this before That’s why I’m in love with you
There’s a quiet storm You give me, you’re giving me the sweetest taboo
I think it’s you Too good for me
There’s a quiet storm You’ve got the biggest heart
And I never felt this hot before Sometimes I think you’re just too good for me
Giving me something that’s taboo Every day is Christmas, and every night is new years eve

Will you keep on loving me Will you keep on, will you keep on
Will you keep on, bringing out the best in me Bringing out the best in me

Judee performing one of her afro dance songs in Switzerland

“As a singer I tried on all these hats, these voices, these clothes, and eventually out came me.” Carly Simon

Judith “Judee” Kisob, a native of Cameroon, grew up around the world and sees herself as an international citizen. Her father, a highly respected diplomat, traveled for many years with his family to new posts and Judee was exposed to cultures that continue to enrich and influence her music. A resident of Switzerland and a chemist/engineer by training, Judee found her musical calling after a very successful first public performance in 1990. Judee has created a unique sound that blends African beats with world music and she has a sensibility that makes her songs catchy and appealing to music lovers across genres. Judee sings mainly in English and French with a few other African dialects blended in from time to time. Below, she sings ~ To Mr. Mann

Judee singing “To Mr. Mann” and more…
Try this link for an MP3 playback

Lyrics to “To Mr. Mann”
1. You got a girl, a pretty girl. 2. To have a secret love, never crossed ma’ mind
I have a man, a good man. But now my heart is staging quite a show
Still I come to you with ma’ grand, master plan. Let’s not even talk of further down, down below
You look at me; you’re all confused. You seem uneasy with my honesty.
My proposition, you do refuse. You may no longer even wanna see me
Heartache! You look at me with such dismay! Heartache! You look at me with such dismay!
Heartbreak! Cos’ you don’t feel the same way. Heartbreak! Cos’ you don’t feel the same way.

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Don’t hold it against me Don’t hold it against me
If’ I say you’ve got sex appeal Cos’ I live for moments spent with you
That’s just the way I really truly feel. Hello kisses on my cheeks from you
Don’t hold it against me Don’t hold it against me
If I say I want you all the time Cos’ I whisper your name all day long
And still hope one day you’ll be mine. Ma’ need for you is just much too strong.
All you see is extra baggage Don’t hold it against me, please, baby,
To your simple way of life Don’t hold it against me.
Promise, I won’t cause any damage I’d love you as a lover
That would cause you pain and strife But I really need you more as a friend.
I care for you too much and your big heart is just too beautiful So don’t hold it against me

CHORUS:
Don’t hold it against me Don’t hold it against me, please, please baby,
If I say there’s somethin’ special ’bout you Don’t hold it against me
That makes me wanna get freaky wit’chu. I’d love you as a lover
Don’t hold it against me But I really need you more as a friend
When you talk I just watch your mouth So don’t hold it against me
I’m in a trance; don’t know north from south. Please…

“My music fights against the system that teaches us to live and die.” Bob Marley

Let me know what you think of the list I have shared. Share your list with me and if you know any up and coming divas from the continent you’d like me to meet, do share. Thank you! Merci!

Photo Credits: Various Newsmedia publications, Wikipedia, and other sources TBD.
Sade Adu: Album cover ‘Soldier of Love’ ~ courtesy Sony Music via Billboard.com

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Food: Where Heart, Hearth and Health Meet

Food: Where Heart, Hearth and Health Meet.
“For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst? Verily, when good is hungry it seeks food even in dark caves, and when it thirsts it drinks even of dead waters.” Kahlil Gibran

Food: Food is any nourishing substance that we ingest (eat, or drink) into the body to give energy, promote growth and sustain life.

Food is central to our lives because it is the most common denominator that most families can agree connects our heart, hearth and health. Whether we have fond memories of the abundance of food or painful memories of its scarcity, food plays a very important role in our collective histories from birth to burial. We use food to comfort ourselves and others, celebrate important occasions, pay respect to our dead ancestors, maintain cultural connections and above all, to nourish our bodies. Yet, how often do we stop to give thanks for the gift of food and ask, where does all this food come from?

