I miss Jabu. In fact, I miss hearing the names Ayanda, Mpho, Dineo, Sechaba... I miss the smiling faces of African people. Black skin here is covered by a street-cleaner's green Sukleen overall or housekeeper's aproned, light-blue outfit. It's silly how I feel connected to these people I don't even know just because they've come from the same continent as me; but at the same time I'm so disconnected because they're never out in the places I frequent in Beirut. That's why, when I heard the sounds of the Ethiopian band playing at the opening of the new Gemmayzeh rooftop bar Coop D'Etat, I couldn't stop myself from joining the African ladies showing off their sway on the dancefloor... to reconnect with my continent. What a refreshing night out, seeing fifty-year-olds next to twenty-year-olds - from Lebanese and Ethiopian to Dutch, Danish, American, British, Irish and South African.
Waka waka yeah yeah!
As someone who was born and lives in Africa, I understand exactly the feeling you're talking about.
ReplyDeleteThe next question is: Where can one get African food in Lebanon (Please don't say Nandos, I know they are but it's not what I'm talking about). Did you talk with these guys? Any ethiopian restaurant in Lebanon?
Now that's something I don't know... Would be interesting to find an Ethiopian restaurant in the middle of ABC though ;) Spoke to the singer, but we didn't quite understand each other's dialect! That's why I love music for being the universal language!
ReplyDeleteLebanon is in Asia. Not Africa.
ReplyDelete