Nomadic Culture's topics - tribe.net

New moderator

juanita — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:16:18 GMT

I would suggest soemone who comes from a nomadic culture environment, what you think?

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

henna artist???

Tawni — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 00:24:05 GMT

I am looking for a Henna artist is San Francisco. I can't spend big bucks but have some materials & hope they would come to my house or otherwise???

Thanks for any suggestions,
Tawni
415.216.5984
tglitter@yahoo.com

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

Touaregs massacred in Niger

Theresa — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 13:24:58 GMT

Sorry to be the bearer of this horrible news. This is from Tinariwen's manager in the UK:

Dear Friends,

There is terrible news coming out of Niger, where the FAN (Forces Armée du Niger) are pursuing a government backed policy of terrorizing and harassing innocent civilians, in a bid to quell a Touareg uprising led by the new rebel group, the MNJ (Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice). Please read below for two officially unconfirmed reports of recent civilian massacres.

Many thanks for your interest.
More news to follow.
Best Regards, Andy Morgan.

========================================
Andy Morgan
TINARIWEN
www.tinariwen.com
www.myspace.com/tinariwenofficial
www.youtube.com/tinariwen

SIMPLICITY IS FREEDOM
====================================

Begin forwarded message:

From: QUEEN B <tacoho@hotmail.com>
Date: 9 October 2007 05:20:29 BDT
To: Abdallah Inlamawan <inlamawan@yahoo.fr>, abdou Salam <ag_assalatt1@hotmail.com>, abdou salam <abdousalam.touaregtours.com@agat.net>
Subject: FW: Touareg Situation

Hi
this sad news came from our friend in Germany
Love
Berta

_u will be aware that the situation in Niger with the Touaregs has had another sad "highlight" ...
PLEASE pass on the info as much as you can. I did also inform the UN Commiette on Arbitraty Executions.
We posted info on indymedia and tried to inform other NGO / HR organisations.
talk to you later
Gunter

* * * * * **

Since February, we are watching the so-called Touareg-conflict in the North of Niger. We do also have some contacts.
Within the last days, we were notified about two massacres, actually arbitrary killings of civilians without warrants, court verdicts or the like.
We figure you will be aware of the overall situation in the North of Niger and the atrocities happening there.

Execution of 12 civilians, October 1st
According to our sources, on October 1st, the FAN Forces Armee du Niger (Forces Armee du Niger / Army of Niger) had stopped five vehicules close to the Algerian border. The passengers were urged to leave the vehicules; the soldiers separated them up in lighter-skinned and darker-skinned persons. The light-skinned individuals, supposedly Touaregs, altogether 12 individuals, were shot to death instantly. Remaining passengers of the convoi witnessed the shooting and the fact that these persons were shot on reason of the color of their skin. They gave witness in the towns of Arlit and Tamanrasset.

Execution of 17 (22) civilians, October 2nd
According to our sources, the same military patrol of the FAN / Army of Niger pulled a number of individuals out of their tents in the vicinity of a pist between Assamakka and Arlit (also in the far North of Niger, close to the Algerian border), north of Iferouane. Due to their lighter color of skin, these persons were classified as Touaregs and instantly shot to death. The number of individuals killed in this incident varies - according to the sources - between 17 and 22 persons.

All individuals shot and killed were civilians and not involved at that time in any combat situation.
All individuals have been executed without any accusations or any court decision.
The executions have taken place arbitrarily and without any reasons other than the person's color of skin.

Please find at the end of this email a list of names of some of the executed persons.

We ask you to understand that it is very difficult to get information / confirmation out of the North of Niger since the Nigerian Government is actually blacking out all news from that area. As you will be aware, even RFI Radio France International has been forbidden to broadcast for a month earlier this year due to the fact that they had reported about the conflict. RFI's journalist Mousa KAKA is still imprisoned in Niger prisons at Niamey for the same reason.

Our means as a small organisation are limited. Therefore, we ask you urgently to put pressure on the Niger Government to stop the violence against civilians and to seek a peaceful resolution of the conflict. We also ask you to press for an inquest / investigation in this case and for a punishment of the persons and officers responsible for this act / crime.

Please feel free to contact us anytime for further information.

yours
Gunter Wippel
HUMAN RIGHTS 3000, Freiburg, GERMANY

Sources:
MNJ website: http://m-n-j.blogspot.com/ 1. and 2. of October 2007
as well as Direct communication from Niger

List of names of some of the persons executed on / just before October 1st
Zeyda ag Badi
Ahmadu ag Moussa
Ghoumour ag Ahmad
Mohamed ag Akarfa
Ismaghil ag Akam
Rhissa ag Attaher
Bikim ag Ilyas
Akloua ag Hama
Oumra
Lahcen

posted in Nomadic Culture - 3 replies

holiday cards that support peace in Niger

carleigh — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 05:56:26 GMT

Hi friends,

Leslie Clark has beautiful holiday cards with proceeds supporting the Nomad Foundation.

Please check out.

Please support.

http://nomadfoundation.org/peace.html

be well,
Carleigh

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Touareg Festival in the Desert

Theresa — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 21:45:05 GMT

Interesting article on the precarious nature of the Festival in the Desert. I made the grueling journey there from the U.S. in 2003. It was surreal and sublime. If the link gets truncated, go to www.afropop.org, scroll down to interviews and click on "Many Ansar on past and future of Mali's Festival in the Desert"

http://www.afropop.org/multi/interview/ID/113/Many%20Ansar%20on%20past%20and%20future%20of%20Malis%20Festival%20in%20the%20Desert

posted in Nomadic Culture - 5 replies

Obesity celebrated among Mauritanian women...

asharah — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:36:14 GMT

...but not without major health problems. This is affecting some of the nomadic peoples as well.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070417/ap_on_re_af/mauritania_loving_fat;_ylt=AvYDz8kOPSoWJtZjF.Ei50vMWM0F

From Yahoo! News/Associated Press, 17 April 2007.

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania - Mey Mint struggles to carry her weight up the flight of stairs, her thighs shaking with each step. It will take several minutes for the 50-year-old to catch her breath, air hissing painfully in and out of her chest. Her rippling flesh is not the result of careless overeating, though, but rather of a tradition.

In Mauritania, to make a girl big and plump, 'gavage' — a borrowed French word from the practice of fattening of geese for foie gras — starts early. Obesity has long been the ideal of beauty, signaling a family's wealth in a land repeatedly wracked by drought.

Mint was 4 when her family began to force her to drink 14 gallons of camel's milk a day. When she vomited, she was beaten. If she refused to drink, her fingers were bent back until they touched her hand. Her stomach hurt so much she prayed all the animals in the world would die so that there would be no more milk.

By the time Mint was 10, she could no longer run. Unconcerned, her proud mother delighted in measuring the loops of fat hanging under her daughter's arms.

"My mother thinks she made me beautiful. But she made me sick," says Mint, who suffers from weight-related illnesses including diabetes and heart disease. She asked that her full last name not be disclosed because she feels embarrassed.

A quarter of the 1.5 million women in Mauritania — a barren, dune-enveloped country more than twice the size of Texas — are obese, according to the World Health Organization. That's lower than the 40 percent of American women who the WHO says are obese, but surprisingly high in a country that has not a single fast-food franchise.

To end the brutal feeding practices, the government has launched a TV and radio campaign highlighting the health risks of obesity. Because most Mauritanian love songs describe the ideal woman as fat, the health ministry commissioned catchy odes to thin women.

These efforts, combined with the rising popularity of foreign soap operas featuring model-thin women, has helped reduce the practice, especially among the country's urban elite.

Only one in 10 women under the age of 19 has been force-fed, compared to a third of women 40 or older, according to a survey conducted by the National Office of Statistics in 2001, the most recent available.

Those still forced to eat were overwhelmingly from the country's rural areas.

But although the canon of beauty is changing, entrenched values are hard to uproot.

"My husband thinks I'm not fat enough," complained Zeinabou Mint Bilkhere, explaining that her husband found her pretty during the last months of her pregnancy. Since giving birth, the weight has dropped, however, and with it his desire for her.

Although few women are force-fed today, many feel pressured to be bigger-than-average. Like many, Bilkhere has turned to a more scientific method of weight gain, using foreign-made appetite-inducing pills.

Wrapped in a floor-length veil, the 24-year-old, who is roughly a size 8, opens her purse and pushes a fistful of change across the counter of a roadside pharmacy for a box of Anactine, a Moroccan-made antihistamine.

The pills, commonly prescribed for hay fever, also induce hunger. They and similar drugs replace a more blunt instrument, recently outlawed by the government: animal steroids intended for fattening camels.

"When I was little, my mother hit me to eat because I didn't want to be fat. Now I want to be big because men like that," said Bilkhere, who wants to gain more than 20 pounds.

But many men say they prefer voluptuous women.

Isselmou Ould Mohamed says he loves his wife's 200-pound body and was pleased when she began adding even more weight during pregnancy. When he learned she had started walking around the soccer stadium to try to shed the extra pounds, he was revolted.

"I don't like skinny women. I want to be able to grab her love handles," said the 32-year-old. "I told her that if she loses a lot of weight, I'll divorce her."

Although Mauritania is the only culture known to force-feed girls, obesity is popular across much of the Arab world. Nomadic peoples struggling to survive the harsh desert came to prize fatness as a sign of health.

Fifty-two percent of women over 15 in Kuwait are obese, as are 46 percent in Egypt and approximately a third of women in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, according to the WHO. That contrasts sharply with most sub-Saharan countries, including Mauritania's neighbors, Senegal and Mali, where only 9 and 6 percent of women are obese.

"A man's goal is to marry a woman that fills his house. She needs to decorate it like an armoire or a TV set," said Seif l'Islam, 48, curator of a library of ancient Islamic manuscripts, which include numerous love poems to plump women.

There are signs of change. In the dying desert light, chubby women in head-to-toe veils can be seen perspiring as they walk around the capital's soccer stadium.

When she first started walking laps six years ago, 40-year-old Ramla Mint Ahmed said, she tightly veiled her face, hoping not to be recognized. Now she exercises openly and is dieting.

Her obese mother, who as a child was repeatedly woken at night and forced to drink camel's milk, says she doesn't object. But that doesn't mean her notions of beauty have changed.

Ahmed is the eldest of three daughters and the only overweight one. Her 22- and 26-year-old sisters are no larger than a size 4. In America, they would be envied for their tiny waists, yet their mother sees them differently.

Asked which daughter is the prettiest, she waves her hand dismissively toward the model-thin sisters, saying, "Definitely those two are not beautiful."

Her oldest daughter, like her, has garlands of fat on her belly and voluminous thighs.

"This one," says the mother, "has the face of a queen."

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

Captivating Music of Mauritania

DJ Teezed — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 03:47:36 GMT

Are into Toureg and MAli music? then you will like to sample Daby Toure from Mauriatnia he plays finger style guitar and recently played in Womad. You can access his work in youtube.com and key in Daby toure. Cheers

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Drought Forces Desert Nomads to Settle Down

s-a-n-d-i — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 17:17:55 GMT

Heard this on NPR this morning...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11608264&ps=bb1

posted in Nomadic Culture - 5 replies

New foundation supporting nomad culture

Theresa — Wed, 09 May 2007 02:29:03 GMT

I am not affiliated, just posting this from a yahoo group related to nomadic culture:

Hello Festival go-ers,

I have some fabulous news… We just launched www.NomadHope.org, for an incredible non-profit organization, Sahara Solutions Foundation. Have a look and tell me what you think.

Hope you can join us on June 10th for a fun filled Nomad Music Festival with Tidawt, in Hermosa Beach, CA. See site for details & tickets! www.NomadHope.org

June 10th. 1 – 5pm
Tuareg Music Festival @ Sangria
68 Pier Ave
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 376-4412
Get directions

Please send it to everyone you know and ask them to Sponsor a Table for our Music Event on June 10th in Hermosa,
or even just a ticket…or encourage them to make a donation!

Hope you can make it. .PDF Flyers are on the site for download as well.

Thanks, it’s for a good cause!
Keely McGeehan
Sahara Solutions Foundation
"Helping nomadic families"
________

Info@NomadHope.org
www.NomadHope.org
(310) 422-3482

posted in Nomadic Culture - 1 reply

Fundraising project for Darfur.

dancepanther — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 08:49:21 GMT

Sharing this here, in case anyone would be interested in setting up a similar project (see end of post).

Link to this thread:
http://tribes.tribe.net/676be46e-c066-4420-8434-841ac0eed664/thread/7da5ea8d-abd7-488a-9402-54bd88d4c658

Need African Black Beans and Rice recipe for project
Thu, January 18, 2007 - 1:15 PM
HI,
Does any one have a recipe for black beans and rice that is from Africa or African influenced? It should be as simple as possible. Here's why -

A friend and I are doing an awareness and fundraising project for Darfur. What we are doing is asking members of our church to "fast" for one day by eating only what a Darfuri refugee is rationed. We are doing a "Fast for Darfur" Kit with info on Darfur, the rations and, hopefully, a recipe for the participants to use to cook their rations. We are purchasing black beans and brown rice in bulk to divide out into rations for each kit/participant. The participants will "purchase" the kit with rationed food by donating the same amount of money they would spend eating out just ONE meal. They are asked to sign a pledge that they will not eat anything else that day and will walk one mile which is the distance that a Darfuri has to walk to obtain the amount of water needed to cook the rationed food. They are also to supply one cup of milk which refugees would also be rationed.

Since a refugee would have few if any spices, and probably no other foodstuffs (vegetables, etc.), I'd like the recipe to be fairly simple so that we can point out that even the FEW extra added items other than beans, rice and water are a luxury that the refugees do not get.

Our goal is to get 75 people to participate in the fast with a $10 donation each and another 25 people who will just donate $10 for a total of $1000. We are going to publish the list of people who join the fast/donate in our church newsletter and on our Social Action Community Board at church.

THANKS SO MUCH for any input and help. I have only been vegetarian for a few years and don't have many cookbooks. I need the recipe by the end of the month.

Lori Allen

PS> If anyone is interested in participating or setting up your own project, I'd be happy to send you all the info.

http://tribes.tribe.net/676be46e-c066-4420-8434-841ac0eed664/thread/7da5ea8d-abd7-488a-9402-54bd88d4c658

posted in Nomadic Culture - 1 reply

the season of giving

carleigh — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:22:41 GMT

Hi nomadic loving friends...long time no see. (Im so busy with school, please excuse my absence, I do miss you all.)

I wanted to share my holiday message with you (from my blog and site):

It's the season of giving, so let's give!

I know with 100% certainty that if you are reading this, you are better off than 2/3rds of the world's population. More than 850 million people around the world are living in hunger. Hunger and related illnesses continue to kill more people worldwide than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Let's not get into how many lack potable water...I won't ruin your holiday cheer.

So, before you head off to your next holiday party, let's work out a deal...You give to the charity of YOUR CHOICE and I will give you one of these beautiful items to show appreciation for your giving spirit. Go here to see the reward choices for your giving: www.dontletmypeopledie.org

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one" ~Mother Theresa
"For it is in the giving that we receive" ~ Saint Francis of Assisi

If you don't have a favorite charity, please choose one from my list of organizations who support nomadic life in Africa.
www.dontletmypeopledie.org/help.html

Just forward the receipt for your donation to me along with your mailing address and which item/size you want and we all will have happier holidays! giving@dontletmypeopledie.org (if you need to fax it to me, email me and I will give you my fax#)

Please feel free to share this posting. It would be great if everyone would give. (mind you, my supply of rewards is limited)

I don't mind if your favorite organization is to support breast cancer research or the humane society. As long as it's doing some good for the world, I support it.

thank you and hope your holidays are full of love and joy,
Carleigh

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Desert Voices Project

alias-sid-rumpo — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 16:39:00 GMT

The Desert Voices Project aims to document the lives of those living in the desert regions of northern Africa. It's at a very early stage, so I've got no idea how it's going to develop, but it's going to be worth watching.

http://www.panos.org.uk/global/desertvoices.asp

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Building a school in Niger

carleigh — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 19:44:18 GMT

Hi guys,

I wanted to spread the word about a fundraising going on to build a school in Niger. There will be an event here in San Francisco, but the organization is taking donations for the project as well.

http://www.dontletmypeopledie.org/nigerschool.html

Here's the details:

Dance for Nomads…
DJ Walt Digz spinning Salsa con Timba and Reggaeton, www.anejoprod.com
Door and donations go to the construction of a school for Wudaabes, a nomadic people of Niger.
Monday, October 16
10:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.
The Little Baobab

3388 19th St, between Mission and Capp Sts
$3 entrance, donations appreciated

--Crafts from Niger—Film footage of nomads—
--Delicious cocktails and juices (no host bar)--

For more information, or to send a donation, e-mail ocklawaha2@hotmail.com or call (415) 971-0357. All donations are tax deductible and go a long way towards helping the Wudaabe fulfill their vision.

The Wudaabes are one of the few people of Africa (and of the world) who continue to lead a truly nomadic lifestyle. Niger, home to the Wudaabes, is the second poorest country in the world by UN standards. With the the recent famines in Niger and the encroachment of the Sahara Desert, which covers 75% of the country, the Wudaabes have come to realize the importance of aquiring skills other than animal husbandry, yet they are proud of their traditions and value their nomadic existence.

With the monies collected from the entrance fees at Dance for Nomads combined with a pledge from World Vision, a non-profit organization located in Niger, to pay for half of the construction fees for the school, the Wudaabes will be able to build a school near an existing well in a remote area far from developed cities. As many Wudaabe are forced to encamp close to this well during the hot season (which coincides with the the academic school year) to procure water, the establishment of a school nearby will allow them to educate their children while maintaining their traditional, nomadic lifestyle.

Special thanks to DJ Walt Digz for donating his time and to the Little Baobab for allowing all entrance fees to go to Niger!!! Learn more about DJ Walt Digz events and music recommendations at www.anejoprod.com. The Little Baobab is open 7 days a week for fine West African and Caribbean Creole dining. After dinner, the Little Baobab opens the dance floor for hot music and tropical drinks. Try the Bissap Baobab, at 2323 Mission Street between 19th and 20th Streets, for exquisite, Senegalese cuisine and an international, lively atmosphere.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

New York Times article on the Nomad Foundation's tours

Theresa — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 16:27:45 GMT

From an email sent out by the Nomad Foundation. Scroll down to find the link on the NYT page.

This page was sent to you by: bimbia@nomadgal.com
Message from sender:
Here is an article on the Nomad Foundation's humanitarian tours in Niger. Leslie Clark

http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2006/08/20/travel/index.html?8dpc

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

Entrancing music by Touareg and Wodaabe nomads from Niger

Sanaag — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 22:04:49 GMT

Introducing Etran Finatawa: some of the slickest and most beautiful electric guitar imaginable.

By Bruce Elder, reviewer Sydney Morning Herald
August 1, 2006

Artist: Etran Finatawa
Genre: Folk/World
Label: World Music Network/MRA

The deserved success of Tinariwen, the "poet guitarists of the southern Sahara", has guaranteed interest in Etran Finatawa.

This is another extended group (10 members in all - four Tuareg tribesmen and six from the Wodaabe ethnic group) with the same nomadic desert roots and love of mixing their driving traditional music with some of the slickest and most beautiful electric guitar imaginable.

Just listen to the guitar solos on A Dunya and you'll be instantly seduced by the beauty of this music which has its roots in the West African country of Niger. Marvel at Iledeman and in the driving 12-bar structure you can hear the real roots of American blues.

And, in the case of Aliss, there are echoes of the compulsive music which made Tinariwen one of the highlights of Womadelaide in 2004. This is a genuinely exciting addition to the broad canvas that is West African music.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/cd-reviews/introducing-etran-finatawa/2006/08/01/1154198116848.html

CD available on: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F3A9W6/002-2811552-9236819?v=glance&n=5174

More detailed article in Independent on:
http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/features/article1197746.ece

posted in Nomadic Culture - 3 replies

Sebastião Salgado in the Namib Desert

alias-sid-rumpo — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 10:46:21 GMT

A new set of pictures of the Namib and its people by Sebastião Salgado has just been published.

You can read about them here http://arts.guardian.co.uk/salgado/story/0,,1799559,00.html

and some of the pictures are here http://arts.guardian.co.uk/salgado/image/0,,1799505,00.html

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Article on Tinariwen from Reuters.

asharah — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 13:39:04 GMT

I know you all would appreciate this article on Tinariwen published today by Reuters. It's fascinating in light of current events in northern Mali.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06455979.htm

Mali desert rebels swap Kalashnikovs for guitars

By Nick Tattersall

DAKAR (Reuters) - Legend has it Keddou Ag Ossad went into battle in the Sahara with a Kalashnikov over one shoulder and an electric guitar over the other.

A hero of the "Ishumar", a generation of frustrated desert youths bent on revolt, he was shot 17 times fighting for greater freedom for Tuareg nomads in Mali and Niger.

More than a decade on, the band Tinariwen he formed with fellow desert outlaws is still fighting the Tuareg cause, using haunting Saharan poetry and electric guitars to tell audiences around the world of an ancient and threatened nomadic culture.

"Tinariwen was born of the spirit of rebellion," Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni, guitarist, lyricist and singer with the award-winning group said by phone during a tour in Sweden.

"The music keeps the same spirit: passing on the message. Before, the spirit was to inform the Tuaregs about their own situation. Today it is to make the whole world aware," he said.

The colonial carve-up of Africa put borders through the Saharan caravan routes the light-skinned Tuaregs had worked for hundreds of years, dividing them up between Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Chad to the south and Algeria and Libya to the north.

Fiercely proud of their centuries-old independence from outsiders, the turban-clad nomads staged revolts in the 1960s and 1990s in Mali and Niger for more autonomy from black African governments in capitals more than 1,000 km (600 miles) away.

Tinariwen was formed in revolutionary guerrilla camps set up in the 1980s by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, an advocate of a Saharan Islamic state who hoped adopting the Tuareg cause would win him greater influence in the southern desert.

They met fellow fighters in the camps from groups as diverse as South Africa's anti-apartheid African National Congress and the Palestine Liberation Organisation and listened to the music of angry young bands like Morocco's Nass El Ghiwane.

"Gaddafi's camps were an eye-opener for the Ishumar, not only in a political sense but a cultural one too," wrote Andy Morgan, Tinariwen's UK manager, in a brief history of the group.

"In the depths of the southern Libyan desert, they heard the rebel music of Bob Marley, Nass El Ghiwane and John Lennon as well as the rebel philosophy of (Arab nationalist Gamal Abdel) Nasser, Gaddafi and Che Guevara for the first time."

REBEL MUSIC

Peace agreements after the 1990s rebellion in Mali aimed to grant Tuareg communities a greater degree of autonomy while at the same time integrating former fighters into the national army and putting Tuareg politicians in senior government positions.

But a persistent sense that nomadic traditions are threatened means resentment remains high in a region infamous for banditry and smuggling and awash with arms.

Tuareg rebels attacked the remote town of Kidal last month, stealing army vehicles and munitions before withdrawing to surrounding hills, raising fears of a new rebellion. Ag Alhousseyni went to see them before setting off for Sweden.

"They are looking for autonomy for the region of Kidal and for a form of security that fits in with the nomadic lifestyle," he said. "The region has always been marginalised."

Speaking from a mountain hideout in the Adrar des Isforhas region north of Kidal, rebel spokesman Eglasse Ag Idar said Tinariwen's music and poetry had always been an integral part of the revolt as protest anthems known to nomads across the desert.

"In the 1970s and 1980s, they made the Tuaregs aware of their situation. Their music and their poetry played a big role in clarifying the problems," Ag Idar said by satellite phone.

"The Tuaregs are people who adore desert songs, who are proud of their culture, of their poetry. They helped a lot winning rights and recognition for our culture," he said.

RAGE AND ANGER

Described by one critic as "a cross between Fela Kuti and the Velvet Underground", Tinariwen's music uses traditional Tuareg, Arabic and Songhai melodies but replaces lutes with electric guitars strumming hypnotic riffs under the vocals.

They are an imposing sight in their indigo-dyed turbans and robes, and their latest work talks of the struggles of desert life and a longing for freedom but occasionally returns to the more militant tone of their early songs.

"Under my skin is the fire of rage and anger ... at the gates of Kidal we must assemble and fight," run the lyrics of Chatma, a song on their latest album "Amassakoul".

Ag Alhousseyni said the members of Tinariwen had laid down their guns and taken to music more seriously when the rebellion began to meet some of its objectives. Guitarist Keddou no longer plays with the band, instead wandering the desert and playing well-paid gigs for wealthy Libyan cigarette smugglers.

But its members remain closely attuned to the shifting balance of power in the Sahara and the threat to their way of life, making their music as important as ever.

"There's always the risk of a second rebellion. Even the government is aware of that. The things we signed in the peace deal in 1992 have not been respected," Ag Alhousseyni said.

"The spirit of rebellion is still in people's minds."

(c) Reuters 2006. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 1 reply

Crisis in Kidal

Theresa — Sun, 28 May 2006 14:30:10 GMT

From Tinariwen's manager in the UK:

Dear Friends,

Here is a brief text which I am sending to my press and ngo contacts in
the UK (and some others abroad).   If you feel ready to do it, I would
appreciate it if you could send something like it by your e-mail to
your press lists.   Please don't feel obliged to do this.   It's up to
you.   But all help and support would be much appreciated. Many thanks
for your help.   Andy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

CRISIS IN KIDAL

The north east of Mali is in turmoil following attacks on military and
police installations in the towns of Kidal and Menaka.   On the morning
of 23rd May, at around 06h00 local time, an armed rebel Tamashek
('Touareg') group under the command of Hassan Fagaga attacked two
military barracks near the regional capital Kidal and held them for the
next 24 hours.   Fighting continued for some hours as civilians, women
and children for the most part, fled into desert.   A number of
soldiers, national guardsmen and police took refuge in the old fort of
Kidal and continued firing on rebels and civilians in the streets
below.   There are reports of four fatalities, two soldiers and two
rebels.    In Menaka, Moussa Bah, a Touareg army officer stationed in
the local barracks mutinied and fled into the bush with a number of
other deserters, having taken a quantity of arms and ammunitions from
the camp arsenal.

At around 14h00 today an armoured division of the Malian army, which
had travelled overnight from Gao in the south, retook Kidal.   The
rebels have fled north, and the situation is apparently tense but calm.

These events follow a period of mounting regional tension.   The
politics of the southern Sahara are extremely complex.   Simmering
disagreements between certain local Tamashek leaders and the Malian
government have persisted since the signing of the National Pact which
put an end to last Touareg rebellion in 1996.   The recent opening of
Libyan consulate in Kidal, strategic rivalry between the Ghadaffi
regime and the Algerian government, the discovery of large oil reserves
in northern Mali, the presence of renegade fundamentalist militias in
southern Algeria and the arrival of US military advisors have all
fueled a welter of speculation and rumor.

Kidal is the hometown of the Tamashek group Tinariwen, who are
currently on tour in Sweden and following events anxiously from afar.
Various members of the group have managed to call friends and family
in Kidal.   They are very concerned for the welfare of their families,
who are camping out in the desert in the hottest and driest season of
the year.

There is also a concern that this story will remain largely ignored by
the western media, or even worse, that events will be misreported and
that rumor will mutate into fact.   We call on all friends of the
desert and of Tinariwen to help raise awareness of the situation
amongst media organisations in their country, and amongst any NGOs and
humanitarian organisations who have a presence in the region and might
be able to help alleviate the suffering of the civilians caught up in
this conflict.

Many thanks for all your help.   Peace and blessings, Tinariwen.

If anyone would like to interview any of the members Tinariwen about
the situation please contact:
Andy Morgan - +44 7074 556614   andy.morgan@apartment22.com    Skype:
andy.morgan12
Bastien Gsell - +33 6 23 64 91 00    bastiengsell@yahoo.fr

French speakers can also contact Aboubacrine Ag Rhissa, a native of
Kidal and founder of the charity Akassa Sahel, who is based in Paris,
and is well informed about the current situation.    +33 6 03 12 87 81
rhissa@voila.fr

For more information, please consult the following websites:

IN ENGLISH:
Reuters - http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24611879.htm
BBC - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/5008224.stm
News 24 -
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1938570,00.html
African News Dimension -
http://www.andnetwork.com/index?service=direct/0/Home/
top.fullStory&sp=l35988
UN - http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=43206

IN FRENCH:
www.kidal.info (one of the best sources of news and discussion about
this situation on the web)
RFI - http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/077/article_43933.asp
Le Monde - http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/077/article_43933.asp
www.afribone.com

=======================================================
Andy Morgan
TINARIWEN UK
19 Tewkesbury Road
Bristol BS2 9UL, UK
Tel: (+44) (0)117 9556615
Skype: andy.morgan12
andy.morgan@apartment22.com

Freelance writer / Tinariwen Management / Apartment 22

posted in Nomadic Culture - 1 reply

new fundraising effort with new tee's, tanks, and fleece

carleigh — Thu, 04 May 2006 16:12:39 GMT

With the benefit show over, the dvd sold out, and still a great need for help and awareness to the nomadic people of Niger and West Africa - we have a new tee for fundraising.

100% of the proceeds are currently going to the Nomad Foundation (Leslie Clark from the benefit show) to dig a well for a Tuareg community in Niger that is without water.

The new merch has a Tuareg cross from Agadez, Niger printed on the chest. (hoodies on the back, minis on the thigh).

You can see some photos at http://www.dontletmypeopledie.org/tickets.html

or you can donate directly to the Nomad Foundation (please indicate Dont let My People Die Well) at http://www.nomadgal.com/foundation/index.html.

I will have this merch at Tribal Fest on the lawn.
Look for JUDITH'S HEAD (those great leather fringe belts).

as always, thanks for your continued support

posted in Nomadic Culture - 4 replies

Indigenous cultures and progress / internet.....

maxineastorga — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:26:18 GMT

Check this on line article.

With more than 3.2 million new pages of content every 24 hours, and an estimated 1 billion users by 2005, the Internet is an information empire on a scale never before approached in human history. Although the Internet brings the opportunities of the Information Age to villages in every corner of the Earth, most content is in English and promotes the capitalist ideals and products of modern industrialized society. Is the Internet just another example of Western domination that will speed cultural homogenization? Or can indigenous peoples and cultural minorities join the information revolution to ensure their cultural survival, thus protecting the worldâs precious cultural diversity? We asked four participants from diverse backgrounds to share their views on these questions. Their responses help highlight both the positive and negative impacts of global communication on indigenous cultures, and give clear direction to how indigenous groups can make best use of the Internet to sustain their traditions

more...
http://www.wadsworth.com/anthropology_d/special_features/ext/earthwatch/rt.html

posted in Nomadic Culture - 1 reply

Tinarawin at Yoshis April 19th (Oakland, Ca)

carleigh — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 19:07:47 GMT

To share some GOOD news....

SOUTH SAHARAN ROCK!

Tinariwen

OPEN DANCE FLOOR!

Wednesday, April 19
8:00pm Show $20
10:00pm Show $14

Tinariwen is the latest worldwide rock ‘n’ roll revolution, reinventing the electric guitar and giving a new voice to the political and economic awakening of the Afrikan Diaspora. Tinariwen is a band comprised of Tuaregs, an indigenous people from Kidal in Eastern Mali in the Southern Sahara. In the late 1970’s, young Tuareg men fled the misery of drought, poverty, war and misfortune in their homeland to take refuge in Algeria and Libya. These men laid down the traditional lutes and fiddles of their culture and instead picked up guitars, creating wails and cries that eloquently expressed their pain and frustration with their people, who languished in an ageless slumber while their world was crumbling around them. Thirty years later, the message continues to grow increasingly louder and reach farther corners of the globe. The music and poetry of Tinariwen, the pioneer band of contemporary Mali youth culture, echo the deeply truthful passion of the Tuarag people facing resistance and exile.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 22 replies

Niger blocks BBC from filming malnutrition, food supplies: report

carleigh — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 19:06:04 GMT

Niger blocks BBC from filming malnutrition, food supplies: report Mon Apr 3, 6:04 PM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060403/hl_afp/nigerbritainmedia_060403220424

LONDON (AFP) - Niger has withdrawn permission for foreign and local media to report on malnutrition and food supply problems there, the BBC reported on its internet site.

A BBC television film crew had been in the drought-prone African state but were told by government officials not to cover the food situation, BBC News Online said.

Niger, a former French colony lying between North and sub-Saharan Africa, is rated by the United Nations as one of the world's least developed nations. Hunger and malnutrition are recurrent problems.

Reporter Orla Guerin wrote that she and her crew found evidence of hunger and food shortages in the southeast Maradi region, quoting relief agency Medecins Sans Frontieres as saying desperate financial aid was needed.

The Maradi region has also been badly hit by a meningitis outbreak that has killed 668 people in Niger and neighbouring Burkina Faso since the start of the year and infected 6,912, according to the United Nations.

"After we broadcast our first story we were recalled to the capital, Niamey, and told our permission to report on the humanitarian situation had been withdrawn," Guerin wrote.

"Officials said they had no problem with our story but the government did not want foreign or local media to report about food supplies or malnutrition.

"The officials also criticised aid agencies without naming names, claiming that some of the funds raised for Niger last year did not reach their destination."

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

Three Day Fast

Sat, 03 Sep 2005 19:35:21 GMT

Anyone want to sign up to do a public three day fast? I've never done it before, so we'd be winging it.

Maybe we could set up camp in San Francisco during business hours with video of what is happening there, make huge signs?

I don't know what else to do... tell me what to do, we can't let this continue.

I know there are a lot of issues out there, a lot of suffering, a lot of violence. Don't let it shut you down, let it wake you up. Compassion splits your heart wide open and allows you to feel more deeply.

Lets get together and act.

A dancer in my workshop in Ireland today told me her group did a 24 hour fast and raised 2,000 Euros! THANK YOU! Let's keep it going.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 7 replies

Festival to sell Tuareg culture / Tinariwen

dancepanther — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 03:18:26 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4782506.stm
(Pics on the bbc site)

Festival to sell Tuareg culture
By Vincent Dowd
BBC, Essouk, northern Mali

There surely can be no more spectacular festival site anywhere.

Once Essouk was a major Saharan trading post; today it is little more than a map reference in northern Mali.

Touareg man
The Touaregs' indigo turbans led to their nickname: 'Blue men of the desert'

What it still offers however is a wonderfully sited natural amphitheatre in the dunes, some 150 metres wide - the site of a multi-faceted celebration of Tuareg culture.

Around the rim of the arena sit dozens of big leather tents, each the colour of red ochre, sheltering Tuareg who have come from as far away as Niger and Libya, drinking strong, sweet tea boiled on hot stones.

Nothing began even vaguely to schedule and one or two of the events simply did not happen at all.

For myself I was disappointed that the twilight dance of Tuareg shepherds was mysteriously dropped.

But the hundreds of Tuareg who made the long journey to Essouk undoubtedly loved almost every moment.

One gorgeously dressed woman who had travelled from near the Libyan border said she wanted to see Tuareg culture and show it to the world.

Chaotic camel heats

Among the musicians were Tinariwen, the guitar band - internationally the best known Tuareg performers.

Tinariwen

"Tinariwen is a group which is really more of a social movement, born out of the struggle for Tuareg recognition in the 1980s," said their British manager, Andy Morgan.

"Since the first festival in the desert in 2001, it has slowly become internationalised, which is having quite a benefit, hopefully, on this region."

Tinariwen come from nearby Kidal but there were other memorable performances too - from vocal group, Iswat, for instance.

The Tende drummers, all female, beat out their appreciation each afternoon while around them some slightly chaotic heats took place in the camel parade.

Only resource

The Essouk festival, which has evolved from an annual "Takoubelt", or Tuareg gathering, is just beginning to be marketed.

Even by Malian standards this is a desperately poor area.

With almost no natural resources, its culture and especially its music are among the few things it can export.

Tuareg leader Issa Dikko hopes the festival can open up the region to the outside world, after suffering drought and conflict in recent times.

"The second reason is to create a forum for all the Tuareg groups from all over the desert."

However, the number of tourists present probably never topped 100.

Women clapping

Kai from Germany said he had gone for "cultural adventure" - he was not disappointed.

The organisers hope they have started a process of building the festival's reputation with world music fans and other tourists to rival that of the better known Festival in the Desert near Timbuktu.

Some think that the Tuareg's nomadic culture is no longer feasible in the 21st Century.

To survive, all cultures need to renew and to celebrate themselves.

For three days, this is what this festival did superbly in the sands, under the skies of the Sahara desert.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Niger Benefit money distribution

carleigh — Tue, 22 Nov 2005 18:45:05 GMT

Hi all -

I am sending out the $$$ from the Niger Benefit, I have the money divided between:

Nomad Foundation (Leslie Clark- private foundation)
World Food Programme (Niger Relief Fund)
DoctorsWithoutBorders (Niger Operations)
Oxfam (Niger Relief fund)
Africare (Niger Relief fund)
Niger Direct (University of Arizona outreach)
TurtleWill (private foundation)

These organizations continue to support the relief efforts IN NIGER and/or have programs for sustainable living.

If you'd like to suggest any other's, please let me know in the next day or so as I am cutting checks...

posted in Nomadic Culture - 10 replies

Bird Flu Hit's Africa

kathrynwhittington — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 12:08:05 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4695684.stm

At present it's in Nigeria, but it is expected to spread. Not really what the continent needs, a disease that can wide out it's poultry stocks and spread to humans as well.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Niger situation is precarious: Window of opportunity to act now to prevent crisis

carleigh — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 06:25:46 GMT

Source: CARE
Date: 01 Feb 2006

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/DPAS-6LMCXX?OpenDocument

Niger situation is precarious: Window of opportunity to act now to prevent crisisNiger is facing another serious food crisis with latest indications showing that one million people are running out of food now and that this number is likely to double. Two million people, or one-fifth of the total population, are likely to have run out of food by the time the next rains are due to start in June.

Exactly six months since the Niger crisis first came to public attention in the UK, leading development agency CARE International is calling for urgent action and investment by the international community both to avert another emergency and to tackle deep-seated poverty in what is the poorest country in the world.

"The situation for hundreds of thousands of Nigeriens is precarious in the extreme," says Geoffrey Dennis, chief executive of CARE International UK. "Yes, they survived last year's crisis but as many as three in five households emerged from it heavily in debt and have had to sell much of their harvest to repay loans. Food stocks are now running dangerously low in many parts of the country."

Dennis adds: "If the international community steps in now, there is a window of opportunity to prevent a recurrence of an emergency on the scale of 2005. If we don't act, the cost will be felt in both human lives and the financial cost of mounting a full scale relief operation."

International investment must be stepped up urgently in order to increase:

- measures that could prevent another emergency, like school feeding, food for work and cash for work activities and targeted food distribution to the most vulnerable

- activities to help people recover from last year's crisis like providing cattle and other livestock for traditional herding communities, cash for work programmes to bolster incomes and restocking community supplies of seed and cereal to tide them over until the next harvest which is not until October.

Dennis adds: "Last year the British public showed their generosity and raised £26million through the Disasters Emergency Committee for Niger. That money funded life-saving food distributions and helped CARE and other agencies start to help rebuild people's lives.

"Yet it's clear Niger's problems can't be solved overnight. Let's not forget that this is the poorest country in the world. And that means it is only by sustained investment in helping people make a living that they will be able to move away from a hand-to-mouth existence."

CARE is the largest international NGO working in Niger and was responsible last year for distributing one third of all the food distributed throughout the country. It has operated in Niger for some 30 years and is running a variety of programmes to provide long-term solutions to chronic poverty. These include:

- women's savings and loan schemes,

- agriculture and livestock projects,

- school feeding,

- community cereal and seed banks,

- and encouraging better use of natural resources.

CARE is also running three nutritional recuperation programmes in two regions which have treated over 6,000 malnourished children. These programmes train mothers in improved nutrition and health and provide nutrition-rich food ingredients. CARE has also just started a project to support the Government's disaster alert system.

Three-fifths of Niger's population were faced with debts after last year's crisis – the average size of the debt was around £30 representing half the average income for 60 percent of the population. Half of all households had sold land or animals, meaning that animal and food stocks are lower this year.

For more information about Niger or to arrange interviews please contact

Fiona Turnbull, head of communications, on + 44 207 934 9315 or + 44 7788 106890.

Notes to editors.

CARE International is one of the world's largest relief and development agencies with programmes in more than 70 countries. Our long-term programmes tackle poverty through a range of issues like education, health-care, micro-finance and water and sanitation. We also respond to emergencies all around the world.

Niger is the poorest country in the world. The average life expectancy is only 46 years and the mortality rates among pregnant women and infants are among the highest in Africa. Less than half the population has access to safe water and only 14% of the population can read and write.

CARE is one of the ten agencies involved in the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) Niger Food Crisis Appeal which was launched in August 2005. Thanks to the generous donations made by members of the public, the appeal raised over £26 million. CARE received almost £2 million from the appeal to fund our work in Niger.

The UN World Food Programme is appealing for £33.9million and has so far received pledges of £20.9million, three-fifths of the total required.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Has anyone received their DVD yet?

Wed, 25 Jan 2006 19:05:01 GMT

Haven't seen mine up here in Canada yet? Curious whether they've been shipped?

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

Moon Oracle let the phases of the moon guide your life

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:46:06 GMT

About letting go ~
In-vision your lover in a boat with all things needed for a safe journey to flow out on a long slow moving river towards freedom. Yet you hold a rope tied to the boats bow.
Letting go of the rope sets both boat & lover free they are now free of us and the shore line.

What's wrong with this vision ~
We are still trapped on the shore line.
It's not our lovers who should be in the boat we hold the rope to keeping them on our shore line, it is ourselves.
By standing on the shore line we only stay in one place, no wonder we hold on to people and things who sail by it's very logical it's lonely on shore all alone.

I invite you to see a new vision ~
You are in the boat with all things needed for a safe journey flowing out on a long slow moving river yet this time the rope tied to the shore line is now in your hands.
On shore you see all things you love and value, none of which will fit into the boat.
You let go of the rope flowing gently down river and find freedom.
Finding this opens us to all-love on all levels all things and ideas all-ways of life.

The moon is key ~
We are here in this tribe for a reason, we need to understand the effects the moon has on our lives.
On December 27, 2005 I ended a moon cycle which began Jan 10, 2005
A time of learning, much Pluto pain twisted by the moons Lilith and that big shiny one we call the moon.

The moon Oracle ~
Let the phases of the moon guide your life: by Caroline Smith and John Astrop.
I would say to any-one who wishes to use the moon get this book!!!!!
Inside you'll find a very cool tarot deck, and a moon table that will amaze you in how right on things happen.
A sprit I know went through a moon cycle which began in Feb 2005, Till jan 2006, the day the event was ending we meet once more in person in total peace and calm, not something we could do during these two events. So how do you slow down or rush an event like that,,, you don't.

Make or Break ~
If one of these events is on-going, about to happen or has happened in your life what should you do?
Let go of the rope.

All Sisters Here
http://daughtersofthemoon.tribe.net/?_click_path=Application%5Btribe%5D.Tribe%5B0ad01871-ba0e-4548-9414-2710ef35fbc0%5D

Dream Love Moon
DLM
rock 2 rose

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

How do you feel about the new tribe layout/design

Stardawn — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:25:49 GMT

Ok, so i'm cross posting this to all the tribes i belong to, then i'll send the results to Wade (the main mod)

List your likes/dislikes and, hopefully, we'll all get what we want.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

paintings in Photo Album

Ramona — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 14:13:06 GMT

I am new to this tribe, and was wondering who posted the beautiful paintings in the photo album. Can you message me with more information about the artist?
Thanks,
Ramona

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

World AIDS Day; Christmas Gift ideas

Ayin — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 17:23:35 GMT

I know I was a bit late getting this info in, but I couldn't get to the Lappy.

According to NPR's sources, approximately 1/4 of the Sub-Saharan African population has HIV or AIDS. One in every 100 people in India also has HIV. These numbers are devastating. I know everyone who is a member of this tribe can understand the seriousness of the health crisis of these cultures we love and respect so much...

A good way to help and honor our human family is to remember them during the holidays. Whether it's fair trade goods, or purchasing an option through the below charities that includes medicines and educational material, or a ton of other options, to fit every budget-

We can do so much more than buy useless and unneeded trinkets for Christmas- let's make our money count.

Also don't forget to stay tuned to the Niger Benefit website for that DVD!!!

http://www.aidsandafrica.com/

http://www.avert.org/aidsinafrica.htm

http://www.data.org/

https://shop.thehungersite.com/store/site.do?siteId=220

http://www.turtlewill.org/

Anyone else with more info than my rather quick post, please share.

:)

posted in Nomadic Culture - 6 replies

Inuit Natives Suing US in Landmark Human Rights Complaint

dancepanther — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 00:32:56 GMT

Subject: ENVIRONMENT: Threatened By Warming, Arctic People File Suit Against Us
Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2005 10:15:43 -0500
///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\///\\\

Welcome to Light*Line USA
FLASH NEWS 12.8.2005

THREATENED BY WARMING, ARCTIC PEOPLE FILE SUIT AGAINST US
AFP
December 7, 2005

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/07/051207182757.ht1oak7y.html

The people of the Arctic filed a landmark human rights complaint against the United States, blaming the world's No. 1 carbon polluter for stoking the
global warming that is destroying their habitat. The Inuit Circumpolar
Conference (ICC), representing native people in the vast, sparsely-populated region girdling the Earth's far north, said they had petitioned an inter-American panel to seek relief for Canadian and US Inuit.

"For Inuit, warming is likely to disrupt or even destroy their hunting and
food-sharing culture as reduced sea ice causes the animals on which they
depend to decline, become less accessible, and possibly become extinct,"
said Robert Corell, who spearheaded an Arctic climate impact assessment.

More than 150,000 Inuit, formerly called eskimos, are spread throughout the vast frozen northern territories of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia and Russia.

These regions have experienced the most rapid and severe climate change on earth, according to Corell's assessment, which was prepared over four years by more than 300 scientists from 15 countries and six indigenous organizations.

Global warming has caused the northern ice cover to retreat, making it more dangerous for the Inuit to hunt food animals such as polar bears, seals and caribou, their investigation found.

These animals also face decline or extinction, unable to adapt to warmer
temperatures as their own access to food sources, breeding grounds and
migration routes are altered.

And, rising sea levels and flooding threaten coastal Inuit communities.

"Inuit are an ancient people. Our way of life is dependent on the natural
environment and animals. Climate change is destroying our environment and eroding our culture," said Sheila Watt-Cloutier, the ICC chair.

"But we refuse to disappear. We will not become a footnote to globalization."

The petition urges the Washington-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to declare the United States to be in violation of the 1948 American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.

It also wants the Commission to recommend that the United States adopt
mandatory limits of its greenhouse-gas emission and join international
efforts to curb global warming.

And it wants the Commission to declare the United States should help the
Inuit adapt to unavoidable impacts of climate change.

If the Commission rules in favour, the impact will be more political than
legal, the ICC acknowledged.

The panel, part of the Organisation of American States (OAS), is empowered to investigate and comment on human rights abuses, but has no power of enforcement.

Rising emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases
primarily caused by burning fossil fuels are expected to warm the Arctic
about 4-7 C (7.2-12.6 F), about twice the global average rise, over the next century, the ICC report concluded.

These dramatic climate changes "violate the Inuit's right to practice and
enjoy the benefits of their culture."

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin added to this gloomy tableau.

"High in the Arctic, in our interior and along our coasts, the country we
know is being transformed," he said.

"Winters are growing milder, summers hotter and more severe, there is plant life where before there was none; there is water where before there was ice. Our permafrost is thawing -- and releasing methane gas into the atmosphere, accelerating climate change itself."

"Within short decades, the Northwest Passage, the famously un-navigable
thoroughfare of history, may be passable -- a striking and unsettling
example of our delicate balance succumbing to untenable strain," Martin
added.

The United States, with only five percent of the world's population, emits
some 25 percent of all harmful greenhouse gases.

Washington signed the 1992 Rio Convention on climate change and the Kyoto Protocol, but refused to ratify the latter.

The Inuit petition came as more than 100 ministers gathered Wednesday for the main part of a UN climate change conference in Montreal that has been going on since November 28 and is to end Friday.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

New video

Gabrielle — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 03:43:36 GMT

Hey guys, I was just searchin the web and came across this video. Unfortunately, I can't view it with english subtitles. The only one that works for me is the french version, but it's worth watching nonetheless.Lemme know what you think...

http://homepage.mac.com/ingridpatetta/tagaste/Menu81.html

posted in Nomadic Culture - 3 replies

Niger denies hunger crisis

timrayborn — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 18:49:27 GMT

President Mamadou Tandja, for whatever reasons, says that everything is fine in Niger.

This is also the government that refuses to ackowledge the problem of slavery, and accuses aid organizations of keeping money for themselves.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051125/ap_on_re_af/niger_hunger

Until this kind of political corruption is overcome, there will be little progress in many third world countries.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 3 replies

Hunger is Africa's Natural Disaster

Fri, 25 Nov 2005 14:49:35 GMT

Friday, November 25, 2005
Hunger is Africa's natural disaster

By CAROLYN GIBB VOGEL
GUEST COLUMNIST

Widely known for being falsely accused by the Bush administration of selling uranium to Iraq to build the notoriously non-existent weapons of mass destruction, Niger is facing a genuine scandal. One-quarter of its population is facing a yearly food shortage and the government is in denial about the alarming situation.

A similar crisis is brewing among the population in Malawi, where the cycle of drought and poverty is quickly spiraling out of control. Relief workers in the country, like those in Niger, are fearful that appeals for aid will bring about only short-term relief. Recent news reports in The Washington Post and Newsweek say that while the Bush administration is providing more aid to Africa than previous administrations, it is falling far short on fulfilling its pledges.

It is amazing that so little has changed since I worked in Niger as a Peace Corps volunteer nutritionist more than 15 years ago. The global policy outlook hasn't really changed. Much is promised, but little is delivered and nothing ever really addresses the problems of persistent hunger, poverty and famine -- Africa's very own version of an ongoing Katrina.

I met many children during my time in Niger, but one stands out in my memory. Her name was Salamatou, but they called her Juma -- Friday, in the Hausa language of Niger, the day of her birth. I found her and her teenage mother waiting for a lift at the intersection of two dusty roads. At about 2 years old, Juma lay on a piece of tattered colored cloth, too emaciated even to sit up.

Pictures of children like Juma are what bring in much-needed emergency food aid to countries struggling with chronic food shortages. But does the motivation exist to turn this aid into something that could actually begin to establish food security?

As we've learned from our own Katrina, natural disasters happen. But unlike hurricanes, poverty and its resulting hunger can be prevented. In Niger and Malawi, the food supply is being stretched beyond its limits and other resources -- financial and natural -- are being overburdened by rapid population growth.

Many young girls in Niger still begin childbearing in their early teens and each woman has an average of eight children (the highest birth rate of any country in the world). Its population (14 million) is projected to nearly double by 2025 -- to 26 million. Yet access to and use of contraceptives is almost non-existent; fewer than 5 percent of married women of reproductive age use modern contraception.

Niger's plight is hardly unique. Poorly functioning government institutions and the spread of HIV, which now affects approximately 15 percent of the population, exacerbate the food shortage in Malawi. There, women have an average of almost six children and population is projected to increase from 13 million today to almost 20 million in 2025.

Across the continent, the average number of yearly food emergencies has nearly tripled since the 1980s. In sub-Saharan Africa, where the population is growing at a faster rate than in any other major world region, the number of malnourished people has increased from around 88 million in 1970 to about 200 million today.

One clear solution to slowing population growth in Africa exists: Increase access and availability of reproductive health care. When given the opportunity to determine the size of one's family, couples often choose to have fewer children. As a result, the burdens on a country's financial and natural resources decrease. Families improve their chances of avoiding poverty. More girls and young women continue their education. Women also become able to contribute to the financial well-being of their families. This money increases access to food.

Unlike so many, Juma was a lucky little girl. She was sent to a nutritional recuperation center in the nearest town. When I visited her several weeks later, Juma had doubled her weight, and when she was tickled, a faint smile would cross her lips. At the time, it seemed like a happy ending.

I've wondered over the years what became of Juma, or if she is even alive today. She'd be 18 years old and most likely a mother herself -- probably several times over. I doubt she has access to reproductive health care, and I fear she does not have enough food for herself and her children. Unless more is done to give people like Juma the information and contraceptives they need to plan and space their childbearing, the fate of her children and grandchildren is likely to be grim.

Carolyn Gibb Vogel, MPH, is a senior research associate at Population Action International and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger from 1988-1990.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 1 reply

Second food crisis

kathrynwhittington — Thu, 24 Nov 2005 13:34:11 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4463796.stm

Depressing, however I did hear it reported on the news on Radio 2 (one of the BBCs national radio stations in the UK) this morning so it's at least getting some decent media attention here at least.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 1 reply

Aloha nomads

Tara — Wed, 23 Nov 2005 22:33:13 GMT

I know that Rachel felt she needed to physically go to Niger to offer up her heart and her hand to the people she has come to care so much about. I know how much this meant to her. I just wanted to say that though I'm sure her physical presence would have been welcome her spirit has been felt by many and the inspiration and motivation she has provided has fed more mouths, provided more comfort, and spread more compassion than her physical presence ever could have. She has truly awakened many to the problems in Africa and who knows still how many more she will reach. She has helped inspire me to use some of my time before I start working as a nurse to volunteer in Africa. Though I will not be in Niger, there are poor hungry African peoples in desperate need of medical care all over this continent. I am in Africa as I write this and I leave for my medical placement in Ghana next week and I just wanted to say thank you Rachel and thank you all for the inspiration. Much love and many blessings to you, you all are splendid. Kisses, T

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

6M hungry

kathrynwhittington — Tue, 22 Nov 2005 12:57:31 GMT

This isnn't solely about Niger, but I thought it's a report that outhers would find interesting, if somewhat depressing :(

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4459348.stm

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

November 17- Skip a meal for Oxfam

tribaljewel — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 03:24:53 GMT

One week before the Thanksgiving feast, skip a meal to remember the more than 850 million people who are hungry. Then donate the money saved to Oxfam.

http://ga0.org/campaign/skip_a_meal05/wx3xu684z5ijmbw?

I read this to my son today and he voluntarily decided that he wanted to skip and meal and send part of his weekly allowance to Oxfam. I hope that all of you will join Rune and I in skipping a meal on 11/17.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 3 replies

fasting

cherylkornegay — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 15:21:39 GMT

Well, for my own personal enlightenment I decided to try out a fast (thanks for the idea, Rachel!). Let me tell you, you find out pretty fast what a spoiled little American you are! Today is day two and I’m feeling alright this morning – I’m not a breakfast eater to begin with, but in the past when I’ve skipped a meal I usually stop being hungry after a while. I’m only a little hungry right now, but last night was a different story. Around three o’clock in the morning, when I had danced hard before bed and was hungry enough that it kept me awake all night, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. Then I thought about how ridiculous it was for me- who could get up at any point, walk into the kitchen and grab something out of the fridge- to be complaining. After all, the whole point was to see what it was like for the millions of people in Africa and around the world who don’t have the luxury of food on demand. I don’t even know the meaning of hunger. Skipping a few meals probably won’t bring me close to feeling what those people feel every day on a regular basis. It really shames you, though, and forces you to think about the privilege that you have just happening to have been born in a wealthy nation.

Just thought I’d share my little side note on fasting and open it up to anyone else who wants to do the same!

posted in Nomadic Culture - 4 replies

rachel, your benefit concert can still raise more $$

boricualeenda — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 22:15:54 GMT

my dear rachel,

i would have LOVED to have been at the benefit! the pictures look more than absolutely amazing. it looked like an historic night - the best of the best, the LEGENDS all performed. i am positive each and every performance was breathtaking.

i am sure that everyone on this tribe would agree that they would love to purchase a copy of that video, with all of the proceeds going straight to the cause.

tribesters, are you all with me??

please tell us this is in the works.

con amor,
~la boricualeenda

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

I can't fast but....

kathrynwhittington — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 19:28:40 GMT

....I could stop eating chocolate. That in itself scares me somewhat!

What do you think? I'm like a 3 bar a day girl most of the time.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Movie at Pier 23

s-a-n-d-i — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 22:45:46 GMT

Just passed by the li'l spot on the waterfront on my lunch hour walk and noticed that Pier 23 Cafe ( http://pier23cafe.com/ ) is showing a movie this Sunday (Nov 6, 8:30pm) called Tuaregs and Toubabs by Dottie Leroux.

Here's info on the movie, although, its not promo on this particular showing:
http://www.shastafilmfest.com/films2005/tuaregs.php

Here's the calendar at Pier 23 Cafe:
http://pier23cafe.com/p23events.asp

No cover charge. Pier 23 is trying to drum up biz so they're trying out new things. Not a good place for vegetarians though - lots of fried seafood.

Anyone want to go?

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

Niger Benefit is next week

carleigh — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 18:10:47 GMT

I hope to see all of you bay area Nomadic Culture tribers at the show next Thursday.

Please do get a ticket before the show - the seats are going so fast, I'm not sure we will have any left at the door.

Aside from our biggies that we all are excited for, I have to tell you, I can't wait to see the West African performance. This guy has quite a resume and is going to sing an African Blessing to begin the show.

Bal Anat in all it's glory will take the stage with 2 of my favorite dances and then our dear Rashid (who co-directs and choreographs Bal Anat with Suhaila and Jamila) will do a solo. He is so amazing - you may have seen him at Sheherezade.

I heard a rumor Carolena may do a solo with FCBD. (it's a rumor, I can't confirm so don't hold me to it!)

Tempest is doing a Zar dance, I have never seen it performed so I'm really excited.

The Guedra is so cool, I have no idea what it is like to witness since I have only ever participated in it, so you guys will have to let me know what it's like to watch....I put the Arabic words to the chants in the program so you can chant along if you feel it.

I hear Katie Kay and Tim are workin up some magic - I can't wait to see that. Double your pleasure with those two!

And Fred always amazes me. Her costumes too! Every time I see her! That girl is so darn cute and creative, how does she do it?!

Suhaila is bringing her drummer, Ziad - you know him if you have her cds. I am taking his workshop on Tuesday at her Studio so I get a little preview ... I hear he's a real master and worth the trip right there.

And of course we have Rachel, who will have just returned from Africa. I can't wait to see what that wonder will bring us...

ok, thanks for sharing my excitement, I just told you too much I'm sure - back to work now.

xoxo,
Carleigh

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Charities

lailabh — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 13:47:01 GMT

I'm planning on donating some of my next paycheck (as soon as I get out of the hole...oy) to Oxfam, but I was wondering if anyone likes Heifer International? I think it's a fantastic idea and one I'd very much like to support. I'm still checking them out, though.

www.heifer.org

posted in Nomadic Culture - 5 replies

NPR- Tackling Poverty, Health Threats in Niger

carleigh — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:52:04 GMT

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4982368

take a listen

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

World Hunger Relief Project

cherylkornegay — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 19:41:08 GMT

Hi everyone,
I hope no one minds me posting this here, but I thought it might be something some of you - especially on the east coast- might be interesting in. I'll keep it short, so for those of you who are interested you can check out the link and those who aren't won't be bothered with paragraphs of information.

I'm working to get a coalition of dancers and others together for a World Hunger Relief Project. So far, the tenative plan is a three part fundraising effort that will include a fast fundraiser, a hunger banquet, and a performance by members of the belly dance community. The goal (at this point) is to raise awareness about the problem of starvation facing many poeple of the world and the distribution of wealth while generating funding for a selection of charities that represent the global effort to end hunger and poverty.

The link for more info is:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hungerproject

Thanks everybody! It was this site that inspired the idea!
Cheryl Kornegay

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Tuareg nomads visit Seacoast

carleigh — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 16:33:27 GMT

http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051023/NEWS1403/110210105/-1/CITIZEN

I would post the article - but you really should go to it so you can see the photos too.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

Oxfam decries uneven response to world disasters

carleigh — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 03:04:15 GMT

London, UK, 10/22 - UK-based charity organisation, Oxfam International said 2005 had been characterised by natural and man-made disasters that had drawn uneven response from the international community.

It noted in a new report that while international response to "televised disasters" had been generous, there had been a continuing failure by governments to provide "timely, sufficient aid to those, largely in sub-Saharan Africa, who suffer equally but less visibly".

The report comes against the backdrop of fear that some 80,000 people may have died in India and Pakistan from a devastating earthquake which hit the region 8 October, with the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, warning of a second "massive wave of death" unless the international community stepped up relief effort immediately.

The UN has appealed for 312 million US dollars, but has so far only received 37 million or 12 percent of the funds required to tackle the disaster.

This is very slow compared to the Tsunami appeal in response to the December 2004 disaster in which 225,000 people died in Asia, which raised 80 percent of needed funds within ten days.

There are fears the international community is suffering from "donor fatigue," following a series of disasters including Hurricane Stan in Central America, Hurricane Katrina which ravaged New Orleans in the US, and famine in Niger.

Oxfam noted that over the last decade the number of disasters and human victims had been climbing, with Africa showing the greatest increase.

"The international humanitarian response has been inadequate to many of these crises - and others caused by armed conflicts" with an "uneven, often late and sometimes inefficient international humanitarian performance that has been undermined by inadequate funding for the UN`s vital appeals," the report added.

It said despite warnings raised in March, the international community was still not responding fast enough to the imminent crisis in southern Africa, where up to 12 million people could face severe food shortages.

According to Oxfam, humanitarian aid often arrives too late, as shown by the food crisis in Niger where "many deaths could have been prevented if funding had been made available."

Instead "it took television pictures of starving children in July to prompt adequate funds by which time the shortage had turned into a crisis," it lamented.

The report also charged that humanitarian aid was often determined more by media profile or political criteria than humanitarian need, noting for instance, that the Tsunami appeal received 3.8 billion dollars in pledges, about half the annual funds for all emergencies worldwide.

