Editors blog
Just some stories of the people behind the scenes
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News
Eating stomach
February 27th, 2009, posted by:
07:15
I just called the cameraman Paul to ask him and his friend Sam what time we will meet each other and where. It’s in South Africa not a problem to call someone on such an early time like this, because everybody gets up early here. A couple of days ago we talked about a visit to a school of arts in Johannesburg and to have a conversation with students over there.
10:00
The taxi drove me to ‘Newtown’, a nice part of Johannesburg. Originally this place was known as Brickfields, but in 1904 the district burned to the ground and it was renamed
Newtown. In one of the restaurants I’m sitting with Paul and Sam. In a minute we will go to Cityvarsity, a school of media and creative arts.
12:00
We’re sitting with a couple of students in the backyard of the school and I just filmed a debate between them. It was nice; we talked about racism and being an artist in South Africa.
13:00
We’re walking under a bridge decorated with a lot of beautiful graffiti. They’re so realistic that it sometimes looks like a picture.
13:30
In South Africa they use everything of the cow, so that’s why I’m eating a stomach at the moment. Before I will leave to Amsterdam, I have to eat this traditional meal from Johannesburg. It is the idea of eating a stomach of a cow, which I do not like, but the taste is not bad. In a minute my stomach will meet this stomach of a unknown cow, strange..very strange!bookmark:
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News
Quaqua
February 27th, 2009, posted by:
16:00
I started a journey from Johannesburg to a small village called ‘Quaqua’. Three and a half hour we (Wayne and I) have driven through nothing more than hills, cows and two gas stations. No we’re here at the centre of Quaqua, I notice that I’m the only white person in town. It feels a bit strange the way people are staring at me, but that’s the way it goes: when you are different than the rest you get attention. I have to admit that being ‘the other’, gives me also a positive mood. Like the attention I got during my high school period, when I tried to be funny against the teachers. But in those days (I sound like a eighty years old man) I put a lot of effort in getting this attention and now I’m doing nothing particular (only being white)
16:30
From the centre of Quaqua, again, I am sitting in the car and we’re driving. I thought we already arrived at our destination, but apparently we’re still not there. I don’t mind because the view is really beautiful: hills, hills and hills.
16:45
We’re at the theatre and more than twenty kids are sitting in a circle. This time I will film the debate by myself. I’m curious about the possible differences between these village kids and the kids from Soweto. Do they love their life in Quaqua or do they want to go to the big city? What about the opportunities here? The following answer of one of them is really interesting: “yes there are more opportunities in Johannesburg, but here in Quaqua we can start our own opportunities, we can do this by our selves.”
17:30
We just finished our debate. It is beautiful to see that there are no differences at all between them and the kids from Johannesburg. They seem to be as open minded like the city kids. I noticed also the (sometimes) difficult relationships between them and their parents who grew up during the Apartheid. But the cause of this clash between them and their parents is not always the experience of Apartheid. Like in Holland or any other country, I think kids from this age often have the need to be different than their parents and to be someone else, an individual.
19:30
It’s really dark and we are driving on the road. I have to admit that I’m a little bit scared, because I know how desolate this area is. If something will happen with us here, they will find us maybe after a couple of years. We put some music on (South African trip hop, really good!!) and we give our opinions on the motions we discussed. During this journey back to Johannesburg, sometimes we’re quiet, have a personal conversation about our lives or we’re singing funny songs. When you’re sitting hours in a car next to each other, it gives a band.
23:00
I have arrived safely and I am drinking a glass of white wine. Not only the name ‘Quaqua’ is special, but also this entire day. It felt like a beautiful week.bookmark:
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News
The community centre debate in Soweto
February 24th, 2009, posted by:
Again I’m in Soweto for a debate between several kids from a community centre. This place is full of creative activities like theatre, dancing, music and writing. It supposed to be a save place where young people get inspired and motivated to do and to make something beautiful of their lives. Before we started with our debate I had a conversation with one of the organisers of this community centre, Sizwe. He grew up in the middle of crime and as a teenager, stealing and other activities became part of his daily routine. The turning point in his life was the dead of his best friend who got killed after stealing some money of a taxi driver. Siswe saw his friend murdered on the street and realised that he should change his way of life fundamentally. From that moment he decided to help other young people in the townships through facilitating creative activities, like here at the community centre. I couldn’t imagine that this very kind, intelligent and friendly man once, an aggressive criminal was. Apparently, an environment full of criminality and poverty could change the kindest person on earth into a beast. It’s very admirable the way that Sizwe transformed his life in a positive way.
