The Whistler - A novel from Angola by Ondjaki

“One October morning, while it is raining, a young man arrives at a small African village, with a church on one side and a smiling baobab tree on the other. He enters the church and starts whistling. The sound is so beautiful, that the priest is left in tears and the doves listen in absolute silence. And there are the people of the village, like the madman KaLua, the old widow Dona Rebenta in her large wooden bed, the gravedigger KoTimbalo, KeMunuMunu, the travelling salesman and Dissoxi, who fills her house with sea salt and longs for the ocean.

For a whole week the reader accompanies these characters, their dreams and their longings, the village’s whisperings and gossiping.
All are surrendered to the moods of these melodies. But the whistler himself is affected by the inhabitants of the village. His melodies can rouse happy or sad feelings. The priest announces that the following Sunday mass will be held with the whistler. On the Sunday he bewitches the priest and the people in the church to such an extent,that they fall in a state of trance and unimagined sensuality and zest for life. The mass is followed by an orgiastic celebration. On Monday the whistler and KeMunuMunu leave the village and the reader likewise bids his wistful farewell to a bewitching world.”

The Whistler is fascinating book by young Angolan author Ondjaki. He has published several novels and poetry books and is translated in several languages.
Ondjaki has recently been awarded with the Grinzane for Africa Award, in category of young writer. He has also made a documentary about his hometown Luanda “Hope the pitanga cherries grow - tales of Luanda”.

By Vania Mendes

Manifesto: a means of expression

Eileen Perrier, photographer

This work is a vibrant and gutsy African mastery that i would like to share with you.

"My work has drawn upon the long tradition of African portraiture since my first visit to Ghana in 1996. My objective was to communicate a less preconceived impression of what it is to be a person of African descent. Colour Photography was my gateway into showing a vibrancy and realness not readily found in the media's reportage, black and white imagery at this time."

"Coming from a mixed cultural background of Ghanaian and Dominican descent and this has presented me with questions about, placement, cultural identity and diversity."

Eileen Perrier will be showing is work at the Whitechapel Gallery from the 4th of August till 20th of September.

77-82

Whitechapel High st

London

E1 7QX

Not to be missed

Manifesto: a means expression

Cape Verde World Heritage Site

Cidade Velha becomes Cape Verde's first World Heritage Site,Cidade Velha has been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, marking Cape Verde's entry to the international community's inventory of properties of outstanding universal value.

Cidade Velha is Portuguese for "old city", or simply Sidadi in Cape Verdean Creole, is a city located 15 km from Praia (Cape Verde's capital) on Santiago. It is the oldest settlement in Cape Verde and used to serve as the capital of Cape Verde. Once called Ribeira Grande, its name was changed to Cidade Velha so to avoid confusion with another Ribeira Grande on another island.

On the desert plateau, 100 metres above, is the Portuguese “Fort Real de Sao Filipe” dating from 1590. This building was in excellent condition having been restored in 1999 with Spanish help.

Cidade Velha has the oldest colonial church in the world, constructed in 1495.Cidade Velha's port was a stopping place for two great navigators: Vasco of Gama, in 1497, on his way to India, and Christopher Columbus, in 1498, while on his third voyage to the Americas.

Manifesto: a means of expression

Karoo Moose by Lara Foot Newton

Theatre.

In a remote and impoverished village in the Karoo, a young girl, Thozama, struggles to survive. A violent, terrifying incident and a chance encounter with an escaped moose change her life for ever. A story of pain, redemption and hope.

This is a vibrant and physical African mastery of storytelling and a sense of harsh but benevolent humour with plenty of singing, dancing and drumming. It delivers a strong flavour of South Africa…Six actors, bristling with versatility, play all the parts telling and acting their story.

Winner of 14 top South African Awards including:

Best New South African Play

Best Production

South Africa’s Naledi Theatre Awards

At The Tricycle until 11 Jul 09,

269 Kilburn High Road, London NW 6 7JR

Not to be missed.

Manifesto: a means of expression