Being a fan of classic movies especially those featuring big bands, swing, jazz and dance I couldn’t miss the opportunity to watch the Jazz Tap Ensemble at HIFA. The ensemble was established in 1979 by three dancers and three musicians. They have shared the stage with such tap legends as Savion Glover and Gregory Hines.

Tap dance originated in the 1800s, and has its roots in African-American dancing and Irish step dancing. It is believed to have arisen in minstrel shows which gained popularity at that time where white performers would satirize southern african-americans dances, and black performers in blackface would imitate the white performers imitating black dances. Likewise Jazz is also born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. Both art forms are quintessentially American, and symbols of the beauty that can overcome a painful past.

I have a love of fabrics and carpets, so when I travel to countries where carpets are part of the culture I do my best to find something small enough to carry home. Tunisia is such a country. Oh to be flying home first class with an unlimited baggage allowance!

I’m staying in Tunis, not far from the picturesque, upmarket town of Sidi Bou Said. It comprises winding, narrow cobbled lanes of white buildings, blue railings and window shutters. Souveniers fill the shops at street level and although there are many people trying to sell their goods, the atmosphere is laid back and not at all pushy.

The locals are fluent in Arabic and French but struggle a bit when it comes to English. Either way, their English is miles better than my French.

I discovered a nice, quiet carpet shop off the main street and settled in to enjoy the ritual of carpets being pulled from colourful piles and laid out on the floor for viewing. So much to appreciate and oh, the battle of making a selection.

I selected a small Berber carpet and when it came time to pay, I used a credit card. However the transaction didn’t go smoothly so a colleague was brought in to look at the machine and the bank was called to discuss the problems being experienced. No joy. As an alternative, I offered to walk down and get cash from a nearby ATM. This seemed like the only option, so the shopkeeper and I walked down together.

When I handed over the cash, the shopkeeper asked for my phone number as he was concerned that the credit card transaction might have actually gone though and debited my card. Although he seemed nice enough, it all felt strange enough to feel like some kind of scam. Still, I couldn’t see any harm in exchanging numbers and did so.

About 30mins later, back at my hotel I received a call from the shopkeeper saying the credit card transaction had indeed gone through and now he needed to return my cash to me. I became deeply suspicious – especially as we struggled with our mismatch of languages. He promised to send a taxi driver to my hotel the same afternoon with my cash.

True to his word, he did, leaving me and other veterans of market rip offs equally stunned.

Sidi Bou Said street

Chen Guangcheng, whose given name means “Light, Truth,” has become a powerful symbol of a common man standing up to the state. The following collection of Chen images, many widely circulated online, vividly illustrates the powerful emotional reaction his situation elicited from many Chinese netizens. Despite widespread censorship, Chinese Internet users are skilled at evading the controls and expressing themselves with creativity and humor. Since Chen was released from prison and placed under de facto house in 2010, numerous cartoons, drawings, photographs, and other images created by supporters have helped bring his story from rural Shandong province to millions of people in China and around the world.  (Source: Foreign Policy Magazine)

Check out the funky slide show that includes a spoof of Nike.

“What I know is that at times we move three steps forward and five steps backwards because of the nature of the inclusive government. It is very difficult because we are pulling in different directions and the results translate to nothing.” Morgan Tsvangirai, who was secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions before forming the MDC in 1999, speaking at Workers’ Day celebrations at Gwanzura Stadium.
Source: Daily News

…’what is HIFA?’

Yesterday during the First street performances I asked some people in the crowd if they knew that HIFA had begun. None of the people I asked knew about HIFA. There were just happy to see a different kind of entertainment on First Street.