Wednesday, December 13, 2006

The Xhosa Joan Collins

Now, this is obviously a 'Mama'*

"You use 'mama' for women one generation older than yourself and 'sisi' for those who are about the same age", the Xhosa**-teacher explained to his classroom full of pale white students. We had just learned the words for 'hello' (molo) and 'how are you?' (kunjani) and it was time to move on to the proper naming of the Xhosa people you encounter. "But what if you call some-one 'mama' who in fact is only slightly older than you?", one of my co-students wanted to know. Will that person be insulted?

But what about her?

The classroom begins to buzz. Apparently most of them had the same thought. "Once I stood up for an old man in the subway in London and he got angry", a guy says, "and everybody knows that women can be insulted easily if you think they are older than they really are". Are Xhosa women as sensitive about their age as western women? Is it a compliment if you say 'sisi' to a woman who is actually a 'mama'?

And her?
The teacher laughed at this display of westernized thinking. "It is a sign of respect to call an older woman 'mama'; no one will regard it as an insult". A doubtful hum went through the room. Nobody really truly believed it. In our minds we were thinking what would happen if we ever encounter the Xhosa-version of Joan Collins or Cher.
As a safety measure I made sure to learn the word for 'lady' (nkosikazi). No one will ever consider that an insult (I hope).


* picture courtesy of Herman Warnich
** Xhosa is one of the eleven official languages of SA. It is the home language of Nelson Mandela.

2 Comments:

Blogger Gregory da Silva said...

Arts, Cultures and Heritage: The Eggman of Cape Town South Africa.
I am the Eggman... A walking work of art. I am a Comedian Artist Dancer and Storyteller...
The World Famous Eggman Cape Town ( A walking work of art, Gregory Da Silva is more than an odd spectacle...)
Cellphone: 0737507923
www.eggman.blog.com
Email: eggmanfestival@gmail.com
Cellphone: 0737507923

Subject: Call me for interview on Radio.

Greetings from Cape Town South Africa
A walking work of art, Gregory Da Silva is more than an odd spectacle...



Hello dear Sir,



My name is Gregory da Silva, I am staying in Cape Town South Africa. I am Artist Comedian Dancer, and Storyteller. I was in many Festivals in Africa: The Masa Festival( Market for African Performing Arts 2003 in Ivory Coast, The South African National Arts Festival Grahamstown Festival in Eastern Cape, The Somerset East Biltong Castle Larger FestivaL, The Innibos Festival in Nelspruit Mpumanlanga, The Gariep Kunstefees in Kimberley, The Hermanus Whales Festival in Hermanus, The Simonstown Peguin Festival, The Stellenbosch Muisic Festival, The Rittelfees Music Festival in Vredendal and many more festivals in South Africa. Many people call me: The World Famous Eggman. I am very popular, famous with the Tourrists in Cape Town ( The Famous EggMan). I was in DSTV National Geographic, BBC, SABC1, SABC2, SABC3 and Etv. And many Books, Magazines, Tourrists Guides in Cape Town. For example: The Cape Town Tourrists Guide 2006, The other Guide to Cape Town 2004, 2005... Travel in South Africa... I am also a very good French musician and Dancer. God Bless you. Call me for interview on Radio. Please contact me, The Famous Eggman, Gregory da Silva: 0737507923



just call... Cellphone: 0737507923
Email: eggmanfestival@gmail.com
Cellphone: 0737507923

A walking work of art, Gregory Da Silva is more than an odd spectacle - he is a symbol of Africa's many diverse cultures...
A Symbol of African Unity

In the first heady years of the African Union, the world's eyes are increasingly turned to the continent from which humankind first appeared. Beneath the seemingly impenetrable mask of violence portrayed in popular media, lies a living and thriving cultural climate which Des Warde finds well depicted by West African street artist Gregory Da Silva.

The outfit always turns heads, and each day it boasts a new feature, a new symbol of an African culture or practice.

His headdress weighs up to twenty five kilograms, his body is armoured with artifacts and his face painted with tribal patterns and an undying smile. Each day, Gregory Da Silva presents the city centre with a new display of his symbolic art.

Gregory's voice is lively and he repeatedly offers phrases and words in French. Born in Benin, West Africa, 1979, he was trained in computer science at university, but went on to found a theatre group in Benin called 'Voice of Spirit' or 'Voix de l'Esprit' which performed politically motivated as well as comic and poetic theatre at the Benin National Library.

