Sunday 31 October 2010

Day-Dreaming New Visions: Ognissanti & Il Giorno dei Morti


Tribal Realities is about going back to our roots, re-contextualizing tradition in new shapes. Going back to our inner core vibes. Having said that, I wanna tell you about...All Saints' Day aka the Solemnity of All Saints aka All Hallows or Hallowmas aka Festum Omnium Sanctorum aka Ognissanti!



This is the right time to Pray, Meditate, Day-Dream and Receive the Vision.


Indeed, in these days, Italy is celebrating:  
(1)[Festum Omnium Sanctorum ] Ognissanti (All Saints) on Novemeber1 --> commemorating all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven
(2)[Commemoratio Omnium Fidelium Defunctorum] Commemorazione dei Defunti (All Souls' Day) on Novemeber2 --> specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven.
Regardless of religious beliefs, these events are part of a strong tradition, deeply rooted into the ancient culture of Italy... going back to Pagan Rituals, the Byzantine Tradition, Latin Rites and the Celtic Samhain...


We call it Il Giorno dei Morti
Believe it or not, this Holy Day is an opportunity to meet again.
In this special night the Spirits of the Deads come back home bringing presents to You All.
Welcome Them All. Set the table and cook delicous food for them. They must be tired for the long jouney, uh?
Offer fresh water. Gorgeous Flowers. Offer them the traditional sweets "Ossa dei Morti" (bones of the dead) & "Frutta Martorana". Celebrate!


Rejoyce!



The Giorno dei Morti is like the Twilight.
Twilight. The Twin Light Makes The Worlds Collide in One Single Vibe.


En-Joy Your Life!
                                         Your Favourite Shaman,
                                                                                                      TR      

Sunday 24 October 2010

[HALLOWEEN] Zombie-Proof Apparel To Protect Your-Self! --> Woo I Got to Do To Wake You Up?


“Demo-Crazy. Crazy Demo. Demonstration of Craze.
Poor Man Dey Cry. Rich Man Dey Mess”. 
Fela Anikulapo Kuti 


The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The magnitude of inequality keeps growing. The world is going upside down. If this is the so-called "Democracy" there is something wrong because it looks more like a Demo-Crazy full of Zombies. On his birthday day, Fela Anikulapo Kuti gave me a magic spell: if you listen to the Healing Vibes of my Tune (FREE Download), you'll Wake Up from your Un-Dead State of Consciousness...Protect Your-Self from Zombie Attacks!Show and Prove Your Attitude. Wear Zombie-Proof Apparel by Tribal Realities!

Woo I got to do 
Woo I got to do
To Wake You Up? 


Friday 15 October 2010

ZOMBIES OF DEMO-CRAZY (DubStep) --->[HAPPY BIRTH-DAY FELA!]




  BOOYA! It’s ZOMBIE time!
This time we are not talking about ordinary Un-dead activities. We are dealing with the most dangerous Zombies in town:  
The Zombies of Demo-Crazy! 
How can we fight back this growing epidemic of Zombie infestation?  
  1. Nurture Your Soul 
  2. Develop Critical Thinking 
  3. Meditate 
  4. Elevate 
  5. Identify the source of the Zombie infestation: DEMO-CRAZY. What is Demo-Crazy?
Listen to the wise words of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, legendary Master of Zombie Busters: “Demo-Crazy. Crazy Demo. Demonstration of Craze.(…) Poor Man Dey Cry. Rich Man Dey Mess”. 
Got the Idea? Reject the Zombies of Poli-Tricks!  
Stop the Zombie infestation!!

Listen and FREE Download this Healing Vibes...
 
Wake up from your zombie state of consciousness 
Let Sub-Bass Lines reverberate within your body, raising your levels of Consciousness  
En-Joy Your Halloween!
Keep it TRIBAL! Keep it REAL!

Wednesday 13 October 2010

[VIVA AFRICA!] Felebrating Fela Kuti inna FELA-bration @ New African Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria




Are you ready to celebrate the Black President's Day?Are you ready to celebrate the Afro-beat Culture? Are you ready for the legendary Fela Kuti?
Time has just come! 
I wanna celebrate Fela Anikulapo Kuti as a Shaman, Leader and Musician. Right there in his New African Shrine (Lagos, Nigeria). 
Check out the FELABRATION Official Site for info, picture gallery, artist line-up, videos and more...Fela music is so fresh, his words are so deep and wide in their meaning(s). Simply put, he talks about the reality of things in an effective, direct way. His music is a tool to understand our past and shape our future. In the present, I can tell you that he has a strong impact on music (from James Brown to Enzo Avitabile) and he is showing the way to all the human beings who want to open their eyes and work everyday to make this world a better place. Justice, Peace, Harmony. 


