This week, Oxfam International premiered its latest advocacy effort for arms control and violence prevention with a unique new project called ShootingPoverty.org.

The project allows you - yes, you! - to send in your videos and links to form part of the movement to curb violence globally.

What? How? One wonders whether only those with funds, nice cameras and training will be able to contribute. But filmmaking is getting easier every year with community centers, libraries and universities sharing their tools, and the project really is open and accessible to almost anyone.

You can be anywhere from 7 to 157 years old, computer illiterate or living in a rural area, but if you have a good point to make which persuades a few people at the local college or library with access a simple camera, you can contribute to the movement. If not, then hey, just enjoy the films on the website and tell friends about it and what it means for preventing violence.

To kick off the Shooting Poverty project this year, Oxfam called for youth around the world to submit documentary film proposals, selected the top three, and then had a producer fly out to meet them with funds and equipment to make the short films.

Last night Oxfam premiered the winning films at the Tribeca Cinema. Under the guidance of Executive Producer Oistein Thorsen and Producer Lucas Gath (Sins of My Father), the films included: Grosso Calibre, a film on illegal funk written about violence in Brazilian favelas by Guilherme Arruda and Ludmila Curi, journalists from Rio de Janeiro; Bang for Your Buck, about the plague of grenade killings in Burundi by Seth Chase, a media producer, and Brice Blondel, a UN political affairs guru; and April 6th, about how battles between Indian security forces and rebels have led to many families losing breadwinners to assassination, by Chandam Netraj.

In the former film, Grosso Calibre, we meet MC Smith, a Brazilian funk performer who's attitude simply does not quit. Rapping about how drug dealers ignite fights with the police, who then over-retaliate by laying siege to entire neighborhoods where the dealers are holding out, MC Smith performs on a line similar to that of American gangsta rappers who are simultaneously against gun violence and the hawks in the government, yet in contrast are outspoken champions of macho, tough-guy gun culture. Curi, a charismatic intellectual full of vitality who produces video journalism, and Arruda, a shy and thoughtful news editor, have already considered approaching other funk musicians in the favelas for a deeper feature version of their film.

Bang for Your Buck features Teddy Mazina, a Burundian human rights advocate and reporter who wakes up with a rifle next to his bed, combs out his hair and reports stories about how the after-effects of the civil war in the 1990s are still killing people.

For those readers who are interested in hearing more, HELO Magazine (where I work) was given exclusive behind-the-scenes with the filmmakers this week, the product of which will be added toShootingPoverty.org and the DVD promo for the project.

To participate in Oxfam's latest anti-violence campaign, check out the site at ShootingPoverty.org. Then, bombard your congresspeople with links to the films. Encourage them to support the latest US and UN arms control efforts.

Photo: Daniel J Gerstle (Guilherme Arruda and Ludmila Curi in Brooklyn).

UH Oh

The "joker" in Batman the dark knight said, "It's not about the money, it's about sending a message, everything burns." Here it's always about the money. But the results are the same. Below is the bummer news.

Bujumbura - Residents in northern Burundi are on alert after the discovery of 14 bodies, some of them mutilated, in a local river over the last week, a local official said on Wednesday.

"Since last week, we have found 14 bodies in this area, some of them with their limbs bound and others with machete wounds," local administrator Julien Nimbona said.

"Fear has engulfed the region and residents fear a resumption of violence."

In the latest discovery on Tuesday, four bodies were found floating on River Rusizi where it empties on Lake Tanganyika in the north of Burundi, he added.

"We are not sure who is behind these murders, but these bodies have been washed down by River Rusizi which flows through Rukoko marshes and some believe they are from there," said the official.

Several residents have been killed near the Rukoko marshes, some 15 km north of the capital Bujumbura in recent days by armed bandits whom residents suspect to be a reformed rebel group.

Burundi's top security officials have nevertheless been adamant that a recent spate of killings were the work of gangs of "unidentified armed bandits" and play down rumours that the former rebellion is reforming.

