Before we went to Colombia I think I had a preconceived idea about what to expect there. I have lived in a Latin American country before, Peru, and I thought that I had seen it all before; the poverty, the corruption, the history that shaped the country into what it is now etc. I was wrong, Colombia is very different to many of the countries that have visited and spent time in, and for one particular reason: the violent past that effects the present of so many countries, is still very much a problem in Colombia today.
Of course history plays a massive part in all this, and many of today's problems are a result of the legacy left since Colonial times and the great inequality that it caused. Colombia is rich in both natural resources and people and this has caused much suffering to many. But there is also another legacy that has been left by this violent and miserable past that is just as powerful: music.
It is unbelievable how rich Colombia is in musical output, from the the black African beats of the Chocó coast to the traditional Vallenatos and the modern hip-hop happening in the cities, music is everywhere. It is such an important part of life for so many people in Colombia, providing hope and entertainment for the whole country, as well as an outlet for poeple's feelings and thoughts. Through music so many people can find something to divert them away from the reality of life and the inherent problems that are abundent in this country.
What we want to do is to help the so many talented musicians to try and achieve their some of their potential. We can't promise success, but we can offer services and possibility. We can help provide studios that can record the so many different types of music that is part of Colombia's rich legacy. Along side this we can provide education in technology that is otherwise unavailable to the vast majority of the country.
If anyone reading this wants to help and can really offer something to help us to help Colombian musicians please get in touch. Visit www.fairtunes.org for details. It has been a major pleasure for me to have the chance to visit Colombia and get to know the amazing people there who are fighting for human rights and equality every day. I hope you can help us to help others.
Friday 8 May 2009
Thursday 7 May 2009
In The Studio, At Last.
I had intended to write this before leaving Bogota, but due to a fairly hefty storm on Wednesday most lines of communication down that day... so here goes.
Monday was spent in several meetings dotted around the city, including the Ministry of Culture. Tuesday was the big day, the day we finally were going to get people into the studio and christen it. The morning passed swimmingly, Nick went to the Semillas building to give the studio a lick of paint whilst I spent the morning working on the written side of the project with our host and (one of) partner in Colombia, Angela. We were due in the studio at 2pm with all of the electronic equipment, we couldn't go earlier due to morning classes in the building.
At around midday our carefully laid plans started to go slightly amiss. First, due to a communication breakdown, we discovered that the guys who were going to come and play hadn't been confirmed. A bit of a problem seeing as it was our last possible day to do anything. Phone calls started flying out left right and centre in an attempt to lock down some musicians. We managed to get Diego from Vivo Arte to commit and come down to play some bass so we would at least be able to do something and have some footage of it in use.
We then called a cab, asking for one with a big boot to fit the kit in. When it turned up I knew that we weren't going to get the run of the green, today of all days. Whilst the taxi arrived on time and with a big boot, said boot was full of a massive gas fuel canister. Brilliant. So off we set with almost all the equipment on our laps. Until the taxi stalled and fluid started leaking from the engine.
A few concerned minutes later and the driver managed to get us going again, not without a lot of traffic soundings its point of view on the way past. The rest of the journey turned into a bit of a joke, for us, and we eventually arrived at our destination. With the gear safely in the studio we went out for a quick bite to eat and returned to set everything up. And here's where events began to turn farcical.
When we got back to open the door, one of the young girls who teaches at the school managed to snap the key in the door. A couple of minutes later we began to be inundated with local hip-hop artists who had responded to the calls we had made earlier. Eventually a locksmith was found and the agonising hour long wait began whilst he set about drilling the lock, breaking the drill, fetching another and eventually we were in.
Now we were up and running. It was amazing, for a good few hours we had the place full and recorded first Diego and a singer, followed by two groups of young rappers. These guys were really good. They are all young guys from Ciudad Bolivar and they truly had a lot of talent. The lyrics were slick and had a gritty message that told a lot about the reality for kids growing up in a barrio like theirs. Nowhere can be found the bling bling that we here from other parts of the world. These guys are respectul and really want to get an important message across.
As is to emphasise what we were listening to in the studio, outside the whole barrio was out to bury a local restaurant owner who had been murdered by some thieves at 8pm on Sunday. The procession was vast as the vehicles and people on foot passed noisily past the Semillas building and toward the semitary nearby. Life can be cheap in areas like this, although not to the people who live there.
On the whole, for us, it turned out to be an amazing day. We achieved what we set out to do, and we even managed to record a few acts as well. Now the studio is being left in the capable hands of the 'Por Nuestros Medios' communication school. Each Saturday they are going to spend the morning teaching people how to use it and in the afternoons record people in it. We cannot be more pleased, with the very little that we set out with, our goals have been achieved thanks to the effort and hard work of the amazing people we have met.
Monday was spent in several meetings dotted around the city, including the Ministry of Culture. Tuesday was the big day, the day we finally were going to get people into the studio and christen it. The morning passed swimmingly, Nick went to the Semillas building to give the studio a lick of paint whilst I spent the morning working on the written side of the project with our host and (one of) partner in Colombia, Angela. We were due in the studio at 2pm with all of the electronic equipment, we couldn't go earlier due to morning classes in the building.
At around midday our carefully laid plans started to go slightly amiss. First, due to a communication breakdown, we discovered that the guys who were going to come and play hadn't been confirmed. A bit of a problem seeing as it was our last possible day to do anything. Phone calls started flying out left right and centre in an attempt to lock down some musicians. We managed to get Diego from Vivo Arte to commit and come down to play some bass so we would at least be able to do something and have some footage of it in use.
