Skip to main content
0

100 years old

By TanzaniaNo Comments
IMG_1738

What’s the biggest change in your life time?” was the question we asked the oldest man in the village. “Female circumcision” he replied whilst other men around laughed. An interesting statement from someone who has lived through so many other changes in his community – this practise has completely died out amongst the Wagogo people due to teaching and a governmental campaign throughout Tanzania. His answer may have been due to the season we were in – we had arrived during male circumcision time (a real celebration were the drummers played all night – every night) and many of the young boys were seen coming back early in the morning on the backs of bicycles from the special place. The old man then left to go and play an African game that requires good memory skills – not bad for 100!

5. June 2011
Love0

Back to Tanzania

By TanzaniaNo Comments
IMG_1704

So good to be back in Tanzania – we have heard that Mnase village have had the best harvest for 8 years! It will be amazing to be there for the first time when they have an abundance. Every other trip has been when they were in a poor situation concerning crops. The land looks so green for June – amazingly beautiful.

3. June 2011
Love0

Cambodia – The executioner

By Asia, CambodiaNo Comments

Just watched an amazing piece of journalism on BBC 4 … harrowing but well worth the watch.

It’s a documentary about Comrade Duch, who ran the Tuol Sleng prison camp in Phnom Penh and was the first Khmer Rouge leader to be tried by the Cambodian courts for the regime’s crimes. On 28 February 2009 Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, appeared in the ECCC courtroom and made a two-hour speech where he asked for forgiveness for the appalling torture and execution of at least 13,000 prisoners at Tuol Sleng and probably more in the security camps of M-13 and M-99. Until this date, with the exception of a handful of judges, lawyers and a priest, he had not been seen or heard of for the last thirty years. How did a man, known to be kind and generous to fellow students, possibly transform himself into Comrade Duch, the Khmer Rouge’s infamous executioner? This documentary revisits and searches for clues.

1. June 2011
Love1

Norway – Love Song

By Music from the NationsNo Comments

We were all shocked by the horrendous happenings in Norway in 2011 and I felt for my good friends in that beautiful country. In my thoughts I often remembered a wonderful singer Hildegunn Vederhus who I had met that May in Norway. She told me some of the stories of her land and sang some of the old folk songs. This is just one (my friend John captured roughly on his iPad) that she remembered from her childhood. Here is her translation – very apt after the sadness of the last few days.

The Love Song

Read More

26. May 2011
Love2

Norway

By EuropeNo Comments

We are in Norway and enjoying the celebrations as the people commemorate the date when the nation’s constitution was signed at Eidsvoll on May 17, 1814. Lots of parades and many dress in their national clothes – flags everywhere! Great day.

  • DSCF9438
  • DSCF9411
  • DSCF9436
  • DSCF9424
  • DSCF9437
  • DSCF9432
  • DSCF9426
  • DSCF9451
  • DSCF9463
  • DSCF9460
  • DSCF9459
  • DSCF9450
  • DSCF9452
26. May 2011
Love0

The beautiful sound from the north – Yoiking

By VoiceNo Comments

Yoiking is a very melodic rhythmical way of singing, sometimes with words sometimes without words. Traditionally the songs would have spoken of life and work, reindeer, journeyings, migrations, hunting, weather and love. The Sámi people today can be found in four distinct areas – northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola peninsula in northern Russia. A singer who has pioneered this style is Mari Boine from Norway.

21. May 2011
Love0

No two people on earth are alike, and it’s got to be that way in music, or it isn’t music

Billie Holiday
19. May 2011
Love0

New recording in Sweden

By EuropeNo Comments
DSCF9400

Just come back from a wonderful few days in Gothenburg, Sweden recording a new CD with Viola Grafstrom. The line up was drums and percussion, double bass, piano, electric and acoustic guitars and a small 8 piece choir all recorded live in the studio.

Under Dina Vingars Skugga

2. May 2011
Love1

Drumming is a spiritual act bringing prayers and healing during ceremony. Songs and dances that accompany our drumming have been passed down over many generations and will continue to be passed along, as these are treasures that are timeless gifts to our people.

Maynard Johnny Jr., Salish, Kwakwaka’wakw
26. April 2011
Love0

Cambodia – video editing

By CambodiaNo Comments

Second trip to Passat 083We have been working on the 9 hours of video footage that we brought back from Cambodia. Interviews, dances, music and much more. The DVD that will be included with the music CD will have video clips from some of the beautiful traditional Khmer dancing and also CCAM’s traditional orchestra.  The process of putting together the video footage has been a steep learning curve and taken a lot longer than we expected but we have learned so much ….  sometimes time is what it takes to get it right.

18. April 2011
Love0

Our beautiful world

By My StoriesNo Comments

In the context of the last few days news of famine, Euro bail outs and gutter press – its good to remember the amazing planet that we are part of. Take a moment and smile at the diversity.

Here’s a reminder of a blog I wrote in 2009 when the word crisis was banded about a lot –  “In this season where the media is bombarding us with the financial crisis that is crippling the world my question is what is our response? Interestingly like most Mandarin words, the word “crisis” (wēijī) consists of two syllables that are written with two separate characters, wēi and jī. These separate characters mean “danger” and “opportunity”. Maybe this paradox can point us towards a counter cultural view point. Do we choose to worry about the danger that may be lurking around the corner or do we look for opportunities to be generous?”

1. April 2011
Love0
Close Menu