by Larnies Bowen
“Well the way how them have Colón, it’s the Cinderella of the whole country. That’s how they have Colón…The Cinderella of the whole country. The reason why that happened is because there was too much black in that area. Yes, that’s how they have Colón. The Cinderella of the whole country. So they never cared to do nothing for Colón. The government, they don’t care.”
–DJ Carlos Winthrop
by James Collins
Before I came to South Africa, I sent a very naïve email to the CEO of the Field Band Foundation enquiring about the nature of their “facilities” in the townships. The reply I got back simply said, “Hi Jimmy…We have no facilities in the townships. Field Bands = fields I’m afraid.” Though this fact became clear to me when I began working with the bands in September, I suppose it never really hit home until a few days ago…
I was teaching in Cullinan and had just finished my usual warm-ups with the drummers. We started working on a new drum solo, but after a few minutes, I heard something hit the ground next to me. I looked briefly at what seemed like a small piece of glass lying there and turned back to continue my lesson, only to find a cluster of very shocked faces staring at me. Boy then screamed “ICE ROCK!!” and within seconds they were all gone.
I stood there for a moment trying to make sense of what had just happened. Where did they go? Had there been some sort of cultural misunderstanding? Or perhaps there was some danger I wasn’t seeing? Then another piece of “glass” hit the ground. Then a few more fell and it finally hit me that “ice rock” = hail!
I looked back at the field band truck and saw some kids frantically trying to get the instruments packed away. Only a few brave souls had stayed behind to save the instruments; the rest had fled for shelter. I listened for a moment to the surreal sound of hail beating against the drums and then ran to help.
I managed to find a hat and a plastic bag to put on my head. Others found umbrellas and most notably, Sello and Boy were shielding themselves with a set of plastic chairs they had found by the truck. Meanwhile, four kids had formed a pseudo assembly line inside the truck, trying to get everything in before it was too late. Then all hell broke loose outside as heavy rain and some very serious lightening began to mix with the hail.
The “assembly line” didn’t prove to be very effective and those of us standing outside of the truck wound up getting completely soaked as we waited to pass the instruments inside. It was a total mess. But, somehow, the initial shock and panic gradually turned to laughter and smiles as we stopped caring about the weather and began to enjoy this very strange experience we were having together. The hail had mostly given way to torrential rain by that point and everyone had already gotten so wet that it seemed pointless to worry about it. The instruments would have to wait until the assembly line was ready for them. And finally, after a few more soggy minutes, everything was safely inside the truck.
With our mission accomplished, a bunch of kids jumped into my car and I turned on the heater at full blast to the delight of more than a few shivering bodies. Then I drove them home and made the hour-long journey back to my apartment in Johannesburg feeling like I had just stepped out of a swimming pool. Yes, Field Bands most definitely = fields.
The hail begins and a few remain to save the instruments.
The assembly line forms inside the truck.
A very wet marimba makes its way into the truck.
Sello and Boy shield themselves with plastic chairs.
Panic gives way to laughter.
How did my camera survive all this?
Click here to email James with your questions or comments
The views and information presented are the Fulbright grantee’s own and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State.
by Phally Chroy
The Grace of the Apsara dance is everywhere, most especially in the hearts and minds of the Cambodia people. This is dedicated to them– to all the Apsara dancers around the world, near or far.
This entry is going to be a poem that I wrote, because this is my blog? Right? Enjoy.
Sovanna Phum, in Phomn Penh on march 23, 2008
The Grace of the Apsara
Is it beautiful? The grace of the Apsara,
celestial dancer, in the hearts of many.
Her smiles, sadden by years of dance for love,
her eyes from life that is born from the heavens
Sovanna Phum, in Phomn Penh on march 23, 2008
Dancing with grace and elegance
from centuries and history rooted in memories.
Lost at times in dance and direction,
but never forgotten by those who had seen.
For the seen, it is a daze from the direction from her eyes and smile.
The celestial ballet that has captured hearts and
bestowed punishment to those who has seen her sadness from the heavens.
To steal smiles from mere simple beings like myself.
This is the punishment to dance with an Apsara.
With pain rooted in her dance.
