A few days ago, Al Jazeera English channel screened (and then put online) a 30 minute documentary, “The Power of Song,” on the Ivorian reggae star Tiken Jah Fakoly. Made by a Canadian production company, the film was billed by Al Jazeera as following Fakoly on a visit to two village schools in Côte d’Ivoire that he funds (51% of Ivorians are illiterate). The publicity also emphasized generalities. Tiken Jah “fights for Africa’s poor and marginalized.”
This Sunday, Guineans will go to the polls in a presidential run-off contest between ex-Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo and his rival Alpha Condé in what is considered their first democratic election since independence in 1958. It’s been a long road since the first round of voting in June—the run-off has been delayed several times […]
I’m just back from a weekend away so this is my contribution for today. Just a little something to start your week off. From Ivoirian reggae artist Tiken Jah Fakoly comes “Un Africain A Paris,” a cover of Sting’s “Englishman in New York.” Lyrically, very interesting contrast between the two versions. And, while Sting has […]
