By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 30 October 2023 (IDN) — Precious possessions belonging to the first president of Senegal were saved from the auction block in a last-minute deal between the Senegalese state and a private individual. Solene Laine, the auctioneer said the sale was postponed because she and the seller […]
Retaliatory Attacks Threaten Palestinian People and Culture
By Jamshed Baruah NEW YORK | 19 October 2023 (IDN) — The US Pen Association, PEN America, mourns the devastating deaths of civilians in Gaza and condemns threats to free expression and the free flow of vital information to the public, including the international community, as a result of the escalating conflict between Israel and […]
New Museum Head Concerned About Human Remains Taken from Graves
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 16 October 2023 (IDN) — Sean M. Decatur, recently appointed to head the American Museum of Natural History, is well aware of the obstacles that could await him in his new job. It’s clear from an essay he wrote for the Chronicle of Higher Education titled […]
A German Foundation Taps Zimbabwe Writer Citing ‘Remarkable Courage’
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 9 October 2023 (IDN) — Highly regarded Zimbabwe author Tsitsi Dangaarembga has been tapped for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom award, given to individuals with “remarkable courage and dedication” and political activism. Ms. Dangarembga received the prize this week in Johannesburg. Tinashe Mushakavanhu, a research […]
About Class, Inequality, Respect and Dignity
By Jan Servaes* MIAMI, USA. 6 October 2023 (IDN) — “There are a lot of things very few people—even my friends—know about me. Things like, when I was a kid, we often didn’t have coins to feed the washing machine in our apartment building, meaning we couldn’t do laundry and my clothes smelled of cat […]
South African Writers Address ‘Colouredness’ In New Book
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK. 2 October 2023 (IDN) — South African history professor Mohamed Adhikari was one of the early writers to examine racial identity in the Coloured community. In 2005, identity was one of the hottest topics in popular and academic discourse when his book “Not White Enough, Not Black […]
Arts & Culture: Search Concluded (10.7.1942-8.8.2023)
By Ramu Damodaran* NEW YORK. 6 September 2023 (IDN) — It was eminent Hindustani classical music singer Malini Nambiar who described Sixto Rodriguez best as a “true Karmayogi.” Like all words and phrases woven in the intimacy of a particular language, the term weakens in translation, but the interpretation of an individual who performs actions […]
Afropop Star Appointed ‘Special Advisor’ to Malian Junta
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK. 24 August 2023 (IDN) — Salif Keita, renowned singer-songwriter known as the “Golden Voice of Africa”, has been appointed one of five “special advisors” to the head of Mali’s military junta. Under a decree dated 11 August, the Afropop singer was named advisor to Colonel Assimi Goita […]
Prize-Winning Documentary Spotlights the People’s President
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK. 15 August 2023 (IDN) — “I’m president already. I’m president of the ghetto!” exults the subject of “Bobi Wine: The People’s President” midway through the documentary. That’s not exactly how it worked out, but directors Christopher Sharp and Moses Bwayo’s account of Wine’s 2021 campaign for president […]
Grief at Demise of Eminent Ghanaian Poet and Feminist
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK, 3 June 2023 (IDN) — Ghanaian author, poet, playwright and scholar, Ama Ata Aidoo, is resting in power after seven decades of an illustrious career. A renowned feminist, celebrated writer and playwright, she spent most of her early life among the Fante community, later studying at the […]