Andrea Scaringella Photography » Arts & Entertainment

Niger Delta Bob Marley Remembrance Day 11/05/2011

Andrea — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:11:00 +0000

[singlepic=642,225,225,left] Here in Akassa, a small village south of Niger Delta facing the Guinea Gulf, young people organize an annual celebration of the anniversary of the death of Bob Marley. The 11 May 2011 marked the 20th anniversary of the death of the legendary singer and I had the chance of witnessing the commemoration first-hand. Akassa, like other waterfront communities facing the south Atlantic ocean was an important hub for the slave trade in the 16th and 17th century and later in the 18th century became the headquarters of the trading empire of the Royal Niger company (founded by British explorer G.T.Goldies) exporting palm oil. Walking through the village you still can see the ruins of buildings once used as slave houses or tracks needed to transport palm oil to the coast to be shipped. This territory has been exploited ever since and still continues today with the discovery of oil and its production. There are stories and legend surrounding Bob Marley here, and someone even believed Bob Marley was born here, but regardless Akassa youth, joined by people from nearby communities, took Bob Marley as a symbol of resistance and struggle for survival in a land that had been long abandoned and under exploitation and threat from the greedy oil companies active in the Gulf. And it is here from the gulf waters that the celebration begins. All on board, the ship is loaded with drinks and an impressive sound system. A symbolic coffin is laid on the roof of the boat where people take turns to sit, d smoke "herbs" and mourn the legend. There is music and dance and laughter as the boat jetties off to neighbour communities. There are kids screaming and waving at us from the banks as we reach our destination on land. Youth compete over who will carry the coffin on the procession that will lead us through the village and to the shrine where it will be laid. The party that now begins will carry on till until late the next day…

The Emerald Tour

Andrea — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:39:43 +0000

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Travelling from Bogota' to the Emerald Mine

Niger Delta Cycling Tour

Andrea — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:51:31 +0000

[singlepic=494,225,225,left] It is the first sport event of this kind in an area well renown to be not as one of the safest in Nigeria or ,in general, in the world. It has been thought not as a competition for this first edition but as a semi-professional ride through four states of the Niger Delta to raise money for cardio-vascular/heart diseases. The ride has been organised by an Italian expat living and working in Nigeria since more then 20 years (he is now a Nigerian citizen), along with two Nigerian Cycling Associations. The ride amazingly gathered more then 150 cyclists of any ages and sex from all over the Nigeria. The medical staff, the trainers staff, the security staff summed up a total of around 250 person contingent. The ride went pretty smooth beside being done during a hot election time and beside never starting on time, ( here people don't follow the GMT but the NMT-"nigerian maybe time"). The tour followed exotic routes, chaotic towns, peculiar local sight scenes such as burning oil spills burned cars abandoned on the side of the roads, political advertisement billboards roads under constructions... The ride in the end gave a sense of unity, a sense of security in a region, known as very dangerous where few years ago you risked to be kidnapped, some hope of generating new jobs and new athletic meanings. It gained citizens and politician consensus and raised several millions Nairas ( the local currency) to help heart diseases.

Vita Balera

Andrea — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:17:35 +0000

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Lucha Libre

Andrea — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:46:06 +0000

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Walthamstow Dog Race

Andrea — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:10:45 +0000

[singlepic=308,225,225,left]In August 2008,Walthamstow Stadium dog track closed. Established in 1933, it became a landmark and vibrant centre for an East End night out. Aristocrats, actors and working class people attended the popular races for 75 years. The image of its Art Deco facade was used for the cover of Blur's Park Life album and scenes from the Guy Ritchie movie "Snatch" were filmed there. The Chandler family, founders and owners of the Walthamstow Stadium, wrote in their farewell message published in the special glossy programme printed for the last race: "The government decision to abolish off-course General Betting Duty and to permit Betting Shops to remain open during the evening throughout the year, coupled with a dramatic increase in internet betting opportunities, were largely responsible for the downturn. So, sadly, with our principal income streams in sharp decline, and large and general running costs rising relentlessly, the Stadium's operation simply became unsustainable. They say that all good things must come to an end and tonight we should look back on good times past. So let's celebrate the Stow's wonderful 75 years and re-live those happy and treasured memories." View the gallery

Fuerza Bruta

Andrea — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:42:11 +0000

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Roundhouse, originally a Victorian Railway, then a gin warehouse, became a cultural landmark in the 1960s and1970s, playing host to Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, and Pink Floyd as well as legendary productions by Peter Brooke and Tony Richardson. Reopened after two years closure and £30million restoration, with a new Show from the creators of De La Guarda, Fuerza Bruta.Fuerza Bruta, silhouette of drenched woman writhing in a suspended Plexiglas tank

Italians

Andrea — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:40:40 +0000

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