Don't Cry for Me Africa

Don’t cry for me Africa

Because I will never let you out of my mind

I hear your voices people of Africa

I hear your cries people of Africa

I see pain in your eyes people of Africa

It is hard to describe what you people of Africa are going through

Poverty strikes you all people of Africa

Don’t cry for me Africa

Because I will keep you in my prayers people of Africa

Power to the people of Africa

People of Africa lift your spirit higher

Lord is the light and truth people of Africa

The Lord sends you a message from his heart to you people of Africa

He said because I love you

I will answer your prayers

I hear your prayers

Don’t cry for me Africa

Because you have a friend that is the Lord

People of Africa continue doing the Lords work

Make a wish people of Africa

The people of Africa are looking at the Lord face to face

Lord here is no paradise

We dream a little dream said the people of Africa to the Lord

The People of Africa Pray that the Lord will give each other strength every day

Don’t cry for me Africa

Save the people of Africa

Strengthened the people of Africa each day

Because I’ll be there in your dreams people of Africa

The people of Africa tells The Lord how much they love him

Don’t cry for me Africa

Lord comes when you are ready people of Africa

Feelings you have for your Lord People of Africa

And I know you will never let it die

Nothing but flowers the people of Africa will plant in the sea shore for the Lord

Don’t cry for me Africa

The people of Africa needs hope to heal there land

The Lord rose up on you people of Africa

Don’t cry for me Africa

My heart will go on

Once I close this door of the ship I will sail across the Atlantic Sea

-Aldo Kraas

Africa's Pain Is My Pain

Africa dear Africa
Your children are lonely and depressed

Africa dear Africa

Your children are at war with each other

Africa dear Africa

Your children are killing each other

Africa dear Africa

Your children are starving

Africa dear Africa

Your essence is pure but you are suffering

Africa dear Africa

Your pain is my pain

So i sit here crying.
-Ayanle Isak

DuSable Museum of African American History

http://www.dusablemuseum.org/

African American Museum of Dallas, Texas

http://www.aamdallas.org/

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

http://www.maah-detroit.org/

California African American Museum

http://www.caamuseum.org/

Museum for African Art

http://www.africanart.org/

National Museum of African Art

http://www.nmafa.si.edu/index2.html

Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/africa/cuvl/Afbks.html

"To mark the beginning of the 21st century, and encouraged by Professor Ali Mazrui, the Zimbabwe International Book Fair launched the international compilation of "Africa's 100 Best Books." This project was organized in collaboration with the African Publishers Network (APNET), the Pan-African Booksellers Association (PABA), African writers' associations, book development councils, and library associations."

"The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison

This is a novel about "Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, [who] prays every day for beauty. Mocked by other children for the dark skin, curly hair, and brown eyes that set her apart, she yearns for normalcy, for the blond hair and blue eyes that she believes will allow her to finally fit in. Yet as her dream grows more fervent, her life slowly starts to disintegrate in the face of adversity and strife. A powerful examination of our obsession with beauty and conformity, Toni Morrison’s virtuosic first novel asks powerful questions about race, class, and gender with the subtlety and grace that have always characterized her writing."

Quoted from:

http://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9780307278449&usg=__EpMesLDbxwRoVoCil1fqsECrHUw=&h=400&w=259&sz=16&hl=en&start=60&sig2=7f1ns7NZ0Tgc1gxR6YLdYg&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=KBFbB_ArBaOHnM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=80&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bbluest%2Beye%2Bby%2Btoni%2Bmorrison%26start%3D54%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=o_SgS8W6D4T7lweVxejMDA

Websites

Tips for traveling in Africa:
http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/history/giblinhistory.html
http://goafrica.about.com/od/africatraveltips/a/firsttime.htm
http://goafrica.about.com/od/specialinterest/a/womentips.htm
http://www.journeywoman.com/gfc/egypt.html
http://goafrica.about.com/od/healthandsafety/a/dangers.htm

Newspapers:
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/
http://allafrica.com/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/default.stm
http://www.africa-confidential.com/news

African people and culture:
http://www.africaguide.com/culture/artcraft.htm

African history:
http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/history/giblinhistory.html#top

50 best African artists:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/art-of-africa-the-50-best-african-artists-426441.html

Pictures of African culture:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/portraits_from_the_congo.html
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/06/faces_of_sudan.html
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/africa/

"Homage to My Young Black Sisters"

Title: "Homage to My Young Black Sisters"

Artist: Elizabeth Catlett

Medium: Red cedar (sculpture)

"Swing Low Sweet Chariot"

Title: "Swing Low Sweet Chariot"

Artist: William H. Johnson

Medium: Oil on board

"The Ordeal of Alice"

This painting was done in 1963 by Jacob Lawrence, a U.S. painter from New Jersey. It is entitled "The Ordeal of Alice" and it tells the story of an Afican American girl during a modern American civil rights movement: school desegregation. The central figure, Alice, is on her way to an all-white school while being surrounded by several ghoulish, evil-looking figures who are meant to represent the several people, children and adults included, who opposed school desegregation. Alice is a wonderful representation of the couragous children who sought to attend all-white schools during the 1950's, '60s and '70s. This painting is often compared with the famous photograph of Elizabeth Eckford, which was taken as she tried to enter Little Rock's (formerly) all-white Central High School on September 4, 1957.

