Tumi’s call to artists, brands, people, Africans
It’s about time us Africans did something to stand up for our continent and people rather than waiting on others to do it for us. Not that we are unappreciative, we just believe that in addition to the global efforts for Africa, it would mean so much more if we were initiating action ourselves. One of Represent’s favourite musicians and MC’s Tumi Molekane has decided to do just that. In an open letter, Tumi is asking for aknowledgement, support, cooperation and help to put together an event highlighting the Darfur region’s horrific strife and ongoing humanitarian disaster. Some may mutter that charity starts at home, but if you know anything about the situation you’ll know that they need all the help they can get before it’s too late. If you believe that we have the power to make a difference to our continent, read his letter below and share it with everyone you know, particularly those who can get involved and make a difference. We’re behind you Tumi. As always. Let us know how we can help. You can see satellite images from Amnesty International and catch eyewitness reports here. An open letter from Tumi For Space, for Dignity, for Recognition, for Survival, for Darfur Peace folks, Since 2003 the Darfur region in Sudan has been plunged into a bloody and disturbing conflict that has seen 200,000 people killed and 2 million displaced according to U.N figures. The conflict has many interwoven causes; from the structural inequality between the centre of the country around the Nile and the peripheral areas such as Darfur, to environmental calamity, political opportunism and also absurd Arab-African regional politics. The cause of the conflict is not the purpose of this letter. It is the devastating effects of the conflict that drive me to this point. In scenes frightfully resembling Rwanda, villages have been depopulated, looted, burnt to the ground, non-combatants have suffered dismemberment and brutal killings at the hand of militias. Rape has also been employed as a weapon in this conflict, women are raped in the open to humiliate them as they are ostracized and culturally considered unclean. “ITS HAPPENING AGAIN, ARE WE GOING TO JUST MAKE MOVIES ABOUT IT ONCE THE MURDERERS HAVE THEIR FILL” For the longest time I thought, these things get sorted out by governments and leaders with the profile of Kofi Annan and that all i could do about it is pray that my government was somehow involved in trying to secure a lasting peace agreement that could be honored by the warring parties. For others the apathy is a worsening illness that sees many desensitized to a chilling numbness by...
Represent Recommends: Sanza’s Soweto Map
Yesterday we bumped into our Swazi brother and fast-talking YFm morning breakfast host Sanza da Fanatik…He told us all about his gorgeous “Underground Jozi and Map of Soweto”. Having lost the original Jozi underground map that we acquired years ago, we immediately bought two! Great presents for friends, family and loved ones overseas. You can buy them at Exclusives or Xarra books in Newtown – ours were R30 each – what a bargain guys! Congrats to Sanza and his partners Andrew and Tamiko for creating such a brilliant labour of love for our province of Gauteng. Hope you sell millions. Lucille Davie of the (wonderful) Johannesburg City Website gives us more info: OFI, cheri, tymer, hoezit, hola, ntwana, sharp, born frees, malume, mtshanas . . . are just some of the terms you will learn to prepare for a trip to Soweto, clutching your Underground Jozi map tightly. The latest map in the series features South Africa’s most famous township, Soweto, equipping the visitor and resident with knowledge of taxi hand signals, different hairstyles and their names, stylish shoes, greetings, hand-shaking Soweto style, and other local customs. You’ll learn about places and people who have made Soweto famous, like Hector Pieterson; the Regina Mundi Catholic Church; Vilakazi Street and its two famous residents, Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Avalon Cemetery; the Credo Mutwa Park; and boxer Baby Jake Matlala. You’ll also learn about “cellphone cultcha”, and that “no self-respecting Sowetan would be seen without one”. This colourful map is drawn by artist and gallery owner Andrew Lindsay. His partners in Underground Jozi are Sanza Tshabalala, DJ and cook, and Tamiko Sher, who has done the research for the map. Read all about it...
