· July, 2008

Stories about Arts & Culture from July, 2008

Angola: Goodbye to Kinaxixe Market in Luanda

  31 July 2008

Anabela Quelhas [pt] is extremely sad to have witnessed Luanda's Kinaxixe Market being demolished. She lists 10 reasons was this 50's market was an important building for Angolan architecture and people, concluding: “Once more, cultural asset is outweighed by the language of money and speculation”. A modern shopping center is...

Barbados, Canada: Caribana Fever

  31 July 2008

“Wha happen Crop Over music from Crop-Over this year cant reach here? Dem waiting on steam boat to bring the tunes? Man this is internet era, download man download”: Barbadian diaspora blogger Jdid explains why he is not one to catch “Caribana Feva”.

China: All shook up by the torch relay

  30 July 2008

It's a double-edged Olympic torch. Veteran sports journalist Guan Jun shares a short sketch on his Beijing Olympics blog of how disruptive preparations for the torch relay proved to be for those living alongside the road chosen for the relay route.

Formoz Festival 2008: Don't wanna say goodbye

  30 July 2008

Here is wikipedia's explanation of the annual Formoz Festival: The annual Formoz Festival, Spring Scream, and Gung-liao Ho-hai-yan Rock Festival are representative gatherings within Taiwan's indie scene. Of these, Formoz Festival is notable for its international draw. Facing the threat of typhoon Phoenix, lots of people still decided to attend...

Haiti, U.S.A.: Musical Militia

  30 July 2008

AfriClassical quotes author Michael Largey in its profile of Haitian classical composer Occide Jeanty (1860-1936): “By performing pieces that had extramusical programs referring to Haitian political resistance, the Musique du Palais National, with Occide Jeanty conducting, became a symbol of Haitian resistance, albeit in musical, not military terms.”

China: Sneak peak at Beijing Games opening ceremony

  30 July 2008

Danwei.org has been on a very long roll with its Olympics coverage, and now founder Jeremy Goldkorn has found clips of an opening ceremony rehearsal taken covertly by a Korean television crew. (Update: yes, it took a few minutes for the clip to be harmonized. This might work, however.)

China: Naked Beach Proposal

  30 July 2008

Li Yinhe comments on the naked beach proposal in Zhuhai. Oppositional views said that naked beach is immoral and at odd with Chinese culture. The blogger also feels that the cultural leap is too big to be accepted by the public.

Arabeyes: Head Over Heels for Muhannad

A strange phenomenon has gripped the Arab world and Arabs seem to agree on something. It is an infatuation with a Turkish soap opera, dubbed in Arabic, and its stunning star Muhanned (played by Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ), whose romantic trysts are beamed on television screens across the region. The obsession of some people with the soap has also prompted the Grand Mufti of the Islamic world, Shaikh Abdul Aziz Al Shaikh, from Saudi Arabia, to issue a fatwa (religious edict) banning the drama, saying watching it is Haram (a sin).

China: The Great Mascot Conspiracy

  29 July 2008

Of all the various interpretations of what the Fuwas could or should represent we've seen recently, ‘The Great Mascot Conspiracy’ from Angry Chinese Blogger has definitely done it better.

Arabeyes: Mourning Youssef Chahine

Tributes are pouring in from bloggers from around the Middle East and North Africa, mourning the death of renowned Egyptian film maker Youssef Chahine. Born in Alexandria in 1926, Chahine has left behind a legacy, and millions of fans and followers across the region.

India: On Birthdays

  29 July 2008

Mumbai Magic has some lovely photographs, reminiscing about the birthday traditions specific to the author's community.

Cuba: Carnival Time

  29 July 2008

“It is a time to shrug off the slogans, the shortages and the frustrated expectations. Dancing is a magnificent way of forgetting. And so we will have a festival along the same perimeter where, fourteen years ago, Havanans demonstrated their discontent in a social explosion”: Yoani Sanchez looks beyond the...