WETIN BE DAT? Pidgin English phrase of the week

"Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop."

Workers do it all, but the fruits of their harvest are swept up by "big men."

MY PEOPLE SAY--NIGERIAN PROVERB OF THE WEEK

"The fish that can see its water is growing shallow cannot be stranded." Yoruba proverb

Awareness means preparedness.

THIS WEEK IN SAMINAKA--JULY 6 to JULY 11

JULY 6 THROUGH JULY 19. Saminaka PHOTO CONTEST--Saminaka has some recently updated features--more animals from the treasure hunt, some new trees and plants, two small offshore islands--and a new photo contest is meant to showcase it! Enter any photo taken on Saminaka, whether of nature or a portrait of yourself or another. The contest board is on the near shore side of the Ikorodu market shops. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Saminaka/121/217/27


Pay an empty square 50L, then have your friends vote for you for 20L. It isn't like the unwinnable big contests--there will only be 24 slots, and everyone will win something. The Grand Prize winner gets 2000L cash, a voucher for FIVE superb free skins at Kiko Life (superb male and female skins available at the main store), a photo shoot at Spirited Images Photography (oh, you will like it!), their choice of two free outfits and two pairs of shoes at Cinnamon Brigade and/or Tropicality, artworks (one each from Seven Cowries, tignon, Pangolin Dreams), and an outdoor umbrella table and chairs from Gidan Magarifi. All other participants will receive a prize currently on sale for over 200L. So exercise your angles and join in! And a big thank you to our sponsors!! Needless to mention, all the photos will be published in this paper, too.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 AT 6PM SLT. Inauguration of Egbe Akowe writing group--preliminary meeting. Saminaka is going to host a writing group in a soon-to-be constructed library/bookshop. But what kind of writing shall we focus on? Or should there be several subgroups (general fiction, genre fiction, non-fiction, academic writing)? The group WILL start next week, but come and shape it in its nascent form--and see article above. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Saminaka/80/224/22

MIDDLE PASSAGE EXPERIENCE ON TELEVISION--HELD OVER THIS WEEK The Middle Passage Experience (now over 120 full participants!) excited some external interest, and tomorrow Designing Worlds of Treet.TV will record a program about it--and Indea Vaher's Safe Haven site. It will be broadcast within SL and on the Internet. Because new viewers might like a look, the Experience has been held over through July 11, and, we hope, may resurface as a permanent exhibit somewhere else. Once it's posted, you'll be the first to know!

ANCIENT ETHIOPIA IN SL--Tamsin Barzane

It takes geological change to make real continents grow, but virtual ones are faster. I am happy to report that the SL continent of Africa is swelling in its specificity—a Virtual Ethiopia called Enda Brukh has joined Saminaka (Nigeria), Virtual Africa (South Africa), Africa (Malawi/Zambia/Zimbabwe). AbaBrukh (“Aba” means “father,” while “Brukh” means “blessed”) Aabye has recreated not only some traditional stone structures of today’s Ethiopia, but has reached far back into the past to reconstruct part of an early historical palace.

AbaBrukh Aabye’s love and interest in Eritrea and Ethiopia goes back nearly forty years. “I was in the Army during the Vietnam era,” he said, “and got sent to DLI-WC, the Defense Language Institute in Monterey California, to learn Arabic for a year. At the end, I was sent to Asmara, then in Ethiopia, now in Eritrea; the US had a communications base there. I had studied archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania, so I was in heaven. I connected with the Ethiopian Institute of Archaeology, and took part in several important excavations.”

He stayed even after his stint in the service was over, but after about five years had to leave, for the political situation was heating up—this was not long before the revolution that unseated Emperor Haile Selaissie.

Although his plans for grad school in archaeology were derailed, SL has given him the opportunity to present some of his research findings to a wide audience in a lively, inviting way. “I've always wanted to do something to make people more aware of the wonderful history and archaeology of Ethiopia and Eritrea,” AbaBrukh says. “I did a lot of drawings, started scanning my huge collection of photos and slides.”

