tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:15:12 +0000My Africa is calling. Africa Yetu. This blog is my drum. Beat it with me.http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/mamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)Blogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-4600596565856393817Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:20:00 +00002009-11-27T18:24:11.858-05:00healingPaa Ya Paa This improvisation reminds me of my feelings, the goosebumps that traversed the lengths of both arms when my baby brother played piano for me when I visited home and our resuscitated gallery in Nairobi, Kenya, after being gone for so long.  The energy and honesty, the way he trusted himself and his fingers as they roamed the keys, allowing me a glimpse into his inner feelings.  On that day he http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/NrRJ98ny8M8/beautiful-improvisation.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/NrRJ98ny8M8" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/11/beautiful-improvisation.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-675461538642117306Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:35:00 +00002009-11-19T17:35:00.250-05:00AfricaChild SoldierHere is my submission in the first monthly MyBrownBaby Beautiful Mind Writing Contest; this month's topic is "Peace." I've been overloaded at my 9-5 and have not had much time in the blogosphere; otherwise I'd have seen this sooner, I'd have posted the announcement earlier, you see the deadline is tomorrow. I just could not resist penning on the topic. So, here goes, a little rushed but I hopehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/PtYkqdWhve0/peace-teacher.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)7<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/PtYkqdWhve0" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/11/peace-teacher.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-752145899967208180Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +00002009-11-05T16:05:22.641-05:00AfricapovertylawlessKenyaAdulteryImage One: The lovebirds are holding hands.   She is a head taller than him, and attractive, her skin is a rich dark brown.  She has a figure that is model material, not runway thin but unique, shapely, African.  She leads the way, her pointed chin tilted slightly upwards, as if proclaiming her innocence.  Blood is smeared on her left breast. His eyes are downcast, praying for the ground to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/e6OFJH4leWs/troubled.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)11<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/e6OFJH4leWs" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/11/troubled.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-5494505618757447805Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:05:00 +00002009-10-29T20:16:01.009-04:00storiesIf you need a refresher on the last STD episodes, click here for 1, 2, 3, and 4.Langata Road (traffic-free, probably mid-morning)The taxi driver’s wet lips prattled in Kikuyu, the nasal tone of his voice registering high and low notes, some plaintive, others cheerful. It was annoying. [An aside: Just yesterday, I heard Senator Joe Lieberman’s voice on TV, and remembered that I had not finished http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/7q2TJQPkcBo/shady-taxi-driver-5.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)11<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/7q2TJQPkcBo" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/10/shady-taxi-driver-5.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-873769379008122293Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:25:00 +00002009-10-27T21:25:19.102-04:00familyPhoto creditVipi marafiki? I've been inundated with our fifth grader's homework assignments these past few days. And truth be told, I am definitely not smarter than a fifth grader. Last night I spent two hours trying to help him finish his math homework - Problem Solving Strategies - six problems consisting of three sentence questions involving the division of decimals. The problems were so http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/-P1oNyhRs1E/teamwork.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)9<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/-P1oNyhRs1E" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/10/teamwork.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-434399496117918521Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:15:00 +00002009-10-14T22:15:00.218-04:00PassionKenyaNadiaAfrica YetuI couldn’t wait to tell Nadia. She lived on the other side of the bougainvillea lined path that separated our properties. I had not talked to her for a few days. And once or twice recently in the evenings, I caught a glimpse of her through the hedges as she walked alone towards the main road. I wondered where she was going and made a note to ask her, then decided to follow her the next time Ihttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/43dKgScHwSI/trespassing-prohibited.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)16<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/43dKgScHwSI" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/10/trespassing-prohibited.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-2132921632115317106Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:50:00 +00002009-10-07T22:01:20.744-04:00LagosAfricaEmploymentAfrican YouthNigeriaPhoto creditThis young man could very well be a college graduate or a high school graduate. He may also not be a graduate at all. Regardless, as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. Believe it or not, this young man is a tailor. And balanced on his head is his workstation. Due to the inability to find employment he has resorted to fulfilling a need. In all likelihood, his http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/v5jXjfn-7Q8/balancing-life.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)19<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/v5jXjfn-7Q8" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/10/balancing-life.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-2878316281486169643Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:15:00 +00002009-09-29T13:15:00.535-04:00This post is dedicated to our ex. Have you ever had the opportunity to tell someone, "Go jump in a lake!?" It's a plus when you can tell them exactly what lake too! For instance, Lake Magadi, back home in Kenya's Rift Valley would work perfectly because in the dry season it is 80% full of soda ash, a.k.a. washing soda. Our ex can just jump in there and be cleansed thoroughly of the senseless http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/DH59Cw-6F6k/ponder-your-navel.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)16<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/DH59Cw-6F6k" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/09/ponder-your-navel.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-8789460564016883187Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:49:00 +00002009-09-22T13:49:00.861-04:00parenting This old man and this old woman, they played knick knack on my drum this weekend. And with the knick knack, they paddy whacked me. So much so, I ended up without a bone! I had to settle for a measly nanosecond of an opportunity to rise up; to beat my drums the way I was taught by Mama. African-style with rhythm and flair in remembrance of Bibi's [grandma's] teachings.This old man and this http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/NzJzyc3HYWE/teachable-moments.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)10<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/NzJzyc3HYWE" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/09/teachable-moments.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-1886234254597161651Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:30:00 +00002009-09-06T10:30:00.981-04:00African politiciansAn English grammar session in the Nigerian House of Representatives. Listen keenly to the third politician, you might need your dictionary...:-)Enjoy the weekend.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/avXciF4hfk4/english-as-second-language.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)18<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/avXciF4hfk4" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/09/english-as-second-language.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-4835283926450378060Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:30:00 +00002009-09-05T08:30:00.197-04:00South Africa 2010Africa Cup of NationsFIFA 2010Lovers of soccer, fanatics, Africans in the Diaspora, there is an outlet for your pent up demand for the good game. It is crunch time, qualifier matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and CAF's Cup of Nations (Angola 2010), are on this weekend. And AllSoccerAfrica in partnership with Sport Five and My African Football presents the matches to you LIVE online.Will both Cameroon and Nigeria (the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/2kd7FGQGkjY/2010-world-cup-african-qualifiers.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/2kd7FGQGkjY" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/09/2010-world-cup-african-qualifiers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-4158587794997676853Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:40:00 +00002009-09-02T13:40:00.208-04:00African leadersI received these oldies from a friend recently. Take a look at some of Africa's matunda [fruits] of independence and the interesting headlines.(Weekly Review, Oct. 1976)Current President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, pictured above, two years before he was appointed Vice President by Daniel Arap Moi who had just taken over the Presidency, following the death of founding President, Jomo Kenyatta in http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/BVV9KJFetgU/two-steps-forward-one-step-backward.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)12<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/BVV9KJFetgU" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/09/two-steps-forward-one-step-backward.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-3221313639759384427Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:45:00 +00002009-08-27T14:45:53.054-04:00My baby taught me a lesson last Sunday but one. A lesson so sweet it should be a dream summoned for sleepless nights and mundane days. When I think about the arm twisting that went on, what I promised in order for him to accompany me to the Christening’s after party - because he wanted to stay and watch Ogochukwu battle it out with aliens on the Xbox360 - I realize that kweli hindsight is 20-20http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/ugFsoBH_-v4/special-needs.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)12<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/ugFsoBH_-v4" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/08/special-needs.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-7638495703925714297Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:55:00 +00002009-08-09T23:55:00.530-04:00Diaspora ConferenceKenyaThe 2nd Kenya Diaspora International Conference, Building a Knowledged-Based Economy, is just two weeks away. As a member of the organizing committee I am thrilled to once again, share our phenomenal list of speakers. I encourage you to attend this premier conference and business networking event! The Kenya ICT Board has identified the Digital Content Industry as the most important area of http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/g3zsavV3NNQ/kenya-open-4-business-dot-com.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/g3zsavV3NNQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/08/kenya-open-4-business-dot-com.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-3578874288697764595Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:49:00 +00002009-08-08T06:49:00.811-04:00The makeshift bus station barely contained the hodgepodge of vehicles whipping into drop-off and pick-up position; forcing waiting passengers to move, en masse, like a wave, ebbing in and out of harms way.Mama never entangled herself in the messy scramble of office workers, day laborers, business-folk, every man, woman, and child, for themselves confusion of boarding a vehicle. She preferred to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/rDGWh7jpJig/shady-taxi-driver-4.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/rDGWh7jpJig" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/08/shady-taxi-driver-4.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-2984294610854254427Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:05:00 +00002009-07-26T22:05:03.495-04:00storiesMama suggested we start out early to allocate time for meetings, no-shows, chai and possibly, lunch. Our plan was to be home for dinner. After locking up the main house and issuing orders to the house help we set out on foot towards Kware.Brother-man’s purposeful stride seemed at odds with the mish mash of big stones and little pebbles scattered alongside the road. That ameishi n’gambo [lived http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/lwRNL_7uN7Q/shady-taxi-driver-3.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)10<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/lwRNL_7uN7Q" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/07/shady-taxi-driver-3.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-1350256664956266683Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:45:00 +00002009-07-25T06:45:43.777-04:00Kenya Diaspora You are invited to participate in the forthcoming second Kenyan Diaspora International Conference and Investment Forum to be held in Atlanta, Georgia from August 20, 2009 through August 22, 2009. The conference is a follow-up to the first Diaspora Conference and Investment Forum held in Atlanta in March, 2007 which was a resounding success.The theme of the conference is "Building a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/X3mGhMxmv6Q/building-knowledge-based-economy-in.