After this interesting conversation, we started our debate about sex and relationships. Before I went to Johannesburg I had this idea of a society where Apartheid still in a way exist, a country where black and white people do not like each other. But what I noticed today (and yesterday) is that the young people nowadays, this new generation, do not think that way. They ‘re curious and interested in the other. The motion “I would never date a white boy or girl” surprisingly wasn’t answered with ‘yes’. Instead of that, they think it should be normal because Johannesburg is a city full of different cultural identities. But, even that the black people since 1994 have more rights and opportunities, you still see that black people are living with black people and white people with white people. I think that curiosity of the youth and the fact that Johannesburg is indeed a city of different cultural identities is not enough to solve this kind of distance between blacks and whites. The huge poverty and crime in Johannesburg is in my opinion the main reason why there is still a gab between blacks and whites. But people like Sizwe prove that it is possible to escape from this environment through individual motivation, power and guts.bookmark:
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News
First debate in Soweto
February 24th, 2009, posted by:
09:00
I’m sitting next to Enoch, my taxi driver during this stay in Johannesburg. We’re driving to Soweto, a mostly black urban area in the southwest of Johannesburg, for our first debate in South Africa. My impression of Johannesburg is that it is not really one city, but more a cluster of townships and suburbs. In my first blog I told you there is a downtown. From a distance this downtown looks like a lively city, but once you’re really driving inside, you notice a dead city full of poverty. During the past, this place belonged to the upper class, but now abandoned buildings and crime have become a feature of this part of Johannesburg. You also see poverty on the highways of Johannesburg. Hundreds of people are standing in the middle of these roads begging for money. I see people without legs leaning on wooden crutch, children (without asking) washing cars. There is also a beggar acting blind, I can see clearly that sometimes his eyes are focus on specific cars and windows. Because of the competition between these beggars, some are trying new ways to get some the money.
09:40
We’re driving through Soweto. The reality is different than what I expected from this part of Johannesburg. Instead of slums along dusty roads, like I saw in Brazil and Kenya, I see a suburb (not a middle class suburb off course) with little houses along tarred roads and playgrounds. Don’t get me wrong; I do not say it is wealthier than I expected, but it all looks so structured and organised. Enoch says that these houses once, during the 30's, belonged to white families...
13:00
The debate between ten kids, living in townships around Johannesburg, just finished. They talked openly about their personal life and I really grateful for that. I think it’s not easy being so vulnerable in front of a camera. We talked about several subjects; how it is for them to grow up as the fist generation without Apartheid. Is there a generation clash between them and their parents? How are the relationships between black and white people nowadays? They talked about their dreams, opportunities and fears…you will understand that the last two hours talking to them I will never forget! I’m looking forward to edit this debate, then to put it on Couscousglobal / Youtube and show these unique kids to the world. Tomorrow I will have again a debate here in Soweto, but then I will talk about something else: sex and relationships.bookmark:
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My first full day in Johannesburg
February 22th, 2009, posted by:
06:05
Waking up the first morning abroad, leads always to confusion in time and place. In a split second you feel lost, but after that, it becomes all clear: I’m really in South Africa! The sun is shining and the birds are singing (what a terrible beginning of a sentence, it sounds really like a cheap commercial on TV, but this is true), a big contrast comparing with my dark and cold mornings in Holland. I can’t sleep anymore, so I take a bath and put my clothes on.
12:00
I arrive at Eastgate, a shopping centre near by my guesthouse. Somewhere in this huge building I will meet three people for lunch, Wayne, Lindi and Judy. They helped me out organising these debates here in Johannesburg. One of the reasons for planning this lunch is to tell them how grateful I am for their effort; the other reason is less emotional, just preparing the debates (what time, when and who) After an hour we’re sitting here in a restaurant in the middle of this shopping centre. It feels like a blind date because this is actually the first time we see each other. Next to us are sitting three Chinese men, drinking wine. I ask one of them to take a picture of us, the only problem is that his legs are a little bit unstable - I think because of to much wine- so the picture is not that sharp…but anyway, it’s a good memory.