AbaBrukh discovered SL through NPR, where he formerly worked. A mother who was an artist and an engineer father had long ago developed his visual skills, and his entry into SL made building inevitable. “Finally I could make a 3D restoration of a site that is just a ruin, and make it livable!” he said.

He entered SL in Spring of 2007, and estimates it took him about a year and a half before he began constructing. He has two 1024 parcels, and hopes to acquire a third. They are located within a two-sim recreation of an ancient Roman city, since Axum (also spelled Aksum) was a kingdom that traded substantially with Rome. This environment is an attractive one—no concerns of jarring Jetson-like towers or overnight malls. Wintry snows may be out of keeping with Ethiopia when the sim gets seasonal, but that is not too heavy a price to pay.

AbaBrukh reminds visitors that ancient Axum and much of modern Eritrea and Ethiopia have a culture that mixes African and Semitic threads through language, religion and other aspects. “The palace dates from the 4th century, the height of Aksum's power,” he says. “Aksum grew from a pre-existing culture of traders and warriors that developed in the Abyssinian highlands. They spoke a Semitic language, probably native to the region, not borrowed from South Arabia, as was once thought, but related to those in southern Arabia. The cultures were also related, and tied by commerce, art and architecture, and language.” Only the Red Sea separates Ethiopia from Yemen and other Middle Eastern regions.

AbaBrukh Aabye notes, “Aksum grew very powerful by trading frankincense and spices to Rome and the Mediterranean world--and very wealthy. They controlled trade in both items.” He points out this dominance put them in a position “much like the oil states are today.” Besides these items, they also led international trade in ivory and exotic animals, as well as African gold. To consolidate their mercantile powers, they destroyed their Kushite Nubian rivals to the north, centered at Meroe.

Axum began to grow at the outset of the Christian era and maintained its position for several centuries, trading with Rome and Byzantium. AbaBrukh observes, “The Emperor Ezana decided that to stay in the good graces of newly Christanized Rome, he needed to make the same move, so in the 4th century, he made Christianity the official religion.” The Roman Emperor Constantine had legalized Christianity that same century, so its official recognition occurred at about the same time in both African and Europe.

Axum marked the graves of its kings with the tallest monolithic monuments in history, taller than Egyptian obliesks. These burial vaults must have been amazing repositories of grave goods, but were thoroughly looted in ancient times. AbaBrukh plans to use a megaprim to erect at least one in Enda Brukh.

Before it was Christian, ancient Ethiopia had a Judaic presence, as well as polytheistic religion. Ethiopia still has a strong belief that the Biblical Queen of Sheba, whom they call Makeda, was their daughter. Her union with King Solomon produced Menelik I, who brought the Ark of the Covenant from across the Red Sea, and founded a pre-Axum dynasty.

A stele just outside the palace once stood near its real-life counterpart at the important Eritrean site known as Metera or Matara. “Unfortunately,” AbaBrukh says, “During the 2000 war, Ethiopian troops camped in the site. Lacking other entertainment, they blew up this oldest example of the modern alphabet common to the two countries. The inscription survived, but all below was shattered.” Written Ge’ez (today only a liturgical language), has an imposing yet graceful character.

The palace itself is beautifully textured, its small stones showing the area’s expertise in making mortarless walls. AbaBrukh notes, “I’ve watched villagers using the same building techniques that date back to Aksum and earlier, and, as you can see from the palace, they did build multi-story buildings.” The palace section currently has two stories, but a third is planned.

Another new direction will be an even older site. AbaBrukh’s avatar seemed excited at the thought of it! It’s “a temple that is at least 2500 years old now, the walls still stand almost intact. It’s from the kingdom of Da'amat that preceded Aksum.”

The authenticity of AbaBrukh’s builds shine in every detail, as does its exquisite beauty. Its vegetation, its weaver birds--even the haystack on the room of its modern Tigray village house (so goats won’t get to it)—all add to the atmosphere. Photos and slide shows of Ethiopia provide more information, as do the specifics a guided tour can provide. He noted that a well-off villager reserves the upstairs for entertaining, while the ground floor is for the family and animals. Beer jars, skins and carpets are in the appropriate spots.

