Af-riikka

This post tries to briefly explain the little known various styles of Bhutanese music which you can hear blasting from the local radio stations every day. Religious music is in a category of its own, with sacred dances and monastery music - here I will only focus on folk and popular music. B-pop Starting with the newest form: B-pop , a style "invented" by a local music studio in Thimphu called M-Studio . They have produced several hits during their few years of existence, most famously Tharingsa of which I have heard at least four different versions (not to mention all the karaoke interpretations), and Yonphula which is probably their second-biggest hit. The video below, filmed on a beautiful river-side with a prayer flag covered bridge in the background, is an acoustic version of singer-songwriter Pema Deki's "Due Atara". The faster, disco-type original song was chosen for the first ever flashmob organized in Bhutan: Pema Deki performed her song live wh...

During the last few days I have done some extensive online searching - on out of all the people - Lil Wayne, financially one of the most successful American rappers at the moment. Yet recently, as Wikipedia tells me, he has changed into rock with less enthusiastic reactions from the critics. Why Lil Wayne? Last Saturday was the World Environment Day, and I participated in the activities organized by the scout project workers in the town of Kolda in Casamance. The last activity was a film screening, and as we are still missing proper videos on environmental education, we showed one film obtained from Kolda's Water and Forest management service (Eaux et Forets) on sustainable forest management in the region, beekeeping and income-generating activities for the local women. To attract more audience and keep people entertained while waiting for the actual screening to begin, we normally show music videos, images of nature or just play music with the loudspeakers. As it happened, one of...

One of the moments from elementary school that I will never forget are the times when we had to bring our favourite tunes to music class and have them reviewed with the whole class: we listened to maybe 5 or 6 songs during one class, and after listening everybody gave their points from 1-10 with a short explication. Like a poor version of "Juke Box Jury" ("Levyraati") on TV where they also showed the videos made for the song. Just as a sidenote, Wikipedia tells interesting facts on this show: in the UK they showed it only between 1959-1967, 1979 and 1989-1990, whereas in Finland ( suomeksi ) we liked it so much that it went on non-stop from 1961 to 2005. A classic TV show! To get back to the topic: I remember bringing two songs to the school juke box jury, and both of them were completely demolished, both by the teacher and the other kids, with only a few exceptions, notably my friends who probably gave them better notes than they would have normally done. The othe...

I enjoy observing people. One of the best places in the world for people-watching must be New York City, with its 8 million inhabitants, hundreds of languages and cultures, crowded subways and bright-lit streets. But since I tend to spend a lot of time in the subway - around two hours per day - most of my people-watching is focused on that area. Based on my perceptions during these hundreds of travel-miles so far, I listed ten possible things to do in a New York subway, depending on your skills, interests and energy level. 1. Watching people is obviously the number one thing. After that, I like to spend my time just for thinking. 2. Reading the free newspapers in the morning: my commute seems to be perfect for reading both Metro and AM, to catch up the latest gossips about presidential elections or the financial crisis. 3. Sleeping, especially during the late-night traveling. Just don't miss your stop. 4. Knitting seems to be in fashion now when the days are getting chillier. 5. Si...

Bye-bye! , originally uploaded by rockriikka . Sorry that I haven't had time to write properly about the success of Young Africa project this year. As Finnish-speaking readers can see, I'm already off to Africa again, this time to Tanzania. Last few days were a bit hectic: moving stuff from my apartment, writing research plans for my Master's thesis, meeting people for good-byes and finally, trying to wrap up Young Africa 2007. We had some pretty intense 12 days there, in July/August - I'm sure Nthabi, Reason, Hamma and Collin can confirm that. Missing luggage, good shows, fun, fighting, sleepless nights, free champagne and many unforgettable encounters with people. I had a one-day-break in the middle of the tour, when I escaped to my friend's wedding (which was nice, thank you Saana!), but otherwise I was basicly on the run and stressing on minor issues too much. I know I should just take it easy, but it is difficult when one is trying to be perfect :) I...

