Behind the Blue Veil: The Unbearable Beauty of a Fading Civilisation, the Unbearable Ugliness of its Oppressors
Film: Behind the Blue Veil Director: Robyn Symon They were the men and the women of the sand, of the wind, of the light, … Continue reading Behind the Blue Veil: The Unbearable Beauty of a Fading Civilisation, the Unbearable Ugliness of its Oppressors
Golden Mezwed, Tunis
Golden Mezwed, Part I
I think we’re about ready for a new feeling to enter music. I think that will come from the Arabic world. ~Brian Eno Meeting Gaddour We encounter Abdelkadr, who is better known as Gaddour, at our local café, where we often see him coming and going. He’s a friendly guy with a lot of friends, but we don’t pay him much notice until we see him performing on television with a large mezwed ensemble, singing and playing bindir (a lap drum like the Irish bodhrán, but played with the hands) and dharbouka (an hourglass-shaped drum held between the thighs and … Continue reading Golden Mezwed, Part I
When Everything Starts Going Ugly
When things and people start looking empty and menacing, it’s a sign your heart is closing off, probably out of some mistaken fear. Don’t worry— you can reverse the downhill slide just by looking for love. Look for love in trees that dare to thrive in concrete, in architecture that’s beautiful in spite of the ugliness around it, in loving couples, in mothers who stay calm when their babies cry. There’s something else, and this one’s harder. Admit that for everything and everyone that you love deeply, you harbour a small amount of hatred. Be ruthless with yourself about this. … Continue reading When Everything Starts Going Ugly
The Mindful Bard 