After receiving an invitation to perform at the MASA - Market for African Performing Arts - Festival in the Ivory Coast in 2003, where he represented his country, Benin, for a week before flying to South Africa. He sold his creations at the V&A Waterfront and began to grace the streets of Cape Town with his unique form of art. It was so unique it initially led the bemused Cape Town police to put him in the back of their car and call their superiors for advice! Naturally they were advised them to let him go and Gregory now enjoys a good relationship with the city authorities...

My attention is soon turned to his artifact-laden tunic which Gregory says is about "all African tradition, all African culture[s]" and he goes on to explain some of the more prominent objects displayed.


"Everything must be life,
everything must shine, and be positive"


First, he points out the clusters of sea shells hanging around his neck, saying that in Africa these shells were "old money" and once used as currency. He explains the eggs on his head dress as being symbolic of life and says "everything must be life, everything must shine, [and] be positive". Next his hands grab the arcane black bottle near his waist to explain that in his culture, the Sangoma people would place "good spirits" in a bottle, with which they would "heal sick people [they] passed while walking on the roads".


The broken shards of mirror found on his chest bear similar spiritual significance, and are often worn by Voodoo people in Africa and are said to be a kind of window into the spiritual world, and a "way to talk to [their] ancestor[s]".


Gregory says his main inspiration or motivation is to "make people laugh" and "make people happy" and to represent different African cultures. He says he always thinks "how we can put all of Africa together to make [it] one", adding that "not one country can be forgotten".


When he is travelling in Africa, be it in Senegal, Cameroon, Mali or the Congo, the local people invariably look at him and say "ahh, that is our culture" as they see something of their own represented. "All Africa is in my clothes" he says, drawing attention again to his peerless suit.


When not walking St. Georges Mall or Green Market Square, Gregory features at the Grahamstown festival, the Hermanus Whale Festival, has been hired to receive guests at hotels and airports, and has also appeared on SABC 2 and E-TV News.


He is very popular with tourists, especially those from Italy, England, America and Germany, who frequently ask why he does not come over and do his thing in their own country. But he says his focus is on Africa. Pictures of him certainly do get back to their countries though, as Gregory says everyday "hundreds" of pictures are taken of himself, usually posing with the tourists.


Asked about his dreams and ambitions, Gregory (or the "Egg Man" or "Ei man" as he is also known) says that this year he is planning on starting an art school, which is part of his 'Project For Africa' for this year. He wants to impart creative knowledge to South African youth, giving them the power to create beautiful things and also to support themselves, all part of his ultimate venerable ambition to "[bring] Africa together to make one".


Indeed, and good luck to him.



Egg On His Face But He's Happy
Gregory da silva, A Symbol of African Unity

Who is that Guy with all the Eggs on his head that you see at all the bestest Festivals in South Africa ? His name is gregory da Silva - An Artist Comedian, Storyteller, dancer from Benin West Africa. Gregory da Silva ( Egg Man ) was born in Benin West Africa, Voodoo Country. He speaks French and English and is staying in Cape Town South Africa. Gregory da silva has appeared at many Festivals in Africa and is presently staying in Cape Town South Africa. Gregory has appeared at many Festivals in Africa :
The Masa Festival 2003 ( market for African Performing Arts) in Ivory coast West Africa,
The grahamstown Festival South African National Art Festival,
The Hermanus Whales festival,
The Darling festival, The Gariep Kimberley Festival, Innibos Film Festival Nelspruit Mpumanlanga,
Moorresberg farm Shows,
The Biltong Castle Larger Festival in Somerset East South africa,
The Stellenbosch Street Festival,
The Simonstown Penguin Festival South Africa. He performs every day in Market square Cape Town and adds an air of rio - style festivity wherever he performs. Many Tourrists from Germany, England, America, Italy, France, Belguim call Gregory : The Egg man, or Chicken Man. Very famous in Africa.
AFRICAN EXTRAVAGANZA : The National Arts Festival had its usual colourful start in Grahamstown South Africa. Here Gregory da Silva from Benin, West Africa, wears headgear adorned with African artifacts. Gregory da Silva has becomes an Institution at the National Art festival Grahamstown. Picture by ALAN EASON


A festival favourite for many years, the ubiquitous "Eggman" was back at the 2006 National Arts Festival, making an appearance at the Village Green (CuePix/daylin paul

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