Africa Is a Country

Black Bazar

Black Bazar

By
Tom Devriendt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=841i137-CYg

Alain Mabanckou’s 2009 novel Black Bazar spoke successfully to and about the African diaspora in France, their daily hustle, fashion, style and language. All through the eyes of the Congolese migrant nicknamed ‘Fessologue’, sapeur and pub philosopher, and arguably the author’s alter ego. As a follow-up to the novel, Mabanckou now has produced an ambitious music album (“trying to change the way in which African music is perceived,” he says) with Congolese musicians Modogo Abarambwa and Sam Tshintu. Other contributing artists come from Cuba, Colombia, Cameroon, the DRC, Congo-Brazzaville and Senegal. The above music video shows us what to expect (and Mabanckou gets his cameo).

Further Reading

No one should be surprised we exist

The documentary film, ‘Rolé—Histórias dos Rolezinhos’ by Afro-Brazilian filmmaker Vladimir Seixas uses sharp commentary to expose social, political, and cultural inequalities within Brazilian society.

Kenya’s stalemate

A fundamental contest between two orders is taking place in Kenya. Will its progressives seize the moment to catalyze a vision for social, economic, and political change?

More than a building

The film ‘No Place But Here’ uses VR or 360 media to immerse a viewer inside a housing occupation in Cape Town. In the process, it wants to challenge gentrification and the capitalist logic of home ownership.