Song of the day: Miriam Makeba’s last song

South Africa is in mourning. Mariam Makeba, better known as "Mama Africa" or the "Songbird of Africa", is no more.

The South African singer who, along with Nelson Mandela, came to be identified with her country’s struggle against apartheid rule and whose songs became a rallying cry for black freedom, died near Rome today after performing at a protest concert. She was 76.

She had been singing at a concert protesting Mafia rule in Italy and in support of Roberto Saviano, an author who has received death threats since writing about organised crime.

After the South African regime cancelled her passport in 1960, Mariam Makeba spent 31 years in exile, living in France, Guinea and Belgium, and the United States. She was prevented from attending her mother’s funeral after touring in the U.S.

Her music was banned on state-owned South African radio and television after she condemned the racist South African regime at the U.N. headquarters in 1976. (Full)

Her best known song was the world hit "Pata-Pata".



More music and videos on The Road.

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News: Dunkin' Donuts, a scarf and extremism.

Only in America... On May 7, Dunkin’ Donuts began running an ad, featuring local celebrity chef Rachael Ray wearing a black-and-white fringed scarf.

The ad has now been revoked due to protest that Ms. Ray’s scarf resembled "to the type typically worn by Muslim extremists". (Full)

Apart from thinking "Only in America!", the whole story truly saddens me. Even if the scarf was a keffiyeh, the traditional scarf of Arab men, then why does this have to be automatically associated with extremism, or seen as a symbol of support to terrorism? Is this a sign of the depth of the world's polarization into Arab and non-Arab, Muslim and non-Muslim?

I have lived in Dubai for five years. I don't think I ever lived in a more tolerant society with respect for other cultures, religions and opinions. Far more tolerant than back home in Belgium, and certainly far more than the US. Sometimes I am ashamed on behalf of us, Westerners.

Picture courtesy boston.com

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Rumble: What's In a Gesture?

Even though, we are all trying to be culture-sensitive, there are sometimes situations where we, the "Foreigners", the "Falangs", the "Muzungus" come out rather embarrassed... Here's one of those, the first time I entered Dubai.

I present my passport at the immigration counter. The immigration officer does not speak much of English, and for a couple of minutes flips the pages of my passport over from the left to the right, and back again, and again, and again. He attentively reads all the different visas, and mumbles to himself. He looks up, as to check where his supervisor is, does not see him, and goes back to flipping the pages.

Me: "Excuse me, anything wrong?
Him: He answers with the (gesture): the fingers folded together, pointing upwards, and slowly moving his hand up and down.

I often go to Italy, and that (gesture) means as much as "what the ^^%%** are you talking about?" or "What the ^^%%** do you want?". So I get upset, right? I mean, it is rather rude. I raise my voice a pitch.
Me: "Excuse me, I am asking you if there is anything wrong with my passport?"
Him: (Gesture) again. He mumbles something in Arabic, which I do not understand, and continues to flip through the pages.

Me: "Now hold on a second. Why are you doing this (i mimic him)? Hey? A bit of respect would do, ok?"
I raise not only the pitch but also the volume of my voice.

Him: yet (gesture) again, but now moving his arm up and down in a very articulate way. He says something in Arabic, which I do not understand. The immigration staff at the other counters look at us and laugh.

Me: "OK, this is enough, I want to speak to your supervisor. You can not do this (gesture)(gesture)(gesture) at me. You know damned well what I am talking about."
I look around for a senior officer. One comes speeding at us from the office behind a one-way mirrored window.

Super: "What is the matter, sir?"
Me: "I am not sure, but your friend here clearly does not know what to do with my passport! And on top of that, he is rude. "
Super to the officer: "Rakakatakatak" (something fast in Arabic)
Officer to super: "Laaaaaaaa". And he shakes his head.

Hey, I understand that, it means 'No!'

Me to the super: "How can he say no? He is rude, he just stands there and goes (gesture) (gesture)(gesture) all the time.
The supervisor smiles, takes my passport, and asks me to follow him.

Super: "So he did like this (gesture), hey ?"

Me: "Yeah, but that is really rude. That guy insults me!"
Super (smiles): "Sir. Over here, this (gesture) means 'Please Wait' "

This was the first Arabic gesture I learned. The hard way.

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