We then called a cab, asking for one with a big boot to fit the kit in. When it turned up I knew that we weren't going to get the run of the green, today of all days. Whilst the taxi arrived on time and with a big boot, said boot was full of a massive gas fuel canister. Brilliant. So off we set with almost all the equipment on our laps. Until the taxi stalled and fluid started leaking from the engine.
A few concerned minutes later and the driver managed to get us going again, not without a lot of traffic soundings its point of view on the way past. The rest of the journey turned into a bit of a joke, for us, and we eventually arrived at our destination. With the gear safely in the studio we went out for a quick bite to eat and returned to set everything up. And here's where events began to turn farcical.
When we got back to open the door, one of the young girls who teaches at the school managed to snap the key in the door. A couple of minutes later we began to be inundated with local hip-hop artists who had responded to the calls we had made earlier. Eventually a locksmith was found and the agonising hour long wait began whilst he set about drilling the lock, breaking the drill, fetching another and eventually we were in.
Now we were up and running. It was amazing, for a good few hours we had the place full and recorded first Diego and a singer, followed by two groups of young rappers. These guys were really good. They are all young guys from Ciudad Bolivar and they truly had a lot of talent. The lyrics were slick and had a gritty message that told a lot about the reality for kids growing up in a barrio like theirs. Nowhere can be found the bling bling that we here from other parts of the world. These guys are respectul and really want to get an important message across.
As is to emphasise what we were listening to in the studio, outside the whole barrio was out to bury a local restaurant owner who had been murdered by some thieves at 8pm on Sunday. The procession was vast as the vehicles and people on foot passed noisily past the Semillas building and toward the semitary nearby. Life can be cheap in areas like this, although not to the people who live there.
On the whole, for us, it turned out to be an amazing day. We achieved what we set out to do, and we even managed to record a few acts as well. Now the studio is being left in the capable hands of the 'Por Nuestros Medios' communication school. Each Saturday they are going to spend the morning teaching people how to use it and in the afternoons record people in it. We cannot be more pleased, with the very little that we set out with, our goals have been achieved thanks to the effort and hard work of the amazing people we have met.
Sunday 3 May 2009
Tejo: a drinking mans game
The excitement of the May Day occurances has well and truly dissipated from the streets of Bogotá. Up in the Candelaria district, where we watched riot police and youths exchange gifts so courteously from great distances the other day, the park is now its usual throng of flea market stalls and Sunday strollers. In fact we even saw some police happily conversing with some hippies about their enchanted bangles. Quite a reverse from the action the other day.
So, at least on the surface, peace reigns on the sunny streets of Bogotá once more where we have been running around trying to get in as many meetings and finish off what we set out to accomplish over here. Yesterday, whilst Nick was putting a few finishing touches on the studio we are making (it´s only lacking a lick of paint now), I was visiting Patricia and her youth radio workshop in Suba. I already explained about `Suba al Aire´s´ struggle to obtain a license to transmit radio legally so I won´t repeat myself. I was invited by Patricia to go Suba´s casa de cultura (cultural house or centre) to see what goes on there and to visit her youth community radio workshop.
The program they are running there is fantastic and is open to all local kids for free. I saw a class of kids that was being led by a former pupil of Patricia´s and they were really getting a lot out of the it. The great thing about the set up is that now past students are staying on to take up the mantel and pass on their knowledge to the younger kids. The project is really providing the kids with an alternative as the young teacher informed me. Without this he would have no choice but go into low paid construction work, now he comes into contact with technology and new forms of self expression. The highlight of the trip for me was probably when I had to sit down in front of the class whilst they fired questions at me for what was probably about 10 minutes. For them it was contact with a world that they know very little about. For me it was humbling to be on the recieving end of questions. My companion Angela was also interrogated, although to a lesser extent, and she is planning to link up an exchange withSuba al Aire and the kids that she works with so that they can work together. Links such as these are really important, as Patricia explained to me, as they demonstrate to the kids that they are not alone in what they are doing.
The cultural centre as a whole is great, providing classes in art, literature, radio, vidoe and music for around 200 kids and youths who use the facilities. Unfortunately, due to lack of funds, they currently have only one computer for the whs the radio class came to an end, the computer was promptly unplugged and whisked away to another deserving destination. Suba´s cultural centre has such a great link with local musicians and music projects that this is definately a location that we aim to work in in the future.
Today we went back to visit the L-Mental workshops to do some filming. We also took with us a pc full of music software and a Yamaha sampler to kit out there studio with. When we visited last week they were borrowing a pc and didn´t have enough equipment to do much work with. When we gave him the equipment an emotional Natas told us that it was like Christmas. He can now get a message out to all the groups he knows and they can get back into his studio and do some recording. It really feels like Fairtunes can make a differnece, albeit small, already.
Education and the passing on of information and experience is crucial to what we are trying to achieve. This much has been demonstrated to us by all the groups that we have visited. As such we were given a little lesson last night after being up in the `Nuevas Semillas´ (New Seeds) foundation in Juan Pablo II, Ciudad Bolivar. We are getting quite used to spending time up there and last night we were taught how to play tejo by the teachers that work there.
Tejo is a game that involves drinking lots of beer and throwing heavy metal discs down a hall onto a soft clay target at the end. Despite the obvious dangers we had a great time, it was a real experience and I felt like we made some great bonds with the people there. Some of the other locals weren´t too sure though, our tejo playing is definately not up to scratch yet and their amused glances certainly let us know that. Despite our lack of natural ability for the national working class game we are continuing to make some great links with people. Time is running out and we´ll soon be back and trying to get the ball really rolling.