Osallistuin tänään Helsingin Juhlaviikkojen ohjelmaan muutoinkin kuin edustusvaimona avajaisiin kaupungintalolla: Ojos de Brujo Espanjasta esiintyi täydelle Huvilateltalle. Täytyy sanoa, että tunsin oloni todella kummalliseksi astuessani sisään portista: pitkästä aikaa tuli nuori olo, sillä minulla ei ollut korkokenkiä eikä pikkumekkoa päälläni, kuten useimmilla muilla vierailla tuntui olevan. Nimenomaan vierailla - vaikutti siltä, etteivät ihan kaikki välttämättä olleet ostaneet itse lippuaan. Tai jotenkin en ollut ainakaan odottanut Ojos de Brujon fanijoukon koostuvan keski-ikäisistä pukumiehistä viinilasi kädessä... No mutta, toivottavasti nekin, jotka eivät tienneet mitä tulevat katsomaan viihtyivät! Omalta kohdaltani keikka oli yksi kesän kohokohtia. Kun keikan alkamisesta kuulutettiin sanoin "Huvilateltan ohjelma jatkuu tuossa tuokiossa" ja ihmiset istuivat tyynesti penkeillään, olin vielä hieman skeptinen illan suhteen. Mutta yllätyin. En edes muista milloin olisin v...

In case someone has been wondering why I have been away, complaining that I'm tired or busy or have just had an empty look in my eyes lately - there's actually a reason for it. I've been organising and promoting the tour for a South African hip hop artist Nthabi during the last two months or so. The visit is part of a developmental project called Young Africa which is organised by the Cultural Association Etnokult, mainly known for the yearly Faces Etnofestival in Billnäs. Besides the concert fees, Young Africa is mainly funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The purpose of the project is basicly to update the image people have on Africa in general - it's not a mere "jungle or zoo", as Nthabi rhymes in her song "Home". More and more people actually live in cities, not everyone is inalphabet or walking around bare-breasted. Especially the youth in African cities are using the Internet, watching Popstars and listening to Ameri...

Palasin eilen Helsinkiin elämäni rankimmalta festarikokemukselta. Tanskan suurin sanomalehti Berlingske Tidene otsikoi juuri ennen Roskilde-festivaalin alkua ironisesti: "Mene Roskildeen - hanki ilmainen mutakylpy!"Kolmessa Kaisassa siideriä jäisillä mansikoilla siemaillessani ne masentavimmat epätoivon hetket puoleensääreen ulottuvasta mudasta, jatkuvasta sateesta ja märistä vaatteista alkoivat jo häipyä mielestä. Flickrin Roskilde-kuvista (itse en ottanut onneksi digikameraani mukaan, koska siinä ei välttämättä olisi enää mitään ruostumattomia osia) voi saada jonkinlaisen käsityksen olosuhteista. Vähintään kaksi kolmesta toteutui jokaisena festaripäivänä: a) sataa b) tuulee c) on kylmä. Villapaita ja nahkatakki olivat vakiovarusteitani, joiden kanssakin hytisin viluissani. Mutta hei - ei siellä pelkästään kamalaa ollut. Ruoka oli suhteellisen edullista, ja etenkin falafelit & valkosipulileivät hyviä. Yksi ravintolatoimipiste oli varsin ohjelmallinen: ihmisten poltelles...

West Africa can be either a paradise or hell for music lovers, depending on your taste and sensibility. Finnish composers in Villa Karo certainly suffered from the constant sound of music everywhere: it seems that the only acceptable volume is the maximum volume...but that's what many Beninese said several times: there cannot be a party without music, and preferably very loud music! I didn't actually know that much about West African music before coming here. Of course the biggest stars, such as Youssou N'Dour, Salif Keita, Ali Farka Touré, Rokia Traoré or Amadou & Mariam were familiar to me. But very often, especially outside the most famous countries of African music (Senegal and Mali) people listen to artists we have never even heard of in Europe. Not that many people like Angélique Kidjo, for example - the most well-known Beninese artist abroad (and also living abroad, most of the time).Instead they prefer Petit Miguelito (the 20-year-old son of the famous musician,...