Following local elections in May, three opposition leaders went into hiding blaming President Pierre Nkurunziza's party of having rigged the poll.

Nkurunziza's main political rival, Agathon Rwasa, abandoned his government duties and went back to the bush, fueling speculation that his National Liberation Forces has reformed, barely a year after laying down their arms.

Look out Burundi, Jeff, Ben, and I may get a Radio show

Objectif

Quand on pense au développement des pays, aux étrangers, on pense souvent aux ONGs, aux droits de l’homme, à l’ONU et aux disparités sociales et économiques. Cela crée l’effet de défigurer des perspectifs. On voit seulement les différences et les divisions. On finit finalement d’avoir des malentendus ou des perceptions erronées des autres.

Or, la vie populaire n’est pas seulement des droits de l’homme, la politique, des slogans. Il y a des espaces physiques et culturelles à découvrir. Il faut toujours avoir la curiosité et la possibilité pour explorer la vie qui passe autour de nous. Qu’est ce que les gens mangent ? Quelle musique les intéresse? Quelles idées les saisissent? Ce programme va faire rapprocher un peu les gens, de n’importe quelle couleur, de n’importe quelle orientation. Avec un programme bilingue (anglais/français mais principalement en anglais pour promouvoir la deuxième langue officielle et donner un espace d’expression aux gens qui l’étudient), des tranches bien diverses, nous allons créer un forum qui suscite des échanges franches entre des communautés et des cultures différentes tous en montrant que ces thèmes auront aussi un grand impact sur le commerce du pays.

Ce programme va durer une heure, chaque jeudi soir de 18h à 19h. Nous aurons des tranches diverses (notes ci-dessous, mais pas toujours dans cet ordre) qui auront pour but d’augmenter la compréhension du contexte locale pour les étrangers mais aussi des locaux et surtout pour améliorer la compréhension entre des gens des cultures différentes. Ces discussions, nous espérons, auront l’impact de renforcer des relations entre des gens, créer la confiance collective et contribuer à une harmonie sociale. Dans cette ambiance, nous voyons des grands bénéfices pour le commerce, les échanges entre des individus et l’évolution de ce pays.

Promotion Commerciale/Professionnelle

Interviews (10-15 minutes) – Une fois chaque deux semaines, nous allons inviter des locaux, surtout des jeunes, pour discuter sur un thème spécifique lié avec leurs expériences de vivre au Burundi, d’apprendre l’anglais, travailler, etc. Les semaines ou nous ne faisons pas des interviews, nous aurons la tranche ‘Social Theme‘ (ci-dessous).

Job advice (10 minutes) – Une tranche régulière ou nous allons identifier un conseil pour faciliter la recherche d’un boulot. En tant que Directeur d’ONG, je vois beaucoup de CV et je rencontre beaucoup de monde qui postule pour des positions. Ils pourront profiter des suggestions ou recommandations sur comment présenter un bon dossier et sur les erreurs à éviter. Cette tranche sera rentable pour des professionnels, surtout les jeunes, et la discussion pourra avancer les ambitions professionnelles et commerciales des gens. Elle va à la fois augmenter la capacité des gens et aussi améliorer la compréhension entre des cultures différentes.

Restaurant reviews (5-10 minutes) – Une semaine un resto de la cuisine étrangère, la prochaine sur la cuisine locale – promotion du commerce, augmenter la connaissance des endroits différents. Nous donnerons des recommandations à chaque émission pour un resto à essayer. Même si c’est un resto connu, nous allons parler de nos propres expériences qui donneront une perspective unique.

Promotion culturelle

Music (20 - 25 minutes) – Chansons américaines de styles différents : folk, hip-hop, blues, country – avec des petites explications des chanteurs, des themes traites, des origines, etc.

Paroles de musique (5 minutes) – Chaque semaine, nous trouverons une chanson courante et nous allons le jouer et y trouver une expression intéressante pour l’expliquer. Nous allons solliciter des recommandations ou requêtes pour cette chanson (ou une expression dans une chanson) chaque semaine.

