we went to KAYAAYO

We have seen it to believe it. We lived it for a small time. It's a microcosm of the north squished into several blocks of wooden shaks with small passageways. Girls, small and tall, sleeping 16 to a small room. The community is called Sodom and Gomorrah. Today it's not but perhaps yesterday it was.

The girls told us they are happy to be making money for themselves and not just their parents. But the families are not so happy when the daughters get pregnant and the men disappear and not knowing really who to Blame.

Economically speaking, which it what it is all about, I heard it's the highest source of income the north has. I think it is call for Revolution. Peace, love, and rock and roll? perhaps I am being optimistic...

A YEAR

Today (or yesterday depending who you ask) I have been in Ghana for a year. Not sure I've stayed in one country this long. Though I certainly move around the country. But this is my first time back in Accra, the big huge city we flew into. It didn't look so big then. But now this is like Europe or the USA. Except still no movie theater. Someone needs to change that. I should write letters. They could make lots of money. Lots. But I celebrated with a strawberry smoothie and real whipped cream. MMM.

RAMADAN

I am fasting with my people. They appreciate it plus I'll cross it off the roayl to do list. But it's kinda normal-ish. It's harder when it's sunny and I am thirsty. But no water no food until sun down at 6:15pm. Then most people get up at 4am and have a meal but I prefer to sleep. We were at a workshop in Kumasi for a week which made it easier since we weren't moving.

New Danish Collaborators

http://www.artrebels.com

Youth Forum 2008

I Bee Busy

and still living in the lands of some milk and honey.
Though not going to have it in the day time... it's Ramadan. And I am trying, starting now.

Too busy to write. oops.

Will's Women

From a Nice & Old Film Camera

I like feet.

One of my favorite singing women.

No chopping the candy.


This was dry season. Now it's green.

I spy with my little eyes
a Super 8 camera & radio Walkman.

Poo Like A Lady

Art by Susan Belle
(we know each other.)

-I want to paint this in my village to encourage sanitation. I think it's a super piece of poo.

Vienetta

Today was actually lucky. I found this treat in the store. I asked the price and they said it was expired. I exclaimed. I begged and pleaded. They laughed and said I would get sick. They could see it in my eyes, I was deadly serious and not leaving without it. Finally the big boss lady said ok and this little piggy ran all the way home. It was a little freezer burned and I shared it with one person and it was sublime. Flavor Brownie. I need not say more. I am speechless.

*Action*

So here we are. It's about August. We want to shoot October-November. We need money honey. I am writing a Pepfar proposal for the making and showing. But the big money- the one for the film stuff- it's not enough... sooo... I was thinking to set up something where people can buy DVDs of the short.. and there's gotta be another way of raising it too. So let's think it up. Get up to speed aaaaand aaaaaction.

http://kayayoo.blogspot.com/

KAYAYO SHORT Part 1 & 2

The F word.

Feature Film?

They watched the short one and said it should be longer. So, if I am applying for a grant and why not make it real? Seriously, celluloid. If I can get some help. I'm working on the details. But we better hurry up. Trying to get this shot and edited a little by December so we can go to the Burkina Faso Film Fest in February. And take a side trip to see their circus.

We just finished subtitling! I am impressed with our 22 minute cut. I thought it'd be much longer.
There is no translation for Naa. It's just a response to everything.

The Curse on The Generator

e were editing every night at a friends Video Show. Feeling seriously productive for a change... when... someone cursed the generator. Why? No one knows but the curse has been confirmed by an elder who didn't want to get involved in the Why. The word is that this Generator must be traded since it will never-work-here-again. But even after the trade they don't want to use it here. What will we do? It makes me question it all...

But guess what - I got a text message while at the art show. "Thank god we got a generator. When are you coming?"

Update: They have a new generator. Video shows are back on to every ones elated cries- and they have competition. Which is why the generator was cursed. The curser has started his own video show. It's only a matter of time before he can get enough chickens to make another curse...

Deaf Dreams of Art

June 28-July 6

Some may recall the day I heard that I wasn't going to be an art-teacher-of-the-deaf as my job in Peace Corps. It was a sad day.

The past two weeks I pretended I was one. I also taped a whole lot. I must must edit.

I just returned from the annual Art Show- this year at Cape Coast School for the Deaf. Every PC Art Teacher brings 2 students (of which there are 6 -all at Deaf Schools at present.) Cape Coast is one of my new favorite places with its decrepit old buildings and littered beautiful ocean.

Kari, my good friend teaching near me at Savelugu School for the Deaf unfortunately fell ill so I took her students down down this country- (though I intended to go to make The Video anyhow). Before leaving I spent a bunch of days with her students so they wouldn't freak out when traveling with a stranger who doesn't know sign language - and I taught the 2 lucky ones to "Dance A Painting," from which I made a small video.