So, at least on the surface, peace reigns on the sunny streets of Bogotá once more where we have been running around trying to get in as many meetings and finish off what we set out to accomplish over here. Yesterday, whilst Nick was putting a few finishing touches on the studio we are making (it´s only lacking a lick of paint now), I was visiting Patricia and her youth radio workshop in Suba. I already explained about `Suba al Aire´s´ struggle to obtain a license to transmit radio legally so I won´t repeat myself. I was invited by Patricia to go Suba´s casa de cultura (cultural house or centre) to see what goes on there and to visit her youth community radio workshop.
The program they are running there is fantastic and is open to all local kids for free. I saw a class of kids that was being led by a former pupil of Patricia´s and they were really getting a lot out of the it. The great thing about the set up is that now past students are staying on to take up the mantel and pass on their knowledge to the younger kids. The project is really providing the kids with an alternative as the young teacher informed me. Without this he would have no choice but go into low paid construction work, now he comes into contact with technology and new forms of self expression. The highlight of the trip for me was probably when I had to sit down in front of the class whilst they fired questions at me for what was probably about 10 minutes. For them it was contact with a world that they know very little about. For me it was humbling to be on the recieving end of questions. My companion Angela was also interrogated, although to a lesser extent, and she is planning to link up an exchange withSuba al Aire and the kids that she works with so that they can work together. Links such as these are really important, as Patricia explained to me, as they demonstrate to the kids that they are not alone in what they are doing.
The cultural centre as a whole is great, providing classes in art, literature, radio, vidoe and music for around 200 kids and youths who use the facilities. Unfortunately, due to lack of funds, they currently have only one computer for the whs the radio class came to an end, the computer was promptly unplugged and whisked away to another deserving destination. Suba´s cultural centre has such a great link with local musicians and music projects that this is definately a location that we aim to work in in the future.
Today we went back to visit the L-Mental workshops to do some filming. We also took with us a pc full of music software and a Yamaha sampler to kit out there studio with. When we visited last week they were borrowing a pc and didn´t have enough equipment to do much work with. When we gave him the equipment an emotional Natas told us that it was like Christmas. He can now get a message out to all the groups he knows and they can get back into his studio and do some recording. It really feels like Fairtunes can make a differnece, albeit small, already.
Education and the passing on of information and experience is crucial to what we are trying to achieve. This much has been demonstrated to us by all the groups that we have visited. As such we were given a little lesson last night after being up in the `Nuevas Semillas´ (New Seeds) foundation in Juan Pablo II, Ciudad Bolivar. We are getting quite used to spending time up there and last night we were taught how to play tejo by the teachers that work there.
Tejo is a game that involves drinking lots of beer and throwing heavy metal discs down a hall onto a soft clay target at the end. Despite the obvious dangers we had a great time, it was a real experience and I felt like we made some great bonds with the people there. Some of the other locals weren´t too sure though, our tejo playing is definately not up to scratch yet and their amused glances certainly let us know that. Despite our lack of natural ability for the national working class game we are continuing to make some great links with people. Time is running out and we´ll soon be back and trying to get the ball really rolling.
Friday 1 May 2009
Pinch, Punch, first of the month and no return
May Day marches are traditional all over the world and Bogota is no different. Here, however, the police seem to act with a certain amount of impunity that is rarly seen elsewhere (unless we count the recent G20 debarcle in London). Three years ago the police came out in such force that they killed a young boy who was peacefully taking part in the march.
Swine flu is on the agenda everywhere and, despite no confrimed cases here yet, the face masks are out. The government even tried to stop the procession due to risk of the infection spreading. Hmmm, nice try.
The march is undertaken by union members and other civil rights groups who take the time out to demonstrate their general disgust for the way things are run here. Today was no different. We knew several groups that were taking part: 'Por Nuestros Medios' were there with a gazeebo and some of the kids they are teaching who were interviewing passers by and some of the marchers. Some other guys that we know pitched in and hired a truck and a sound system to parade in. They were championing several good causes: the first was the death of a young boy, Nicolas Neira aged 15, three years ago - his father Yuri complained to the police and then began to investigate seriously the death of his son. He found out that his son died due to multiple blows to the head and he started to kick up a fuss. The long and short of it is that Yuri has been chased from the country by both threats made to his life and actual attempts on it- The second cause was what is here called 'Falsos positivos' (false positives). This is where the army pick up youths and take them to other cities, dress them in revolutionary gear and kill them before claiming a moral victory for the armed forces. This caused quite a following behind the truck and it is in itself quite a dangerous ploy to so blatantly challenge the authorities here.
The general feeling I took from the march was positive. Our friend Richie, who helped organise the truck, never looked comfortable and said that he was worried about what could happen. Relax I said, it's all going smoothly. As Nick and I wandered up and down the parade I was almost constantly filming. It was amazing to see such an array of colours and hear such great music. Everyone was highly negative about the current administration and the way things are run out here but it was peaceful all the same.
Until our truck came to a certain point a little ahead of us. I was still filming when someone smashed the window of a bank and then the mod passed by police with riot shields and it all kicked off. A water cannon sent most of the crowd running back towards us and we turned and took flight too. Our truck promptly left the march - it turned off the street and sped away - leaving an army of punks running left right and centre.