"Mursi Tribeswoman"

This photograph, taken by Jodi Cobb from National Geographic Magazine, shows a Mursi Tribeswoman. "Among the Mursi tribeswomen of Ethiopia's Omo Valley, lip plates are a source of pride and a sign of strength. When a girl is 15 or 16, her lower lip is cut and held open by a wooden plug. Over the next several months, progressively larger plugs are inserted to stretch the lip. Not all girls continue until they can wear plates of the size shown here."

Quoted from: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/ethiopia-photos/#mursi-tribeswoman-ethiopia_32596_600x450.jpg

"Hamar Tribeswoman of Omo Valley"

This is a photograph taken by Remi Benali/Getty Images. It shows a Hamar Tribeswoman from Omo Valley in Ethiopia. "All Omo Valley tribes wear traditional attire and adornments, but the Hamar, like this woman, are by far the most elaborately turned out, often sporting multiple beaded necklaces, armfuls of metal bracelets, and elaborate, sculptured hairstyles."

Quoted from: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/ethiopia-photos/#hamer-tribe-woman_32591_600x450.jpg

Critique #2

This painting was done by John Ndambo with oil on paper. Its subject matter includes two men by a fire, a taller man off to the side, and a hut in the background. This painting has a very African tribal vibe; it is very simplistic, and depicts men in a purely African setting.

This particular painting is very abstract; it’s hard to make out the details in anything in the painting, and it’s difficult to distinguish between the foreground and the background. Ndambo chose to put most of the emphasis on the smoke rather than the actual fire or the structure of the fire, making it one of the focal points of his artwork. The way the smoke is painted gives it some movement; it’s easy to tell that Ndambo was trying to depict an active fire. Another interesting aspect of this painting is the fact that the men’s bodies are very out of proportion. The man to the far left is extremely tall and thin, whereas the two men by the fire seem to be short and perhaps a little stout; however, the way I perceive the men could have something to do with the fact that the foreground and background are indistinguishable. Ndambo also chose to paint this scene with a lot of open space, and everything looks sort of 2-D. This takes away from the realism of the painting.

The focal points of this painting are the three men and the smoke of the fire. The men look disproportionate, but like they have a purpose. The fire looks active and the viewer can tell that the smoke is flowing through the air. This painting, as a whole, is slightly ineffective because it is hard to determine what the story of the picture is. It is effective in the sense that one can easily tell it is an African painting, done by an African artist.

Critique #1

This piece of artwork is appropriately entitled "Giraffe" and was painted by the African wildlife artist Daniel Njoroge. It is painted with acrylics on a canvas, with the subject matter of a grazing giraffe and the vivid sky. This particular painting is very peaceful and serene. It creates a very calming atmosphere.

Njoroge does a great job of balancing the giraffe and the sky; he makes them both stand out in the painting without clashing with one another. Njoroge also puts emphasis on the giraffe by separating it from the open air in the background. In the field, the viewer can see faint trees in the background. The way the sky and the grass blend together creates a lot of harmony. Njoroge chose to highlight the grass in the foreground to give the painting a little more color and contrast. This particular painting also has a lot of realism; the trees and the bushes in the background are shaded to make them look more realistic. The subtle detail of the grass and trees also adds to the visual quality of the painting. The sky has incredible texture, and the gracefulness of the giraffe and the color and hue of the sky are an allegory of peace. By juxtaposing the giraffe and the sky, the artist adds immense contrast and emphasis to both subjects.

The focal points of the picture are definitely the giraffe and the sky. The giraffe looks incredibly graceful and beautiful with its elongated neck and great posture. The sky, also beautiful, looks serene and pleasant due to its soft warm colors. This piece of artwork is undeniably very effective. The purpose, according to the artist, was to illustrate the "colors found in Samburu. Samburu is a very nice area when colors come into consideration.” “This is the reticulated giraffe," says Njoroge about his artwork, "a very special giraffe which is only found in Samburu. I am showing the peaceful, serene atmosphere where the giraffe is comfortable munching the thorns of the thorn trees. The reticulated giraffe is one of the most beautiful giraffes we can find in the world." He achieved his purpose beautifully by using vivid but soft colors and incredible detail; however, the piece could have been much more effective if it was closer to the animal or if it had some essence of sunlight.