To understand the video you must also realize that the talented students here are being taught to do drumming in dancing for 2 hours every afternoon by a professional from the Tamale Cultural Dance Troupe (Kari & Nash set this up). It's quite exciting - they are getting good and will some day come to a Theater Near You...

Seriously. I will edit.
Featuring 12 Deaf kids between ages 12-19, Six Peace Corps V. teachers, an Art Show with work from each school, The Ocean, SilkScreening T-Shirts &anything else you happen to be wearing, a lot of Meals where everyone got Fat, Blind Kids Singing and playing Soccer, Batiking, Kakum Canopy Walk where one girl is very scared, and Fireworks in the Rain.

Right now I am preparing my return to Voggu & my divorce from my two pseudo kids. I'll visit them. Maybe even teach a little.

For the Love of Cheese

I have started making cheese. Starting with fresh and soft we have attempted Mozzerella and Bondon. Lactic Cheese will be ready in the morning. Apparently good on crepes.

I got a kit. Thank you papa! It has two cultures for soft + hard cheeses and rennet tablets. Plus the needed cheesecloth. A friend going to France will pick up more Rennet... and we can multiply the Cultures ourselves.

So far I've confined my laboratory to the controlled environment of the Peace Corps Tamale Sub-office where there is a refrigerator, stainless steel and other enthusiasts.

In fact my imagination has created a future cheese cave, herd of goats, cows, and everyone as a cheese maker, including the Ghanaian guards. Endless supply. We'll have people of all sorts from far and wide trying to get there hands on a wedge of our unique recipes that we will create once we master the art. If you're lucky we will export.

So I've started graphing and making signs. I am detailing the subtleties of what makes each cheese it's own. Heating and cooling at different rates to varying degrees, pressing with certain amounts of weights, shaping to tasty sizes...

This week I am experimenting at home. Next Chapter- cheese made in warm temperatures...

"a cheese may disappoint. it may be dull, it may be naive, it may be over-sophisticated. yet it remains cheese, milk's leap toward immortality."-clifton fadiman (motivational excerpt from my cheesemaking textbook)

Barak-O

I heard it on BBC in the morning...and I felt somethin.
I'll vote from here & Excited to Be.
Do I smell tasty BarakO cookies in the future?
You add the sugar and I'll add the butter. We'll both beat.
Let's Bake and share.
Close your eyes and take the biggest bite...

Traveling Circus

So I had an epiphany the other day. Everything became clear and I was floating. As my cloud landed I realized it wasn't a dream. We can do this. It doesn't have to be my whole life future... instead of girls and boys traveling south for work how bout they join the circus?

We'll spread messages of young girls caught in the ropes... boys caught up with the girls and everyone caught up with the money for their farm or their bowls... and the sad donkey that works so hard (Alidu just got one and I am elated). Monkeys and Clowns who are dirty and clean house and build sanitation facilities that they can't figure out the reason for...

and elephants. (one can hope)
Mole National Park isn't actually that far...

Festival au Desert (Mali)

JAN 8,9,10th 2009
You should visit... This is a good time... Buy your plane ticket now...

HISTORY
Created in Jannuary 2001, the "festival au désert" is held every year in Essakane, two hours from Timbouctou in Mali.

This Festival seeks its origin in the big traditional Touareg festivities, as Takoubelt in Kidal and Temakannit in Tombouctou, which represented for long time a place for decision making and exchange of information among the different communities. At the beginning, there were songs and touareg dances, poetries, camel rides, games, etc.

Today, the Festival is opened to the external world and welcomes artists from other Malian regions, other African countries, but also from Europe and from the whole world.

During three days, around 30 artistic groups are invited from all around the world to present their art.

Due to the attention of the media and to the huge logistic effort that it is mobilizing, the Festival is now included among the Big Modern Festivals, though it maintains its traditional cultural aspects.

MAIN
http://www.festival-au-desert.org/
LISTEN
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/episodes/2007/07/03/segments/81493
ARTICLE
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/07/malifestival200707

Is it a Hurricane? No, it's just "the Rain."

So it has rained a few times now. Today being one - and it's not just rain that comes, it's wind- and plenty of it. There is lightening and thunder too but wow that wind - it's like a hurricane! A part of my roof has actually blown off, a small part and not in my bedroom so it's ok - and it's supposedly getting fixed tomorrow.

I got a cold because I was still sleeping outside but that wind! It just about knocked me off the bed - well, the makeshift bed as mine had bed bugs (may-be scabies) - man, it was awful - but I got rid of them by pouring boiling water over my bed, washing the creases, leaving it in the sun, washing the sheets with treated stuff, and spraying the house with strong repellent. The procedure was rough and involved plenty of bites, sleeping on a row of chairs with a towel sheet- and cursing. But now how I appreciate my lovely bed and soft sheets! It makes me think about the wonders of whipped cream.