But Fela is not just about music.In the same way, Felabration 2010 (check their  Facebook Page) is not simply a gorgeous music festival and a tribute to the Black President.
Indeed, it is a way to explore all the dimensions of this multi-faced entity by introducing the FELA Debates: a forum "on sociology, politics and burning national issues, such as “afrocentricism”, the oppression of the masses and the underprivileged, nationalism, corruption and bad governance. " and the first symposium discussion - led by eminent Nigerians from various disciplines - to discuss on the topic of "The Social and Political Influence of Fela on our society" This is a fascinating and key issue to share...
Unity. Beyond Nigeria, Beyond Africa. Unity. Through tongue and tribe may differ. Unity. All Around the Planet.
Fela lyrics fly high all around the planet to remember us...We Are All Africans! 


Men are born.
Kings are made.
Treaties are signed.
Wars are fought.
Every country has its own problems.
So has Nigeria. So has Africa.
Let us bind our wounds.
And live together in Peace.
Nigeria one nation indivisible.
Long live Nigeria. Viva Africa.
The history of mankind is full of obvious turning points and significant events.
Through tongue and tribe may differ we are all Nigerians. We are all Africans.


Fela Anikulapo Kuti



Monday 4 October 2010

[New] CUBA Sounds: Havana Cultura...Hay Calor Aqui Muchacha!!!

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One of my favourite DJs and gourmet of international musical flavors, Gilles Peterson, was recently interviewed (watch video above) about his latest project: Havana Cultura. Further developing the legacy of the highly acclaimed Buena Vista Social Club project (1997), Peterson went to the legendary Egrem Studios  on a mission to bring together the Urban sounds of Havana's streets with the Tradition of Cuban music. Supported in this delicate process by none other than the piano-virtuoso Roberto Fonseca and his stellar band, our favourite taste-maker serves a flamboyant menu of hip hop, funk, reggaeton and R&B together with Latin, Afro jazz & fusion. 



“I had a few covers as starters: one from Fela to capture that true Afro-Cuban fusion; a Blue Note joint as a 70th anniversary gift; and a couple of Cuban faves from my Ballroom days - 'Chekere Son' and some Juan Pablo Torres. The rest was pretty much controlled jamming, picking up the Rumba boys from the bar below, or convincing Mayra Valdes to hit it freestyle.”

Havana Cultura is really introducing the  next generation of talented Cuban musicians  to the global world: vocalist Danay (defined "Cuba's Jill Scott" in Peterson's own words) Cuban hip-hop rising star Kumar, jazz pianist Roberto Fonseca and...Gente de Zona, Francis del Rio, Doble Filo, Obsesion, Ogguere, Los Adeanos, Wichy de Vedado, Free Hole Negro, Telmary, Cubanito 20.02, Harold Lopez-Nussa, Descemer Bueno & Kelvis Ocohoa, Yusa, Vince Vella, Mayra Caridad Valdes.

The true Spirit of Cuba captured by Havana Cultura was then creatively processed by a dream-team of trusted producers: Louie Vega, MJ Cole, 4hero, Carl Cox, Rainer Trüby, Gotan Project’s Philippe Cohen Solal, Seiji, Michel Cleis and Mocky. 
Check out the full track-list of the Double Album on the Official Brownswood Recordings shop. 

In the meantime, enjoy this tasty bonus DJ mix courtesy of Gilles himself...
  Havana Cultura: Remixed // Gilles Peterson Bonus DJ Mix by gillespeterson

Wanna know more? here's a brief review and track-list:
"CD02 in the Havana Cultura Remixed package boasts a bonus DJ mix courtesy of Gilles himself that neatly weaves together the disparate threads that make up a typical Peterson DJ set. From the stirring percussion and meandering groove of Louie Vega’s marathon Latin workout of 'Roforofo Fight' to the hi-octane Benga-esque skank delivered by Carl Cox and the lazy ebb and flow of Michel Cleis’ magnificent shuffling houser, this is Gilles in his element."

