THE OTHER SIDE OF MALI

May be I have been a bit naïve about some things in Mali because I thought its Islamic country certain things were not present but I was wrong. I had a taster the other day when I went out to real Mali’s going out avenue with Habib, the kids were just behaving like kids in Europe with trousers hanging down their bums and drinking, it was really nice to see that there are some classy night clubs that played Morden dance and a blend of traditional and Ivorian dance stuff called fuka fuka

THE LOCAL SHOPS

THE LOCAL SHOPS
The local shop owners have become use to me also sometime they find me hard to deal with yet they enjoy the time I am in their shops. I have become the local English teacher they ask me questions in English sometime is hard to understand each other from simple things like bake beans the don’t have it in French so we go round the bend trying to understand

THE NET CAFE

Net cafe
The owner of the net café and his family have been very welcoming, the guys there make me the local tea they don’t put much sugar in mine they all know I am about to go and feel a little sad that their Anglais friend is going

My local people

I have certainly bonded with most of the locals and feel some of their happiness and pains.
I have also proven to my self that language is not a barrier, some of the market women that I buy my food supplies from don’t even speak French only Bambara, yet I am able to have conversation and a laugh with them, majority of African men don’t step a foot in the market let alone cook yet they have see me there a lot of times, I suppose they find it amusing and surprise about this man, I am sure they trust the choice of my ingredients. I try to spread my purchase around so they all benefit from when I visit the market. They were a bit reluctant for their pictures to be taken, but with time they have warmed up to me and ask me for their photos to be taken, bless them

Brushing shoulders with the Stars

The last two weeks have been very exciting also in terms of meeting and interviewing some of the best musicians in Africa two Grammy award winners and one Grammy nominated artist.
Toumani Diabate based in Mali Mamoudou Diabate based in the Carolina in the USA, Habib Koite based in Mali and Belgium
I am please and am glad and feel very lucky to have been in the company of these great and
Talented musicians who have shown interest in me my music and my quest. I have found it quite humbling and as an inspiration and as a fuel to propel me from now and in the future. In cha Allah as they say in this part of the world.

NEAR THE END OF MY TIME IN AFRICA

The last few weeks has been very busy and full of activities as it’s nearing the end of my long stay in Africa
One might find it hard to understand the latter point, even thou I am from Africa this is the longest I have been in Africa for twenty three years most times I have visited my native Ghana for few weeks, eight weeks maximum, so this is a big deal for me. I have invariably reassured my self that I can still survive the hash and enjoyable realities of the continent that is dubbed with problems, at least I have seen for my self that its not all dark and gloom
Now that my days are numbered I have this paradoxical feeling of being happy and sad its been an adventure like no before in rough and hardship some blips of happiness sleeping in tents, sharing bed with mosquitoes eating rough meeting nice people good and modest hotels, and dormitories and the occasional odd people.