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Magazine Newsletters

• Sunday, 07 September 2008

  halftribe newsletter Sunday, 07 September 2008 To continue to receive the halftribe newsletters in your inbox, please add newsletters@halftribe.com to your address book today.	Interesting ... ... the peculiar predicament of artists who come to the global contemporary art arena from backgrounds outside the West only to discover that the most valued attribute required of them is their difference. The global culture game is therefore a game of difference, and its economy of signs is structured around the principle of irreducible difference. - In The Heart of Darkness by Olu Oguibe Poetry National Arts Theatre From a barren piece of land where rubble was left to roam and wayfarers call home From the grasslands left uncultivated and grown wild rose a monumental piece of art She was designed and redesigned she was pruned and tilled and fawned over Before a structure was decided     It took months to get her from paper to groundbreaking and much longer from groundbreaking to completion With the best brains in design and construction the team worked night and day to weave her driveways and sculpt her corridors From the marble tiles to mahogany panels timber and cast iron accessorising her inside and out And materials from the world over to craft her beauty from paper to structure Read more text halftribe recommends ... halftribe recommends ... Music: Rokia Traore
  halftribe newsletter In this edition ... Editor's Note: September 7th 2008 Dear halftribers, thank you for subscribing to halftribe.com and sharing the site with your family and friends. Because of you, we recorded over 160, 000 hits to halftribe.com in the month of August alone, making August our biggest month since we re-launched in June. Each month we average over 100, 000 hits which means an average of 3, 000 – 5, 000 hits a day. halftribe.com is growing and its reach is spreading around the world. Events around us constantly reinforce how vital culture is to globalization, and therefore, how important halftribe.com is in promoting the Arts & Culture of Africa through art, literature, and music. But culture is also shown through society, events, and even politics. This week, Ethiopia unveiled one of its ancient obelisks in the historic town of Aksum where these obelisks were erected over the tombs of Ethiopian Kings and Queens over 1700 years ago. The Italians took this obelisk in 1937 and after years of protracted negotiations, returned it in 2005. Weighing over 150 tonnes, the obelisk had to be transported in 3 pieces. It is important to note that Ethiopia was never colonized even though parts were occupied by the Italians. In fact, the historic Battle at Adwa was one of many where the Ethiopians beat back the Italians and they were never able to colonize Ethiopia. Obelisks are also found in Egypt and Turkey. In other news, Italy will pay Libya 5 billion pounds over 25 years for “colonial-era disputes”. Libya was occupied in 1911 by Italy, colonized in the 1930s and became an independent country in 1951. Italy also returned an ancient statue of Venus, the headless "Venus of Cyrene", which had been taken in colonial times. The Italians are building links with Africa like the Russians and Chinese, only they are doing it through culture.  New items this week include National Arts Theatre, a Poem celebrating the Nigerian National Arts Theatre, a new Cartoon that shows the two-dimensional nature of Culture Drain, and our featured Book is The Rape of Fatimah, which shows how people can become victims of other people, of society and of cultural beliefs and customs. In Africa Around the World, we feature the London African Music Festival that held in London over this weekend. In halftribe recommends ... Music:, we feature Rokia Traore, of Mali, a haunting and soulful must-have album. Also, check out new images of Africa on halftribe.com.  Finally, let us know what you think. Give us your feedback and suggestions for improvement, new talent and material. Imagine, Create, & Share. Yours truly, halftribe Cartoons: Culture Drain Contemporary Books: Launching the halftribe bookclub The Rape of Fatimah is a cultural exposé on how people and societies sometimes allow cultural edicts and social customs to stunt their social and economic progress. The play is always an interesting, and if good, entertaining vehicle to employ to tell a story. It is also more difficult because each character has to be acted out in believable detail than say a novel which is more of a narration. Nabie Yayah Swaray shows masterful skill as he manipulates each of his characters' strengths, weaknesses, and peculiar ways to make several points all supporting the main theme, as well as several intricately woven-in subthemes. We have chosen The Rape of Fatimah by Nabie Yayah Swaray as our first book with which to launch the halftribe book club.  Order your copy today on halftribe store, read it, discuss it with fellow readers and with the Author himself on the halftribe forum. Art: Artistory (or Art-history) Come let us celebrate Artists for who they are and what they bring to the authentic cultural landscape of their people and by so doing you celebrate you. In the West, African and other Artists are usually celebrated for their ‘Otherness’. In fact, their works are usually judged for that criterion alone be it authentic or not. While this negates the authenticity of the African, “to reject the exoticization of Africa is to destroy an entire worldview carefully and painstakingly fabricated over several centuries.” (The Culture Game by Olu Oguibe) As confirmed by the Zairean scholar, T. K. Biaya, at a conference in New York in 1995, in order to protect themselves and their heritage, some artists produce two types of art: one for Western consumption, and the other for those who have an appreciation for that sort of thing. The one for Western consumption is more expensive but of less quality because the other is more genuine and is created when the artist is free to be who he or she is and explore what he or she wants in whatever form he or she chooses. On the other hand, some artists trying to meet Western dictates have found it impossible to traverse both worlds, and are completely given over to producing the kind of art that is wont to be ascribed to Africa. They become in reality what their art purports.  