Talivision

Book review: When God was a Rabbit

2011-06-23T12:50:00.001+02:00

It is the title of this book that grabs your attention, and conveys the quirky innocence and ethereal energy of this tale.

It is these qualities that are the best aspects of When God was a Rabbit. The writing is especially beautiful, unique and enjoyable within and of itself.

But here in lies the problem. It is almost as if Sarah Winman wrote this book so that she could write, not because she had a story to tell. The book is one long ‘series of unfortunate events’ that seem to be written into the narrative only so that the author could explore her writing talent. Events and characters are beautifully described, but they seem to pile up and multiply just so that there is some kind of vague narrative and shell in which to place Winman’s beautiful words.

Indeed, one of the crucial moments of the book is mentioned in a short sentence and is never fully explained, leaving me frustrated at why Winman chose that event on which to craft her story. Other moments and characters also appear out of nowhere, then suddenly become important, and are more ‘hooks’ to hang the story on.

But despite all this, the book is still an enjoyable read that I recommend. It is a winding tale of growing up, and certainly explores ‘love in all its forms.’ Its best aspect is the writing itself, as well as a wonderful exploration on the nature of childhood. Winman manages to convey the concoction of innocence, fear, confusion and joy of being a child, which provides a powerful perspective of the world.

The book tells the story of Elly as she grows up, and her relationships with family and friends. A theme of ‘lost and found’ prevails, as Elly experiences both love and loss in her life and relationships. Her brother Joe, her best friend Jenny Penny, and her rabbit, called ‘god’, are colourful characters that provide the most weight and importance to the story. The book is divided into two parts – childhood and adulthood, which also gives it a little more structure.

The humour, intelligence, pain and learning reflected in the childhood narrative makes it the better half. It conveys so much about the innocence and intelligence of children, which I feel is the most important aspect of the book. Once we understand our childhood selves, we can look towards the future. Only where we know where we have come from can we know where we are going.

Ten reasons to love winter

2011-05-25T12:35:00.000+02:00

Every year I look forward to winter, but when it arrives I hate it! Getting up in the dark is the worst. But I do know winter can also be a time of revitalization, and I just need to remind myself why I love it. So here are reasons to love winter…

1. Cuddling!

2. Lighting a fire (Love our fireplace!).

3. Walks in the park, enjoying the autumn leaves and the fresh air.

4. Walks on the beach, with the waves crashing.

5. Baking!

6. Soups, stews and lovely warm meals.

7. Wearing boots and scarves!

8. Lots of bubble baths.

9. Listening to the rain…

10. Staying indoors, spending quality time with those I love <3

Images from We Heart It

Book review: To the End of the Land

2011-05-23T12:32:00.000+02:00

What does war mean, really? Renowned Israeli author David Grossman cuts to the core of what conflict really means for people; and delivers a universal, searing and powerful anti-war novel like no other.

Despite it being set in Israel, Grossman’s story could apply to any individual, family or nation that experiences the daily reality of conflict, war or terrorism. And at the same time, it is a searing study of his own society - of a country and its peoples who carry the traumas, dreams and fears of their nations, and who have to deal with the conflict reaching into the core of their lives. Portraying both a universal story and yet one that is so particular to Israel is just the first of one of Grossman’s many achievements in this novel.

To the End of the Land tells the story of Ora, whose son Ofer decides to return to the army instead of hiking with her in the north of the country, which was supposed to be their celebration to mark the end of his military service. Ora has a deep and instinctive fear that Ofer will die in this new operation, and spontaneously decides to go on the hike and avoid all forms of communication. She feels that if she runs away, the 'informers' will not be able to tell her if Ofer dies, and that he therefore cannot die.

Ora invites her old friend Avram to join her on the hike. If anything, Avram epitomises the story – a genius and true lover of life; he was captured as a POW, tortured and left for dead by the Egyptians in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and is now a shadow of a human being. He symbolises the true horror of war – how it destroys love, family and the body and soul of a human being.

As they hike, Ora delves into the past, her history with Avram and her husband Ilan, and her sons, Ofer and Adam. The love triangle between Avram, Ilan and Ora, and the sons that were conceived by each man, create a powerful narrative. But it is Ora’s description of the minutiae of family life (as if saying it all will render her sons alive and safe) that is the true genius of this story. Grossman portrays family life in the most fascinating, painstaking and realistic narrative, following his theory of how the world doesn’t change in government halls and offices, but rather in the homes and interactions of families. And as Grossman builds and creates the intricate portrait of this family, he demonstrates how war and conflict can destroy it all – how it can invade and break down our most intimate spaces and what is most precious to us. This is the true tragedy of war, and it is what makes this novel a poignant, powerful and painful portrayal of war – and a classic anti-war novel that will stand the test of time.

The importance of land in the book is also a theme of incredible importance, as the land almost takes on a personable role as a character in the story. Indeed, as land is the central facet of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and of so many other wars, its central role in the story highlights what a powerful place it holds in these narratives - but also how it is something separate, that should not govern human behaviour or choices.

Finally, the fact that Grossman’s son, Uri, was killed in the second Lebanon war at the time of writing this book gives the story an even more searing reality – as if that pain is woven between the words on the page. It is this tragedy that delivers the heart of Grossman’s message – that war destroys people, family, individuals and the very inner light of human beings. It is this message that will make To the End of the Land a classic piece of literature that could (hopefully) change the way we see war in the future.

Read more about the book and Grossman here: http://nyr.kr/aWEWqR

To market....

2011-04-19T12:06:00.000+02:00

I've been going through a market phase lately, trying to make the most of the last few summer weekends when you want to be outdoors... plus I just love markets! We went to the one at Century City (pretty good) and the Tokai market (highly recommended - it's lovely!) so I was thrilled to see that the new City Bowl Market on Hope was opening on Saturday 16 April, which was just down the road from me!

It definitely lived up to expectations. The hall has the character and atmosphere that every market needs, and the selection of food, crafts and fresh produce were perfect. We walked around and were spoilt for choice for lunch. I landed up going for an incredible butternut, gorgonzola and lentil lasagne that was simply delicious!

We ate upstairs on a balcony where a bar was set up, overlooking the market below. We then walked around and I bought this gorgeous wooden heart necklace, sweet cactus and fresh fruit and avocados (grapes, avos, pomegranates and pretty much everything else were only R5!)

If I had any points for improvement they would be firstly the seating - although I loved the look of the tables and hay bales, the hay was difficult to sit on, especially as I was wearing a dress! Also, more outdoor area would be great. Lastly, as someone who tries to eat sugar-free/wheat-free, it would be great to have some sugar-free baked goods - but that's just my personal preference!

All in all, I'm so excited about this market. It was busy without being overcrowded, is so convenient and had a great selection of market goods to allow me to enjoy a market for many more weekends to come! And with winter arriving soon, the indoor aspect is certainly a plus. I predict it becoming hugely popular with Capetonians in the months ahead!

Unfortunately, I only took a few photos with my BlackBerry - they certainly don't do the market justice!

The City Bowl Market on Hope is open every Saturday from 9am - 2pm at 14 Hope Street, Gardens.
Visit www.citybowlmarket.co.za

I'm back!

