back from a trip to ghana which i have to say is one of the most beautiful and vibrant places i have been to yet. Beach time, great food, quality karaoke nite, memorable travellers we met, PCVs from West Africa; all add up to memories that will last for a while ..until the next adventure
One of my favorite images
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
Riding home today on that nice dirt path and blistering sun , I turn my attention to a group of kids. They are with their moms off to town or where ever else. They point at me shouting, jumping up and down, waving their little hands You are black, YOu are black, You are Black
I get called a lot of interesting things, this was just another day. I could not help but laugh and ride on. Sometimes thats better than nothing. Oh Mali.
I get called a lot of interesting things, this was just another day. I could not help but laugh and ride on. Sometimes thats better than nothing. Oh Mali.
Democracy in Action?
Note: The election has since passed and yes ATT won and will be sworn in as President of Mali. The day after elections there was a riot in Bamako started by IBK followers claiming fraud and a re vote.. that did not happen.
Mali presidential elections are just around the corner. The months leading up to the country’s fifth democratic elections have been pretty interesting to observe especially as I get sound bites of the 2008 elections in the States.
In all of this I cant help but think of that infamous idea that people fight and die for: Democracy! Especially in the context of a developing country like Mali, which can boost its democratic record with successful leadership transitions and as the US ambassador to Mali told PCVs at out training earlier this month, it is pretty likely that Mali will have another peaceful presidential election with Amadou Toumani Toure (ATT) as the predicted winner. So Im wondering is a peaceful election necessarily a democratic or even just election for a country like Mali and in that case for Africa?
Come two months before the elections started to heat up, looking around Sikasso (the second largest city in Mali), you wouldn’t know any type of election was taking place. There were occasional commercials and special service announcements but they covered a formation on how to cast your vote (brought to you by UNDP). Imagine this: “Election 2007” a simple jingle, votez, votez, and a stimulation on how to vote from getting your ballot, entering the voting booth, stamping your choice and dropping your folded ballot into the ballot bin. The announcement ends with the presenter getting their index finger inked a signal that one has voted.
It was not until I got to Bamako when things started to look interesting and undemocratic. Lined up on the center divider there is banner after banner of the current president’s photo and his logo, “A Mali Qui Gagner” (A Mali that Wins). Look to the side of the road and there is a huge bulletin board on the whole side of a building, its ATT and A Mali Qui Gagner. It was pretty ridiculous and sort of eerie. Watching the news I start to pick up on a familiar pattern. Every night, there are more than three segments of ATT opening up another school, getting money from another foreign diplomat or making a speech at X event. I couldn’t help but imagine if this was something that happened in the state—Bush plastered everywhere, and only Bush, yeah that’s sort of scary right?
These past couple of days there is a “Candidate de Jour” segment which features a presidential candidate presenting their platform for a better Mali and answering questions about what they would do to improve Mali’s future. The candidates range from the first Malian woman to run for president (who FYI has not lived in Mali for the last couple of years), a former student leader now turned doctor reminding Malians in his speech that the “war is NOT over” (contre the government which means ATT) and lastly IBK probably the most likely contender to ATT. Of course ATT finds a why to show up everyone else, while other candidates are interviewed in a room most likely provided by the state news station, ATT’s speech is a full out feature production with footage of his good deeds in every region of Mali scrolling across the screen and don’t forget, ATT and a Mali qui gagner. Is this democratic? Is this democracy?
Come election day, I am sure to see many Malians touting their voting cards, ready to take part in their country’s presidential election. What cant be ignored however is if most people who what they are voting for. Is it just another popularity contest? Propaganda at its best? I am afraid it seems like that—at least from this side of the poll.
Mali presidential elections are just around the corner. The months leading up to the country’s fifth democratic elections have been pretty interesting to observe especially as I get sound bites of the 2008 elections in the States.