The ancient palace has an audience hall and other chambers, and includes imported Roman furniture appropriate to its wealthy rulers. Its crossed spears and shields served as an ancient Aksumite and Ethiopian symbol of authority. AbaBrukh points out that the palaces had plumbing of sorts, and may have included baths modeled after those of the Romans. “The hot tub,” he admits, “Is an anachronism.”

This fabulous site deserves more traffic, for it hasn’t yet received much publicity. Please visit and learn about an early African world few know about yet. And don’t forget the stele that acts as an offering point—AbaBrukh has knowledge and passion enough for a whole sim, if donations can get him there. He deserves that canvas, and so do we.

Visit ancient Ethiopia at Enda Brukh here: http://http//slurl.com/secondlife/Locus%20Amoenus/201/27/29

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UNDER THE MANGO TREE--Tamsin Barzane

As a big fan of hair (and what SL female isn’t?), I had an interest in this year’s Hair Fair, but had been lagging…um, DRAGGING…my feet because of lag concerns. However, it had been open a week and it wasn’t bad at all yesterday, early on a Sunday morning. By late morning, though, it was like moving through molasses.

Molasses—a clever metaphor! For the sim was decked out in a Candyland theme, the lawns sprinkled with gumdrops and Starlight peppermints, the sellers ensconced in individually decorated gingerbread and confectionary cottages. I felt like Gretel (minus the blond braids), and started to salivate before hair vendors had even rezzed. Most cleverly, there was a chocolate path to follow that wended its way throughout the isle, so you could rest assured you didn’t miss anything.

My mission? Well, dear readers, to see what diaspora-inspired hair there might be for your consumption. With over 130 sellers taking part in this fourth annual event, there had to be loads of head-turners.

I found some of interest, but also noticed some things that intrigued, puzzled and even disturbed me. A few of my favorite hair places weren’t there, such as Mirai. Well, no surprise—there are a thousand and one coiffeurs on SL, and no island could hold them all. Many vendors were taking advantage of the size-to-fit script, making life easier for the expansion-and-rotation challenged, and others exploited color/texture changing HUDS for a plethora of options. The sponsored island was giving to its own favored charity, Locks for Life, with participants earmarking particular styles that donated 50 or even 100% of their profits to the agency. But the aspect that baffled me was that very few of the hair models on this packed sim were diaspora faces—or Asian faces, for that matter.

Diaspora ladies MAKE their hair versatile (is that India Arie and Akon I hear singing in the background? Sing out!), so any style will work for them, yet in a real world where black models have been top runway and Vogue sellers since the 1970s, SL is lagging in more ways than one. Let me be charitable—maybe hairsellers take all their hair photos on variations of themselves in different skins. If so, wouldn’t a little variety make them shine?

Alas, I think this has nothing to do with overt racism, but with the more insidious invisibility issue—if it doesn’t look like me it doesn’t really exist. Or, “since I never noticed that black women frequently wear their hair straight in rl, I never thought of putting them in that cute asymmetric short style!” Oh, Rihanna, step in here!

Well, that is a question to be revisited in future. We have hair to consider!


I’m not bothering with the general styles, which anyone can wear (though don’t forget, there are a number of freebies to be had), but instead am focusing on the more diasporic hair. My own hair, for the duration of my visit, was abandoned. I had followed the sim’s coaxing to wear the official lag-reducing coiffure and outfit (if all wear the same thing, the servers have less work and things move more swiftly), and was attired in an attractive whipped cream dollop. Though I did look delicious, I WAS THE ONLY AVATAR WEARING THIS ATTIRE! And, I might add, the only one hopping along in the awkward non-AO gait. Ah, the valiant sacrifices I make for you readers.

Well, diasporic hair was somewhat limited. There were relatively few big curly styles that caught my eye, though a few, such as Bishwear’s Billie or Jolie Femme’s Bella III, were present.

Booperfunk had some fun styles (you know I have been a HUGE fan of their bouncing braids since I came on SL), and I was happy to see new favorite Discord Designs with several cute styles displayed, including the Matrix’s Niobe, as well as a short dread twist style for men that I wore anyway. They thoughtfully included some men’s facial hair variations as well. (Men in general got fairly short shrift at the Fair, aside from some dreads, tails and Mohawks—no surprise).