Some artistes of note include: the Osogbo Travelling Theatre (1880s - 1960s, Nigerian), Aina Onabolu (1882 - 1963, Nigerian), John Koenakeefe Mohl (1903 - 1985, South African), Jacob Lawrence (1917 - 2000, American), Uzo Egonu (1932 - 1996, Nigerian), Gerard Santoni (b. 1943, Ivorian), El Anatsui (b. 1944, Ghanian), Moustapha Dimé (1952 - 1998, Senegalese), Rotimi Fani-Kayode (1955 - 1989, Nigerian), Ouattara Watts (b. 1957, Ivorian), Jean Michel-Basquiat (b. 1960 - 1988, American), Yinka Shonibare (b. 1962, Nigerian), Fiona Foley (b. 1964, Australian), Chris Ofili (b. 1968, Nigerian), and many more, too numerous to name. Africa Around the World: Music: Around the World: London African Music Festival Check out the London African Music Festival, now in its sixth year, from Friday, September 5, to Saturday, September 7, 2008. The cast this year includes Cuban violinist Omar Puente on his Cuban-Nigerian Project. In April this year he made his first visit to Nigeria to perform at the Lagos International Jazz Festival. Meet Modeste Hughes who is reputed to be Madagascar's top singer-guitarist. Meet Cheb Nacim as he debuts as the new star of Rai music from Algeria. Meet Chidinma Okafor, one of Nigeria's finest young singers, and a brilliant vocalist who effortlessly sings in English, Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa, as she creates something wonderful from a fusion of Afrobeat, hi-life and soul music of urban Africa.
  We urge you to visit the halftribe store. As we publish new talent and material on halftribe, we provide them for sale at the halftribe store so buy something today to encourage our artistes. Click on the logo, or go to http://store.halftribe.com
  Spread the Word Tell a friend about halftribe today. Forward this newsletter to everyone on your mailing list. They will thank you for sharing. We do. Contribute to halftirbe.com Do you have some hidden talent that should be nurtured, or do you read a lot and would like to write book reviews, or know someone who does? Tell us or tell them about us. Africa Around the World - Submit An Event Know of an African-related event? Publicize it on halftribe.com. About halftribe | Contact Us Unsubscribe
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• Sunday, 17 August 2008

  halftribe newsletter Sunday, 17 August 2008 To continue to receive the halftribe newsletters in your inbox, please add newsletters@halftribe.com to your address book today.	Interesting ... In our era, the frontline was the frontline. We had to fight for our freedom, for our countries, for our land, and for our nationality. In your era, the frontline is culture. You have to define your culture and stand by it so no one can come and tell you who you are because you already know. - Kassahun Checole, Publisher, African World Press, Inc. & The Red Sea Press, Inc. Poetry First Love young boy in the village, well carved arms and calves, glistening black in the sun pride of his father, joy of his mother, coming of age   hides behind the long grass to check out the virgins by the river sees his rose, his eyes light up, his chest swells, his manhood rises Love or Lust?    she finishes, he follows the water spills, a little makes her wet, a little as she strolls down the dust path between the farms of their fathers ... watching her young hips wiggle dancing to a rhythm all their own When she stops He stops She turns He hides She smiles He dies Surely, Love His First halftribe recommends ... halftribe recommends ... Music: 10 Free Downloads
  halftribe newsletter In this edition ... Cartoons: Got Milk ?!! Editor's Note: 8/17/2008 This week has been an interesting week for halftribe. First, our apologies for any inconvenience as halftribe.com was down for a few hours on Thursday and Friday afternoons. This was because halftribe.com was hacked into not once but twice by Russians. They said they were Russians. Was this out of boredom after the ceasefire in Georgia, we don't know. Anyway, we recovered both times and have upgraded our systems to the latest and greatest and put in tight security to ensure it does not happen again. All week, halftribe is on the look out for new talent and material to keep you informed as well as entertained. We are also constantly searching for new opportunities for collaboration and marketing. A friend of halftribe had recommended Africa World Press, a publishing house, but it was not until recently when one of our reviewers suggested we reach out to publishers so we could get a constant supply of good and interesting African books to review and recommend to you that we decided to do something about it. So we cold-emailed (why not?) and introduced halftribe and we got a quick and welcoming reply. Further exchange culminated in a visit by halftribe to their warehouse where we met with Mr. Kassahun Checole of Eritrea, the publisher, who showed us around. We were simply in awe of the library of beautiful African books they called a warehouse. It turns out that Africa World Press, Inc., has been in existence for 25 years and they do so much and the fact that they are willing to collaborate with halftribe is great for us and for you too. New items this week include a new poem which celebrates the first love experience of a young village boy coming of age (Poetry). We also feature a new cartoon that depicts a young girl selling her wares but with a very contemporary twist