Fresh Fruit Stand at Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington

“One cannot think well, love well, and sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Virginia Woolf

Growing up in a large African family meant I had many occasions to gather around food. During the planting, tending and harvesting of farmland, my extended family collaborated in the process as well as in the subsequent celebrations of cooking and eating the first crops of yam, corn, and other plantings from the land. The harvested foods were divided up amongst the family heads and kept in special storage spaces. Some of the foods were sold at the marketplace or exchanged for other goods and services.

Beyond Farming: Food at a warehouse by Lyzadanger

Hearth: The floor of a fireplace, usually of stone or brick that extends a short distance into a room; symbol of home; fireside: the joys of family and hearth.

Gathering with friends and family to enjoy casual meals and to celebrate significant events was routine. Traditional foods were always prepared and served as a big part of our gatherings and Jollof Rice was a mainstay of important celebrations. Jollof Rice is a very popular savory dish and its origins can be traced back to the Wolof ethnic group of Senegal and The Gambia. Adults and children alike loved this delicious dish as it was colorful and fairly easy to prepare.

The Ever Popular West African Dish ~ Jollof Rice

“I have long believed that good food, good eating is all about risk. Whether we’re talking about unpasteurized Stilton, raw oysters or working for organized crime ‘associates,’ food, for me, has always been an adventure.” Anthony Bourdain

My mom, who studied catering/food management during her student years in England, often prepared a unique version, which included the addition of desiccated coconut, on special occasions; birthdays, religious holidays, and even on days when she felt particularly in a celebratory mood. She would spend hours at the local market carefully selecting her fresh ingredients; tomatoes, hot peppers, onions, garlic peas, thyme and exotic spices for this dish. Like Anthony Bourdain, my mom thoroughly enjoyed the adventurous roads her unconventional cooking style led to.

The Colorful Pepper Stands ~ An impressive range of hot peppers

Heart: The hollow muscular organ that by rhythmic contractions acts as a pump maintaining the circulation of the blood; the most vital organ.

Some of my fondest memories of High School days in England revolved around food; especially lunch time desserts in our refectory. I loved all our mealtime desserts; Trifle, Bread Pudding, Mince Pies, Apple Tarts and my absolute favorite – Rhubarb Crumble with Hot Custard. The golden crunchy crumble was served piping hot with large chunks of rhubarb; a deep burgundy delight covered with hot, yellow custard which had the texture of creamy soup.

Rhubarb Crumble: Terrific with Hot Custard, Ice Cream or Clotted Cream

“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.” M. F. K. Fisher

The serving ladies knew me and my friends well, as we would often go back to the dessert line for 2nds and 3rds. We even tried sneaking some out of the refectory which was completely against school policy. Our school had a no-bags-in-the-refectory rule so we always had to think of ingenious ways to sneak food out!
I have always enjoyed sharing food, especially dessert, with friends and have fond memories of many a meal shared here in NY at an excellent restaurant like Meli Melo or elsewhere.

Meli Melo Restaurant in NYC : BitterSweet Chocolate Mousse w/ Hazelnut Swan

Health: The condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit.

On my trips around the US and other countries, I always look for great places to eat or markets I can visit so I can savor the local fare. A visit to a traditional French “le marché,” a German “Christkindelmarkt” in England, a Moroccan bazaar or Pike Place market in Seattle, produces the same heady experience of being swept away by the glorious smells, colors and tastes of exquisite, unadulterated foods.

The Famous Pike Place Fish Market ~ Where they throw Fish

“Give me books, great wine, fruit, fine weather and a little music played out of doors by somebody I do not know.” John Keats

Obviously, I love good food and if you’ve read this far, so do you. However, is our joy for a good meal enough? Shouldn’t we pay closer attention to the supply chain? Shouldn’t we consider the value of knowing that our children will cherish and share their memories around food?

Pike Place Market: The Finest Balsamic Vinegar and Marinades

“What is food to one man may be fierce poison to others.” Lucretius

Recently, I saw a very powerful film – Food, Inc – about the food we produce, buy and eat and the alarming challenges that affect us all. The movie made me pause because it was a reminder that most of us take our food supply for granted and have become complacent about both nutritional health and food safety. If we wish to continue to partake in the joyous moments that heart, hearth and health bring together, it is imperative that we become advocates for ensuring our foods reach us safely. What do you think?

Photo Credits:
Food at Warehouse by Lyzadanger
Jollof Rice from The GlobalGourmet
Rhubarb Crumble from The Food Network
Remaining photos were taken by me.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank