magic, fiction, art, africa, karen blixen
I spent most of my childhood in Africa, from 1959 to 1970. First in West Africa, then, after a brief Dutch interlude, we went to Kenya, East Africa, in 1967. Kenya’s independence was quite recent: December 1963. The first president was Mzee (old man) Jomo Kenyatta, the leader of the Independence movement. For us kids,…
“My name is Morgana Dias dos Santos Bantam. Call me Morgana. It’s shorter. Brazilian names can be a bit long. Boca de Ouro, Golden Lips, is my mentor.” “I am Golden Lips. Morgana is my most talented pupil. Oh yes, yes. I often tell her that her real name must be Morgan or Muirgen, King…
“You make me dream, I sleep better.” (Translation is not 100% proof, but it works. Sort of.) Paris. Artist: Miss Tic. She died last year. Sadly. She was a geat artist. I have a post in the works to honour her memory. In addition to her art her texts were very good. Lots of play-on-words.…
The little bird looked at the sea. It looked so small. As if a single gust of wind could make it tumble into the water. It was perching on the longest branch of a tree, by the seashore. The end of the branch reached a few above the water. From the window the little bird…
Sawadee kraap. Hello. If you’re a man. If you’re a woman you say “Sawadee kaa”. Welcome to Bangkok. Those Thai Khon masks are used during theatre/dancing representations of a Thai version of the Ramayana. A very old Indian story that tells the story of Prince Rama and his fight to recover his beloved Sita. Artist…
Pont Alexandre III. One of the most beautiful bridges in Paris. (If not THE most beautiful…) African masks, Quai Branly museum. Fang or Pahouin, Gabon. (I think.) White was often associated with death and mourning in Africa. Monument to Human rights, Champ de Mars. The Eiffel tower is to the right. (Not on the picture,…
Bouche Dorée was very convincing. I could never resist “Golden lips”. She claims she knew my mother, “la niña de Gibraltar”. The girl of Gibraltar. A Gipsy. The most beautiful woman of her time, says Golden lips. In her own words: “She swept your father away, a sailor from Cornwall”. Golden lips also says she…
Well, well. You have been patient. I am Bouche dorée, Boca de Ouro. Mouth of gold. Golden Lips. I am still waiting for my mysterious guest. On the porch of my house on the beach of Itapuã, north of Salvador da Bahia. Oh yes, yes. When Levy Colombia wrote me a letter from Paramaribo about…
Where were we? Oh yes, yes. We were in Salvador, in Bahia. I was telling you about Candomblé. About my house in Itapuã. The trip from Salvador was a bit longer than expected. A few “bandits” on the way. Cangaceiros from the Northeast. Some call them bandits, I don’t. I know some of them. We…
Meu nome é Rosa. Rosa “Boca de ouro”. Rose Golden lips or Golden mouth as you please. I was born in Salvador in Brazil. The full name given to the city – not even a mere settlement then – by the Portuguese explorers was São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos… Oh, yes, yes.…
Equinoxio 