2011-04-19T11:27:00.000+02:00

I've probably set the record for not blogging for the longest period of time, but I'm glad to say I'm back! A new job, new place and the year flying at a crazy speed meant that I never got back here. But things are slowing down and I really want to get into blogging again! So hopefully you will see some new posts from me on a more regular basis. Love the inspirational image above, from We Heart It. xxx

The elements of awakening

2010-08-20T16:44:00.003+02:00

From Macbeth to Lord of the Flies, writers over the ages have examined the power of nature to awaken the animal aspect in mankind. Sleeper’s Wake by Alistair Morgan places itself within this conversation, yet takes the discussion further, looking at the power of nature to help humanity heal

Sleeper’s Wake tells the story of a man who has lost everything, beginning at the point where he wakes from a coma to be told that his wife and daughter have been killed in a car accident, and he was the driver.

Retreating to Nature’s Valley near Plettenberg Bay to recover, we begin a journey with him that unwraps layers of memories; echoed by an almost undetectable shedding of human norms, boundaries and ethical codes.

This process speeds up when John encounters a family who is also in the valley to recover after a violent trauma, which emerges from a profoundly South African context.

As John and the family’s lives collide, their moral restrictions begin to unravel until the novel hurtles towards a shocking and shattering denouement.

Morgan’s novel almost enters into a conversation with Lord of the Flies, with strong references to the classic. A walk to a mountain called Pig’s Head (which really does exist in Nature’s Valley), heralds a vital moment of moral rebellion that hints strongly at Golding’s narrative. Later, an encounter with baboons brings the question to its climax, as the boundary between man and beast blurs completely.

Morgan also engages with historical moments that question where man ends and nature begins. The title of his novel refers to when John is thinking about the trauma that has happened to the family he meets; and says how men are ‘sleepers’ that all have an animal instinct that can be awakened.

The theory comes from historian Christopher Browning’s study Battalion 101, which looks at the behaviour of men in the Holocaust; and where he ultimately concludes that it is ordinary men who can commit terrible deeds.

However, Morgan’s novel takes the discussion one step further, demonstrating that nature can bring out the worst in man, but that it is also where he will be able to heal. For it is only when man acknowledges that tragedy and joy is the rhythm of the natural life cycle that he can make peace with his past. Just as we sleep and awake, and day follows night, so is our time in this world. Thus, Sleeper’s Wake is a profound study of man at his essence; and his relationship to the earth that we live on.

South Africa is a society that encounters excessive trauma and violence; and yet has an abundance of nature and beauty. As these forces pull South Africans in two directions (“Should I stay or should I go?”), Sleeper’s Wake is vital reading for those looking for a brave and deep discussion on the nature of man, alive and awake in this environment.

Pretty in the city

2010-08-17T15:48:00.002+02:00

Spring has arrived early in Cape Town, with each day bringing sunshine, sapphire skies and the scent of summer. I refuse to believe that the rain will return, and am ready to celebrate all the gorgeous spring fashion that is blossoming around us!

I think this pretty in the city image reflects the femininity, florals and "candyfloss" (in ELLE magazine's words) of the new season. High-waisted skirts, romantic sillouettes and flowing fabrics all create whimsical spirit that is like a breath of fresh air after the sharp shoulders and heavy details of the winter season.

I love the heart necklace - a simple accessory that brings the whole outfit together with an earthy energy, complementing and contrasting the white romanticism.

These ballet flats are another perfect accessory addition to this trend - playful and pretty, who wouldn't want to be a ballerina for a day?

To highlight the romanticism and femininity of the season, bring in a harder edge, like a cuff bangle or even a leather jacket if there is still a chill in the air. And when summer arrives, a ruffled waistcoat like the one below is perfect for a nuanced look.

The contrast between tough and soft fabrics and accessories will bring effortless style to your spring look. A bit of gritty brings out the pretty!

Happy Women's Day

2010-08-09T17:04:00.011+02:00

Happy Women's Day! This public holiday in South Africa commemorates 9 August 1956, when women participated in a national march to petition against pass laws. The historical context is the basis for a celebration of women in South Africa - their femininity, contributions, strength, compassion, power and beauty.

In the spirit of this day, these are reasons why I love being a woman:

One word: Shopping

Enjoying the pretty things in life!

Painting my nails

Knowing we can bring life into this world

Perfume, jewellery, accessories, bags, makeup, shoes :)

Our extra intuition, sensitivity and inner strength

Our ability to be so multi-faceted

Our incredible friendships

Fashion!

Our beautiful bodies

Our emotional and intellectual intelligence

Our ability to love with our whole hearts

Why do you love being a woman? xxx

Quote of the day

2010-08-04T21:53:00.000+02:00

"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. She who looks outside, dreams; she who looks inside, awakens"

Wednesday thoughts

2010-07-28T17:53:00.001+02:00

I feel... more hopeful about things

I believe... everything happens as it should, and the universe has a plan

I love... my amazing boyfriend <3

I want... summer, freedom and sleep

I am... very lucky and grateful for everything I have in my life

xxx

The inside story

2010-07-26T18:58:00.002+02:00

As the editor of a property magazine, something I am passionate about conveying to our readers is the importance of investing in the interior of your property.

Whether it your home or an investment that you rent out, investing in its interior can dramatically increase the value of your property.

Interior designers say that a property with finishes, renovation or interior design returns at least 20% more in rentals that one that doesn't have these finishes.

One affordable way to add to the interior of your property is by investing in blinds and shutters. These will make your home or investment property look smart, chic and complete, adding a European, modern feel to any room.

Taylor Window Blinds offers a range of options for blinds and shutters, and I recommend them as a source for beautiful and affordable blinds that are great quality.

I think the wooden Venetian blinds are particularly lovely - they add a warmth to your home, which we definitely need in these cold winter months. In summer they will add to the glow of the room, are lighter than heavy curtains, and will protect your furnishings from the sun.

So if you are looking to invest in the interior of your property, I highly recommend getting blinds or shutters as a first step towards adding value, warmth and quality to your home.

Visit www.taylorblinds.co.za for more on how to get the best in blinds!

A million miles from mediocre

2010-07-26T15:44:00.001+02:00

The “chick-lit” genre is a small industry in South Africa, and certainly has room to grow. However, with the plethora of Marianne Keyes books filling the shelves of Exclusives, it would be easy for SA authors to follow her formula down to every pun and plot. Instead, Paige Nick has written a fresh, nuanced novel that could pioneer the way for “chick-lit” in South Africa - and beyond

This is not to say that Marianne Keyes should not be an inspiration for an author writing in the genre. However, I feel that Nick has taken the best of what Keyes has to offer, and makes a clear distinction to leave out the rest.

For example, Keyes is known for her playful puns and frothy phrases, which have become a hallmark of chick-lit. Nick definitely uses these, and her humour is equally enjoyable and entertaining. However, she keeps the puns in check and never takes them to the extreme that Keyes does. This means that they pepper the story with entertaining and clever exclamations, but they do not become the body of the text, as they tend to in Keyes’ books. Most importantly, this strategy allows for Nicks’ writing to shine through and flow easily - which simply takes the book to another level.

Further, by avoiding the extreme level of word tricks and puns in Keyes’ books means that the narrative of A Million Miles from Normal is able to develop into a much stronger storyline, and that the plot is able to emerge more clearly. On this note, the plot is much more engaging and in-depth than I expected from a chick-lit novel (perhaps my prejudices stand to be corrected!).

