Must See: Habib Koite & Bamada – Live in the U.S.
By jimheck in African Traditions, Arts and Culture, History on March 8, 2010
By Conor Godfrey
This month Habib Koite and his group Bamada will be playing in venues across the U.S.—you must not miss them.
Before I rave about Habib’s music, we should talk about the Griot tradition he comes from.
When I first arrived in Guinea, I stayed with a Malinke family (an ethnic group prevalent in Northern Guinea, [...]
Can Africans Afford the “African World Cup”—Does it Matter?
By jimheck in South Africa, Tourism Trends on March 7, 2010
By Conor Godfrey
World Cup fever is in full swing as the FIFA countdown clock hits 95 days, 22 hours, and 10 minutes. China’s olympic sized debutante ball in 2008 has made it all too easy for pundits to bill the upcoming World Cup as a continental coming out. I admit—I’ve fallen for the [...]
OnSafari: Carbon Congestion
Kenya’s President Kibaki has advised the developed world’s working group out of the Copenhagen climate summit that the Third World wants carbon credits for protecting its forests.
OK. And carbon debits, then, for their fuel inefficient commutes.
My first four days on safari were spent on business in the capitals of Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam. I [...]
Homosexuality or Rabid Homophobia: Which is the Foreign Import?
By Conor Godfrey
In less than two weeks the Ugandan parliament will vote on one of the most virulent anti-gay bills in history. Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill 2009 mandates the death penalty for some homosexual acts and significant prison terms for people who fail to report homosexual activity to the authorities.
Mass rallies preceding the introduction of [...]
The Coup d’Etat is Back
Clattering Coups
By Conor Godfrey
Anyone who followed African news in the 1960s, 70s, or 80s, would be forgiven for thinking that a coup d’état once every five to ten years was written into West African constitutions. Yet, like small cars and women’s boots, shooting your way into the presidential palace is back in style.
Last Thursday in [...]
Meet Conor Godfrey
I’m heading to Africa. Conor recently returned.
So we’re switching roles slightly for next 7 weeks while I guide several safaris, search out new places and complete some unfinished business in East Africa.
I’ll blog as I can, and certainly detail as I have before the safari experiences my groups are having. You can follow [...]
France Apologizes, America’s Turn
Apologizing is hard and noble. It’s America’s turn.
Today, France apologized to Rwanda for its actions that contributed to the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Like the Belgian Parliament’s historic apology to the Congo for its ancient king, Leopold, (which included substantial reparations) these are difficult and noble acts.
“What happened here is unacceptable and …forces [...]
War in Ngorongoro?
By jimheck in Ngorongoro Crater, Politics, Poverty, Wildlife Management on February 25, 2010
Education is fine if you’ve got something to do with it. Is there going to be war in Ngorongoro?
The great experiment known as the “NCA” in what ABC’s Good Morning America christened one of the world’s Natural Wonders is coming apart.
Most tourists know it as “The Crater.” But Ngorongoro Crater [...]
Bipartisan with China, against Eles
By jimheck in Poaching, Politics, Wildlife Management on February 24, 2010
wo weeks from Sunday the Obama administration will finally let the world know what they think about elephant conservation. So far, they haven’t.
The silence is deafening. I’m afraid the whales and elephants are being negotiated away for sanctions against Iran.
This will be Obama’s first world forum on conservation. The last CITES convention [...]
You got it Coming, but you can’t Go!
By jimheck in Air Travel, Planning Travel on February 23, 2010
BA strike imminent
If you’re planning to travel in the next few months, the chances are you’ll be effected by an airline strike. It’s your fault.
There have never been so many major airlines in strike mode, and it reflects the recovery in only the way the travel industry can.
Yesterday, the Lufthansa strike temporarily ended. [...]
Bringing Iraq to Africa
By jimheck in Uncategorized on February 22, 2010
re Bush, Blair and Condy sending the right message to Nigeria? No.
There is tension in Nigeria at the moment, as if there isn’t always tension in Nigeria, but Africa’s rich oil producer is technically without a president. The elected leader is either very sick or dead (no one’s sure), and the Nigeria’s Parliament [...]
Peaceful Kenyan People Power
The coalition government in Kenya was fraying at the seams last week, but a large public demonstration may have stitched it back together.
Wednesday several thousand protesters took to the streets of Nairobi in what many of us feared would be the end of the “Grand Coalition” which has held Kenya together in a fragile alliance [...]
Panthers in Tanzania
Jaguars and mountain lions don’t exist in East Africa, but Black Panthers do.
While some names like Huey Newton, Edlridge Cleaver and Bobby Seale are still recognized in the U.S. with the historic Black Panther Movement, in Tanzania there’s an even more famous panther, Felix “Pete” O’Neal.
Like many panthers, Pete sticks close to his territory, [...]
It Takes 2, or 3, to Tango.
By jimheck in Corruption on February 12, 2010
he deal struck last week between a major world’s arms manufacturer and the UK and US governments explains why African leaders are corrupt.
Corruption doesn’t start with an evil black man’s hand out. It starts with a white man.
BAE Systems is the world’s second largest weapons manufacturer. It’s so big that it doesn’t just [...]
MADIBA 20
It’s hard for me to believe that it 20 years ago to the day Nelson Mandela walked out of the Drakenstein Prison after 26 years.
We all mark our lives with significant events. My generation often asks, “Where were you when JFK was shot?” – “Where were you when Apollo landed?”
When Madiba was released [...]