Social Theme (10 -15 minutes) – Dans cette tranche, nous allons choisir un theme qui touche la vie quotidienne et qui implique des relations entre des locaux et des étrangers (de n’importe quel pays, mais surtout au Burundi). Ces situations peuvent créer des fausses impressions, des stéréotypes, des malentendus (par exemple, conduire ou travailler). Nous allons les analyser, y donnent nos commentaires et essayer de proposer des moyens pour diminuer la tension qui arrivent souvent à cause de ces situations. Un des objectifs de cette tranche, c’est d’améliorer et élargir la conception de l’Autre – de voir les locaux et les étrangers comme des gens avec des expériences communes, de comprendre leurs passions, leurs frustrations, leurs motivations et leurs opinions.

Annonces (5 minutes) des événements culturels, films, soldes, fêtes, etc., principalement à Buja.

Petites annonces d’emplois (5 minutes) – Ils vont générer un peu de revenu pour soutenir la chaine et le programme.

A Day At The Beach

On a whim, I submitted a short film to a film festival in Arizona (PICFF) with the help of Ken Newcomb. Well, I got an "official selection" award, and it will show opening night, or something like that. I'll see if I can't post the video online, but it's near impossible to do from here these days. But when it gets posted on line by the festival, I'll be sure to link it here so it can be viewed. Thanks to all who participated in this production. You know who you are.

Costs of living

I found this information on cost Of Living in Burundi compared with other countries quite interesting. It's from a guy who blogs on ways to inform expatriates how to make decisions when living abroad so that they don't go broke or end up without retirement options:

Bujumbura has an overall cost of living index which equates it with low cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. Bujumbura is currently ranked 247 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations. The cost of living overview for each of the 13 Basket Groups is as follows:

Alcohol & Tobacco costs for alcoholic beverages such as alcohol at bar, beer, locally produced spirit, whiskey, and wine as well as tobacco products such as cigarettes is relatively more expensive compared to other cities with a rank of 34 out of 282.

Clothing costs for clothing and footwear products such as business suits, casual clothing, childrens clothing and footwear, coats and hats, evening wear, shoe repairs, and underwear is relatively less expensive compared to other cities with a rank of 235 out of 282.

Communication costs for various communication costs such as home telephone rental and call charges, internet connection and service provider fees, mobile / cellular phone contract and calls is relatively more expensive compared to other cities with a rank of 43 out of 282.

Education costs such as creche / pre-school fees, high school / college fees, primary school fees, and tertiary study fees is equally expensive on average compared to other cities with a rank of 149 out of 282.

Furniture & Appliance costs for furniture, household equipment and household appliances such as dvd player, fridge freezer, iron, kettle, toaster, microwave, light bulbs, television, vacuum cleaner, and washing machine is equally expensive on average compared to other cities with a rank of 129 out of 282.

Grocery costs for food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material items such as baby consumables, baked goods, baking, canned foods, cheese, cleaning products, dairy, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fruit juices, meat, oil & vinegars, pet food, pre-prepared meals, sauces, seafood, snacks, soft drinks, spices & herbs is equally expensive on average compared to other cities with a rank of 175 out of 282.

Healthcare costs for general healthcare, medical and medical insurance such as general practitioner consultation rates, hospital private ward daily rate, non-prescription medicine, and private medical insurance / medical aid contributions is equally expensive on average compared to other cities with a rank of 116 out of 282.

Household costs for housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes such as house / flat mortgage, house / flat rental, household electricity consumption, household gas / fuel consumption, household water consumption, and local property rates / taxes / levies is relatively less expensive compared to other cities with a rank of 271 out of 282.

Miscellaneous costs related to stationary, linen and general goods and services such as domestic help, dry cleaning, linen, office supplies, newspapers and magazines, and postage stamps is relatively less expensive compared to other cities with a rank of 265 out of 282.

Personal Care costs for personal care products and services such as cosmetics, hair care, moisturizer / sun block, nappies, pain relief tablets, toilet paper, toothpaste, and soap / shampoo / conditioner is relatively more expensive compared to other cities with a rank of 15 out of 282.