16:15
I’m walking through this never ending Eastgate, and notice something I would never have expected here. The last fifteen minutes I saw more women in burqa’s than I’ve ever seen in Holland.
17:20
I’m sitting in the taxi and the driver’s name is Enoch. When I ask him how dangerous Johannesburg really is, his answer is short, “It depends where and whit who you are.”
But after a minute I can see that his head is still thinking about my question. He continues,
“In the past we had Apartheid, but nowadays there is an other clash: the Africans versus the immigrants from Zimbabwe. They are very aggressive and kill you for nothing. But this aggression is the fault of our government. They promised to give people a house if they vote for the ANC. Instead of us, these people from Zimbabwe got these houses.” We are both quiet. I think this is really an interesting subject, so I will ask him tomorrow to tell more about this conflict ( and will film this) Tomorrow nine O’clock in the morning he will pick me up and bring me to Soweto…the first debate here in South Africabookmark:
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News
Going to South Africa
February 21th, 2009, posted by:
19:00
Ten hours flying and this plane will arrive at Johannesburg, South Africa. My hart is beating faster than it normally do. It’s the unknown Johannesburg-thing, which makes me nervous but not in negative way. It is just that I want that our CouscousGlobal-goes-to-South Africa-adventure must start…
23:00
Tako arrives at the main hall of the airport and he will give me a ride to his Bed and Breakfast Guesthouse, where I will stay the following days. We’re driving through the centre of Johannesburg. This is my first impression of this city. It looks like a place full of opposites: Rich and poor, clean and dirty, black people sleeping on the streets and white people (like me) sitting in a car, suburbs and downtown. The only thing that is constantly cheering up is the amount of beautiful trees. Johannesburg is the biggest man-made forest in the world. Many threes were planted at the end of the 19th century, to provide wood for the mining industry…the first thing I learned about Johannesburg.
00:15
I will sleep now. Tomorrow I will have a dinner with all the people I will work with this week.. AND SOME PICTURES!!!bookmark:
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News
Tehran 29-01-09
January 29th, 2009, posted by:
Another great day in this city with 15 million people.
In the morning I went to the museum of ancient at. And we are talking 7000 before the year 0.
Saw this incredible Venus. If art is old enough it becomes modern art by itself.
Saw very old woodwriting and their translations. Same sort of text as the Bible and the Quoran, other sort of Gods.
The buildings are just extraordinary beautiful. I love the rythms and patterns….When I told the people that I just love these Is...bookmark:
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About Music for Gaza
January 14th, 2009, posted by:
I do not know.
I always get a strange feeling being at a fundraising party.
I think Merlijn is a hero, and Paradiso is great,
this project is fantastic
and the war is awful
and yes I am angry too.But everyone in the building with the same opinion is to much for me.
I miss the other
the other opinion, the other side, the beloved enemy
my best opponent...
Hamas is using human shields: now that is a crime against humanity as well.I ...
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Debate
Letters between Israeli Artists Noa, singer and Udi Aloni, filmmaker.
January 13th, 2009, posted by:
Internationally renowned Israeli singer Noa writes letter appealing to Palestinians in Gaza
Dear Palestinian brothers,
It is with a heavy heart I write to you today. Gaza is burning. The
border with Israel is under fire. Children on both sides of the fence are terrified, traumatized for life, wounded in body and soul. Life!! Life is lost. Blood flows! Pain and tears and anguish abound.
How familiar it all is, my brothers? How well we know these images, th...bookmark:
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Film
Text-messages from Moh the Gazan in Gaza
The collected SMS-messages from Moh the Gazan during the war in december and january 2009 in Gaza, a young translator and friend of our reporter Neil van der Linden.
8/1 evening
Imagine a five months baby burned and killed and left in the middle of the street for 4 days then dogs came to eat both legs. It was more than enough for me to see this baby helpless and dead. I don’t blame Israel because international community is stand still so I will blame the EU, UN and all human rights organisations around the world. Another 3 years old boy was killed on the 6 of Jan and you know what? 3 years ago he was born at the same date to leave his twin sis...
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