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The Beautiful Game

Correction: You don’t have to be a football fanatic, be a supporter of the English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur or–for some of this blog’s readers–care whether the club has African players on its books–they have*–but you will enjoy this piece of animation of English player Gareth Bale’s goals earlier in the club’s Champions League […]

'Africa's First World Cup' Revisited

We’re allowed to talk about the 2010 World Cup until 2014. Later today our man, historian of African soccer, Peter Alegi, will deliver the keynote address at the 7th Sports in Africa Symposium at Ohio University. Since few of us are in Athens, don’t panic: The whole thing–including Peter’s keynote–will be webcasted live here. Here’s […]

    Music Break

    We’ve plugged Fredy Massamba before. ‘Ntoto’ is taken from his album Ethnophony.

    'Shaka Zulu'

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikxZvvETnPE Not sure what to make of the video. The video was filmed “in Africa.” Kage Sparks, who calls himself “the African Street Ambassador,” and whose family hails from Kenya and Tanzania, has his “tribe riding for me.”

    Save the Museum (in Uganda)

    Just about this time last year, Uganda lost a priceless part of its cultural heritage when the Kasubi Tombs were burnt down. The tombs were a UNESCO World Heritage Site and were built in 1882 – the burial place of four Buganda kings. Now it seems another cultural site faces destruction. Global Voices reports on […]

    File Under No Comment

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wTtUqxklzs Another of those pending posts. The video for “Flying High” for the British rapper Chipmunk who is also variously known as “the UK’s Justin Beiber.” I don’t think that’s a compliment. The video was shot in South Africa. A throne, grass skirts, references to “The Lion King,” etcetera. It is in Africa.

      'Nigeria's first fashion magazine'

      Part promotion, part video profile of “Mania,” a new Nigerian magazine billed as a first of its genre for that country. Not sure about that. (There must have been and are fashion magazines in Nigeria?). Also not sure if the magazine is out yet. Great video though. The video is directed and edited by Joel […]

      'America as … point of reference'

      The artist Dawn Okoro (take the link to her blog) on her most recent work: I’ve just completed a set of drawings [colored pencil, ink, and watercolor on paper; the one above is ‘Woman in Igbo Print Dress’] … This drawing is called “Woman in Igbo Print Dress.” The pattern on the dress is inspired […]

      March 6

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZg18qsycBk It’s late already, but it is still March 6: Ghana Independence Day. Dutch rapper Kno’Ledge Cesare pays tribute in this video shot in Accra.