My next piece is up at Global Voices Online:
Wednesday’s Public Poverty Forum in Kampala had one blogger, Tumwijukue, asking, “Did they (re)define poverty? Did they speak of poverty of the mind? Or did they merely use the event as a networking opportunity and an excuse to miss work for the day, rushing to the organizer’s table at the end of the forum for the Ushs. 50,000 delegates’ allowance?”
The documentary made by the four Danish women who were in Uganda earlier this year is online, both at the Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke website and on Google Video:
It makes me miss you guys.
The blogren are on Facebook: Uganda Blog Society. I think it’s awesome — kudos to Joshi for setting this up.
My latest piece is up on Global Voices Online:
Ugandan blogger and radio personality Dennis Matanda’s provocative opinions on African culture, Idi Amin and recolonization have been covered on Global Voices before. Dennis caused another stir last month when he posted on his blog under the title “How to Be Dead.” The post chronicled the radio show, ensuing threats and frightening act of vandalism leading up to his flight from Uganda, a decision met with a mixture of support, bemusement and skepticism by his fellow blogren.
Now living in the United States, Dennis is working on his
first fiction piece: a novel titled Master of the Sagging Cheeks, which he hopes will bring a change in the way the world views African leaders. He agreed to share his story with Global Voices.
The infamous 27th Comrade announced it. And then it happened:
So my curiosity did get the best of me right, blame in Sage for all the flack he gave it or the numerous bloggers who defended it. Well Kissyfur did show up at BHH. Mostly because I was going for rock night and needed to buy time before that and it sounded like a good idea. So yeah, I bribed Tandra with a Tyler Perry movie simply because I desperately needed to have somebody there that I atleast knew.
So anyways, got there abt 7.30 and interestingly enough i knew or had interacted with the majority there..isnt blogistan but an extension of ur life?? so i technically met Rev, ai, Dee, Carlo, Dante, the Baz (not the bee,mind), Liz and Heaven!.
I use a boda-boda to get to Mateos, known in some circles more appropriately as “that place where bloggers meet.” I attempt to keep my face non-smiling. I don’t want to give vendors the impression that we are buddies and they should offer me groundnuts. It’s my sod-off expression. Patented. Often imitated but never duplicated. Then I see two bloggers of the female persuasion.
Must. Not. Smile.
They see me as I try to stare down a pretty young thing that almost stepped on me. They smile.
Must. Fight. Smile.
One of them stands up. She seems taller than when last I saw her.
I yank the ear phones out of my, well, ears. That’s where they reside, isn’t it?
Smile Bad! Scowl Good!
She hugs me and my scowl leaves me. But not before saying, “Adios amigo, you’re weak. You give in way too easy!”
I’m counting around nine blogren, ten if you include Gay Uganda, who sort of showed. Mad props to him for doing so, especially in light of Monday’s debacle. Having the courage to make it to UBHH at all given Uganda’s current cultural climate makes you the Blogren Star of the Month in my book.