Recreation and Culture costs such as books, camera film, cinema ticket, DVD and CDs, sports goods, and theatre tickets is relatively more expensive compared to other cities with a rank of 53 out of 282.

Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotel costs such as business dinner, dinner at a restaurant (non fast food), hotel rates, take away drinks and snacks (fast food) is equally expensive on average compared to other cities with a rank of 184 out of 282.

Transport costs for public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance such as hire purchase / lease of vehicle, petrol / diesel, public transport service maintenance, tires, vehicle Insurance, and vehicle purchase is relatively less expensive compared to other cities with a rank of 281 out of 282.

Your exact customized cost of living index for Bujumbura is based on which of the above basket groups as well as the comparison location you select in the Calculators.

In terms of the hardship people are likely to experience, assessed in global terms, Bujumbura is ranked as an extreme hardship location with a hardship index of 40%.

Mammas

MAWE from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

· Females in developing countries on average carry 20 liters of water per day over 6 km.
· Globally, women account for the majority of people aged over 60 and over 80.
· Pregnant women in Africa are 180 times more likely to die than in Western Europe.
· 530,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth each year.
· Of 1.2 billion people living in poverty worldwide, 70% are women.
· 80% of the world's 27 million refugees are women.
· Women own around only 1% of the world's land.
· AIDS sees women's life expectancy of 43 in Uganda and Zambia.
· Women are 2/3 of the 1 billion+ illiterate adults who have no access to basic education.

Film Racing | Issue #142

Film Racing | Issue #142

Sounds of Burundi

Here are the sounds of Burundi musicians you would never otherwise get to sample. I'm continuing on with a few more musicians, but these are all the songs I've recorded thus far. By listening to them all, you'll get a unique look into the lives, experiences, philosophies, and day to day of Burundi life and culture. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Visage from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

The way it is Africa -Africa local music project 4 from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

Sabina - African local music project video 2 from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

the DOVE - African local music project video 1 from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

Moja - African local music project video 3 from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

Still Haven't found what I'm looking for

Visage from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

When I was a young formidable chap my father told me: "A philosopher can say in a thousand words, what a teacher can say in a hundred words, what a poet can say with one word."
I knew after hearing that quote that I wanted to be a philosopher, because saying something in a thousand words seemed to be a good idea. Plus I thought a thousand was a big number. Indeed, I was quite philosophical from my mid exciting teens - to my - mid to less formidable 20's. And now I prefer the poetic way of life. I'll soon correct this error but for now i'll bathe in it's sweet sounding glory of the word for a little longer, at least until my palms wrinkle.
The poet in this video is John Bosco, a local teacher here in the capital of Burundi. He loves music, his true passion, and this song is about his spiritual searching. What I like most about it, is that he really sort of got a Bono'ish feel. "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" is easily one of my favorite U2 songs along with "one" like almost every other U2 fan under the sun. You can't tell us cliché U2 fans apart, we look alike, talk alike, and dress the same. But I'm the one in Burundi, and you're the one reading this from a comfortable office, or room, somewhere in the developed world. And one of your internet tabs is on a comedic utube short, another one is on your email account, while skype rests in the background, and when you hear the sound of someone approaching you'll shrink all the tabs revealing your excel spread sheet just in time for when your boss, or spouse, or friend walks in on you with less than groundbreaking news, and it's likely that they are U2 fans of the same exact sort.

So John Bosco isn't the typical Christian. His view of the Trinity isn't comfortable:

The one with the Hidden face= Father
The one in the middle of misery= Son
The one with the forgotten face= Spirit

I'm willing to bet when most people picture Jesus they don't picture a man with many sorrows, a suffering being, that's why we put up crosses everywhere as reminders, but they don't seem to work like they were intended to. Because now you can get cross jewlry of gold and silver. What would the "light" of this John Bosco Trinity be like I wonder: not so bright and Christmassy I would guess, not just the giver of blessings. This seems to be the tri-unity of trials. The first time I heard the term Tri-unity was in 1997 at Grace Bible Church in Bozeman Montana. I remember jotting it down.