Gilles Peterson bonus DJ mix Tracklist:
01. Think Twice / 4hero Remix feat. Danay & Carina
02. Mami / Productor en Jefe Tropicalia Remix
03. Afrodisia / Rainer Trueby Remix
04. Roforofo Fight / Louie Vega EOL Remix
05. Roforofo Fight / Louie Vega Remix
06. Lagrimas de Soledad (No Existen Palabras) / d'Wala Riddimix
07. Chekere Son / Alex Patchwork Remix
08. La Revolucion del Cuerpo / Skinner's Owiney Sigoma Remix
09. Rezando / Michel Cleis Remix
10. Chekere Son / Seiji Rerub
11. Arroz Con Pollo / MJ Cole Remix
12. Arroz Con Pollo / Carl Cox Remix

Enjoy Havana Cultura...Aché!

Saturday 2 October 2010

[Arabica New Products]--> Islamic Feminism & Lorella Zanardo--> Re-Contextualizing Tradition with Alberto Sordi ; )

 


European ban on the veil: this debate made me think. So I created new products (mousepads, bags, t-shirts) and put them on-line in my Arabica product line. Hijab, Niqab, Burqa. Different words and one single controversial issue.You know, it seems to me that muslim women are shuttered between the patriarchal interpretation of Islamic principles (Tradition) and Westernization (Global, Modern). But I believe there is a Third Option in the menu of choice, uh?
Frankly, I don't think Western means Modern.On the contrary, I think the challenge is to re-contextualize Islamic principles within the global, modern world. 
Ok, I see. How can I achieve this? 

Go inside Your-Self. 
Discover Your Inner Core. And Be Free!

In other words, Muslim Women can choose to go back to study Islamic sources. Learning. Education. Thus, they can defend Islamic Principles against any kind of gender-biased, patriarchal, narrow-minded interpretation. Simply put...Make Your Own Decisions, Be Independent! Be Free! 
Be Free inside their own religious.cultural.social.political setting. Be Free within the Islam framework.
This is exactly what Islamic Feminism is doing.
Thus, moving away from the [Be Western] mantra. Starting to repeat the [Be Free] mantra.But there's more.
The ban on the veil debate is making European and Western women think, I guess. What is the role and position of Women in Western societies?For example, Italian Women seem to have just few options: follow the Roman Catholic patriarchal perspective or be Modern and Western, namely, Silly and Blond?(<--which, again, seems pretty patriarchal, uh?)


But there's a Third Option: Be Your-Self. 
Move beyond self-imposed models and stereotypes and re-connect with Your True Self. How? Check this out...The image and representation of Italian women in TV shows (i.e. in Italian society) was deeply analyzed by Lorella Zanardo in her video-documentary "Il Corpo delle Donne"(Women Bodies) - watch the full-video (English & other language) here
She believes women are not nice shallow and sexy "bodies" ready to capture men's attention.She wants woman to go back to their real Identities.Actually, women to discover their own Identities.
Zanardo's opinions seem to naturally fit with the words of Canadians culture-jammers Ad-Busters. Indeed, according to the un-politically correct  Ad-Busters: "Consumerism is the new patriarchy. The beauty industry is the beast. Advertising constrains the horizon of female aspirations, gendering their dreams before they’re hatched.Girls, even when they are still a fetus in the womb, are the target of an unrelenting image assault. Pretty little girls is what this society wants and it gets it through a flood of erotically charged marketing that propagandizes half the population, and their parents, to sexualize femininity at an early age. Of course, boys get the message too. But their assigned role is as the aggressor party. Girls, on the other hand, are told that weak and vulnerable is sexy." 

Men can be the aggressive macho-man or the nerdy passive. Men just like women gotta fit into one of the 2 categories this society of forced consumption has chosen. They have to be young, rich, and successful. What if they are not? So if Muslim Women got their own problems, Western Women are no different. And Men are no different. But.We All have a Third Choice. This society is incessantly providing us with role-models which are clearly out-of-our-reach. So we would like to be  just like the dudes on screen, but it's not gonna happen. And this generates frustrations and depression. Do you really wanna be like the dudes on the screen?Why are we trying so hard to fit in this world? this world is not designed for our living. We don't wanna be like those people on the screen. We wanna Be Our-Selves. So it is time we recover our Identities. And BE FREE.
So, even Western Women and Men need to re-contextualize their own principles within the modern, global world. (ha!)


Now, it is time to Smile and Be Free. ^___^
Above there's a funny video: it is an Italian movie (1954) titled Un Americano a Roma (An American in Rome)-->[Read the Plot Summary here]: Nando Moriconi wants to speak like Americans, wear like Americans, eat like Americans...but he realizes that, in the end, he prefers his own values, culture and models.   The Consumer Culture(America) is beated by Re-contextualized Tradition (Spaghetti). The video is hilarious but makes you think, uh?