Nick and I headed up into the old town in search of our friends and stopped on a small side street to make a call. Suddenly the street was filled with police motorbikes, dozens of them, with riders on the front and what are known as robocops riding pillion. You can probably imagine what they look like, heavily adorned in black armour and helmets and with weapons to boot; really they are called ESMAD, a form of extreme riot police. I was filming it all and it was intimidating to say the least as they passed on down the street, stopped, turned around and then passed back by us. Following the commotion was easy as the loud bangs of tear gas shells being fired came from the streets just around the corner from us. Several street battles ensued but we only stayed around to film the goings on: the robocops would charge the youths who would run away before the motorbikes swooped down to pick up the robocops and take them to the next group.
As teargas began to sating our nostrils it was a welcome sight to see a group of peaceful clowns succesfully see off the confused robocops with whistles and dancing. After that we headed toward the truck where the party had begun under the watchful eye of Swedish international observers.
Richie was right, a couple of days before he had said that there had been real tention in the capital over the last few months and that he thought it might boil over. It did, and it was interesting to be witness to it, thankfully we look so much like gringos that the robocops payed us no attention. Their targets are the people who protest on the streets once a year in a vain attempt to better conditions in this country. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt for their cause this year.
Swine flu is on the agenda everywhere and, despite no confrimed cases here yet, the face masks are out. The government even tried to stop the procession due to risk of the infection spreading. Hmmm, nice try.
The march is undertaken by union members and other civil rights groups who take the time out to demonstrate their general disgust for the way things are run here. Today was no different. We knew several groups that were taking part: 'Por Nuestros Medios' were there with a gazeebo and some of the kids they are teaching who were interviewing passers by and some of the marchers. Some other guys that we know pitched in and hired a truck and a sound system to parade in. They were championing several good causes: the first was the death of a young boy, Nicolas Neira aged 15, three years ago - his father Yuri complained to the police and then began to investigate seriously the death of his son. He found out that his son died due to multiple blows to the head and he started to kick up a fuss. The long and short of it is that Yuri has been chased from the country by both threats made to his life and actual attempts on it- The second cause was what is here called 'Falsos positivos' (false positives). This is where the army pick up youths and take them to other cities, dress them in revolutionary gear and kill them before claiming a moral victory for the armed forces. This caused quite a following behind the truck and it is in itself quite a dangerous ploy to so blatantly challenge the authorities here.
The general feeling I took from the march was positive. Our friend Richie, who helped organise the truck, never looked comfortable and said that he was worried about what could happen. Relax I said, it's all going smoothly. As Nick and I wandered up and down the parade I was almost constantly filming. It was amazing to see such an array of colours and hear such great music. Everyone was highly negative about the current administration and the way things are run out here but it was peaceful all the same.
Until our truck came to a certain point a little ahead of us. I was still filming when someone smashed the window of a bank and then the mod passed by police with riot shields and it all kicked off. A water cannon sent most of the crowd running back towards us and we turned and took flight too. Our truck promptly left the march - it turned off the street and sped away - leaving an army of punks running left right and centre.
Nick and I headed up into the old town in search of our friends and stopped on a small side street to make a call. Suddenly the street was filled with police motorbikes, dozens of them, with riders on the front and what are known as robocops riding pillion. You can probably imagine what they look like, heavily adorned in black armour and helmets and with weapons to boot; really they are called ESMAD, a form of extreme riot police. I was filming it all and it was intimidating to say the least as they passed on down the street, stopped, turned around and then passed back by us. Following the commotion was easy as the loud bangs of tear gas shells being fired came from the streets just around the corner from us. Several street battles ensued but we only stayed around to film the goings on: the robocops would charge the youths who would run away before the motorbikes swooped down to pick up the robocops and take them to the next group.
As teargas began to sating our nostrils it was a welcome sight to see a group of peaceful clowns succesfully see off the confused robocops with whistles and dancing. After that we headed toward the truck where the party had begun under the watchful eye of Swedish international observers.
Richie was right, a couple of days before he had said that there had been real tention in the capital over the last few months and that he thought it might boil over. It did, and it was interesting to be witness to it, thankfully we look so much like gringos that the robocops payed us no attention. Their targets are the people who protest on the streets once a year in a vain attempt to better conditions in this country. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt for their cause this year.
Catching Up
Well we have nearly finished building the studio. It just needs a bit more sound-proofing which Nick is going to do tomorrow whilst I am in Suba visiting some workshops of 'Suba al Aire'. Nick has also finished teaching the guys how to use the studio, which we are going to install early next week and hopefully record someone.
Apart from that we have been busy having more meetings. Yesterday we had a very positive one with the British council who seem to be interested in the project and offered us help with importing equipment; something that has been an issue since we landed.
Apart from that there is a little something about May Day, but I think that deserves its own blog so I'll end this one now.
Apart from that we have been busy having more meetings. Yesterday we had a very positive one with the British council who seem to be interested in the project and offered us help with importing equipment; something that has been an issue since we landed.
Apart from that there is a little something about May Day, but I think that deserves its own blog so I'll end this one now.
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Getting There
It doesn,t feel like we have been up to much over the last couple of days, but upon reflection I suppose we have really. We spent the whole of yesterday looking for materials to build a small soundproofed room in the community centre in Juan Pablo II. Eventually we managed to get enough to make a start and today we started building it. Now it feels like we have truly made a start on the project.