Some Christians grow up in a comfortable world, with electricity, peace, jobs, internet cafes, NBC, and FOX news. Some Christians grow up in a painful world of poverty, war, rape, theft, violence, refugee camps, pain, and no NBC or FOX news. Both study from the same book, but what's taken away from that book is sometimes miles apart. I grew up in the former environment. John, the ladder.

The Person with the hidden face - The Father is ever unseen by mankind, though in the time of the Son, if you saw the Son, then you Saw the Father. A thirty three year window (or there abouts). But after the 30's A.D. there is no chance to see the Son, save via visions and such, which many around the world claim to have. But to see the Person with the hidden face with your own eyes… No. Hidden.

The Person in the middle of misery - had 33 years (give or take) of living and serving in the middle of misery. Took on the weight of the world, taught, healed, prophesied, and did a myriad of other activities. 3 1/2 years of ministering in misery as it were, no retreats, no benifits, no social security. No executive desk, Black leather chair with wheels, AC, comfortable bed, message therapy, pain meds... nothing. Fox hole, nomadic type lifestyle. Maybe even one pair of sandals, though this issue is hotly debated among scholars.

The person with the forgotten face - I imagine that the Helper would have a forgotten face, if you saw friends, family, neighbors, killing each other. You have forgotten many things if find you are killing your brother. You have forgotten many things if you find you hate your brother. Christian killing Christian, the face of the Helper, forgotten.

John, searched in time, space, in the good, and in bad, among powerful men, but never found what he was looking for. Then in a moment of his life, he had a vision, and when God visited his house, (the french is literally "When You knocked on my house, You had the face of my Brother") John saw that God, had the face of his Brother: for John a shocking revelation. And ultimately John didn't find God among the rulers of the Earth, rather a child with arms extended toward His Father.

By all accounts a well written song. Personal wisdom, insight, experience, self, and much more, all poured into the lyrics.
Word Count 877.

The Way It Is

Motosi is at it again. In this song Motosi sings of a couple different subjects, and presents them honestly and unapologetically. Some observations are unique to Burundi, like the "bed mattress" observation. Some subjects are shared by all cultures, like "marital conflict." And other topics like "begging" and "education" are sung about for good measure. I shot this video a couple months back with my friend Adam. See what you can make of it. I think it's a keeper.

The way it is from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

The Ultimate Volcano Hike

Goma, Nyiragongo volcano hike from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

I meant to get this video to friends a long time ago. Let me know if the video doesn't work properly. Not too many people get to do this hike. It's an active volcano in Congo, if you don't have time jump to the end to check out where we camped... right on the edge of the volcano. A woman actually fell in the volcano a while before we were there so be careful when "volcano-ing", and the guards didn't hesitate to tell us about the woman who fell in, anytime we got really close to the edge, Mainly Brando was guilty of getting too close. A few Canadians just sat all night and drank bad coffee, and stared into the lava, It's quite powerful when you are there staring into the lava... it was one of those amazing times of being in awe of the planet we live on... unfortunately Trina was really sick on this trip so it wasn't her favorite time.

Trade your gun in for a mobile phone!

Burundi collected nearly 14 000 weapons in a nationwide campaign to disarm the civilian population and ensure elections next year will be peaceful.

The tiny central African country of 8 million people is emerging from more than a decade of civil war that killed 300 000 people.

"The different arms collected from October 19 to 28 include guns, hand grenades, bombs, mines and ammunition," Leopold Banzubaze, deputy chairman of the national board in charge of disarming the civil population.

"The campaign has been successful. We hope that the 2010 election will be held in peace and security," Banzubaze said.

The national board in charge of disarmament reckons 70 000 weapons have been collected since 2007, out of an estimated 100 000 weapons in the hands of civilians.

