Last night, I went downstairs in the hotel around 8pm to grab a bite to eat. I was not looking forward to it, but knew I needed to hvae complete meal. The grilled Tilapia I had the night before was horrendous. I couldn't even eat more than a third of it. I got back from the studio session at 6:45. Then I couldn't pull myself away from the music videos. Between Channel O, TRACE TV and the 2 or 3 local channels playing music I could flip the station and inevitably find so,ething I liked. I was able to dodge the booty shaking stereotypical trash. I actually saw a few videos that visually inspired me to think about my own.
There was an italian buffet in the restaurant tonight and the hostess was excited she would get to practice her enlish. I was excited I would get to practice my french. Natalie, the hostess/waitress, assured me that I would be satisfied tonight. I avoided the $40 buffets up until this point for a few reasons: 1)the quality of the food here has been a gamble; 2)Since the intensive cleanse I did this past summer I am unable to eat a lot at one time (it takes the fun out of a buffet); and 3)out of protest for the ridiculously priced food here in Kinshasa. We asked Bob to stop the van at the grocery store and I spent $60.19 on snacks (i.e. peanuts, oranges, juice, chocolate and a short can of pringles). He told us that we would have what he called STICKER SHOCK when the bill was totaled and he was not lying. However, the buffet also included a band and I desparately needed something to calm my soul. They say Kinshasa can be difficult to manuever, but my two week stay has been filled with such great musical highlights that it all balances out. By the third song I was smiling, eating and dancing in my seat. The band lit into a classic soukous melody and I had a flashback to Kilimanjaro in Washington, DC. If my cellphone had not crashed right before I left the US, I would have called Florence, Tuesday, Amadou or Adama just to say 'do you remember when?' ohhhhhhhhhhhh. BUT I have lost all of my numbers...sigh.
The man at the next table was also eating alone and struck up conversation. Of course, I am in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and I befriend a motivational speaker/lecturer/life coach. It was an incredible conversation. As the band played the soundtrack for this particular scene in the movie that is my life the saxophonist, an older chocolate version of your favorite uncle, serenaded each of the tables.....Congo style though. There was nothing mellow about the way he worked that horn.
As I walked down the long corridor back toward the elevator that would lead to my room I heard the Spinners.........Whenever you call me, I'll be there. Whenever you want me I'll be there. Whenever you need me I'll be there. I'll be arounnnnd...........They do not pipe elevator music here. lol. It made me think of my childhood at Grandma's house, California Bay Area breezes, fish fries and a time in my life when I didn't have to do affirmations to believe that a world could exist without war. Sigh. Oh well I thought to myself: tomorrow we record music that will make a difference.....
1 comment:
dearest sistalove toni,
i just finished reading your web blog journal of the might powerful congo trip. amazing. i had to write and share how much the following passages touched my soul, heart, mind, and creative and healing intentions. let me being by saying that i affirm and fully support your way of being, expressing, and serving in the universe. i am willing to help in whatever ways you deem appropriate. with that said let me start with your december 9th post.
1) december 9
"Yesterday we had two video shoots. One of the songs called "One Voice" was for the ensemble song of men and women. We were in a hot production studio with two fans, bright lights, camera crew and lookers on. We each wore coordinated Congolese style dresses made for the shoot so I wanted to take a few photos. We talked and laughed like ladies sometimes do. One of the security guards seemed irritated by the good vibes of happiness and said something in lingala to one of the girls. They spoke back to him and as we walked away he tells one of them 'that's why I'll rape you and your loud mouth'. It was ironic because we were in the building to shoot a video to take a stand against violence and sexual violence. He said it so lightly as if rape were something to be joked about."