We left the centre as dusk was falling and we really saw the barrio in a different light (no pun intended). Before when we had visited it was generally during the day and with at least one other Colombian with us. This evening we were alone with a load of hired tools and the place was really buzzing with people. The atmosphere was fairly electric and we had one or two knowing looks thrown our way. Despite what most people say about places like this we have never felt threatened; everyone is so friendly here and easy to get along with. Having said that we have been down a couple of streets at night which we then took taxis out of.
Anyway, the long and the short of it is that we have started building and Nick has finished teaching people to use the studio and we are well on our way.
We left the centre as dusk was falling and we really saw the barrio in a different light (no pun intended). Before when we had visited it was generally during the day and with at least one other Colombian with us. This evening we were alone with a load of hired tools and the place was really buzzing with people. The atmosphere was fairly electric and we had one or two knowing looks thrown our way. Despite what most people say about places like this we have never felt threatened; everyone is so friendly here and easy to get along with. Having said that we have been down a couple of streets at night which we then took taxis out of.
Anyway, the long and the short of it is that we have started building and Nick has finished teaching people to use the studio and we are well on our way.
Monday 27 April 2009
Music, The fabric of Life
I think it goes to show how important to a country music is when there is a street where mariachis hang out waiting to be hired. Anyone can go down to hire them for serenades or parties, for as long or short a time as you like.
But the mariachi street is but one tiny demonstration of how much music is a part of the very fabric of life here in Colombia. The past couple of days we have visited some other projects that are taking their music very seriously. For the guys running these projects they see music as a way of keeping kids off the streets and out of gangs that are constantly trying to recruit youths in the poorer areas.
Yesterday we visited a group called L-Mental (Elemental) that run a series of workshops on Sunday mornings teaching various aspects of Hip Hop culture. In a community centre in Ciudad Bolivar they provide free classes that are an inspiration to the kids of the area. We were shown a breakdance class that was of a truly high quality with several instructors running a group of around forty kids.
The main problem for L-Mental, like so many of the community projects we have visited, has been with funding. They have had problems in the past when people have invested mony and then tried to take control of the project itself. The guys running the project stress that it is vital that the they remain in control as it is they who understand what the kids need. They are very serious about their work and about the area in which they live. Such can be demonstrated in the lyrics of the music that they produce. The Hip Hop that they make is progressive and politically charged telling of the trials and tribulations of everyday life. For them music is a way of channeling thier emotions and bringing a positive message to those younger than them. L-Mental have a very small recording studio up in the hills of the barrio in the front room of one of their crew. Here they have recorded many groups fro free and are committed to providing a free service to anyone who wants it. Their resources are extremely limited and their old computer is now beginning to fail them. We are going to try to help them in what ways we can but what they really need is some real imput of infrastructure that could see them move out of the front room and into a proper location from which to work.
In the future this exactly the project that we aim to help, unfortunately we couldn´t bring enough with us this time to help everyone. As it is, however, music is what binds these people together and provides them with real hope to keep moving in the right direction.
But the mariachi street is but one tiny demonstration of how much music is a part of the very fabric of life here in Colombia. The past couple of days we have visited some other projects that are taking their music very seriously. For the guys running these projects they see music as a way of keeping kids off the streets and out of gangs that are constantly trying to recruit youths in the poorer areas.
Yesterday we visited a group called L-Mental (Elemental) that run a series of workshops on Sunday mornings teaching various aspects of Hip Hop culture. In a community centre in Ciudad Bolivar they provide free classes that are an inspiration to the kids of the area. We were shown a breakdance class that was of a truly high quality with several instructors running a group of around forty kids.
The main problem for L-Mental, like so many of the community projects we have visited, has been with funding. They have had problems in the past when people have invested mony and then tried to take control of the project itself. The guys running the project stress that it is vital that the they remain in control as it is they who understand what the kids need. They are very serious about their work and about the area in which they live. Such can be demonstrated in the lyrics of the music that they produce. The Hip Hop that they make is progressive and politically charged telling of the trials and tribulations of everyday life. For them music is a way of channeling thier emotions and bringing a positive message to those younger than them. L-Mental have a very small recording studio up in the hills of the barrio in the front room of one of their crew. Here they have recorded many groups fro free and are committed to providing a free service to anyone who wants it. Their resources are extremely limited and their old computer is now beginning to fail them. We are going to try to help them in what ways we can but what they really need is some real imput of infrastructure that could see them move out of the front room and into a proper location from which to work.
In the future this exactly the project that we aim to help, unfortunately we couldn´t bring enough with us this time to help everyone. As it is, however, music is what binds these people together and provides them with real hope to keep moving in the right direction.
Thursday 23 April 2009
Teaching continues
I guess that things are starting to slot into place a bit. At this moment Nick is giving a second lesson to what is now becoming a sizeable crowd. This is really important as these are the people who are going to take the equipment that we have brought and take it to locations and record music.
Each day it seems we have the amazing opportunity to visit another project that is working for the greater good. Today we visited ´La Familia Ayara´, a Bogotá based group who run workshops in Hip Hop and grafiti as artistic forms of expression. These guys are really together and produce music in their own studio and sell it in a shop they have. They are hoping to expand their social enterprise to their home province on the pacific coast where the local population is severely affected by war and poverty.
These guys are very well organised and appear to get funding from a variety of NGOs, but they still need more help and we definately want to work with them. It is amazing to see how many people are interested in what we are doing and the creative links that we are making are increadible.