President Pierre Nkurunziza had set a one-week deadline for people who possess weapons to hand them in or face severe penalties such as 10 years in prison or a hefty fine.

Those who gave up their weapons voluntarily received building materials such as iron sheets and cement, clothes and mobile phones.

umoja

To be together as one in spirit. That is the message of this song. John Bosco is the name of this musician, and he actually teaches music here in Bujumbura not too far from my house. He's the most refined of the musicians so far, and he has a load of songs, and on this day, he recorded two of his originals in our living room. Again, John is a friend of a friend. My buddy Adam tried to get john for a month... we couldn't track him down, so when I heard he had an hour, we just rolled cameras. I think John Bosco is Burundi's Ben Harper. I have no doubt that if John Bosco cut an Album, it would do quite well, I'll have to talk to Adam to see if we could help with that. John doesn't showcase his guitar skills here, but he's actually quite good, because he would just jam inbetween songs, and when we started recording, we would totally change his style. This song is about his message for unity, so it's a vocally driven song, with a chorus you can't ignore. He sings this song in 4 languages, almost as if, he's using the different languages to emphasize his point, that no matter what tongue you speak, we should be united in spirit as one. Again I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do.

Swahili:

Tuna taka umoja … Africa

We ask for unity … Africa

Tuna taka umoja … wa warundi wote

We ask for unity … every Burundian

Tuna taka umoja … from South Africa to Tunisia

Uwacu wote umoja … umoja ni nguvu.

We ask for unity … unity is our strength.

Kirundi:

Dusabira umoja abarundi, yeah …

We ask for unity all Burundians, yeah …

Dusabira umoja imisi yose

We ask for unity every day

Dusabira umoja ibintu vyose bifite ibibazo

We ask for unity in everything that causes us problems

Dusabira umoja imisi yose.

We ask for unity every day.

Moja - African local music project video 3 from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

Sabina

Sabina - African local music project video 2 from SETH CHASE on Vimeo.

Motosi is a rural farmer, to be exact he's a subsistence farmer. He's among the poorest in the world. I found him a year ago when shooting a project to get soccer balls distributed to children in Burundi. My buddy Brandon spotted him jamming just off the road in front of a hut. A couple months back I went to his house with my buddy Adam, and we filmed him as he played a few songs for us. His homemade guitar was ruined during rainy season, and Adam payed to get it fixed at a local sort of fix it guy, but it sounded so bad we let him use a guitar that was donated to me. So, Motosi is playing my guitar and Singing, and his buddy is doing percussion on Motosi's homemade guitar. After the song ends I pan around Motosi showing a bit of his house, and plot. You can see, Adam sitting on a camera box, while about 50 burundians from the village look on, a few soldiers are hiding among the villagers as well. This song is called Sabina. Sabina is the name of a woman he is in love with. He sings the song in Swahili, French, and Kirundi. I can only understand his French portion, but I imagine his Swahili and Kirundi portions are the same.

He basically says that he Loves Sabina, but Sabina just keeps asking for money. Money to feed the kids, money to buy a house, money for fish, money for wood to make a fire. And all this asking for money frustrates him. He goes on to say that beautiful women love money. He warns friends from London, and America, and says "listen up, beautiful women love money, I think it's like that all the time." He keeps repeating these themes.

I found it interesting because Sabina seems to ask for money for responsible practical things. I know it's written but one of the poorest in the world, so it likely gets tiring of always being asked for money when you don't have any money, and you barely have enough money to live. I thought motosi had a raw sound, sort of Bob Dillonesque, but better, with less profound lyrics.