Sari’s flowered lock updos were adorable, and I am going to rush out and buy them all! Even when called for a Midnight Mania in my huge-sign-on-my-head demo, the Sari Hanami Dreads were exciting requests for an LM. Her coifs come with adorable decorations, but can also be worn plain.

A few other interesting dreadlock variations were available, including a fabulous free and lovely “Fatima II Dreads Updo” set that “grew” over time (with three lengths—and a color HUD for contented play!) at Zen. Another favorite was a Steampunk set that included tiny light bulbs in its gathered masses, and made me feel inventive, a little messy, and incredibly creative. At 400L, it was one of the more expensive coiffures, but I’m slapping it down later this week.

Interesting plaits were scarce on the ground. BishWear had Laramie, a wispy style with just a few beaded braids at the temple—decidedly different and softly appealing, like real hair after a stiff breeze. Discord had a discounted dollarbie plaited to the head called DeShaun for men that looks good.

I also liked the wired braid Mui style from Sparkle Skye Designs, which reminded me of some Nigerian heads, though it was their flaring Naima updo that brought that country’s creativity forcefully back to me! One friend spent a morning having her plaiter create a style using attachments (sorry-o! . . .extensions) that resulted in a fantasy brimmed “hair hat” for a special occasion, and this one reminded me of a combination of that type of hairdo combined with a traditional Mangbetu style. I’d love to see more styles that use plaited styles as a jumping off point—if any wigmakers need some inspiration, IM me!

The thought of fantasy was what I really enjoyed at the Fair—except I wished there had been more, as well as more of Steampunk/Goth, and more historic, vintage, and ethnic styles.

I couldn’t resist demos that made Tam into a pincushion, like The Stringer Mausoleum and Shrine’s “Pincushion”, or Vanity Fair’s whimsical gel-stiffened standup Herma curls—imaginative and perfect for a high style look.

Even better were two completely fanciful styles by Tekali-li that featured the underwater Scylla style (but where was Charybdis? Must check the store!) in tones referred to as “starfish,” “leather” and “metallic,” with scripted tentacle textures. Undine was also great—both came with multiple purchasing possibilities, including fat packs that allowed 74 textures, 77 tints, and hair ornament color changes. Don’t miss his treasure chest with a freebie scripted style called Nixie—much fun.

The hair fair has been extended till July 6, so try it early in the morning. The Locks of Love fundraising is a good reason to buy any of these styles at the Fair itself, but, if you’re like me, you’re curious to see what else these designers have on their home turf. Because when I start tearing my hair out, I like to have plenty in the closet!

See the Hair Fair at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Beta%20Business%20Park/128/128/23

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AD RATES ******advertisement**********

Ads! We have an initial special offer for you, whether you are shopkeepers or classified customers! Remember you can advertise your shop, feature an item, or try to sell a transferable item. If your ad has a photo, it costs more. There are discounts for extended runs of the same ad, and lesser discounts if you have constant ads, but they vary from week to week. YOU CAN ALSO USE THIS VENUE TO ADVERTISE RL OBJECTS AND SERVICES; LIST YOUR EBAY OR OTHER SITE AND REACH OUR CUSTOMERS (Tamsin Barzane will never reveal your rl identity to readers). All ad payments are in-world and in lindens. Ads for the coming week should be submitted by noon SLT Wednesday.

Single ad, no photo, one week. maximum 5 Blogger lines: 50L
Single ad, photo, one week. Text maximum 5 Blogger lines: 100L
Single ad recurring, no photo, one month (4 issues). Text maximum 5 Blogger lines: 175L
Single ad recurring, photo, one month (4 issues). Text maximum 5 Blogger lines: 325L
Single ad changing week-to-week, no photo, one month (4 issues). Text maximum 5 Blogger lines. 180L
Single ad changing week-to-week, photo, one month (4 issues). Text maximum 5 Blogger lines. 425L

If you want longer text, more than one photo, or a longer ad run, prices will be adjusted. Contact Tamsin Barzane through inworld notecard or at tbarzane@gmail.com

These are introductory prices--no telling if they'll last more than a month! Get em while you can! After a month we'll have some readership statistics for you.

