This past Saturday I attended the 4th Annual African Descent Festival.
The big name entertainer for the first evening was Ezra Kwizera. Currently he lives in Vancouver but grew up as a refugee in Uganda before returning to his home country Rwanda after the 1994 genocide.
His music is raw and powerful.
I enjoy his soulful sounds which are born out of tragedy.
I've attended this festival for 3 years now and each year I can see it get more organized and grow in attendance.
I wasn't there on day 2 but the crowed was about 4x what it was on Saturday as people came out in large numbers to see the Ugandan sensation, Eddie Kenzo. I am not familiar with his music but I know he is very popular.
At the festival there is a combination of vendors selling their goods, stalls with information to raise awareness and food. This year I was happy to see the Nigerians have joined in selling their foods and that they had a very popular booth.
The lady with the white t-shirt holding a girl's hand is the awesome Jabulile Dladla who leads the group Bouna Vedere. Jabulile is a wonderful artist and I was fortunate to catch her act last year. Sadly I missed it this year. Jabulile used to be a member of the world renowned Soweto Gospel Choir of South Africa and came to beautiful BC some years ago. She is an indie musician now.
Usually I go to the festival alone and often chat with new people. This year some friends joined me and they had a lot of fun. We ran into others at the festival that we know.
Other news
I finished the booked entitled The Tuscan Child since my last post. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. In case you are interested you can learn more about the book by clicking here. Currently I am reading Too Close to the Sun: The Audacious Life and Times of Denys Finch Hatton. The book is about the life and times of Denys Finch Hatton, someone whom I first came to know of as the lover of Karen Blixen when they both lived in Kenya. If you have seen the movie, Out of Africa you will know who I am talking about. While I am keenly interested in learning more about Finch Hatton I am not quite enjoying the author's style of writing. As a result I have to work a little (a lot) harder at getting into it. It might just be that I'm very busy right now.
I started the latest book in the midst of going to the festival, attending a bridal shower (I didn't take photos to share) and dealing with my dryer repair (the steam function seems to be working now) as well at going to see the movie RBG. The movie documents the life and times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court Bench since August 1993. It was a very nice documentary about this exceptional woman who helped chart the legal strategy for the achievement of women's equality in North America.
I finally managed to capture some different birds on the patio but it wasn't easy. The birds fly off very quickly as soon as there is movement or they hear a sound. I enticed them with fresh water in the bird bath. I then had to position the bird bath closer to my open patio door then sit quietly and wait for them to appear while taking care not to make any sudden movements while they appeared. My strategy was only partially successfully as they were gone in seconds and it takes longer for my camera to be ready since the zoom function appears to be sticking. I was still delighted to get some photos. Now I need some help with bird identification. If anyone knows what kind of birds these are kindly let me know. By the way, this week is the first time I've ever seen these birds on my patio.
I end this post with a view of today's sky.
It is very hot here right now and has been for some time. It is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
To cope I'm drastically limiting my errands and appointments so I don't have to go out in the blazing sun.
Indoors I have my fans going and I'm drinking plenty of fluids. At night after the sun goes down I might go out and buy a bowl of gelato or ice cream or I make sure I have some fruit popsicles in the freezer.
I've been hearing that there are heat waves in parts of Europe, in parts of the USA and in Japan where many people have died. Meanwhile my friends in Nairobi have been cold with temperatures lower than usual I think for this time of year.
I hope you are keeping cool enough and hydrated if you are suffering from heat.
Of course, the life in Kenya is very hard so I pray for the people for many different needs.
Of course, the life in Kenya is very hard so I pray for the people for many different needs.
That's it for today.
I hope you will come back and visit me again some time.
I hope you will come back and visit me again some time.
Joining in this week with
and
23 comments:
The festival looks like it was a lot of fun - and great weather too! Your little birds are pretty!
Festival looks like an interesting event - lovely birds too
Hello!
The festival looks amazing!
I hope you are staying cool.
We have had a week of cooler temps and rain here.
Making me anxious for fall! : )
Wonderful festival... thanks for sharing the highlights!
Festivals are usually interesting and fun. I have tried taking pictures of birds but usually not successful.
Beautiful post and photos. I enjoyed your post very much. Have a day of blessings.
Oh the festival looks like such an awesome adventure listening to the music and visiting the colorful booths. Our granddaughter was adopted from Uganda, so I have a soft spot for that culture! I don't know what type bird that is, but it's pretty. I have a soft spot for birds, too. Glad your dryer is fixed .. seems it's the time of year for appliances to tear up! As for the heat .. it's hot and humid in East Tennessee, too! Thanks so much for joining in and sharing fotos each week! Hope you have a great weekend... stay cool! 💜
This post made me smile. I was just talking with a friend last night about a pastor she knows who escaped the Rwandan genocide. This musician also escaped. Good news.
What a lovely post, Penny. I feel as though I've traveled the world and loved every single minute of it! I would love to have gone to the Festival with you. I am so inspired by the way God has touched your heart for the people of Africa. I loved the bird pictures and your flowers. Thank you for the great reviews on the books! Stay in and stay cool, my friend. xx
The festival sounds like fun and I was interested to read about Jabulile. Love the birds on the veranda, you have captured them well. Have a good weekend, Diane
That festival is certainly colorful and looks very interesting. Sweet little birds. We are suffering from the heat here, too, but we are blessed with good AC. It's no fun being hot. Stay cool. It is supposed to cool down to the high 90's maybe today or tomorrow. I can't imagine life in Africa.
What an interesting festival. I loved the pictures of the birds at your fountain and I especially love your last picture of the beautiful flowers. Have a great day.
Festival looks like it was great! Glad you shared it with us.
I don't know what kind of bird that is but its a cute one for sure.
Your patio is looking so pretty
What a great post -- you've been busy! The festival looks loads of fun and very interesting too. And I think I'd love the Finch Hatton book. Although I'll always think of Robert Redford. (The real DFH was probably hideous looking!) Lovely photos, one and all.
The festival sounds fun and interesting. Beautiful colors everywhere.
I think the first bird is a sparrow and the one with red a purple finch.
The festival sounds like a great event, something to enjoy!
Hello, the festival looks like a fun time. I am glad the weather was nice too. Cute captures of the male and female finches. I will add that book to my list to read, sounds interesting. Your flowers are lovely. We are cooler but receiving a lot of rain. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend.
Festival is so colorful and great photos ~ lovely 'feathered friends shot' and hot looking sky from the terrace! Summertime!
Happy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
That looks like a fun festival.
You got the whole world in your post!! That line just came to me when finishing reading!!From the colorful and vibrant festival to the reports of all the heat and cold fronts、and feeling your heart of concern for all the people. ♡ Great to see your photos, and to hear of your strategy for getting the birds to come close using the water baths!! The sweet little birds found the perfect shade under the greens on your patio!! You too, keep cool and have a blessed week!! ♡
That African festival looks like fun and I like the colors in the clothes the vendors are selling. Your bird bath photos remind me to fill my bird bath since the water evaporates and the birds love and need water.
The festival looks like it would be fun with African music and all the colourful goods.Keep cool.
Sounds that you had a wonderful time in the event! Nice to see many shops around to spend time. Beautiful bird bath tub for the birds...
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