to it (Cartoons). We hope you like it. This cartoon was chosen for its thematic connection with the poem. In books, we feature a new book that follows a young girl in Ivory Coast determined to fulfill her dreams and aspirations of becoming a doctor and not just someone's wife (Book). In Africa Around the World, our events section and calendar, we feature an upcoming event organized by the Africa World Press, Inc., called the International Black Literature Festival and Book fair to be held October 10-12 in London. In fact, in our Interesting ... section where we bring you quotes, sayings and vignettes we think are poignant and have value-add, we feature something Mr. Checole said about how today the challenge for us is to define our culture and stand by it. In music, halftribe is working with a new source to provide 10 new free African songs every week for your listening pleasure. This way you can sample music from all over Africa. We provide this week's 10 in halftribe recommends ... Music:. halftribe brings you this and so much more and we hope you enjoy every bit of it. Some housekeeping: Please add newsletters@halftribe.com to your email address book to continue to receive the halftribe newsletters in your inbox. Please forward our newsletters to your friends because in addition to Promoting the Arts & Culture of Africa, halftribe also believes that we should Imagine, Create, & Share. We urge you to visit the halftribe store. As we publish new talent and material on halftribe, we provide them for sale at the halftribe store so buy something today to encourage our artistes. And finally, let us know what you think. Give us feedback and suggestions for improvement, new talent and material. We need them. Yours truly, halftribe Contemporary Books: Aya De Yopougon by Marguerite Abouet The graphic novel, generally, is a curiously under-appreciated literary form in Africa. It is hard to say precisely why – perhaps the conventional presumption that the cartoon is primarily an entertainment and a diversion inhibits its wider use as a vehicle for artistic expression. For this reason, it was a pleasant surprise to come across Aya de Yopougon, the debut offering of the Ivorian writer Marguerite Abouet, who turns this fallacy on its head with her engaging and charming exposition of life in 1970s Abidjan.   Aya, the eponymous heroine, lives in the working class suburb of Yopougon, known as Yop City to its inhabitants. It is the last summer of her childhood; soon the responsibilities of adult life will intervene. She is studious and bookish, with dreams of training to be a doctor. Her unsympathetic father mocks her ambition – ‘University is for men, not for girls,’ he says – but she perseveres, keeping her eye on the prize. Her girlfriends, Adjoua and Bintou have their eye on a different sort of prize, however – the eligible suitor to accessorise them completely. Their life revolves around the forbidden, with stealthy expeditions to go dancing in the nightclubs and surreptitious assignations in the convenient shadows of the market square.   Africa Around the World: Literature: Word Power: International Black Literature Festival & Book Fair Word Power:  International Black Literature Festival & Book Fair, 10-12 Oct. 2008, London. Sponsored by Africa World Press, Inc.
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  Spread the Word Tell a friend about halftribe today. Forward this newsletter to everyone on your mailing list. They will thank you for sharing. We do. Do you have some hidden talent that should be nurtured, or do you read a lot and would like to write book reviews, or know someone who does? Tell us or tell them about us. About halftribe | Contact Us Unsubscribe
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• Sunday, 10 August 2008

  halftribe newsletter Monday, 11 August 2008 To continue to receive the halftribe newsletters in your inbox, please add newsletters@halftribe.com to your address book today.	Interesting ... One day fox challenged tortoise to a race. On race day fox was all kitted: Sneakers - $30. Tracksuit - $70. Tortoise was himself. Fox took off to a great start. He would look back and see tortoise and laugh. Then he'd look up and see tortoise and gasp. He'd speed up until he overtook tortoise but this continued until they got to the finish line where, yep, tortoise was waiting. Fox was distraught. He tore his clothes off. Tortoise was glad it was over. What fox did not see was tortoise' family all laughing at him. Teamwork - Priceless. halftribe recommends ... halftribe recommends ... Music: Asiko
  halftribe newsletter In this edition ... Cartoons: Sex and the City in the Village Children's Books: Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River - The Review Storytelling is borne of inspiration and inspiration can come from any culture, of any people. This is made apparent in Sikulu and Harambe by the Zambezi River, the first in a series of adventures that follow Sikulu the spider and Harambe the Hippo as they travel to different countries in Africa, told by Kunle Oguneye. Kunle has used the setting of a small African village in Southern Africa, replete with language, lifestyle, and culture, and woven the age-old biblical good samaritan story into its fabric. Even though the target audience  is young children, it is an important book for adults especially of African origin as it speaks to the potential as well as possibilities if we just begin to imagine, create, and share. Poetry: Creation Let’s paint the world With rays from our hearts …fill empty places with our minds You are in the light I am in the dark Then, you become the light And I, the darkness We entangle…I eat you up Darkness! Two extremes Confluence of creation Separated by twilight, gate-keeper Of two worlds Yet, when I hold you life happens …a cry in the dark. You’re light! I’m darkness! You and I - the confluence of creation.