FROM THE SUITCASE--Oliha Yiwama

Oliha safely arrived in Nigeria and is the toast of the town! He delivered a paper in rl and was interviewed by numerous newspapers! Will we be able to keep him in SL when he comes back? He's been running from pillar to post, but supposedly will soon have access to the Internet by cable, with no need of a cybercafe! ooolala!

While we're waiting for his dispatches, I have several cooling tips from the memories he's aroused of power interruptions. The power company, NEPA (locally read as "Never Expect Power Again") frequently switches off the lights, so forget the fan, talk less of ac. When heat is intense, you have to adjust. If it's safe enough, sleep outside or (depending on your house type) on the roof--of course, mosquitoes are then free to dive bomb you.

I outsmarted them once by heading outside in shorts, but swathed in a huge piece of fine turquoise tulle (like a bridal veil), held in place by a wide-brimmed hat. Within, I shared my mosquito-free space with a book and a booklight, and enjoyed myself thoroughly. By next day, however, I heard some odd rumors floating about--I forgot the apartment building next door could look down into the yard--and what an odd sight they saw!

If the room is too hot and you toss and turn, you throw water over your head till your hair is soaked, and sprinkle some on the sheets as well. That can give a bit of respite.

Hope Oliha isn't suffering that hard!

--Tamsin Barzane

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HAWKING IN THE MARKET--SAMINAKA COMMERCIAL NEWS

***Cinnamon Brigade will rain five new pairs of shoes on the virtual world this coming week! Will debut them through Fashion Consolidated, and let you small business owners who have been considering it know how much of an impact it has!

***Saminaka will soon have a new combo library/bookshop. Our first publication is out, over by the Middle Passage Experience, and consists of the bound slide show presentation about the Middle Passage. Soon a version of last week's Olaudah Equiano lecture will be published as well. Each at the modest price of 50L, in a handy Hippobook.

***New small stalls at small prices (with small prim allowances) will still be up soon--great for vendors! We'd love a hair vendor, particularly, so if you have a friend...

***The Compass's circulation keeps growing! We were at 98 last week, and now--163 minutes ago! A happy increase--tell your friends!

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WETIN BE DAT? Pidgin English phrase of the week

Which kine pikin go waka like dat? Shebi she be ashewo?
Which kind of a child goes about carelessly in public? Is she a prostitute?

MY PEOPLE SAY--NIGERIAN PROVERB OF THE WEEK

"When two elephants fight, the grass gets trampled" -- Nigerian English
When two important people quarrel, stay out of the way! It's the little ones who get caught up in the trouble that lose out!

THIS WEEK IN SAMINAKA--JUNE 29 to JULY 5

TUESDAY JUNE 30 at 5:30 pm SLT & 6:30 SLT. As the Middle Passage Experience draws to a close (though we are extending it a little longer), we are going to have a once-only GUIDED tour, so you can be sure you don't miss anything. It starts at 5:30 with Tamsin (the beach infohub has a Teleport to the tour's beginning), and will end up at Safe Haven Haven Landing with Indea Vaher. Immediately afterward (at about 6:30 or maybe a little sooner) Acuminous Watanabe will facilitate a discussion of how reenacting this tragic historical exodus affected participants. Were you too reluctant to do it? Did the sight of the Door of No Return make you cringe? Did the thought of manacles clench your stomach? You were not alone. Talk it out. Acu is a fabulous counselor, and you will find yourself processing and gaining a sense of healing.

The tour is going to be filmed by Winn Wellman, as well as by a news crew from Treet.TV for their program "Designing Worlds"--exciting indeed!

A box holding all the before and after stories of the ten African lives explored in the Experience is now available at Saminaka for free.

SATURDAY, JULY 4 at 5 pm SLT. An envoy from the American Embassy (tee-hee) will set off firecrackers for a rollicking good time down by the Manatee Lookout. Fireworks? Of course! They are likely to spook the manatee, but she'll settle down.