Local Burundi Music Series featuring live performances by local African artists

Have you ever heard the sound of a Burundian musician? I didn’t think so. If a Burundian wants to get his or her music on the radio or televsion, they give up all the rights to their songs, so the serious musicians never really get their music out there. They’ll maybe get an audience of a couple hundred other Burundians and a few expatriates. I decided to do a Burundi music project and feature some local musicians, from my area of the woods in Burundi in order to bring the musicians to you. This series will feature four musicians. The two musicians in this video are August and Ceasar. They are twin brothers, and they are Tutsi, and they wrote this song together about the genocide that has been happening in Burundi for the last thirteen years, only I've not heard anything like this song before. The song discusses the genocide from an angle I've not heard, and gets to the root cause. If you are from the region you would know it’s a song written by Tutsi’s, and August and Caesar have taken a bit of slack for it, but anybody who doesn't live there wouldn't be able to tell. I think it's fine for people to tell their story from whatever side of the fence they are on, true freedom of expression is necessary for healing. What I love most about all these musicians, is that, everybody that I will show you is writing from experience. Every artist featured has lived through the genocide. They are all among the poorest people in the world, they are not "A List" artists visiting the country, then writing a Billboard hit single. These guys are the real deal. They are the people in their songs. I was sort of blown away by the lyrics of this song, and as I said already I’ve never heard a song like it. If you choose to watch the video, make sure you’re in a quiet place with no distractions. A I mentioned, August and Caesar are twin brothers who grew up during the genocide, and their whole life experience is seasoned by war, and corruption, simply because of where they were born. Many of us, who watch this video are fortunate to never experience anything close to what these guys would call their, “normal life.” I’m thankful for these musicians, and the stories they tell. The struggles they’ve survived. This was a live performance recorded in our living room. Myself, Trina, and my buddy Adam, were all present to watch these guys, sing their story. I hope the song is as powerful for you as it was for me.

The albino situation in Burundi

In a small courtroom in eastern Burundi, state prosecutor Nicodeme Gahimbare waves a bone at the judges and the eight men lined up in front of them, as he states his case.

It’s a human bone.

The eight men are on trial for murdering albinos and trying to sell their body parts across the border in Tanzania, where some people believe that using albino body parts in witchcraft can bring wealth and good fortune. Some of the body parts found are now on display for all to see.

The grisly case shocked people far beyond the courthouse in the Burundian town of Ruyigi, where three of the men got a life sentence and the other five got 20 years in prison for aiding and abetting.

For Kazungu Kassim, a spokesman for Burundi’s albinos, the sentences were a victory. “It gives the Burundi Albinos Association a lot of courage because it shows that the government is on our side,” he told Reuters Africa Journal after the trial. “I think it could reduce the amount of attacks on albinos and I also think it might discourage anyone who was intending to endanger the life of an albino in our country.”

It was the first in a series of cases in which the governments of Burundi and Tanzania are finally trying to bring some of those behind the albino murders to justice. More than 50 albinos — who lack pigment in their skin, eyes and hair — have been killed in the two countries, presumably to fuel the cross-border trade in their sought-after body parts.

Tanzania opened five new cases last month, and Burundi passed down another sentence on July 23, condemning one more person to life in prison.

Both countries are also trying to convince ordinary citizens to help in the arrest of those responsible. But it’s little consolation for those who have already lost a loved one in such a brutal and horrific way.

Outside her hut, Leonie Kabura cradles her baby twins. They’re all she has left. Until a few months ago, her 16-year-old daughter helped to care for them. But she was albino, one of the 11 who was murdered in Burundi.

Her husband had left her because of the stigma attached to albinism here.

“Those people who were arrested should rot in prison,” says Leonie bitterly. “If the
government can kill them, then they should, because they are the reason for my hunger.”

Many albinos in this region still live in fear of being attacked and killed, and in Ruyigi town, the government has rented a safe house guarded by the police, where about 25 albinos have found shelter.
“We used to get along well with everybody,” says Godefroid Hakizimana. “That’s changed now. We’re being told that they’re going to kill us to earn lots of money.”

Africa is thought to have the highest concentration of albinos in the world. Only about 200 live in Burundi, but an estimated 200,000 live across the border in Tanzania.

In the main city Dar es Salaam, people were horrified by what’s been happening.

“I want to tell my fellow Tanzanians not to get conned by these witchdoctors,” says Catherine Nguni. “They themselves are looking for wealth, so how can they make you rich?”

