A day of thoughts....

So today was one of those days that was full of thoughts. This morning I spent at a global health conference put on by MEDSIN which is the global health awareness group in most UK medical schols. We had a couple good speakers and a couple so-so speakers. But as my dad is famous for saying about conferences he goes to, I mainly went to see if there were people I could collaberate with and learn from (i.e. networking). And to my delight I think I did find some. There's a project in the work that is seeking to form partnerships between UK medical schools and Medical schools in the Global South, and that's something that I really want to get behind, so watch this space.

Okay so one of the things that I've been wanting to rant about recently, actually since I got to the UK, is the way that our global society has comodified things that used to hold meaning, and made them into commercialized symbols of chic fashion. An example of this that I've noticed especially since I came to the UK was the Palestinian Hatta or Keffiyeh (as seen on Mr. Yasser Arafat to the right). It would be an odd day in southampton to walk around and not see this scarf being worn by at least 3 or 4 fashionable young women. I recently asked two of my coursemates who also wear this scarf (well one actually wears a sylized hat made from the same colours and pattern) what they thought about the whole palestinian situation. They both revealed that they were not wearing them out of political motivation, or a human rights statement. One of the them didn't even know it had any palestinian meaning. The other told me her scarf was her mother's from the 70s when she used to campaign.

I don't have a problem really with the people who wear it without knowing its deeper significance or really caring, but it just saddens me that our society is so set up that may symbols quickly lose any meaning. People wear Che Guevara t-shirts without knowing who he was or what he did (or if they acutally would agree with him). I don't know, it's also evident in how some people wear religious jewelry (although this is meaningful for many people). I just wonder if any symbols can last anymore? Or if our society cares about anything more than the lates fashions and looking good?

African-Carribean Cultural Night:

I went to the African-Carribean cultural night tonight. It's put on by the African-Caribean Christian Fellowship here in Uni of Southampton. It was an interesting night. I managed to convince 3 friends that it would be a good event to go to and give support to. The first half of the night was a bit strange and I think especially uncomforable for my friends. The night was advertised as a night to celebrate African and Carribean culture, but the second half of the 1st half they had this all-white southampton teenage "urban dance" troup. They did a few songs including Michael Jackson's thriller (in full zombie gear, quite freaky). They were very intense, and sort of were a complete change from the hearfelt and genuine acts shown before (such as a medley of Amazing grace to celebrate 200 years of emancipation). I felt very uncomfortable during this group, we weren't really told why they were performing and they're intensity was really weird. This was just too much for my friends who sadly left after the inter-mission...although I couldn't really blame them.

The second half was much better thouh, it was full of drama, singing, poetry, dancing and even a fashion show (not to mention free food at the end...good stuff). The drama and poetry dealt with issues of diaspora life such as the brain drain, longing to return home, the homeland longing for its children to come back. There was drama about elders and poetry about things I wish I could understand. But mostly it was celebratory. The president of the ACCF, a medic, got up towards the end to explain why there was need of such night. She talked of how the vast majority of things we hear in the media about Africa and Africans are negative and how if you ask people what the first things they think of when you say Africa, the response you get is usually war, famine, AIDS. She said that although these are part of the story they are not the things that she thinks of. She mentioned so many wonderful memories, sounds, smells and people. She was a really elegant and gifted speaker and I thought her talk was maybe the best part of the night.

Anyway, I wish my friends could have known what was coming in the 2nd half cause it may have convinced them to stay, but honestly I probably would have left in the first half as well if I hadn't told myself that I would stay because of the 7 pound cost of the ticket for the night. I'm glad i did though, it very much made me miss being in circles of people with a wide diversity of life experience, with open expectations and understandings of what's important in life.