A Million Miles from Normal tells the story of Rachel Marcus, a nice Jewish girl and copywriter from Johannesburg, who escapes a humiliating retrenchment and broken engagement by going to New York City. There, she meets a range of quirky characters and fabulous friends, experiences dating disasters, kills cockroaches and searches endlessly for Five Roses Tea.

The tale goes much deeper than this – the plot is intricate and the characters are intriguing. Something I also found enjoyable was that Nick delves into the copywriting and advertising industry, which adds even more interest to the story. Finally, one of the best aspects of the novel is that we are kept in suspense literally until the very last word - a rare feat in any book, never mind chick-lit. Nick must be commended for weaving a plot that it keeps the reader in suspense until the very end.

The only criticism I have of the book is that I would have liked more of it to be set in South Africa. Maybe this is simply my own preference - one of the things I enjoy most about SA literature is that I can identify with it more than a novel set anywhere else. However, on the flip side of that coin is that Nick did an excellent job of writing about New York City - and this shows that South African authors can indeed extend into the global arena.

Ultimately, I would recommend A Million Miles from Normal to anyone who loves the chick-lit genre and anyone who doesn’t - both sets of readers will be equally surprised by the standard this novel sets!

Quote of the day

2010-07-20T21:59:00.000+02:00

"I would like to live as a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding"

-John O'Donohue

Gritty in the city: Redemption, refugees and a re-imagined Joburg

2010-07-20T13:31:00.006+02:00

South Africa and science fiction aren’t usually words that go together, but one SA author is changing that, bringing sparkling, slick fantasy writing to the forefront of South African literature, and having a lot of fun doing it. Tali Barnett chats to Lauren Beukes about her spectacular new novel, Zoo City

Zinzi December has a sloth on her back, a dirty 419 scam habit and a talent for finding lost things. But when an old lady turns up dead, she’s forced to take on her least favourite kind of job – missing persons. This could be her ticket out of Zoo City, the festering slum where the criminal underclass, marked by their animals, live in the shadow of the undertow. Instead, it catapults Zinzi deeper into the underbelly of a city twisted by crime and magic.

If I told you all of the above happens in Johannesburg, would you believe me? In Lauren Beukes’ world, Jozi’s urban sprawl is “an unfamiliar land full of familiars”, filled with broken places and equally broken people. Zoo City follows on from the critically-acclaimed Moxyland, and is a science-fictioned fantasy that will take you on an SA trip like you’ve never experienced before.

“Everything is fucking political”
From Beukes’ perspective, “it’s a novel about crime, magic and music, refugees and redemption. Zinzi, a girl with a sloth on her back and the magical ability to find lost things, is dragged into Johannesburg’s seedy underbelly when she takes on the job of locating a missing pop star. It’s wildly inventive fiction, set in a re-imagined Joburg – I guess it’s a bit China Mieville meets Phillip Pullman with a dose of District 9, without the aliens.”

Not your usual SA fiction by any means. When I ask Beukes about Zoo City relating to South Africa’s apartheid past, she retorts “eugh, I’m so over labels. I think South African fiction is in a very good place right now, where writers can write about anything.”

She elaborates: “Art doesn’t have to be a servant to political activism as it did during the struggle days, but then as Skunk Anansie said, ‘everything is fucking political’. You can’t divorce our present from our past. Apartheid’s legacy is going to be tripping us up for years to come. If you’re writing about South Africa, even if it’s a frothy chic lit or a boy’s boarding school romp, it’s there in the background. It has to be – it’s part of who we are.”

Sci-fi in South Africa
But how established is science fiction in South Africa? “It’s hard to publish science fiction or fantasy in South Africa because the publishers are generally not interested in a straight elves-and-dragons tale or space opera,” she explains.

“Those speculative stories that have worked tend to be grittier works with a social edge, like JM Coetzee’s political dystopia Waiting for the Barbarians or the smart, scathing action-satire that was District 9. It’s more about telling great stories that are recognisably us, which is different to the usual fictional locales such as London, Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo.”

She adds: “Didn’t Neill Blomkamp call Johannesburg the real city of the future? It’s that mash of cultures and economics, the third and first world crammed into one space that makes it exciting, new, different, and eminently accessible to international audiences if you do it right.”

Beukes is a journalist and columnist who deals with South African reality on a daily basis, yet in her novels she manages to effortlessly blend fantasy and reality together so that they appear perfectly in sync.

“That element of the fantastic – technology in Moxyland, magic in Zoo City – allows me to play with reality, to shift the perspective on issues that we take for granted, whether it’s economic apartheid or the rise of xenophobia, manufactured pop music, strange art or finding a way back from having committed terrible atrocities,” she says.

Monkeys and Bares
Animals play a key role in Zoo City, which is “about the idea of familiars: scapegoats and the monkey on your back or the Jiminy Cricket on your shoulder,” she says. “It’s inspired by a Shona belief in mashavi – that lost spirits of the ancestors might come back as animals and attach themselves to someone.”

In Zoo City, having an animal on your back is “a blessing and a curse; you get some small magical abilities, but you’re also immediately marked as a criminal outcast. It’s about segregation and the artificially imposed differences between people, but also guilt, accountability and the possibility of redemption.”

But Beukes’ novels go beyond the pages, and both Moxyland and Zoo City have official “merchandise”, which are “cool creative collaborations I did with ridiculously talented people,” she says. Both books have “kick-ass official soundtracks put together by African Dope’s HoneyB and me.”

For Zoo City, Beukes commissioned a range of toys called Bares. “I approached Am I Collective, who donated five of their blank vinyl Bares that were customised by amazing local illustrators, all inspired by Zoo City.”

Stranger than fiction
Finally, Beukes’ writing is as slick as it is sensual – reading Zoo City means being both pummeled and wrapped up in words, letting them explode as they hit you, and at the same time allowing them to weave themselves around you. If you were traumatized by reading Hermann Charles Bosman as English setwork books in high school, now is the time to start reading SA fiction again. Beukes’ writing will take your breath away.

If you want to write great fiction, “write what you know,” Beukes advises. “But if you don’t know, research the crap out of it.” Wherever you are, “experience makes your writing richer and more vivid. I’m very grateful for the interesting places and people journalism has exposed me to. Real life is often more surprising and inventive than even really, really weird fiction.”

The Zoo City Bares will be auctioned on BidorBuy.co.za from 27 July – 10 August. All proceeds will go to The Suitcase Project to provide ongoing education for refugee kids in Hillbrow.
Moxyland and Zoo City soundtracks are available at www.africandope.co.za

Attend these London events next week to get your hands on Zoo City:

BSFA meeting with reading, Q&A and interview, 28 July, 7pm onwards.
Venue: The Antelope Tavern

Forbidden Planet signing, 29 July, 6 - 7pm
Venue: London Megastore

BFS Open Night, 31 July, 1 - 5pm
Venue: The George pub on The Strand.
Beukes will also be the guest at the first BFS Open Night of the year.