okay sistalove, the comment that the security guard made scorched my heart and made me question why ... why ... why... when are we gonna heal and honor each other fully? the answer that came was when we decide one person at a time to live nonviolently ... ahimsa is the yoga principle that does it for me. your story made me check myself. my energy ... all of our energy helps to create a playground of violence. we can clean it up with our intention to be loving ... nonviolent. i know it moves beyond just making an intention to manifesting it in the world as a practice ... abyhasa is the sanskrit/yoga term that works for me. it means practice ... so for me ahimsa and abyhasa are two intentions i will marry in 2008. wha a wake up call....
the next passage that dropped into the midde of my heart was,
"Bandal is known to produce some of the countries greatest artists and musicians. It's a lively place. One can feel the energy in the air. We only had an hour or so left of sunlight so the shoot went by pretty fast, but it was a surreal moment for me. I've had a love affair with Africa since I was two years old and to have so many memorable experiences in one year has been such a gift. My mother is even fascinated by the way my life is unfolding."
your words made me smile that you are walking fully in the light of Spirit. ashe. amen.
the passage below was incroyable as they say in france.... i affirm your mission ma soeur de la lumiere (sister of the light)..
"It's no secret that America has an image problem, but I think the government also has a problem with marketing. I've been involved with some pretty dynamic programs, projects that have changed lives, but no one hears about them or knows about them. I am committed to seeing this project through. It's tied to the work I started with my fellowship at the Soros Foundation with my project "I RHYME LIKE A GIRL". It's also tied to Freestyle Union and my entire career. My mission? To use music and poetry, to use hip-hop as a tool for social change---to uplife the human spirit, to inspire peace and to make the world a better place."
and boo, this last part of the post rocked me from the core of my solar plexus ... i affirm thy will be done on all of your endeavors... ashe. amen.
"This trip has been multi-layered. I've made discoveries about myself and my relationships. I have learned so much more about Africa. I've also discovered what my basic needs are in an artistic collaboration and how to best articulate those needs. I took great care of my health this trip and was really disciplined. I met two new 'friends for life' and I also met someone who inspired me to shift my paradigm, to think differently about my goals and my future. Life is good. I am blessed. Like they say, Kinshasa can be difficult to manuever, but every struggle was worth it.
I'm feeling like I will end up living in Africa. I'm not sure exactly where, but I think maybe I am a dual-city person---6 months here, 6 months there...mmmm? We shall see what divine order holds."
may the light of God surround you as you travel your path and express thy will be done in your life mission. ashe. amen. and so it is.
toni, you are a powerful light of love and positive action. your spirit heals. your art connects across borders. your life inspires all of us to live from our center and work with the hands that God created for love, peace, justice, and abundance for all.
2) okay ... i am so moved by your journal posts ... there is more i wanna share ... your december 7 post was particularly powerful for me because it affirmed how important it is to allow divine order and space to occur so that we conect with the divine right people at the divine right time.... the way you connected with your life coach friend...
"The man at the next table was also eating alone and struck up conversation. Of course, I am in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and I befriend a motivational speaker/lecturer/life coach. It was an incredible conversation. As the band played the soundtrack for this particular scene in the movie that is my life the saxophonist, an older chocolate version of your favorite uncle, serenaded each of the tables.....Congo style though. There was nothing mellow about the way he worked that horn.
As I walked down the long corridor back toward the elevator that would lead to my room I heard the Spinners.........Whenever you call me, I'll be there. Whenever you want me I'll be there. Whenever you need me I'll be there. I'll be arounnnnd...........They do not pipe elevator music here. lol. It made me think of my childhood at Grandma's house, California Bay Area breezes, fish fries and a time in my life when I didn't have to do affirmations to believe that a world could exist without war. Sigh. Oh well I thought to myself: tomorrow we record music that will make a difference....."
hearing the spinner sing "whenever you call me, i'll be there" reminded me that Spirit, ancestors, angels, spirit guides, and master teachers always surround and support us. they make the divine order work in our lives when we surrender and allow them to.
3) your december 5th post about growing was critical for me. sistalove, the silence thing hit home for me. stepping out of your american shoes and practicing assertive feminity was triumphant.
