Thursday 4 March 2010

African Mailman


Lately, I've had Africa on my mind. I've got a spring in my step, warm feelings in my belly and a constant desire to wear brightly coloured dresses due to a heady cocktail of the following African influences: the discovery of Ethiopian food, watching The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency and a catchy K'naan tune that keeps playing in my head. That, combined with my ongoing obsession with the amazing Miss Nina Simone, has quite frankly, put a spell on me. I'm bewitched! Is it black magic?! Is that a racist joke? I don't even know.

I do know that my heart longs to wear the dresses worn by the gorgeous 'traditionally built' Jill Scott on The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Have you seen this show? You MUST buy the DVD! My family loves the Alexander McCall Smith books but I must admit I haven't yet read any. But the show is so very lovely, I shall have to add them to my ever growing book pile. But back to the dresses. They're not exactly flattering (maybe it's hard to 'flatter' a bust that impressive) but they're just so lovely, the colours, the patterns, the length, the sleaves - I want one! To wear every day. A new one to wear everyday. Okay I want many.

 
  
  
  
 
I might just also want to be a detective. As if Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon, The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Adventurous Four et al hadn't already filled my childhood with mystery solving ideals, now my adult life is inspired by Harry Potter, Phillip Marlow and Precious Ramotswe too.

And the food. Oh the food...Does anyone know how to cook Ethiopean? Or any other African country for that matter. What are the spices used? Can you teach me?! Please?!

Yesterday, it just so happened that I was listening to Nina's African Mailman when Tom rang with his own African news - there's a strong possibility (but I don't want to jinx it!) that he will be headed to South Africa this June to work on the FIFA World Cup. I really can't impress upon you how very exciting that will be for him, a completely obsessed football fanatic. He wants me to come with....he has a week in Cape Town where I could join him. Should I? Have you been before? What can you do/see there? (Don't say football, please.)

Which brings me to K'naan, the Somalian/Canadian rapper, singer and poet. His song, Waving Flag, was already playing on repeat in my mind before I found out that it is the 2010 World Cup official anthem. I think this song is actually kinda daggy. But it's stuck in my head now and lifts my spirits everytime I hear it. And just like the lyrics go..."And everybody will be singing it...And you and I will be singing it...And we all will be singing it..." I'm sharing the song with you, so, you know, it comes true and I'm not the only one with it stuck in my head.



And we all live happily ever after.
*fingers crossed*

6 comments:

Evie said...

i really want to see the no.1 ladies detective agency. it looks amazing the colours and oh yes the fabric! gorgeous. how exciting too if you get to go to africa in june. i would jump at the chance to go. this one is on my wish list. x

i'm also passing on the Kreative Blog Award if you haven't already received it, see my blog for how to play x

Alex Falkiner said...

A family friend in Africa at the moment, on a musical adventure - her blog is here:

http://miriamlieberman.blogspot.com/

and is full of beautiful photographs!

Aren't the fabrics just sooooo gorgeous. Did you see Yinka Shonibare at the MCA, who made all these colonial costumes out of amazing brightly coloured african fabrics?

http://www.mca.com.au/default.asp?page_id=10&content_id=5511

It was so spectacular...

Let's have an African feast night!

xo

small forest said...

Gotta love African fabrics!

Kaviare said...

I beg to differ. I think that they are EXTREMELY flattering. Just not slimming. :)

I agree, the colours look stunning! I must look into it...

Sara said...

Oh Kate I like that, never thought about it that way. Flattering, just not slimming :-)

Anna Bartlett said...

I loved reading that series of books and I didn't realise it was out as a movie yet - after seeing your screenshots I will have to look for it now. Precious is a fabulous character and I agree with you about the wonderful dresses.

And I have to say on a visit to Cape Town 2 years ago we ate the most fantastic food. Great memories there.

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