This article was originally published here and here on page 15

The Bares

Tarot cards

2010-07-18T21:24:00.001+02:00

I have always been fascinated by Tarot cards, and bought a pack a few years ago, along with instructions on how to use them. Tarot cards have a long and fascinating history- for example, despite Jewish law banning the use of imagery, Tarot has a strong connection to Kabbalah. Another thing I love about the cards is that the illustrations on various packs are simply beautiful. Despite their mystical connections, Tarot cards are straightforward to use, and I find them to be an extremely useful way to reflect on the state of my life or to resolve a problem. The cards are like a mirror- reflecting back at you ideas you may not have considered before, or confirming how you feel about things. I also find that they are usually incredibly "right" about where I am at that point, matching up to my situation exactly.

I highly recommend getting a pack of Tarot cards if you are looking for a new, creative way to reflect on your life, and to feel connected to the universe around you. There are many different packs to choose from, so choose one you feel connected with. I have the Medicine Woman pack (see picture above) - I love the imagery and the healing theme of the cards. I also recommend a Tarot Card book- one that includes it's fascinating history and instructions on how to use the cards.

What do you think about Tarot cards?

For the love of books (67 minutes)

2010-07-16T21:31:00.002+02:00

Walking through Cavendish Square after work today, I looked down to see the entire ground floor of the centre covered in books. I rushed downstairs, and spent the next half hour immersed in one of life's simplest but most precious pleasures- browsing through hundreds of second hand books. There is nothing I love more than this. Books are my first love, and there is something about second-hand books that allow the soul of a book to shine through. To know that these pages have passed hands, touched the lives of others, that they have educated and given joy and comfort - these are just some of the things that make books the treasures that they are.

The book sale was for Nelson Mandela Day, and I can think of no better way to honour his legacy than to share with others the gift of books. International Nelson Mandela Day is on Sunday, Madiba's birthday, and people around the world are asked to dedicate 67 minutes of the time to making a difference (a minute for every year that Mandela gave of his life for freedom and human rights.) One way to share the gift of books is to donate them to Equal Education's 1 School, 1 Library, 1 Librarian campaign. Find out more about it here:

http://bit.ly/cHC9eQ

Here is more about the book sale: http://bit.ly/bcJ4eG

Summer fashion

2010-07-16T20:36:00.000+02:00

I really can't wait for summer! This is what I'm looking forward to for summer fashion:

Just beautiful! I especially love Ode to Nature and Southern Folk. Which ones do you like? x

Home Away: "At home in the world"

2010-07-12T19:38:00.005+02:00

What does it mean to be a South African traveller in today’s globalised world? A new book asks this question in 24 stories and 24 times zones by 24 South African writers, weaving together a magical and moving journey of travel and time. Home Away is an anthology that will make you question, treasure and reflect on your place in the world

“You wonder what it means to live the life of a legal alien, with the dust of one country in your nostrils and the dreams of another in your head. You wonder whether the freedom to cross borders is tempered by the loneliness of exile, or whether the anxiety of driving on the wrong side of the road is inevitably offset by the thrill of driving on the right side of opportunity,” writes author Vikas Swarup as he contemplates the journey that Home Away will take you on in his foreword to the book.

A rollercoaster ride awaits you as you cross six continents and twenty-four time zones in an exploration of what it means to be a South African expat in today’s world. Editor Louis Greenberg has weaved together a unique concept- a compilation of 24 short stories by 24 South African writers in 24 hours and 24 cities. The tales make up one global day, following from each other in chronological order. The result is a dizzying dance of voices, places and spaces that reflect the experience of the South African traveller.

Home, Away

Greenberg gave this group of established South African authors and new writers a task that is more nuanced than other travel writing: the stories were to reflect not only the experience of travel, but also what it means to call

South Africa

home. Thus, each story is a multi-dimension moment that encapsulates being both home and away.

As the description of the book says, “being South African isn’t as black and white as it used to be. People from all over the world make this country their home, while South Africans have more geographical freedom than ever before.” From a distance, home can sometimes been seen through smoke and mirrors, and yet we need to continually look into that mirror to reflect on where we are, where we come from and where we want to go. Home Away constantly asks these questions, despite the stories being so varied.

At the same time, the book is a collection of snapshots recording the intensity and thrill of travel. A story set in steamy Havana describes this: “Aboriginal people believe that friends leave footprints, but enemies leave your life without a trace. Imagine if the same rule applied to travelling... to forget the details of places with painful memories, while allowing locations where one experienced transformation and happiness to build a house in the heart and stay with you forever.”

And what of the stories themselves? Compelling, powerful, sexy and strange, they will take you to places in the world and in your head that are equally real and fantastical. The opening act has the author trying to poison a politician in Nairobi at midnight; later, you travel with a set of suitcases; further you are plunged into a zombie-zone in Botswana and in another moment you are contemplating the institution of the British tea break in Oxford.

As you catch your breath between continents and time zones, you pause to reflect on your place in all this. As boundaries and borders blur both in the book and around you, you realize that, as Swarup says, “You are not a world away from home. You are at home in the world.”

This article was originally published on www.thesouthafrican.com

World Cup 2010- endings and beginnings

2010-07-11T17:20:00.001+02:00

This little vuvuzela boy symbolizes everything that the World Cup has meant for South Africa. Today, it all comes to a close. So much has been said in the past month about the tournament- what it has meant for SA and the world.

For me, the World Cup has reminded me why I am South African and why I want to live here. I am living in a place in transition, a place with so much potential and passion and power. I feel that the boy in the picture can be part of that- that this country will take him to the places and spaces that his grandparents dreamed of, that it can help him achieve what he deserves, and in turn he will help South Africa blossom.

I'm glad I live in a country where the headlines touch on the triumphs and tragedies of real people, navigating the turmoil of this place, and how despite the daily grind and pain and poverty, the World Cup has crystallized what it means to be South African- how far we have come, where we are going and what we are aiming for.

The World Cup has been a mirror, reflecting to us and the world what we are capable of, even if we think we have lost sight of it. With this vision we will carry forward all the little boys like the one in the picture, achieving what we have only glimpsed during this World Cup. And like the little boy in the picture, we'll make a whole lot of noise doing it!

Image from weheartit

Winter love

2010-07-11T16:07:00.000+02:00

Cape Town is in the middle of winter at the moment, and although it hasn't been a really bad one, I've really been resenting it this year. I guess early mornings, running and winter don't really combine together very well.

But in the spirit of being positive, here are some things I am loving about winter:

That despite it being cold, we don't have anything close to snow

Some winter days have been sparkling and sunny

The World Cup has definitely brightened everyone's winter, and made it go faster

I can paint my nails in gorgeous dark colours

Boots are beautiful

The fresh air is great to run in

I have the most amazing boyfriend in the world to cuddle with and who keeps me warm :)

xxx

image from http://weheartit.com

West Coast road trip...

2010-05-08T18:48:00.000+02:00

I can't believe how long it's been since my last post! This year is flying, with so many new things, adventures, work and living. But that's no excuse and I plan to return to the blog properly.

Have you ever been to South Africa's West Coast? It is a surprising coastline... desolated, deserted, undeveloped.. and beautiful in all of these. It is known for its spring flowers, but when I traveled it this last week (with my amazing boyfriend) the landscape was an autumn one, awaiting this colourful carpet with anticipation.

We began in Clanwilliam, a town that gains its lifeblood from the alongside dam, and the contrast between the water and its desert surroundings is sharp and powerful. The town certainly has a spirited soul, and it was revitalizing to be there.

