I spoke and laughed with Pokuaa and Joey and towards the end Nii (who had trouble finding a taxi on a quiet Sunday night) about blogging, kelewele, colonization and many other things. I also got super inspired to start my own podcast…
The description of Season 2 Episode 7 goes:
Why the episode is called “Are You Sure?” Well, if you listen, you will know!
Swedish-Gambian artist Seinabo Sey has become a big star in Sweden over the last year with her big voice, straightforward songs, and performances in all the important places (even Conan O’Brian). This week, she was given the prestigious closing performance slot of the Swedish music awards, the Grammis. There she also won the Pop Award of the year.
I had heard of her performance, and this evening, I decided to watch the entire awards gala. After 17 awards, finally it was time: Sey is alone on stage, lit from a spotlight above creating a beautiful classical singer aura and start singing her song “Easy”. After the wailing intro, a row of black women dressed in all black walk in to stand behind Sey, more keep coming, and more again, they are so many they fill up the stage and one row also comes in just below the stage. Sey segways into the song “Hard Time” where the lyrics go: hard time forgetting/even harder to forget/before you do same/you might regret/ The women have a neutral or even serious look on their face and “just stand there”.
It was amazing! See for yourselves!
After the performance Sey has gotten the question of what she meant by the performance. To the Swedish Television Company, SVT, she said:
– Jag vill att folk ska tänka själva. Det är konst – det är ljud och bild – och jag tror att människor gör mer när de får tänka själva än när de blir tillsagda vad de ska tänka.
– I want people to think for themselves. It is art – it is sound and image – and I think people do more when they are allowed to think for themselves than when they are told what to think.
Such a great and educative answer.
Her performance was most definitely a political statement and watching the clip from Ghana what went through my mind was: “I have never seen that many black women at once in Sweden, but they are there, they are there to stay, they are all ages, all shapes and sizes, all types of hair styles (gotta love black women!), they are there, how are they treated? How does it feel to be black in a political climate of xenophobia and outright racism? How does it feel to be a black woman in Sweden today? How will my daughters feel if they decide to live there?”
Earlier in February, I heard someone (blogger Ebba Kleeberg von Sydow?) review the Stockholm fashion week and comment there was surprisingly little political commentary in the fashion when Sweden is going through turbulent times politically. I was happy to see that did not happen to the yearly show-off of the Swedish music industry.
To use one’s platform is a requirement. Well done, Seinabo Sey.
Ten years ago, someone turned down an internship in an organization based in Paris, and I got a phone call: “Do you want to go live in Paris for five months? Position starts in two weeks!” In 2006, this set a few different balls rolling: I had to ask permission to leave my job, wave my boyfriend goodbye, book a trip to Paris with an open return, buy a beret, but maybe most importantly to me – it gave me a reason to start the blog I had been thinking about for some time, because now I had a subject matter worthy of some writing (and me getting out of my head): La vie en France or Life in France!
After ten years of blogging, and 870 something blog posts to my name, I know for sure, to paraphrase Oprah, that
…blogging is not a substitute for diary writing, although the years of keeping a diary prepared me well to “think by writing”. I in fact go back and forth on having a “paper diary” on the side.
…blogging is much more than writing, it is a lifestyle in which you take note of details and think when facing hardship: “this would make a great blogpost” (last time it happened was yesterday when I was shopping for a bra in Accra, but that’s a different story!)
…blogging is on the verge of becoming a livelihood for many in Ghana and I hope the organization I started in 2011 with a friend, BloggingGhana, can help many more live off of their content production and blogs.
…blogging is different from all other writing in that it is directly relational and – if you are lucky – leads to deep and meaningful connection with others.
But I also know, ten years down the line, I know that I want to do something more with this blog. I want to publish blog texts elsewhere, I want to branch out into other mediums, I want to be bigger and at the same time a bit more focused. Does it sound contradictory? I guess it is!
The good news is, I can develop my thoughts in a few blogposts to come!
When this chain first came to town, it meant the world to me. A place where I could go an temporarily be European over a coffee and croissant. The Airport branch opposite the New Koala Supermarket has the most interesting crowd. There is also one at Marina mall and one in Labone. Great and super quick sandwiches, coffee is ok, croissant wobbly quality. Sadly, it has become very expensive.
My typical order: Cappuccino and Roast-Beef Sandwich on brown bread. 37 GHS
Vida E Caffe
This new chain has swooped in with their Portuguese manners – they greet you loudly when you enter and exit! – and make excellent coffee, especially several cold versions that are delicious. Initially their sandwich and pastry section was bleak, during my last visit they had upped their game. Locations at the Junction Mall, opposite the national theatre, Spintex road, and two branches in Airport City.
My typical order: Latte Grande with a Glaced Donut. 17 GHS
Cafe Kwae
In Airport City, this Ghanaian-owned gem offers salads, light lunch, and coffees and pastries, all very affordable. Cafe Kwae is also the only cafe to offer Wi-Fi free of charge. Circumspecte and Francis Quarcoopome/Time Out were also here.
My typical order: Cappuccino (comes in a huge, yellow, beautiful cup!) and Cafe Kwae Slide (three mini burgers ) 41 GHS
This post is part of my Top Three-series where I list my favorites!
Often, the news cycle in Ghana excites me and seemingly puts pressure on people in charge. So far so good. However, at times, the news feel like projectiles that blow up too close to comfort and just keep coming BOOM BOOM BOOM without breathing space to the point of me and other people going “what is happening to us?”, “WHY?” or similar while throwing our hands in the air.
This week, and its only Tuesday!, for instance we heard about:
All these problems are major, critical, and totally unacceptable. They all are not new, but historical problems that have not been adequately addressed. On radio this morning, the Korle Bu Hospital CEO Dr. Buckle said the surgery ward issue dates back to 2014 and the article on the identification card suggests the exercise begun in 2003, albeit is still not completed!
All these problems have multiple people (departments! ministries! experts!) working on them, seemingly not making much progress – or what do I know- but at least not solving issues! For instance the identification card was here highlighted in a forum organised by a media house and the World Bank – why not championed by the parliament or the authority created for identification, I do not understand. It seems the problems are too big to get solved by public servants or politicians? Or they lack the skill, funds, or political will?
If so, solutions to problems are likely linked to more citizen engagement. But how do we get there? How do we make sure we channel rage, direct energy, and funnel ideas for solutions – and not for apathy?
Ten years ago, someone turned down an internship in an organization based in Paris,
…blogging is much more than writing, it is a lifestyle in which you take note of details and think when facing hardship: “this would make a great blogpost” (last time it happened was yesterday when I was shopping for a bra in Accra, but that’s a different story!)
But I also know, ten years down the line, I know that I want to do something more with this blog. I want to publish blog texts elsewhere, I want to branch out into other mediums, I want to be bigger and at the same time a bit more focused. Does it sound contradictory? I guess it is! 