In all of this I cant help but think of that infamous idea that people fight and die for: Democracy! Especially in the context of a developing country like Mali, which can boost its democratic record with successful leadership transitions and as the US ambassador to Mali told PCVs at out training earlier this month, it is pretty likely that Mali will have another peaceful presidential election with Amadou Toumani Toure (ATT) as the predicted winner. So Im wondering is a peaceful election necessarily a democratic or even just election for a country like Mali and in that case for Africa?
Come two months before the elections started to heat up, looking around Sikasso (the second largest city in Mali), you wouldn’t know any type of election was taking place. There were occasional commercials and special service announcements but they covered a formation on how to cast your vote (brought to you by UNDP). Imagine this: “Election 2007” a simple jingle, votez, votez, and a stimulation on how to vote from getting your ballot, entering the voting booth, stamping your choice and dropping your folded ballot into the ballot bin. The announcement ends with the presenter getting their index finger inked a signal that one has voted.
It was not until I got to Bamako when things started to look interesting and undemocratic. Lined up on the center divider there is banner after banner of the current president’s photo and his logo, “A Mali Qui Gagner” (A Mali that Wins). Look to the side of the road and there is a huge bulletin board on the whole side of a building, its ATT and A Mali Qui Gagner. It was pretty ridiculous and sort of eerie. Watching the news I start to pick up on a familiar pattern. Every night, there are more than three segments of ATT opening up another school, getting money from another foreign diplomat or making a speech at X event. I couldn’t help but imagine if this was something that happened in the state—Bush plastered everywhere, and only Bush, yeah that’s sort of scary right?
These past couple of days there is a “Candidate de Jour” segment which features a presidential candidate presenting their platform for a better Mali and answering questions about what they would do to improve Mali’s future. The candidates range from the first Malian woman to run for president (who FYI has not lived in Mali for the last couple of years), a former student leader now turned doctor reminding Malians in his speech that the “war is NOT over” (contre the government which means ATT) and lastly IBK probably the most likely contender to ATT. Of course ATT finds a why to show up everyone else, while other candidates are interviewed in a room most likely provided by the state news station, ATT’s speech is a full out feature production with footage of his good deeds in every region of Mali scrolling across the screen and don’t forget, ATT and a Mali qui gagner. Is this democratic? Is this democracy?
Come election day, I am sure to see many Malians touting their voting cards, ready to take part in their country’s presidential election. What cant be ignored however is if most people who what they are voting for. Is it just another popularity contest? Propaganda at its best? I am afraid it seems like that—at least from this side of the poll.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
An American in Mali--sort of
Ca cest la difference entre vous et les Americains.
So being in Mali has made me re-evaluate a lot of different things and pretty high on the list is what it means to be an American and in my case what it means to be sort of an American. I have not wrote too much about it but being an Asian American in Mali has been a frustrating and bittersweet experience all on its own. In Mali, anyone who is not black is called a Tubabu—it means a French person but basically it is anyone who is white. Kids chant it while holding out their hands for a petit cadeaux and young guys trying to get your attetion shout it like youll turn around and give them a chance, yeah right. Me-looking the way I do-sort of psych Malians out just a bit. I still get called Tubabu bit more than anything, people always shout Chinois, Chinois muso or Japonais.
I knew it was going to be interesting when I met my fellow stage mates back in July. Seeing only one other Asian American and a handful of African American volunteers. I experienced it to some extent in Kenya and expected being viewed different and a minority considering the demograhpics of Peace Corps volunteers and the socio-economic factors at play in being able to travel and volunteer abroad (thats another thing so…)
Of course the shouting get to me and most of the time my polite N te Chinois ye ou Je ne suis pas Chinois only gets laughs which makes me only want to resort to violence and we all know that doesnt get one anywhere. What really gets me though is when I am told that yes I may not be Chinese but Im not American either—interesting right ? Malians always ask other volunteers about that short Chinois they hang out with. Is she Chinese or Japanese ? She is really American ? But where are her parents from ? Oh okay thats right now, shes still from Asia. As proud as I am of being Vietnamese and the culture I grew up with but I never thought Id come to Mali to defend my identity as an American. Its this fight I feel I need to assert to make people understand that in America we are not all white, blonde haired and blue eyed. I cant help but think about how in the states, I make a conscious effort to emphasis and recognize the Vietnamese American in me and here in Mali, I have even gotten into arguments defending the Vietnamese American in me.