We traveled to Lambert's Bay to begin our meander down the coast, and here the town was almost held hostage by the sea. The place itself was scattered, with tiny restaurants amongst fish factories, and a sense of strangeness hovered over the place. The sea beside it was raging, and we found a more natural energy as we walked and climbed on the rocky outcrops, with crashing waves pounding around us. It certainly was the coast at its most real and alive- refreshing after coming from Cape Town, with its more designed and developed seasides.

This same combination of desolation and energy continued down the coast, with some places looking almost like ghost towns. St Helena Bay had a certain warmth to it. However we continued towards our destination of Paternoster, which was worth waiting for. Like a little island oasis, Greek-style house huddle on the coastline, in white and blue sweetness. Little streets, houses without fences or walls, made us feel that we were on a Greek island, or somewhere in Europe. The magical atmosphere of the village was added to by empty fishing boats dotting a desolate beach, ethereal and enchanting.

We continued to Jacobsbaai, Langebaan (one of the more developed areas, in a suffocating kind of way) and into the West Coast Nature Reserve, which surrounds a turquoise lagoon. Green fynbos against blue water brought life back into the landscape, but at the same time the reserve maintained the same loyalty to nature, seasons and sea that the rest of the coastline had offered.

Living in South Africa's cities we feel that people and place have collided at full force, with space and nature being rare and precious. Yet our West Coast remains empty, desolate, undeveloped and deserted- uneasy yet captivating at the same time. So to enjoy some space, stillness and solitude, immerse yourself between the Cederberg and the sea, and beyond.

Clanwilliam

Paternoster

West Coast Nature Reserve

Friday Thoughts

2010-02-26T14:21:00.000+02:00

I believe in trusting the process.
I feel peaceful, happy and excited.
I want to sleep.
I plan to enjoy this weekend of freedom before starting work on Monday.
I know that its all going to be okay, for all of us.
I love my dogs, walks in the sunshine, drinking tea, magazines, cuddling and kisses.

Friday feeling: 'And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.' -Anais Nin

Inspirational images...

2010-02-11T22:30:00.000+02:00

Love these collaged images I stumbled across.. inspiration for autumn/winter 2010 fashion season in SA...

See more at

http://www.cosmoworlds.com

Invictus: 'I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul'

2010-01-17T12:40:00.005+02:00

I saw Invictus the other day, and it just adds to what I was saying below about Malema. Mandela was a leader in the true sense of the word- he made decisions based on sacrifice, wisdom, knowledge and forgiveness. I had shivers down my spine as I watched how this man carried my country in his two hands while it could have so easily fallen apart. I was too young to remember these moments, and yet they have affected my life deeply.

Mandela understood complexity, acknowleging that the task he faced was not 'black and white.' He stood firmly by the ANC's ideals of non-racialism and nation-building, at the very moments when revenge, anger and racism could have been the easier options. He led the people of South Africa beyond these instinctive reactions, towards the ideals epitomized in the poem Invictus:

Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

-William Ernest Henley

I sometimes wonder what will happen to SA when Madiba passes on. I feel like in many ways his energy and wisdom keeps this country on a level of stability and on the path it needs to go. I just hope that when that day comes, leaders will emerge to take his legacy forward.

Malema Madness

2009-12-24T13:40:00.004+02:00

I often wonder how plainly unintelligent people manage to gain and maintain any kind of power in the world. Exhibit A: George W. Bush. Exhibit B: Julius Malema etc etc. Because the things they say would have us on the floor laughing if we didn't have to take them seriously.

In the past year Malema's statements have sunk to the lowest of the low- in my opinion the worst was when he called Zille 'a racist little girl' who chose her cabinet because they are 'her boyfriends and concubines, so the she can continue to sleep around with them.' I find it scary that such an immature, pathetic comment has been uttered by a politician and that no one seemed particularly bothered. Tambo and Sisula must be rolling in their graves at what their legacy in the ANCYL has become. And that Madiba has to witness this, after he once lead the youth league.. to pass on his legacy to someone like this is, in my opinion, tragic.

Malema may represent a generation that were failed by the Bantu-education system, and perhaps many people look to him to stand for them. But do we really need "leaders" like this, who perpetuate a shallow and victimized way of being? How can the youth and others have any kind of meaningful, real conversation about this country when Malema continues to make statements such as this? As Chris Roper (editor of The Mail and Guardian Online) says: 'with Malema writing the script, we're veering towards Looney Tunes.' Does anyone else find this worrying?

Human / Dancer

2009-12-09T17:56:00.003+02:00

Photo by Orli Barnett

Add 'The Killers' to the blog post below. Definitely something I'm loving right now. Their concert in Cape Town was one of the most phenomenal things I have experienced in a long time, and went way beyond all expectations. I mean, when you are in almost the front row of 15 000 people, and this band explodes into 'Human' as the first song, what more could you want? The energy, magic and pure art of that first song continued throughout the show, in a slick, sensational and stunning showcase of sound.

Brandon Flowers not only has an incredible voice but is a fantastic performer- with charisma, sensitivity and sexiness he captured the audience from the start. His powerful stage presence and talent gave the show that extra edge that left people speechless. Add his multi-talented band, pyrotechnics, lighting and an explosion of stage production, and it was truly a flawless musical experience.

And I watched it all from the third row. Deciding that if we were going to do this we were going to do it properly, we got Golden Circle tickets and were at Val de Vie by about 4pm. We didn't face any traffic on the way in and the Golden Circle queue was well organized. We found a spot at the front easily, where we relaxed in the beautiful surroundings of the wine estate. The mountains, greenery and sunset definitely beat a stadium!

Yes, returning to our our car we faced the chaos of being parked in by cars everywhere. Yet we kept our cool, made new friends and waited it out, still enjoying the adrenalin of the concert pumping through our veins. Parking marshalls and car rows would have been simple ways of organizing things better, and hopefully Big Concerts will take note that such bad organization will always taint a brilliant event. Capetonians should be proud that they stayed relaxed for those 3 hours after the concert, made it to work the next day and did it all with smiles on their faces. I know that even with the traffic, I would have done it all again in a heartbeat.

So, are we human or are we dancer? I think everyone was a bit of both that night, feeling alive and dancing our hearts out.

What I'm loving at the moment...

2009-12-04T19:57:00.006+02:00

Osumo: I have them on speedial. Amazing, delicious salads, incredible smoothies (and also wraps, sandwiches, breakfasts...). Capetonians are a healthy tribe and Osumo makes our lives easier! They are leading the way with their innovative, fresh and exciting food & brand. "Osumo!" (as the Osumo ladies say!) http://www.osumo.co.za/

Slick: Favourite clothing store for many years. Today I found beautiful summer dresses there. They are great for unique finds and on-trend pieces. With their friendly and warm staff, their clientele are extremely loyal! http://www.slickonline.co.za/

Mr Price: For their always-affordable, perfectly fashionable finds. You have to look for the right pieces, but it's worth it! Found my summer gladiators there! http://www.mrprice.co.za/ and check out their fashion blog for glimpses at what is happening is the fashion world... http://www.mrpricefashion.blogspot.com/

Style Guide Cape Town: And talking about fashion blogs, this is simply the best in Cape Town. Enough said: http://styleguidecapetown.blogspot.com/

Summer in Cape Town: Sweet, sexy and sultry, its worth waiting for. I feel so blessed to live in this place- the sun on my shoulders, watching sea and mountains and sunsets (all draped in perfect light), Kirstenbosch concerts, beach days, tanning, swimming in the icy Atlantic ocean, partying, perfection...