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  Spread the Word Tell a friend about halftribe today. Forward this newsletter to everyone on your mailing list. They will thank you for sharing. We do. Do you have some hidden talent that should be nurtured, or do you read a lot and would like to write book reviews, or know someone who does? Tell us or tell them about us. About halftribe | Contact Us Unsubscribe
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• Sunday, 03 August 2008

  News from halftribe.com halftribe.com	Famous Quotes The new wife on seeing her husband in the bath exclaimed, "So this is how small you are and still everybody fears you." He finished his bath and sent for her father. On presenting the head of her father to her in a calabash, he said, "This is why the Alaafin is feared." - Milestones and Social Systems in Yoruba History and Culture, Professor I. A. Akinjogbin (in memoriam) halftribe.com recommends ... halftribe recommends ... Music: Sara Tavares
  halftribe newsletter In this edition ... About Us: About halftribe halftribe is Promoting the Arts & Culture of Africa. We present the Cultures & Civilizations of Ancient & Modern Africa to be appreciated by a global audience today. The goal of halftribe is to explore and discover the Arts & Culture of Africa not just in Africa but all over the world, even in far away Brazil, to interpret it, to package it, and to present it as High Art in today’s world for the discerning eye and mind.  This is the Lifestyle Age. It has been enabled by the Internet because it is now possible for a majority of people across the globe, to know about and appreciate the Arts & Culture of the world, and it is no longer the preserve of the exclusively rich and super elite. The Lifestyle Age is all about living life in Fine Art. But to sustain this stylishness, people need to be fed and inspired. People need to be exposed to Arts & Culture consistently, and persistently. By Arts & Culture, we mean the people, the history, the society, the culture, the lifestyle, the art, books, poetry, writing, sites and sounds, music, and so on, of the people of Africa. Africa is beautiful. Africa is beautiful not for its exotic animals or its enduring landscapes, beautiful though they are, but Africa is beautiful because of the people. Africa is beautiful because of the wonderful creative spirit of its people. It is this creativity that we seek to promote and the results of the creativity, to market.   To do this, we need your help. We need you to contribute, suggest ideas, refer artists, individuals and organizations, and we need you to harness your own talents and contribute your works and ideas for display on halftribe. You do not have to be African to contribute. However, what you contribute must be related to Africa and must show Africa and the African in a creative light. Even if you are not so inclined, you can still help by making suggestions and referring and recommending halftribe. We would also like your help in reaching out to and connecting with the right people, institutions, and organizations, that could help us achieve our goals. Whatever you do in work and in play, we urge you to do it not only to the best of your ability and to your satisfaction, but with savoir faire, style, and panache. We urge you to explore your creative spirit and talents. We urge you to Imagine, Create, and Share. Imagine enabling a young boy in Kenya with a small camera who records some of the beautiful sights and sounds of his Africa for presentation on halftribe. He may become the next great introspective filmmaker. Imagine encouraging a young woman in Lesotho to write from her soul her dreams and aspirations. Later, her book may be the #1 bestseller for weeks on end. Imagine helping to produce an album of old Yoruba songs, sung by a variety of sweet voices accompanied by talented though unknown musicians. Imagine collecting the histories of Africa, including the impact of the Arabic world on Africa as compared to the impact of the Western world, and reproducing them for screen or in cartoon form or even as poetry. Imagine being able to help our educational institutions and organizations release hitherto unpublished yet unbelievable works. Imagine being able to discuss the works, or ask questions, or converse with each other and with the artists and literati themselves. Imagine being able to purchase the results of all this creativity at the halftribe store. This and more is what halftribe is about.   Imagine a world of artistes, musicians, singers, dancers, writers, story tellers, poets, film makers, journalists, historians, curators, creating, making, molding, producing, perfecting, presenting, beautiful art, to their hearts' content and their souls' delight. Men, women, young, old, finding peace, joy, happiness, contentment, love, and inviting you to come, share, and partake of this beautiful world they are creating. Imagine Africa.   