We went back to the community centre in Juan Pablo II today and began to clear out the room we are going to set the studio up in. There is a lot to do there before it is ready but at least we have made a start. Tomorrow we are going to look at another place that wants to host the equipment we brought over on a temporary basis. Each day our schedule is filling up with more and more places to visit and amazing people to talk to. Its hard to catch your breath sometimes, especially when so many people have something to say.
Each day it seems we have the amazing opportunity to visit another project that is working for the greater good. Today we visited ´La Familia Ayara´, a Bogotá based group who run workshops in Hip Hop and grafiti as artistic forms of expression. These guys are really together and produce music in their own studio and sell it in a shop they have. They are hoping to expand their social enterprise to their home province on the pacific coast where the local population is severely affected by war and poverty.
These guys are very well organised and appear to get funding from a variety of NGOs, but they still need more help and we definately want to work with them. It is amazing to see how many people are interested in what we are doing and the creative links that we are making are increadible.
We went back to the community centre in Juan Pablo II today and began to clear out the room we are going to set the studio up in. There is a lot to do there before it is ready but at least we have made a start. Tomorrow we are going to look at another place that wants to host the equipment we brought over on a temporary basis. Each day our schedule is filling up with more and more places to visit and amazing people to talk to. Its hard to catch your breath sometimes, especially when so many people have something to say.
Wednesday 22 April 2009
Recording the present for the future
At times it seems that whatever you might do, or even plan to do, is futile. Looking at the larger picture of our project and the stumbling blocks that have already arisen since being out here- we need to find a way of importing equipment into the country without being taxed and that is just one thing- it has crossed my mind that what we are doing might be pointless.
But then you come across people that are truly inspiring and give you a real reason to carry on. Last night we visited a collective called Vivo Arte (Live Art) who have been doing some truly amazing things. They have a recording studio in the centre of Bogota and produce both their own music and music of other bands in the area. But this is only a small part of what they do.
Vivo Arte is a politically active group that is creating creating 'resistance art' and music of resistance. Here in Colombia there are major difficulties in expressing yourself against the official position. Traditionally there has been the path of violence that has lead the country down a long and bloody path which has not reached its end yet. Violence commited by the army and linked paramilitary groups threaten the many indigenous tribes that inhabit land that is of interest to multinational companies. This is something that Colombia has to deal with on a regular basis.
What Vivo Arte are trying to do is to teach a different way to resist what is happening to the people and, in so doing, create a new way of documenting the problems for both current and future generations. Just by doing this they are jeopodizing their own lives.
Another extremely improtant activity that they are involved in is the documentaion of indigenous music. They have been working with various tribes all over Colombia - there are 68 languages spoken in the country and countless tribes - to record their traditional music so that it is not lost. The recorded music acts as an archive and can be used by the tribes to protect their cultural heritage from displacement at the hands of revolutionary and paramilitary forces. Some of the music we heard was amazing and it is difficult to put into words the amazing work that this collective is doing. We were literally blown away. Each time they produce a CD of tribal music they give 500 discs to the tribe so that it can be retained by them as part of their culture. The rest they sell to try and fund the continuation of their project. The work they are doing in this area is so important as without it these languages and cultures could soon be lost forever. These are people that we will try to keep in touch with and hopefully help in the future.
We have set up our studio in a friend's house and tonight we are going to begin teaching people how to use it. Once we have soundproofed the space in the community centre we are going to move the equipment there. Slowly but surely our project is getting off the ground. If we can make a fraction of the difference that Vivo Arte do, then everything will be completely worthwhile.
But then you come across people that are truly inspiring and give you a real reason to carry on. Last night we visited a collective called Vivo Arte (Live Art) who have been doing some truly amazing things. They have a recording studio in the centre of Bogota and produce both their own music and music of other bands in the area. But this is only a small part of what they do.
Vivo Arte is a politically active group that is creating creating 'resistance art' and music of resistance. Here in Colombia there are major difficulties in expressing yourself against the official position. Traditionally there has been the path of violence that has lead the country down a long and bloody path which has not reached its end yet. Violence commited by the army and linked paramilitary groups threaten the many indigenous tribes that inhabit land that is of interest to multinational companies. This is something that Colombia has to deal with on a regular basis.
What Vivo Arte are trying to do is to teach a different way to resist what is happening to the people and, in so doing, create a new way of documenting the problems for both current and future generations. Just by doing this they are jeopodizing their own lives.
Another extremely improtant activity that they are involved in is the documentaion of indigenous music. They have been working with various tribes all over Colombia - there are 68 languages spoken in the country and countless tribes - to record their traditional music so that it is not lost. The recorded music acts as an archive and can be used by the tribes to protect their cultural heritage from displacement at the hands of revolutionary and paramilitary forces. Some of the music we heard was amazing and it is difficult to put into words the amazing work that this collective is doing. We were literally blown away. Each time they produce a CD of tribal music they give 500 discs to the tribe so that it can be retained by them as part of their culture. The rest they sell to try and fund the continuation of their project. The work they are doing in this area is so important as without it these languages and cultures could soon be lost forever. These are people that we will try to keep in touch with and hopefully help in the future.
We have set up our studio in a friend's house and tonight we are going to begin teaching people how to use it. Once we have soundproofed the space in the community centre we are going to move the equipment there. Slowly but surely our project is getting off the ground. If we can make a fraction of the difference that Vivo Arte do, then everything will be completely worthwhile.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Community Radio
Colombians, it seems, are used to fighting for what they want. From the man on the street struggling to sell his wares to the more prosaic armed conflicts that seem to engulf the country in the eyes of the outside world. Last night we met a woman who has been fighting for a long time to gain what she wants.