In contrast, the UN estimates that 16 million people are at immediate risk in ten "neglected emergencies" in Africa alone (including Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Guinea, Republic of Congo, Somalia, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Uganda).

Oxfam said that in 2004 the UN struggled with an annual shortfall of 1.3 billion dollars for its appeals, "effectively abandoning people to destitution, starvation or death."

As a solution, it said the UN Central Emergency Revolving Fund should be transformed into a larger, more efficient "Response Fund" with additional funding of a billion US dollars a year.

The fund, Oxfam explained, would reduce suffering and death and reduce the number of crises by focusing funds on humanitarian needs rather than media or political profile.

On the relationship between development and reducing vulnerability to disaster, it noted that "while the link is not automatic, extreme poverty can vastly increase vulnerability to disaster."

The report explained that even in countries with high human development indicators, an average of 44 people died per disaster, increasing to an average of 330 people per disaster in countries with low human development indicators.

http://www.angolapress-angop.ao/noticia-e.asp?ID=385372

posted in Nomadic Culture - 0 replies

I'm going to Niger

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 23:29:55 GMT

By the way, I'm leaving Monte Carlo to go to Niger October 23rd. I can't not go and feel normal.

I'll be updating y'all about the trip. I can't hardly believe it. I'm terrified and very excited.

Rach

posted in Nomadic Culture - 20 replies

Aid from small organizations saving the day!

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 19:57:23 GMT

"In small pockets around the country, aid organizations such as Action Against Hunger, whose team I filmed, are effective at alleviating malnutrition, educating communities, preventing epidemics and supplying the tools necessary for displaced families to become self-sufficient again. But in the Congo (indeed, around the world), the support that such organizations need to be truly effective falls short. Paradoxically, we see generous examples of giving in the wake of recent disasters. Last December's tsunami in Asia, for example, spurred donations of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Nongovernmental organizations reported that for perhaps the first time in history they had enough resources to address the crisis. Similarly, recent reports of famine conditions in Niger and accompanying footage of dying children on major TV networks triggered huge deliveries of food.

The point is that emergency response is essential -- but so is support for long-term solutions that build lasting self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, financing for these solutions is more grudging than for quick fixes. Once sudden catastrophes pass, donors typically move on to the next one. As a result, aid organizations combat the same problems of disease and malnutrition, over and over, as if digging fruitlessly in the sand (which, incidentally, fuels the general perception that humanitarian aid is largely ineffective).

But it doesn't have to be this way. Things can change if donors learn to be more intelligently pro-active, supporting ongoing efforts to give communities the knowledge and tools to be self-sustaining rather than merely responding to the crisis of the moment. In the long run, such efforts would save millions more lives (and be a good deal less expensive) than all emergency rescues put together.

Another reason for the lack of funding for long-term solutions is a widespread perception that humanitarian aid is co-opted and wasted. Often it is. But there is a difference between money that goes through central governments, where it can be easily diverted into corrupt channels, and help that goes directly to beneficiaries through international aid organizations that are on the ground. In fact, to protect against resources being co-opted, some nongovernmental organizations maintain strict rules against accepting intermediaries between themselves and their beneficiaries.

It is also important to realize that diversion not only occurs on the recipient side. Often donor and donor governments attach politically and ideologically motivated conditions to aid that are counterproductive.

Realistically, both big and small aid projects are needed to end the woes of the Congo, and more resources will have to be allocated. But the as yet untested experiment in international aid is to fully fund the micro-programs being implemented by smaller aid agencies that have a real impact on changing the lot of the poorest of the poor. If we really want to lessen the problems of Africa, it is time to put our trust in organizations that have a history of building sustainability and not just responding to crises. "

Learn More
What: Screenings of "Heart of the Congo," a documentary by Tom Weidlinger

Dates, times and places: Commonwealth Club, 595 Market St., San Francisco (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.; discussion with the director follows); United Nations Association Film Festival (Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m., at Delancey Screening Room, 600 Embarcadero, San Francisco; and Oct. 23, 6:05 p.m., at Cubberley Auditorium at Stanford University).

Admission: varies, $7 to $15

More information: On the Commonwealth Club screening: (415) 597-6705/6706 or (800) 847-7730; www.commonwealthclub.org/mlf.html

On the United Nations Association Film Festival: www.unaff.org

On the film: www.heartofthecongo.com

Tom Weidlinger is an independent filmmaker who lives in Berkeley.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 1 reply

Journal of sorts?

Thu, 29 Sep 2005 15:22:16 GMT

9-29-05

So maybe I should start a real blog, but I dunno about those things, man...

Okay I will...

http://people.tribe.net/brice

posted in Nomadic Culture - 3 replies

Anyone into a 3 day fast for Africa?

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 13:01:38 GMT

Any one interested in doing a public fast wit' me? I've never done this before, and would have to learn a lot about what is required.

I'm thinking, if the city allows it, during the day (especially as people are going to work and coming home), we would park ourselves at a BART station or so, and dance and ask other companies to come dance.

Anyone who would be interested in not eating for 3 days, just to get a "taste" (no pun intended) of what it's like to go without food, let me know we could have a big sign stating that's what we're doing. We could get the press more involved that way.

I want to know what it feels like to be 3 days hungry.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 8 replies

Brain Food

carleigh — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 15:04:03 GMT

This tribe has gotten quiet. The trouble isn't behind us.

I found this article very informative: http://www.progress.org/2005/fpif70.htm

Opened my eyes more than my coffee; sometimes "help" hurts. (at least the wrond kind of help)

posted in Nomadic Culture - 2 replies

U.N.: Somali pirates seize second aid ship

carleigh — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 16:32:18 GMT

Not Niger - but close enough. This just baffles me.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/10/13/somalia.pirates.reut/index.html

NAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) -- Somali pirates have hijacked a second ship carrying United Nations food aid in the latest act of piracy to strike vessels plying the anarchic country's treacherous seas, the world body said on Thursday.

Six gunmen stormed the MV Miltzow freighter on Wednesday as its cargo of 850 tonnes of food aid was being offloaded in the port of Merka, 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of the capital Mogadishu, the U.N. World Food Programme said.

Aboard were the crew of 10, including a Kenyan captain, Ugandan engineer and eight other Kenyans, WFP added.

The hijacking came 10 days after pirates released another ship laden with WFP food aid, the MV Semlow, which they seized at sea and held for nearly 100 days.

"It is scandalous that a small number of profiteers would once again hijack humanitarian food supplies destined for fellow Somalis," Robert Hauser, WFP's country director for Somalia, said in a statement.

The cargo was headed for approximately 78,000 people in the Jilib district, just north of Merka, which has suffered ongoing violence, flooding and a total crop failure in recent months.

The Indian Ocean waters off Somalia are among the most dangerous in the world. The Horn of Africa nation has had no proper government since 1991 and no one patrols its coastline.

Pirates in armed speedboats typically race alongside slower-moving ships, firing on them, before boarding and seizing control at gunpoint.

In this case, the attack took place onshore. The hijackers then forced the Miltzow's crew to take the ship out to sea with about 400 tonnes of cargo, including rice, maize and vegetable oil, still in the hold.

Overland option
Wednesday's capture of the Miltzow is the third time pirates have struck the Mombasa, Kenya-based Motaku Shipping Agency, which owns the two ships hired to carry WFP food aid and a third stormed by pirates over the weekend.

The third ship, the MV Torgelow, had been headed to the Somali port of El Maan carrying fuel and supplies to restock its sister ship the Semlow when it was taken.

The Semlow has yet to unload its cargo of 850 tonnes of rice destined for victims of the December. 26 tsunami. A dispute with El Maan port authorities has prevented the return of its exhausted 10-man crew to Mombasa, WFP said.

Motaku typically runs about two voyages a month to Somalia, but may abandon the route because of the risks.

WFP said it is considering sending food aid overland through Kenya and Djibouti since shipping firms now want armed escorts.

Somalia, with a population of 10 million people, is one of the most dangerous and difficult places in the world to deliver humanitarian aid, as the seizure of the WFP-chartered boats underscores.

Aid workers must deal with dilapidated infrastructure and a network of warlords and their militias that have run the country since the ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

posted in Nomadic Culture - 1 reply

Slavery in modern Niger

timrayborn — Sat, 01 Oct 2005 00:37:47 GMT

This is a very important topic, discussed in an article in the September, 2005 issue of Smithsonian magazine. Slavery is still a way of life for some in several west African states, while their governments look the other way, or act as if it doesn't exist. The Nigerien government is especially bad about this.

It is often transgenerational, wiyth children of slaves also being slaves (and those children are commonly born as a result of rapes of female slaves by the owners).

The UN estimates that as many as 12.3 million people worldwide are slaves or indentured servants.

You can read the full article in PDF here (you'll need Adobe PDF reader):

http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues05/sep05/pdf/niger.pdf

There is an HTML version, but I can't get the link to work here properly (it's too long).

posted in Nomadic Culture - 4 replies