"Every country on the continent of Africa is unique in its own special way. It requires a great deal of humility and patience to step out of my "American" shoes and get into the flow of the "Congolese" way. As a woman, I am practicing assertive feminity. Many of the women in our vibe sessions/workshops are very strong. They are vocal and expressive. However, the show is still largely being run by men. My challenge is learning how to communicate my desires and my needs for the work when those wants are in disagreement with the guys. It's interesting as I observe myself in various scenarios I realize just how much I am growing. Silence is sometimes the most difficult practice in the world. Patience is the second most difficult thing to be/have.
Life. So much of it is about growth. Love. So much of it is about growth."
4) The Sunday Music day post on December 3 made me fill up with joy. I love that there is one day dedicated to music. All music all of the time. Make it a week, month, shucks a lifetime...
5) Your November 26 post was TRANSFORMATIVE for me. I could see your full essence in your words about getting open and taking the cipher experience to a meditation trance... YUMMY. It made me think of how I feel when I do yoga and chant. ECSTACY... RUMI LIKE .... Yeah I feel that.
"It started out lukewarm and kinda' slow. I stopped it and took some time out to talk about gettin' open. We talked about what it's like to get open. After that we started up again with the singers singing the same melody and a steady collective finger snap. Ahhh. Then the finger snap turned into a beatbox, followed by a 'soul clap' that shook the room like foot-stompin' church service. People started to get open and they did not want to stop. It was sooo hot. I was jet lagged before the cipher, but energized fully afterwards. I pointed out the fact that we achieved that high without 1-spending any money and 2-without beer, alcohol, weed or any other mood altering substances (the puffers found that funny lol!). I wanted to point it out because I know that in a real cipher, the cipher itself is mood-altering. It's meditational and creates the space for one to go into a trance.....the cipher here in Kinshasa was definitely powerful...."
6) Your ability to turn a phrase into an awakening moment is a blessing. That's what happened when I read your November 25th post statement:
"I feel good about being here even though we are here to confront a really horrendous issue---women are being used as war weapons. Please google and read about the problem here and/or go to Youtube. Everyone knows about the problem, but no one is talking about it."
Thank you Toni for talking about women being used as war weapons.
Your gratitude and affirmation made me bow my heart to my head and say: the light in me sees the light in you... Namaste. What a blessing to wake up and give thanks, spit freestyle before glossing up, and affirming your truth.
"I am so grateful for the opportunity to do the kind of work that I do. I wake up each day knowing for sure that I am living out my destiny. It is an incredible feeling to know that for sure. I never have to question it anymore.
We meet the artists tomorrow. I already know it's gonna' be hot. I watched TRACE TV after a really good night's sleep. I also watched some of the local music video channels and channel O. I danced by myself in the room. I opened the curtains and sang. I spit a freestyle before putting on my lip gloss.....I looked to the sky and closed my eyes as I spoke my affirmations aloud.
I am open to the possibility of being a catalyst for change and transformation. I am a student and always willing to learn. I do my work with every ounce of my being. I pour my heart and my soul into everything that I do. I trust the universe to support me and my vision. I am audacious and stepping into a new pair of shoes---I wear these shoes boldly as I surrender to God's purpose for my life........Hip Hop Worldwide! Yes! Give Thanks."
i wtiness, affirm, and give thanks that you my sistalove are open 24/7/365 to the possibility of being a catalyst for change and transformation. may you always walk the earth with beginner's mind as a student always willing to learn. may you do your soul work with every ounce of your being. may you pour your heart and soul into everything you do. i shout amen and ase with you as you trust the universe to support you and your vision. i see you and give thanks that you are audaciously septing into a new pair of shoes ... wearing them boldy as you surrender to God's purpose for your life.... HIP HOP WORLDWIDE! YES YES YES. ASE. ASE. ASE. AMEN. AND SO IT IS.
Love your sistalove Maddie
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