Patricia is a member of 'Suba al aire' (raise in the air), a community project in the barrio of Suba to the north of Bogota. Like Ciudad Bolivar it is a vast area of more than a million people and is one of the major catchment areas for people fleeing poverty and conflict in other areas of the country. Last night Patricia was celebrating, although not counting her chickens before they are hatched. Suba al aire have just been awarded a license for a frequency for their comminity radio project.
Apparantly this has been a long and drawn out struggle that began 15 years ago when they were a pirate radio station. Patricia herself has been fighting the legal battle for 9 years and now, hopefully, they have won.
The problems initially arose when they applied to become a legal radio station serving the community in which they live. A radio station serving the community needs is exactly what Suba is crying out for, and has been for years. The government, however, didnt exactly see things the same way. It just so happens that the five men who control the majority of the communication media, including the commercial radio stations, are also memebers of congress; the same congress that prevented Suba from obtaining its own radio station.
Since then Suba has joined together with other community groups and fought tooth and nail to get the law changed. Along the way they have won several victories but have always been left disapointed by some clause or another. A couple of years ago after one victory a subclause was added that stated that anyone who had broadcast illegally could not have rights to a frequency. This obviously included Suba al aire and the other radio stations that had already been broadcasting. And so the battle continued.
Personally I don't understand the reason for the government trying to prevent community radio programs from being aired. They are not trying to compete with the commercial stations, they are merely trying to provide a service to their local area. I have been informed that this simplistic view is not one shared by the many officials that want to make a cut off everything that happens in the country.
I truly hope that Suba have won their monumental battle with the governmental corruption that has fought to prevent them from producing community radio programs. For now Patricia is not holding her breath, lets hope that Suba has its own air waves soon.
Patricia is a member of 'Suba al aire' (raise in the air), a community project in the barrio of Suba to the north of Bogota. Like Ciudad Bolivar it is a vast area of more than a million people and is one of the major catchment areas for people fleeing poverty and conflict in other areas of the country. Last night Patricia was celebrating, although not counting her chickens before they are hatched. Suba al aire have just been awarded a license for a frequency for their comminity radio project.
Apparantly this has been a long and drawn out struggle that began 15 years ago when they were a pirate radio station. Patricia herself has been fighting the legal battle for 9 years and now, hopefully, they have won.
The problems initially arose when they applied to become a legal radio station serving the community in which they live. A radio station serving the community needs is exactly what Suba is crying out for, and has been for years. The government, however, didnt exactly see things the same way. It just so happens that the five men who control the majority of the communication media, including the commercial radio stations, are also memebers of congress; the same congress that prevented Suba from obtaining its own radio station.
Since then Suba has joined together with other community groups and fought tooth and nail to get the law changed. Along the way they have won several victories but have always been left disapointed by some clause or another. A couple of years ago after one victory a subclause was added that stated that anyone who had broadcast illegally could not have rights to a frequency. This obviously included Suba al aire and the other radio stations that had already been broadcasting. And so the battle continued.
Personally I don't understand the reason for the government trying to prevent community radio programs from being aired. They are not trying to compete with the commercial stations, they are merely trying to provide a service to their local area. I have been informed that this simplistic view is not one shared by the many officials that want to make a cut off everything that happens in the country.
I truly hope that Suba have won their monumental battle with the governmental corruption that has fought to prevent them from producing community radio programs. For now Patricia is not holding her breath, lets hope that Suba has its own air waves soon.
Sunday 19 April 2009
Ciudad Bolivar
About an hour from the centre of Bogota, on the Transmilenio bus system, lies the vast barrio of Ciudad Bolivar (Bolivar City). Despite its million plus inhabitants Ciudad Bolivar is not a city in its own right but rather one of the poor neighbourhoods that lie on the periphery of the Colombian capital. Upon arrival at the main bus station you wait for buses taking you to the smaller neighbourhoods that make up Ciudad Bolivar. In some kind of ironic urban planning, the location names adorned on the front of the buses are for areas called 'El Paraiso' (Paradise), 'Tesoro' (treasure) and 'Vista Hermosa' (Beautiful View).
We took the 'El Paraiso' bus and got off in the community of 'Juan Pablo II' (John Paul the 2nd), before trekking up toward the 'Associacion Biblioteca Comunitaria' (Community Library Association). We were invited there by some friends who work there every Saturday running a media education program in the centre for both kids and youths alike. We were there to do a recky on the place to see if it was possible to build a studio there and also to see if it would be used by people.
What we found was an amazing program trying to bring an education to the underprivileged kids who are brought up in the area. The centre has been running for about 20 years and, after first opening as a library service, now offers a primary school education to about 60 or 70 kids from the area. The centre is such an important project for these kids who, without it, would unlikely recieve any formal education and would probably never learn to read or write without it. It was truly increadible to watch as a small group of kids got to grips with the first basic ideas of stop motion graphics, whilst some others rapped and beat-boxed into a mini disc recorder. The Saturday media program is teaching the kids the basic techniques with which they can express themselves to the outside world.
I spoke in length with one of the coordinators of the centre, Jose Ignacio Caro, who told me a lot about the history of the centre he has been working at for some 14 years or so, the current problems they are facing and the history of the area in general.
Ciudad Bolivar's size swells every day due to the constant influx of the vast numbers displaced by the war between the revolutionaries and the government and the paramilitaries in the country. Education is not obligatory and, due to governmental corruption on all levels, the centre does not recieve the public funding that it so deperately needs. Therefore the centre survives day to day struggling to pay for the basic services it needs to operate and on the generosity of volunteers.