Whats even more interesting is when I have conversations with Malians who share their thought about Americans and the U.S. More often than not, I am told that Americans can be self-fish, they are all rich and like to start wars with other countries. I sit and listen to all of this and when I ask well how about me, I come from America, Im an American, does that mean Im like that too? They laugh like Ive made a joke, no Assetou (my Malian name here) you are not like that, you are really from Asia, that’s the difference between you and the Americans, you are not really and American.
I guess I can pick sides right? I can slip into playing dumb and not accept any of the fault, I can even agree with things that are said. Or I can correct every Chinois shouting Malian. No in America, it is a melting pot and even though we are different, we are all American. Im not sure if its about picking and choosing my battles, some how, I don’t feel completely honest with either scenario.
I feel like a hypocrite defending America sometimes when Ive been guilty of criticizing the same things and even not affiliating myself with that America.
So being American, what does it mean? How do I change the space I find myself in a place full of its own misconceptions. Im still figuring it out and Im sure is not going to be easy.
So being in Mali has made me re-evaluate a lot of different things and pretty high on the list is what it means to be an American and in my case what it means to be sort of an American. I have not wrote too much about it but being an Asian American in Mali has been a frustrating and bittersweet experience all on its own. In Mali, anyone who is not black is called a Tubabu—it means a French person but basically it is anyone who is white. Kids chant it while holding out their hands for a petit cadeaux and young guys trying to get your attetion shout it like youll turn around and give them a chance, yeah right. Me-looking the way I do-sort of psych Malians out just a bit. I still get called Tubabu bit more than anything, people always shout Chinois, Chinois muso or Japonais.
I knew it was going to be interesting when I met my fellow stage mates back in July. Seeing only one other Asian American and a handful of African American volunteers. I experienced it to some extent in Kenya and expected being viewed different and a minority considering the demograhpics of Peace Corps volunteers and the socio-economic factors at play in being able to travel and volunteer abroad (thats another thing so…)
Of course the shouting get to me and most of the time my polite N te Chinois ye ou Je ne suis pas Chinois only gets laughs which makes me only want to resort to violence and we all know that doesnt get one anywhere. What really gets me though is when I am told that yes I may not be Chinese but Im not American either—interesting right ? Malians always ask other volunteers about that short Chinois they hang out with. Is she Chinese or Japanese ? She is really American ? But where are her parents from ? Oh okay thats right now, shes still from Asia. As proud as I am of being Vietnamese and the culture I grew up with but I never thought Id come to Mali to defend my identity as an American. Its this fight I feel I need to assert to make people understand that in America we are not all white, blonde haired and blue eyed. I cant help but think about how in the states, I make a conscious effort to emphasis and recognize the Vietnamese American in me and here in Mali, I have even gotten into arguments defending the Vietnamese American in me.
Whats even more interesting is when I have conversations with Malians who share their thought about Americans and the U.S. More often than not, I am told that Americans can be self-fish, they are all rich and like to start wars with other countries. I sit and listen to all of this and when I ask well how about me, I come from America, Im an American, does that mean Im like that too? They laugh like Ive made a joke, no Assetou (my Malian name here) you are not like that, you are really from Asia, that’s the difference between you and the Americans, you are not really and American.
I guess I can pick sides right? I can slip into playing dumb and not accept any of the fault, I can even agree with things that are said. Or I can correct every Chinois shouting Malian. No in America, it is a melting pot and even though we are different, we are all American. Im not sure if its about picking and choosing my battles, some how, I don’t feel completely honest with either scenario.
I feel like a hypocrite defending America sometimes when Ive been guilty of criticizing the same things and even not affiliating myself with that America.
So being American, what does it mean? How do I change the space I find myself in a place full of its own misconceptions. Im still figuring it out and Im sure is not going to be easy.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
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