Catch “The Winter Show” at Afronova
We know we’re on an arty tip but we’re loving all the galleries and exhibits about at the moment. We hope our enthusiasm is infectious and that you’re making a plan to catch some art soon! Get on down to Newtown to one of our favourite downtown galleries, Afronova, for their next installation aptly titled “The Winter Show” (from 22 June). Diarise! The Winter Show features a rare selection of works by some of the finest artists from South Africa and the continent. Artists showcased include Chéri Samba, Chicken Man, Esther Mahlangu, Solly Cissé, Durant Sihlalhi and Willem Boshoff to name a few. Exhibition runs until Friday 13 July Gallery Hours Tuesday to Friday : 13 :00 to 19 :00 Saturday 13 :00 to 17 :00 Contacts e: afronova@tiscali.co.za w: http://www.afronova.com/ c: +27 (0) 83 726 59 06 The gallery is just across the Market Theatre entrance Safe parking corner Miriam Makeba and Gwigwi Mrwebi St – Newtown Po box 3205 – Parklands 2121 – Johannesburg – South Africa...
Call for interest – Newtown Diwali Festival
After a triumphant event last year, organisers of the Newtown Diwali Festival are proud to announce that preparations are underway for the Newtown Diwali Festival 2007 which will take place on the 27th of October 2007, in the Newtown Cultural Precinct. After logging a record attendance of over 40 000 festival-goers last year, coordinators of the Newtown Diwali Festival 2007 are now calling on all cultural and community organisations to submit expressions of interest to participate in their cultural programme which will take centre stage at the festival. Last year’s cultural programme showcased a high caliber of local talent, resulting in a dazzling programme of music, song and dance. Interested organisations should contact Festival Programme Coordinator, Ravi Naidoo on ravi@newtowndiwalifestival.co.za . Please cc all mail to r.naidoo@telkomsa.net. Submissions must include: the name of the organisation, contact person, all contact details, the category of participation (ie. music, song or dance), genre of item (ie. classical, semi-classical, fusion, modern), a brief description of the item and the approximate duration. The closing date for all submissions is Friday, 28 July 2007. For additional information, Ravi Naidoo may be contacted on 082 923 5622. The Newtown Diwali Festival 2007 takes place in the Newtown Cultural Precinct on Saturday, the 27th of October from 10am to late. Entrance is...
Fall Out Boy support bands announced
Rockers, you’re in for another treat – 94.7 are bringing Fall Out Boy to South Africa in July and they’ll be supported by some of our top rock/indie bands FEVERTREE, J, LOVE JONES and HARRIS TWEED: We’ve waited in anticipation for details of the local line-up, and now The 94.7 TOP 8 @ 8 are thrilled to announce that joining headlining band FALL OUT BOY, are local favourites FEVERTREE, J, LOVE JONES, and HARRIS TWEED. It’s going to be a BIG NITE OUT, on the 20th of July at Joburg’s Coca-Cola Dome! FALL OUT BOY are climbing the ranks on 94.7’s Top 8@8, with their new single, “Thank You for the Memories”, following in the footsteps of “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race”, which reached the No.1 position. The American rockers have constructed a distinctive sound, combining darkly comical lyricism, soulful voices, and a backdrop of pop, punk, and hardcore. “No frills” rock with choruses that stick and lines that fans tattoo on their bodies. It is only fitting that the hottest South African talent share the bill… FEVERTREE are famed for their raw live performances, their gritty, uplifting rock-pop sound, and powerful ballads. Their debut album, Quest for a Cure, dominated South African radio with five top-ten singles. Along with extensive airplay, the album received rave reviews, and the band was nominated for “Best Adult Contemporary Album” in the 2004 SAMAs. Their latest album, “Under a New Regime”, was released earlier this year to critical acclaim, and a hungry public. J writes honest pop songs, and then turns them into sprawling Indie masterpieces. He’s only been in South Africa for a year and has already signed record, publishing and management deals, written a host of autobiographical songs, and convinced a respected international producer to record his debut album. Not only does prolific songwriter pen his own songs, he played nearly all of the instruments on the album, and arranged the strings too! LOVE JONES is a dynamic fusion of the most appealing elements of rock ‘n roll and popular music – raw power prettied up with the glossy overtones of accessible pop. The band formed in 2005, and found themselves rocking up a storm on a cold night at Splashy Fen – their first ever performance. Their self-titled debut album thrilled local fans and enabled the band to compete on an international level, with its first single invading the airwaves countrywide. Since the release of HARRIS TWEED’s debut album ‘The Younger’, the duo have become one of the most affecting live acts in the country. They’ve performed numerous local gigs, supported Swedish singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez,...
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