Recently there has been a sinister occurance threatening Ciudad Bolivar. Paramilitary groups have published pamphlets and distributed them, declaring a curfew in the area that begins at 10pm. Anyone caught out on the streets are executed in what the paramilitary see as just targets of prostitutes, drug addicts and youths. Jose infromed me that this is nothing new, however. Youths have long been the target of paramilitary groups. He called it a constant massacre which began in 1988 with the killing of 14 youths in one night. Since then they have been killed in ones or twos, but the amount and frequency of the killings adds up to a veritable massacre.
If there was ever a place where the people need help and an outlet for their frustrations it is here.
A little more humbly than before I sign off.
We took the 'El Paraiso' bus and got off in the community of 'Juan Pablo II' (John Paul the 2nd), before trekking up toward the 'Associacion Biblioteca Comunitaria' (Community Library Association). We were invited there by some friends who work there every Saturday running a media education program in the centre for both kids and youths alike. We were there to do a recky on the place to see if it was possible to build a studio there and also to see if it would be used by people.
What we found was an amazing program trying to bring an education to the underprivileged kids who are brought up in the area. The centre has been running for about 20 years and, after first opening as a library service, now offers a primary school education to about 60 or 70 kids from the area. The centre is such an important project for these kids who, without it, would unlikely recieve any formal education and would probably never learn to read or write without it. It was truly increadible to watch as a small group of kids got to grips with the first basic ideas of stop motion graphics, whilst some others rapped and beat-boxed into a mini disc recorder. The Saturday media program is teaching the kids the basic techniques with which they can express themselves to the outside world.
I spoke in length with one of the coordinators of the centre, Jose Ignacio Caro, who told me a lot about the history of the centre he has been working at for some 14 years or so, the current problems they are facing and the history of the area in general.
Ciudad Bolivar's size swells every day due to the constant influx of the vast numbers displaced by the war between the revolutionaries and the government and the paramilitaries in the country. Education is not obligatory and, due to governmental corruption on all levels, the centre does not recieve the public funding that it so deperately needs. Therefore the centre survives day to day struggling to pay for the basic services it needs to operate and on the generosity of volunteers.
Recently there has been a sinister occurance threatening Ciudad Bolivar. Paramilitary groups have published pamphlets and distributed them, declaring a curfew in the area that begins at 10pm. Anyone caught out on the streets are executed in what the paramilitary see as just targets of prostitutes, drug addicts and youths. Jose infromed me that this is nothing new, however. Youths have long been the target of paramilitary groups. He called it a constant massacre which began in 1988 with the killing of 14 youths in one night. Since then they have been killed in ones or twos, but the amount and frequency of the killings adds up to a veritable massacre.
If there was ever a place where the people need help and an outlet for their frustrations it is here.
A little more humbly than before I sign off.
Friday 17 April 2009
Airport tax
I suppose it says a lot about the workings of a country when you get fined at the customs bringing a load of equipment to daonate to a project. In the end it was easier for us to pay an import tax on the equipment we brought in than get it impounded and try and fight our case through the embassy. The best part about the whole situation was after we opened our bags at customs all the girls working there grabbed hold of our bubble wrap and proceeded to pop it for the next half hour. It kept me amused whilst in the office trying to sort out the situation. At least everything arrrived, and we didn't have to pay for over weight baggage in the UK either. You win some you lose some.
We have only just arrived really but have already been out buying equipment that we need to set up the studio. Last night we met some people that we are going to work with. Their project sounds very interesting, they are running a schoool teaching media techniques in a communty centre in one of Bogota's poorest barrios. Their plan is to start working in other places and create a network by making radio programs and videos about the lives of the young people there and broadcasting them however they can.
We have already set several meetings with people interested in Fairtunes, all positive stuff. Looking forward to getting stuck in.
Take care
Jon
We have only just arrived really but have already been out buying equipment that we need to set up the studio. Last night we met some people that we are going to work with. Their project sounds very interesting, they are running a schoool teaching media techniques in a communty centre in one of Bogota's poorest barrios. Their plan is to start working in other places and create a network by making radio programs and videos about the lives of the young people there and broadcasting them however they can.
We have already set several meetings with people interested in Fairtunes, all positive stuff. Looking forward to getting stuck in.
Take care
Jon
Tuesday 14 April 2009
Fairtunes: creating futures through music
Well here we go,
Jon last and Nick Minton are heading out to Colombia on the 16th April 2009. We are going to set up a small recording studio with a project called 'Por nuestros medios'; a new Bogota based group teaching media skills to young people in the 'Ciudad Bolivar' barrio of the Colombian capital.
This will be Fairtunes' first soujourn to build a studio in Colombia. Our aim is to help musicians to have free access to recording facilities and to provide them with a space in which to promote themselves. This is merely the beginning. Follow this space to keep in touch with our project and journey.
Big love
Jon
Jon last and Nick Minton are heading out to Colombia on the 16th April 2009. We are going to set up a small recording studio with a project called 'Por nuestros medios'; a new Bogota based group teaching media skills to young people in the 'Ciudad Bolivar' barrio of the Colombian capital.
This will be Fairtunes' first soujourn to build a studio in Colombia. Our aim is to help musicians to have free access to recording facilities and to provide them with a space in which to promote themselves. This is merely the beginning. Follow this space to keep in touch with our project and journey.
Big love
Jon
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