Coral: Loving this summer colour- on nails and clothes... it perfectly complements tanned skin, metallic accessories and a summer smile!

Twitter: I still love Facebook, but Twitter is growing on me! It's great for networking, especially in the media industry. Follow me! http://twitter.com/TaliBarnett

<3

The Perfection of Coincidence

2009-12-02T14:53:00.013+02:00

I recently finished re-reading On the Other Side of Shame by Joanne Jowell. I hardly ever return to a book once I have read it, but something pulled me back to this one. And I read it even more vociferously- inspired by the work, captured by the narrative, drawn into that past, and astounded by the beautiful, perfect coincidences that surround this story.

Says author Joanne Jowell in a BOOK SA interview: “Synchronicity landed this one, fair and square, in my lap. My hairdresser put me together with his client with the amazing story. She turned out to be my cousin – and the bearer of a long kept family secret that I had never heard of.”

The review continues: 'In Cape Town in the 1960s, 17-year-old Lynette Zinn hid her pregnancy for seven months before her conservative Jewish parents discovered it. It’s a ‘shunda’ [Yiddish term for a scandal]. They refused to hear her protests about loving Max- her boyfriend- and wanting to marry him, and forced her to give up the baby for adoption. Some 18 months after the baby was given up for adoption, Lynette and Max married and went on to have three other children. The matter of their first child was never discussed, and was kept a secret.

Forty years later, Anthony Egnal, living in Seattle and working as a family physician, tried to adopt a child of his own. He had never felt compelled to find his birth parents until he came to adopt a child, which brought him face to face with the raw shame that people experience when they give up a child for adoption. That led him to discover how much he wanted to find his birth parents, to tell them that he was happy and grateful for the gift of life.'

Egnal managed to easily find the details of Lynnette and Max Langman, his biological parents. On a quiet Sunday evening in Cape Town, the phone call they had arranged rang out in the Langman's Bantry Bay apartment. 'That's your son', said Max. 'You better go answer it.'

That phone call began a conversation that would blossom into a reunion in many layers and many forms. As Lynette, her husband and her children reconnected with this lost son and brother, they completed a circle of life and living.

This book inspired me in that it was written using Oral History methods. In my studies I learnt about this historical approach and was able to apply it in my own work. Jowell's text is an example of oral history methodology in its element, where what people say and how they say it can shed light on the complexities of the past. Jowell conducts extensive interviews not only with Lynette, but everyone involved in the story, even those on the periphery (such as the adoption social worker and Antony's sister, Mandy.) The result is a multifaceted, nuanced, rich and complex narrative that makes the story all the more intense. It is like looking at a cut diamond in your palm, as its various faces glimmer in the light.

“Lynette Langman wanted me to tell the story to tell the story of adoption because it affects so many people. It had to be a good story, a good read and it had to tell the true story. I used a method of research and writing pioneered by Stubbs Turfell, which involves using the verbatim accounts of the interviews conducted with a range of people.
“The aim is to listen, engage and record without influence and then to sift through the material as a prospector through silt trying to find the diamonds in the rough.” The process involved conducting interviews across the oceans, and distinguishing the gloss of memory from the grime of real life", says Joanne in the BOOK SA piece.

This story also grabbed me because it is embedded in the South African Jewish community- my own community. The narrative is my grandparents' experience- the Muizenberg holidays, the dates and dances, the immigrant atmosphere, the conservative Jewish attitudes, the singular experience of Jewish homes and upbringings across the country. This story is a therefore a glimpse into a past that I relate to in my present and my identity. Further, the story swirls around my contemporary surroundings- Camps Bay, Bantry Bay, Hatfield Street, Charley's Bakery, Jammie Steps. It is enjoyable for a Capetonian to read the book from this angle.

What drew me in the most is the perfection of coincidence that pervades the narrative, as well as the people involved in the book. It begins with the birth of the book, where Joanne hears of the story and discovers that the narrator is her cousin- and it continues with the birth of the baby in the story, and his life. I will not tell you all the startling moments in this silver thread of synchronicity, so read it yourself to discover them. Reading the book reminded me of our place in the grand scheme of the universe- its playful yet perfect patterns that suddenly come together. The universe is conspiring to shower us with blessings, even if this is not clear to us at first.

The book flows and is well-written, and you will not put down until you've finished it! Taking a real-life story and shaping it into a gripping page-turner shows that the author is extremely talented- and that truth really is stranger than fiction.

The cover artwork of the book captures its essence. It is designed by Kim Lieberman, an established South African and international artist. She 'explores the invisible energies that travel between people and the impacts these currents have on our world. Investigating concepts like The Butterfly Effect and 6 Degrees of Separation, she has created artworks exploring the interconnectedness of human experience.'

Goldfishing

2009-11-23T21:45:00.006+02:00

Goldfish is a solid gold South African success story if there ever was one- the little fish swimming into the big sea, and making waves out there!

'We're like fish out of water. Englishmen in New York, or in this case, South Africans in Ibiza. Musicians in an ocean of DJ's. To say we are out-numbered in Ibiza is an understatement- But that is what makes it so damn exciting, coming here as outsiders- with nothing to lose and everything to prove', write Goldfish, known to fans as 'the fishies.'

For Goldfish take partying to a new level. They are not just DJ's, but musicians- and the combination is intoxicating. Dominic Peters and David Poole (or just "Dom and Dave") are deeply involved in their music. While others may have been messing around in garages, both took music degrees at UCT, becoming qualified jazz musicians. Their music became increasingly influenced by electronic elements, and the two joined forces to form a partnership that would revolutionize dance music, starting in SA and soon spreading with their international gigs.

It is the unique blend of electronic sound and the magic of live instruments that draw their audiences again and again- a rich cocktail of music, sights and sounds that surround you. The old school grooves of sax mixed with the deep beats of bass added to upbeat electronica lead to an irresistible mix that is the soundtrack to summer. And Goldfish are the ultimate live act– no matter if it is an intimate venue or 7 000 people at a Pacha Ibiza party.As they said in an interview with Cape Argus Tonight,they ‘feel like we have touched a global nerve.’

This year has been all about consolidation for Goldfish- 'from having the crowd sing your track back to you in Brazil to cracking a nod to play Glastonbury', Goldfish is making soundwaves worldwide. This year they toured Europe while basing themselves in Ibiza, where they have a residency at king of clubs, Pacha. Moscow, Dubai, Portugal, Milan, Switzerland, Cape Town...

Yes, the Fishies always remember the Goldfish, bowl, where it all began. In its third year, they are playing 12 exclusive parties: Submerged Sundays at La Med in CT- 'where the world meets Cape Town.' It's summer at its sweetest and sexist, the perfect way to end the weekend and party like you're in Ibiza! See the event here: http://www.facebook.com/#/event.php?eid=173522489626&index=1 With sushi from Tank, summer sun and sunsets, and La Med's refurbishment complete (there’s a more spacious Dance Floor, a new VIP area and reserved parking) the stage is set for a summer to remember. I went to the opening party on 22 November and it was like diving into the sea on a hot summer day- refreshing, wild, submerged!