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/X3mGhMxmv6Q" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/07/building-knowledge-based-economy-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-5431828906419654799Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:15:00 +00002009-07-22T16:16:22.208-04:00Photo credit"That is the beauty of fantasy. You can fantasize all the way to heaven dear bro," I told him (in the last episode)."Heaven?" he looked at me sideways. I sensed the surprise he tried to conceal. That little sis had used the words fantasize and heaven in one breadth was a revelation. Baby girl was not the adolescent he'd left years ago, when he’d travelled abroad for further http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/cD7bvH3KtLA/shady-taxi-driver-part-2.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)13<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/cD7bvH3KtLA" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/07/shady-taxi-driver-part-2.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-8915519215969687623Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:00:00 +00002009-07-18T23:00:20.151-04:00Michael Jackson (1958-2009)More importantly, do you want to read my mind? I think Facebook does, and I somewhat reluctantly, am acquiescing. I logged onto FB this evening and viola! my home page asks me what's on my mind and honest being my middle name, I say: MJ is on my mind. S.t.i.l.l. I Know. Blame It On The Boogie. :-)Sambazaing you much love [sambaza=share] Mama Shujaahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/q_QsAMjcWb0/can-you-read-my-mind.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/q_QsAMjcWb0" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/07/can-you-read-my-mind.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-3442131237493000495Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:55:00 +00002009-07-08T08:55:02.560-04:00poetrySwallow me wholewithout sedation.Sample the truthmy heart's vibration.Limb by limbtake me in.In every creviceyou will findHintsTeetering, dancingaround life's rim.Swallowlest the precipice invites me in.Swallow me wholeSmack your lipsSeal them with my single wishBrimful,the Marrow Of My Love.Mama Shujaa.Copyright © Mama Shujaa 2009. All Rights Reservedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/TCV_A1rFzAM/swallow-me.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)20<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/TCV_A1rFzAM" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/07/swallow-me.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-2127641712302456110Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:46:00 +00002009-07-07T21:52:51.784-04:00Michael Jackson (1958-2009)We Had Him by Maya AngelouBeloveds, now we know that we know nothing, now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind.Without notice, our dear love can escape our doting embrace. Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon.In the instant that Michael is gone, we know nothing. No clocks can tell time. No oceans http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/U-UrY2ogo_g/we-had-him.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/U-UrY2ogo_g" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/07/we-had-him.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-3917849531229723091Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:20:00 +00002009-07-04T11:20:22.893-04:00DiasporaBiennial Ambassadors ConferencePoliticsKenyaAh, but if you have no expectations, You can never have a disappointment.(Stephen Joshua Sondheim (1930- )I am disappointed. It seems the politics did not stay out of this. We were contacted by the Kenya Embassy in Washington, D.C. and charged with nominating amongst us, Kenyans in the Diaspora (the US, Mexico and Columbia), ONE member of the Diaspora to participate in the July 29- Aug 2 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/4KsvYFmY1yw/political-agility.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)7<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/4KsvYFmY1yw" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/07/political-agility.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-4088468604548672076Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:15:00 +00002009-06-26T11:15:01.015-04:00Michael Jacksonsiwezi kuamini [i can't believe it] wala sina sauti ya kuongea. Lakini nitajaribu.I am numbed by the news. Reading Anengiyefa's post helped me this morning. His question nudged me to express a little, to process now that he is (supposedly) gone, the impact MJ had on my life. Here's a comment I left in response to his question: Within seven minutes of my walking through the door from work, tiredhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/ah6UQvNC460/kifo-cha-michael-jackson-and-where-i.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)24<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/ah6UQvNC460" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/06/kifo-cha-michael-jackson-and-where-i.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-2242470852572490447Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:45:00 +00002009-06-19T23:45:01.976-04:00DiasporaKenyaI have been conducting some interesting work: selecting one candidate to represent the Kenya Diaspora at the upcoming Biennial Ambassadors/High Commissioners Conference in Nairobi, Kenya in July-August, 2009.Just over a dozen of us were contacted by the Kenya Embassy in Washington, D.C. under three weeks ago. We were charged with nominating amongst us, Kenyans in the Diaspora (the US, Mexico http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/gdqX7GGq-d8/our-collective-voices.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)12<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/gdqX7GGq-d8" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/06/our-collective-voices.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614816848877821910.post-8896875483267691007Sat, 06 Jun 2009 03:45:00 +00002009-06-05T23:45:06.175-04:00DiasporaTransportationAfricavacationTourismImmigrant life has its pros and cons. Kweli when you take up a long-term residence in a foreign country, you lose the ability to do some things and gain the capacity to do others. It’s all very enriching, which becomes especially clear when you return to visit your home country. You find that losing the ameishi ng’ambo [just landed from abroad] demeanor is a pro; and the habit of performing http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~3/_wp5n_NS5tw/shady-taxi-driver.htmlmamashujaa@gmail.com (Mama Shujaa)33<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/jlFd/~4/_wp5n_NS5tw" height="1" width="1"/>http://mamashujaa.blogspot.com/2009/06/shady-taxi-driver.html