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Antjie Krog at the ABC cinema and Coetzee at the TNT
Edito: I had already met and heard Antjie Krog briefly on Friday at the Théâtre des Mazades where she spoke on a panel with Achmat Dangor, Pap Ndiaye and Zoë Wicomb. Las night she was at the ABC cinema to introduce John Boorman's film "In the Country'...
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Rio Loco roundup from the organisers
Edito:The following report was distributed by the Festival organisers yesterday in French (see link below the article). This is the English translation done by Mike Dickman: Mercredi 30 juin 2010 Rio Loco: Report on the South Africa edition, 17–21 June...
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Taking on the bullies
Edito: A number of you have written to express your appreciation of the blog and being connected through it. My subscription for the space expires in November 2010, so I will continue to publish any feedback, pictures, articles, creative writing or other...
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The word marathon in Toulouse: Deon Meyer
Edito: After being hired to interpret for the author, I arrived ten minutes late at the Chapelle des Carmelites in the centre of Toulouse, where I was to meet a woman from La Preface bookshop in Colomiers and accompany her and Deon Meyer to a conference...
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Rio Loco Press Conference
Edito: On the 15th April, the Rio Loco organisers held a press conference in the workshops of the Théatre de la Garonne to announce the programme for the month of June. We arrived at 6:30 pm and were served a glass of punch. After about half an hour the...
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Rio Loco takes shape with South African colours
Edito : A well-known South African artist, Cameron Platter has been brought to Toulouse by the Rio Loco organisers for a short residency during which he is painting decorative panels for the entrance to the festival site. At night the decor will be provided...
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An analysis of xenophobia and a plea for community empowerment
Edito : Peripherally involved in community empowerment and stimulating local democracy in Ramonville St Agne I was pleased to receive this article from Athalie Crawford, one of the few white Xhosa interpreters in South Africa but also a jazz singer! Athalie...
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Picture by GisèleWulfsohn: Frances Baard
Edito : South Africa's changes were brought about by dedicated people and a long struggle. Gisèle Wulfsohn's picture of Frances Baard gives us the opportunity to learn more about her and pay tribute to her and others who committed themselves to the struggle...
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Picture by Gisèle Wulfsohn: George Bizos
Edito : Particularly under the apartheid years, after the Nationalist government had introduced its oppressive laws, the Suppression of Communism Act, the 90 day (solitary confinement) and then the 180 day (solitary confinement) Acts, the Terrorism Act,...
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Picture by Gisèle Wulfsohn of Hilda Bernstein
Edito : Gisèle Wulfsohn is a well known South African photographer who lives in Greenside, Johannesburg with her husband and twin sons. She grew up in Rustenburg. Our family used to visit hers when I was a child. I remember swimming in the little water...
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Inaugural evening for Rio Loco and concert with the Sam Tshabalala trio
Edito: Invited by the organisers of Rio Loco we arrived at the Connexion Café in the centre of Toulouse where we checked in and were each given a Zulu love letter to pin on our clothes. The occasion was the inauguration of the build-up to the Rio Loco...
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Fighting for freedom of the press: Cape Times article by Athalie Crawford
Edito: France is experiencing a strong right-wing drift at the moment with mass explusion of the Rom people from their miserable campgrounds around France. Most commentators believe it is a way of heading off the far right for the next presidential elections...
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Steven Cohen hits Toulouse: le Marathon des Mots
Edito: Through my interpreting work I meet all kinds of people, from a seed-line merchant showing off trial plots of sorghum to Australian industrialists to high-level takeover negotiators for global players, but last night's mission was a first for me....
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Rio Loco kick-off evening
Edito : This blog was created to accompany the build-up to next year's Rio Loco festival in Toulouse as a way of bringing South Africans in Toulouse, in France and around the world together around this 5-day music event featuring South African artists,...
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A sign of deep change
Edito : French media and probably world media have zoomed in on the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison. Thanks to Marion for pointing me to this site which has a lot of commemorative footage. 20 years of Freedom Mandela became President...
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Vuvuzuela : annoying people since 1669
Edito:Just was we were leaving Abdullah Ibrahim's concert after being lifted along with the crowd into a spiritual trance, a little boy around six blew loudly on his Vuvuzuela before his mother grabbed it away from him and he was led off protesting. According...
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Love it and went there profile: Mark Turpin
Edito : Having used up all my chips way back in the seventies and decided the only way was out, I'm nevertheless fascinated by people who managed to dig in and make a constructive contribution to South Africa. Mark Turpin is one such pioneer. Here's the...
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Rio Loco Festival : closing session on 21st June
Edito: We arrived at about 7 pm in time to catch a folk session with Nibs van der Spuy and Piers Facini in a perfect setting, with sunshine and spectators sitting on the sloping lawns and even whiffs of marijuana on the breeze coming off the Garonne river....
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RIO LOCO SITE AND PROGRAMME
Edito : It's a drizzly grey day here in Toulouse, but I've brought less work home from the office. Had intended to type out the programme we were given at the Rio Loco conference but then realised it might already be available on the official site and,...
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World Cup by our local correspondant
Edito: I'll be offline for a week or so but hope to send you some pictures of the opening of Rio Loco on 17 June. In the meantime, let's flip to South Africa for World Cup colours. Giselle Wulfsohn sent out this last minute visual roundup before the matches...
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Rio Loco Festival: 17, 18 and 20 June, Abdullah Ibrahim, Thandiswe Mazwai, Via Katlehong and Freshly Ground
Edito: Pictures of Abdullah Ibrhaim, Thandiswo Mazwai and her band, Via Katlehong and Freshly Ground, which we saw last night. Abdullah Ibrahim is a master of spirit and mood, Thandiswo has a beautiful voice and makes lovely music, the Via Katlehong dancers...
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Rio Loco: 17 & 18 June
Edito : A couple of months ago, out of the blue, I got an email ll from someone I had been at school with and then at Wits University in Johannesburg, Dan O'Meara. it was the first time we'd communicated in 40 years. Rio Loco gave us a pretext for meeting...
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Barry Canin's photos of the Great Karoo
Edito : First a little biography. Eleven years old, when in the boy scouts, I had gone camping at Bluegill Waters, a farm belonging to the Canin family, on the Springs road if I remember correctly. Our patrol camped in an old army tent that smelt of hot...
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Peter Hugo exhibit in Toulouse
Edito : James Munnick, Carol Serrurier Zucker and I were invited to the vernissage of Peter Hugo's exhibit but unfortunately only half an hour ahead of time and I for one was unable to attend. The exhibit is on for awhile at the Chateau d'Eau right near...
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South Africans and Israeli type apartheid
Edito: Many people, including Benjamin Pogrund, a former staunch opponent of apartheid and its concommitant oppression in South Africa, have fiercely contested that Israel practices apartheid on the grounds that the South African version was a deliberately...