Running in Cape Town

2009-11-17T22:04:00.005+02:00

I feel blessed to live in such a beautiful city, and to be able to explore it on my feet. The photos above were taken on runs I have done in the past week- one up to Signal Hill, and one on the beach front. Running these roads, breathing in the addictive fresh air, appreciating the strength and power of my body, and feeling connected to nature and the world around me are all reasons why I love to run outdoors.

I am so lucky to be able to do this is such a beautiful space. Whether it is appreciating earth or ocean, mountain or beach, I am surrounded by sumptuous scenes that awaken my senses. Surrounded by the silhouettes of the mountains and the green-blue-beige of the landscape, I feel the intricate connection of all things and all people. To do this is to experience connection and humility- I am part of something so much greater than myself. These stones have witnessed this city; these mountains cradle us, this sea is a timeless rhythm of reassurance. And as my feet push me forward and my breath brings me life, I am part of it all.

The Millennium Trilogy

2009-11-13T19:25:00.009+02:00

I just finished reading the final book of the Millennium trilogy by Stieg Larsson (for a rundown of the narrative and a great review, read http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-10-23-the-new-millenium

Somehow in SA I think this trilogy has been dismissed by many as just another thriller blockbuster series, without much substance. If anything, the opposite is true. I have not read such a monumental and intricate work of fiction in a long time. Without wanting to sound disrespectful, it is not surprising that Larsson dropped dead of a massive heart attack after giving the Millennium manuscripts to his publisher. (In the third book, a character drops dead of a heart attack after working too hard, eerily forshadowing the author's death in many ways.) Not for a long time have a read such detailed and descriptive fiction. Whether it is in the realm of journalism, medicine, law, politics, women's rights or computer hacking (to name just a few of the many subjects this series delves into), Larsson presents it in researched, painstaking detail and knowledge. The result is a book where you have to concentrate on the intricate details you are presented with, and where you learn about everything that Larsson incorporates into his story.

Not only this, but Larsson exposes his country, Sweden, in all its flaws and flavours. What is startling to the reader is how this book is so deeply entrenched in Swedish society, and how un-Americanized it is. Larsson shamelessly splashes Swedish names, places and words throughout the text, so that it is completely and utterly steeped in that society and its history. The result is refreshing and powerful- even if it is just for the fact that you feel like you have travelled Stockholm's streets by the end of it. Larsson leaves it up to the reader to orientate themselves with the unfamiliar Swedish words and names that fill the narrative, which gives the reader a sense of empowerment as he orientates himself in a new landscape.

Or perhaps I should say she. If anything, Larsson is a champion of women's rights, and this emerges brutally and beautifully throughout the trilogy, as the theme is woven throughout the narrative, the characters, and the structure of the book itself. The heroine of the series, Lisbeth Salander, it the epitome of this motif, standing as both a victim and a champion of the rights of women. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who Played with Fire both examine the abuse of women, particularly in human trafficking. Before each section of The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest there are detailed descriptions of how women have fought in battle in history, foreshadowing Lisbeth's own battle against the forces of injustice have ruined her life. As it says in the article I mentioned above, in the concluding pages of the final book, 'Blomkvist sums up the nature of Salander's experience: "When it comes down to it, this story is not primarily about spies and secret government agencies; it's about violence against women, and the men who enable it."'

Finally, Larsson's trilogy is a perfect, meaty, magnificent story. It is complex, fast-paced yet detailed, and utterly addictive. He masterfully weaves together a fleshed-out cast of characters and a nuanced, multidimensional narrative.

This trilogy is about morality and justice and the systems that enable these to flourish or die. It is about the victims of systems and the power of words and actions. After reading the series, the loss of Larsson as a literary talent is all the more potent and poignant, and it is a tribute to his legacy that we read his thrilling fiction.

What. Are. You. Doing?

2009-11-12T21:02:00.007+02:00

What are you doing?

Twitter asks you to answer that question, to fill a space made just for you. Facebook asks what's on your mind, as if its clearing a spot on the couch for you to sit and vent your thoughts. They may be small spaces, but they ask you to fill them. I have come to realize that as our lives begin to become more attached to these social networking sites, the question 'what are you doing' becomes a pertinent and pressing feature of our everyday existence. In turn, we are forced to think about what we are doing, and most importantly, how we would like to answer that question.

The ultimate result of this is that people are aware of not only what they are doing, but what they would like to do. This means that they begin to do more. And they begin to do things that they would ultimately be happy to represent them in a 'tweet' or 'status' online.

Therefore I feel that social networking is subconsciously forcing people to get out there and do more, or in turn do things that are personal goals, so that their life and brand are represented positively in the online world- one that is increasingly becoming a parallel universe to our lives. While people could 'lie' about what they are doing, social networking is about representing the reality and of living in an online form- so lying about it is the antithesis of Twitter and Facebook. Rather, one would fill the space with the truth, but to do that one must go out there and do whatever it is that they would like to represent themselves.

So while some may claim that social networking is forcing people to stay at home and live in a virtual and unreal world, I feel that the opposite is true. People are forced to answer the question by going out there and doing things, or making things happen to represent their personal and professional brand. This is where the contradiction comes in though, because a person will only flaunt the things they do that they find positive, creating a 'surface' representation of themselves, as they would like the world to see them. But this in turn could force a person to question how it is that they would like the world to view them, and make changes in their own lives.

We see this in extension on Facebook, where photo albums are made to show where the person has been and what they are doing. Someone may go to an event or make an effort to do something they may have previously been too lazy to go to, because they are subconsciously compelled by the space they've been provided to document their lives. And who would want to leave that space empty?

'To save a child is to save a world'- the work of Save a Child's Heart

2009-11-11T13:51:00.001+02:00

On 4 January 2008 in Iraq, Donya was born with a large hole between the lower chambers of her heart, and thickened muscles in the right ventricle. She was also diagnosed with Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), which is a very large fissure between the upper chambers of her heart. All this meant that she urgently needed extensive cardiac surgery to repair her heart, which her home community could not provide.

Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) is an Israeli-based international humanitarian project that works to help children like Donya. Their mission is to improve the quality of paediatric cardiac care for children in developing countries who suffer from heart disease; and to create centres of quality medical work in these regions. SACH is devoted to the idea that every child deserves the best medical treatment available, regardless of that child’s nationality, religion, ethnicity, gender or financial situation.

Motivated by the age-old Jewish tradition of Tikkun Olam – literally translated as ‘repairing the world’, SACH contributes to the futures of children from around the globe by mending their hearts regardless of their origin and, in turn, uplifting their families and societies.

The variety of treated children and their origins is extensive and astounding, and one can browse through endless such stories on the SACH website. Since 1995, Save a Child’s Heart has treated more than two thousand children, from infancy to 18 years old, and from more than 30 countries. 40% of the children are from Africa; 49% from the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Iraq; 4% from Moldova, Russia and former USSR and 7% from China, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

Yet more than 1000 children on SACH’s waiting list are still in need of this life-saving surgery. SACH primarily provides the life-saving cardiac surgery for these patients, and their ultimate goal is to create centres of competence in developing countries, where children can be treated in their own communities and by their own medical professionals. SACH therefore provides medical personnel with in-depth post-graduate training in all facets of paediatric cardiac care. Training is held under the auspices of the Sackler School of Medicine of the Tel Aviv University and the Centre for International Cooperation of the Foreign Ministry of Israel. Since its inception in 1995, SACH has trained 50 physicians and nurses from China, Ethiopia, Moldova, Nigeria, the Palestinian Authority, Eritrea, Kenya, Russia, Vietnam and Zanzibar at the Wolfson Medical Centre.