Sovanna Phum, in Phomn Penh on march 23, 2008
Phally
Click here to email Phally with your questions or comments
The views and information presented are the Fulbright grantee’s own and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State.
by Phally Chroy
Sovanna Phum, in Phomn Penh on march 23, 2008
At times, I find my Fulbright experience in Cambodia so bleak. All the problems that Cambodians face: corruption, oppression, fear, and poverty, strike me at a personal level, perhaps because I too, encounter them daily. But, it is the same everywhere, right? Sometimes, I am not so sure, although the problems in Cambodia do not seem so different from the problems in America, aside from being Cambodian in nature, shape, and form. It was my choice to do research here, but sometimes I think, was it really worth it? To come to a country that I call “mother” in heart, although never truly being accepted by her children?
by Larnies Bowen
Wondering what I’m listening to down here in PTY? Well today’s post is a collection of some of the most popular dancehall/Reggae-Soca songs that you’ll hear on the radio and in the discotecas. This entry’s entitled “Plena Playlist” because Panamanians often refer to Spanish Reggae as “plena.” The term literally means “hit song,” but perhaps due to Spanish Reggae’s overwhelming popularity, the genre has come to be popularly referred to Plena as well. Plena has a number of sub-genres such as Romantic Reggae, Roots & Culture (think Bob Marley), Dancehall (think Beenie Man), and Reggae-Soca.
by Aaron Shneyer
Hi Friends,
This has been a very hard week. From Jerusalem I can’t hear the rockets or the gunshots but what is happening in Gaza and in the nearby Israeli towns is felt in every corner and seen on every face. For me, the most frustrating part is that many people here are only concerned with the loss of life on their own side. Why does our national identity come so far before our human identity? Over 115 people have lost their lives this week. I sincerely hope we as humans can find compassion for each other and stop this bloodshed.
by Larnies Bowen
Talk about being thrust into the “real world.” Only a few months after graduating, I pushed aside my fears, swallowed my anxieties and successfully relocated to a foreign country where I’ve secured my first very-own apartment, made new friends, expanded my network of contacts, and delved head-first into a new field of study. In the process, I have learned a great deal about my strengths and weaknesses. One particularly important epiphany was that somewhere along the line I started equating asking for help with relying on people. Since previous experiences have shown me that people aren’t reliable, this asking for help thing is something I’ve been struggling with. However, my circumstances and the nature of my research have forced me to accept the reality that I simply cannot do everything by myself. So while stepping way out of my comfort zone and overcoming many of fears has been extremely empowering, I also feel as if I have been humbled as well.
by Aaron Shneyer
Yes. It’s time for an update! Heartbeat is off to a great start in 2008. Despite a “blizzard” and security precautions for President Bush that temporarily shut down Jerusalem, we’ve managed to hold three fantastic meetings. Kela, Yael, Sameera, Tamer, Roi, Fouad, Kareen, Samer, Mohamed, Dana, Ron, Isam, and Rami are VERY excited to e-meet you all soon…
The quick low-down:
The first meeting was mostly intros, names, where we’re from, the kind of music we listen to. Each musician played or sang us a little sample of the music they’re into. My feeling is that people left excited, but still a bit confused as to what this experience is going to be like. I continue to insist that the experience is exactly what the musicians choose to make it… Our second meeting was at the Sabreen Studio in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, right around the corner from the Palestinian National Theater. We took the first couple of hours to get to know each other a bit more and then we split into small groups (about 4 people per group) for a songwriting activity. They came up with some pretty nice stuff. After about two hours, we cut the meeting a bit short so we could walk down to the aforementioned theater and see Wissam Murad and his band in concert. Wissam is a fantastic Oud player and singer with a unique style, blending new and old sounds. The show was stunning. You can check him out at www.wissammurad.com
by James Collins
After over a month on the road, I’ve finally completed my journey through South Africa. It was truly a special experience and my understanding and appreciation of this country have grown enormously. South Africa is an incredibly varied and beautiful country, both in terms of its people and geography.
Rather than elaborate with more writing, I’ve put together a slide show to narrate the trip. Hopefully you will get a sense of the beauty of South Africa and of the success of the Field Band Foundation. I don’t have many photos here detailing the conditions of the townships where the bands rehearse, but bear in mind that these kids live in poverty and have to deal with conditions at home and in their communities that most Americans would find appalling.
Click here to email James with your questions or comments
The views and information presented are the Fulbright grantee’s own and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State.
by Larnies Bowen
Against my fears (and the warnings of my host country contacts), a day after I touched down on Panamanian soil, I found myself stuffed onto a seat of one the glorified school buses (known as diablos rojos) that make up the public transportation system here in Panama City. Clutching the back of the seat in front of me (so much for seat belts…), I took in my surroundings.