So come, join halftribe. Recommend it and invite your friends also; truly the more the merrier. We need you to help us make halftribe a success for all to see and behold, the beauty that is Africa. Cartoons: Herdsman And His Cellphone Children's Books: Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River - The Review Storytelling is borne of inspiration and inspiration can come from any culture, of any people. This is made apparent in Sikulu and Harambe by the Zambezi River, the first in a series of adventures that follow Sikulu the spider and Harambe the Hippo as they travel to different countries in Africa, told by Kunle Oguneye. Kunle has used the setting of a small African village in Southern Africa, replete with language, lifestyle, and culture, and woven the age-old biblical good samaritan story into its fabric. Even though the target audience  is young children, it is an important book for adults especially of African origin as it speaks to the potential as well as possibilities if we just begin to imagine, create, and share. Poetry: Chain of Life The baby cries a life springs forth in a twinkle and we are awakened to the start of a journey which began with the utterance of the first words that carved man in the image of God the sun dies drowned in the wide embrace of the ocean another day perishes in a sizzling ball of fire and we are burdened with the funeral rites of a day gone by we slouch to another birth Poetry: Seasons The sun beat down hard on the already hardened dirt road The colour had changed from the morning moist dark mud to a burning red The effect of heat on the terrain is hard to ignore From the dried brown leaves that would soon blossom again in the rains To the brown expanse of grass that spreads for miles along the freeway The faces of the people also mirrors the effect of the sun The shiny dark skin evidence of much vitamin D The frown lines along the eyes from squinting away the direct rays The food cultivated on the lands are all that you will expect from the tropics From the luscious fruits to the various grains and not forgetting the seafood Because this sun filled terrain also enjoys its fair share of rainfalls As the heat of the sunny season melts away and the sun filled days give way to rains The air cools down considerably and the indoors are filled once again
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• Sunday, 27 July 2008

  News from halftribe.com halftribe.com	Famous Quotes If the people want power, they must fight for it. - Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwean Opposition Leader halftribe.com recommends ... halftribe recommends ... Music: Asa (Click image to listen) Read more text
  halftribe newsletter In this edition ... The Arts: Around the World: London African Music Festival Check out the London African Music Festival, now in its sixth year, from Friday, September 5, to Saturday, September 7, 2008. The cast this year includes Cuban violinist Omar Puente on his Cuban-Nigerian Project. In April this year he made his first visit to Nigeria to perform at the Lagos International Jazz Festival. Meet Modeste Hughes who is reputed to be Madagascar's top singer-guitarist. Meet Cheb Nacim as he debuts as the new star of Rai music from Algeria. Meet Chidinma Okafor, one of Nigeria's finest young singers, and a brilliant vocalist who effortlessly sings in English, Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa, as she creates something wonderful from a fusion of Afrobeat, hi-life and soul music of urban Africa. Cartoons: George Bush & Olusegun Obasanjo - Face Off Children's Books: Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River Check out the children's book, Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River, by Kunle Oguneye, the first in a series of adventures that follow Sikulu the spider and Harambe the Hippo as they travel to different countries in Africa. It is an African version of the Good Samaritan story. Book Review coming soon. Contemporary Books: From A Crooked Rib by Nuruddin Farah There isn’t really any comfortable way of stating this, so I’ll say it essentially as it is: many men are incapable of treating women as equals.   The reasons are manifold, multiple, often overlapping; social and political considerations, religious interdicts, old-fashioned chauvinism. In a sense, it doesn’t particularly matter. The effect, the degradation of the status of the female sex to that of a second-class citizen is the important point. Non-Contemporary Books: Milestones and Social Systems in Yoruba History and Culture by Professor I. A. Akinjogbin   Professor I. A Akinjogbin, BA, PhD, Emeritus Professor of History, was the first Professor and Head of Department of History, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He has been Acting Director of the world-renowned Ife Institute of African Studies, the first indigenous Dean, Faculty of Arts, and former Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Professor Akinjogbin has devoted his entire academic career to teaching and research in history and is the author of several publications including Dahomey and Its Neighbors, Topics on Nigerian Economic and Social History, Ife: The Cradle of a Race, and War and Peace in Yorubaland. Music: halftribe recommends ... Music: Asa (Click image to listen)
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