Mikhaela Levitas, A University of Cape Town student, spent time volunteering at SACH this year. “I fell in love with the kids and with the organization,” she says, describing how she helped care for the children on a daily basis. “There are children from all over the world - the Palestinian Territories, China, Ghana, Nigeria ... a Palestinian child can get operated on by a Jewish doctor. In medicine, there are no boundaries to saving a life. ” she adds.

It is through such extensive and intensive work, training and dedication that SACH manages to save so many children’s hearts. On 1 January this year, three days before her second birthday, Donya was operated on by doctors from Save a Child’s Heart in Israel. By the time she returned to Iraq in February, her heart had healed completely and she began to live a normal and healthy life.

For more information please visit SACH’s website: http://www.saveachildsheart.org/

The SACH International Photographic Exhibition will be in Cape Town:

Presented by the SACH Foundation and the Western Province Zionist Council
Artscape Theatre, Foyer 1
8 to 14 February 2010 (Valentine’s Day)

Halloween & History

2009-11-02T17:08:00.004+02:00

There's something about Halloween that I love. Yes, I hear your protests of selling out to a silly American custom, but I still feel there's something more to it. People love to dress up, wear masks, indulge in fantasy and a bit of fear. There's something intoxicating about it. Think about how different cultures embrace dressing up in a ritual way- for example Judaism has the festival of Purim, where Jews wear masks and dress up in celebration.

Anyway, as a history student I have to delve into the history of Halloween. Where did this strange tradition come from? Got this from http://www.history.com/content/halloween/real-story-of-halloween

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.

As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there.

It was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians, meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge.Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition.

So there you have it. Halloween does have a history that adds further dimensions to it than it being a silly American custom. I think this shows how human beings have always gravitated towards the unknown, and expressed this by alternating the reality of the self by wearing fantasy dress.

I hope everyone had an amazing Halloween. I celebrated in style!

The Power of Nothingness

2009-10-21T18:13:00.001+02:00

Thorn bushes. Rocks. Sand. Mountains. Silence...

Last weekend I went on a field trip with my Cape History class, to the Tankwa Karoo. Somehow I didn't catch the memo that we were really going to the desert, but this quickly became clear when we slipped out of Ceres and the landscape seemed to empty of its features, greenery and energy. It was somehow unnerving to be swallowed up into this desolation, which was so remote that it was almost exploding with nothingness. I didn't even notice that my cellphone signal had disappeared, not to return until we crossed over those mountains home. Like with most travelling, if you knew what you were about to experience, you may have had doubts about going (at least for me, the homebody). So maybe its better that your knowing leaves you, to be replaced by more urgent yet alive instincts, and that you are rooted and present in each moment, each hour that pulls you along with it, steady yet fragile in its continuum.

Therefore perhaps it was easier to have a quick and painless transition into the desert world. Suddenly we were on a dusty road, surrounded by shades of earth and ochre; and the emptiness. Leila, sleeping in the back, oblivious to the changing landscape and the lessening signals of civilization (later, complaining to each other but both knowing that we were actually loving getting away from it all). Brenda the department administrator next to me, checking on Leila, talking about her children, asking Nigel questions like "why are the rocks black? Did they get struck by lightening?" Abi the budding archeologist from our class, quiet and rooted and fitting into this so much more easily than Leila or I. Stuart in the front- older, quiet, strange. And Nigel the lecturer driving, making inane and hilarious comments in between sharing his expertise on this region of the world and its lost people.

The emptiness therefore weighed heavily, the silence lying on the landscape, all the more loud because of what had been forgotten here. We came to this place to look for a grave that had been found in the Roggeveld mountains, a range which stood imposingly on the edges of the flat desert plains. The grave possibly held the bones of a San person, maybe one of many who died in the trekboer commandos that decimated the indigenous peoples in these areas.

This landscape is intimidating, alien. Coetzee's Heart of the Country emerged urgently in my mind- Magda's senseless narrative as she slowly goes mad in the colonial outback made sense against this emptiness. Nothing to look at, nothing to admire, nothing to absorb the self... it is only you, there, now. You have to turn inwards and face yourself; and the imagination is forced to populate the landscape.

So we went on a hike to try find the San grave. We had photographs from when the grave was found two years ago, but beyond that there was no map, no trail, and no real idea of where we were going. We started hiking straight up amongst the thorn bushes and rocks. I felt great on the way up, strong and fit. I never run or walk with other people so it was good to see how I had built up my fitness. But I knew the way down would be a different story...

When we got to the top of the mountain part we hit a section of boulders, and I started getting a little tired and very nervous. I'm terrified of heights, and I just can't climb or walk on extreme downhills. I have memories of my dad helping me totter down Lion's Head. Since a hike in a canyon in the desert in Israel (2005), I've never hiked again. In that hike I was the last person of about 120 people to come down the side of the ravine, and since then I haven't hiked because I hate downhills and holding people back as they help me down a mountain. Anyway, on a boulder in the Tankwa Karoo, I realized I was in that situation again. I had to stick with the group, which meant I'll eventually have to climb down here. I had no idea this hike was going to be so extreme- no one did.

And the next part was extreme. We found ourselves in a ravine "kloof" area, which was rockier and greener. It felt like a sanctury in a way, and Nigel's theory about San coming here to escape, then being massacred, became more real. After all, no one would carry a body up here to be buried.

We eventually found the grave- a skull and some bones clasped by the earth wall. It was definitely worth it to witness something so historical and real. We left him/her there because of bureaucratic reasons, and there s/he would stay in the silence. Ultimately, the timeless, organic sense of nature's breath existed out there. I sit here now, picturing that skull in the quiet, as it continues within the elements.

To get out of the ravine we climbed down steep boulders, which looked like they must have once been the path of a raging riverbed. We then reached the mountain, where we walked straight down (no trail), through thorn bushes and rocks that scraped my legs with every kind of sharp, pointed plant you can think of! My legs were so red they practically radiated. I only got down that mountain because of Leila and Sandy, who helped me step by step, and talked to me about varsity and men to distract me.

So we got down from that place, and went back to our house for the night. Leila and I could hardly speak we were so exhausted! But we also felt strong and alive and proud and part of something.

Driving out of the desert, we met a guy who is cycling from Grahamstown to Cape Town through this area. Bleached hair, British accent, brown dust- he epitomized someone embedded in this landscape, embracing it. So open to the extreme elements, he demonstrated balance and peaceful acceptance of his circumstances. A living, breathing example the desert's voice if there ever was one.

The relief of leaving the Karoo could be seen and heard. As our cellphones began to beep, as buildings and people began to dot the landscape, it was like being given back reality. Yet beneath the easy welcoming of comfort, I felt grateful for the cleansing, powerful nature of that nothingness, to contrast with my own everything.