Pamela Mcheka, also a Dar resident, is herself an albino. “My family tells me to be careful at night and that I should stay indoors,” she says. “I just hope God will watch over us.”

A film to critique

A few of you know that among the projects I've been doing here in Burundi, there has been one large project for my good friend Simon. I'll be posting more about it in the future but I'll just put a video below that we shot in Uganda many months ago. Simon will be off to the states, showing videos, preaching, and challenging the church, networking, serving, and doing all sorts of things, but one of the things he'll be doing is showing and selling these videos, and the funds will go to support several ministries in Burundi. I'll elaborate in person, and via blog again in the future... this is just a sample of sorts.

What I remember about this video: The road trip was a blast, and it was tiring. Four guys, Myself, Simon from England, Charles from Scottland, Isaac from a bit of eveywhere. Long trip. Charles opperated the second camera, and I gave him a 5 min lesson on how to use a camera, stuck all the settings on auto and let him rip. This is also the first film I've done that has 90 percent of the audio done after the fact... which was fun and monotonous. The hardest thing was having simon do all his lines again, then matching his voice with his mouth movements, which in the industry is called ADR. But all the water and wind is fake as well. Soundtrack is by some new contacts in England, Sanj and Chris, who I'm happy to get to meet in a week. We have some good out takes that will go on the dvd... this film was a blast to make. I just wish i could have a second take on making it because i learned how to shoot bungee jumping now... which was tricking, tracking from a bright light source to a darker light source, with varying speeds depending on how tight the bungee was. Simon jumped nine times, i think, setting a record for most consecutive jumps in a row.



The Pili, on the morning of June 3rd

The Pili is an amazing thing.



It’s the hottest pepper in Burundi and Rwanda, and I’m sure Kenya Congo, and Tanzania. I didn’t have it in Sudan, so I don’t know. Some had said it’s the hottest pepper on the earth, trumping those from India and Ethiopia.



Stumptown coffee is the best coffee in the world. Few would argue with that. Actually, just Matt G, Inteligencia, and Counter Culture. But it’s just an argument, that won’t go anywhere.



Stumptown is the best. One of my good buddies is the green coffee buyer for stumptwon coffee. Many who know the higher echelons of coffee know him.



Aleco Chigounis.



He travels the world in search of the best coffee bean. He’s intelligent, assessable, and fantastic and everyone in Burundi loves him. He comes to stay with Trina and I in Bujumbura, bringing us a great variety of stumptowns finest, and then he visits the northern coffee fields of Burundi.



He also likes to disappear here, where cell phones rarely work, and internet is almost dial up on it’s fastest days, electricity comes and goes, so does the water. But the sun sets everyday over the mountains of congo, the lake calls you all day to it’s shores, Burundians shuffle around doing a myriad of subsistence activities and the African sun beats down on you relentlessly when the African rains take some time off.



It’s lush, beautiful, wild, and untamed. And those who want to live life, come here to begin the living… there’s about 40 of us… and we love it. One of the things Aleco and I do every time he comes besides drinking great coffee, working out, swimming, hanging, and eating like Bazungu African king’s is… we both eat the amazingly painful pili pepper. It’s one of the most pleasure-full and pain-full things one can do in Burundi.



It’s a sacred thing, and a spiritual experience. It’s forged our friendship in the fiery depths of the heart of the dark continent. It burns hotter than radiation, and then sends a massive, euphoria straight to your head. Nobody else really believes that I’m telling the truth because they’re too afraid to try the pili in it's natural form. I think Aleco and I may be the only two people who actually eat the pepper itself. It’s typically crushed into a pulp, then bottled, then used in extreme moderation in large meals. I don’t know any Burundians who eat pili pili even in its sauce form. I know a few bazungu who do, but they barely use any pili sauce at all. These series of photos chronicles the morning of the most recent pili worship.



My friend brando often watches us while we partake in the dance of the pili, he just laughs, but this time he took photos. We had the pili with our breakfast and I ate half of my breakfast before I teared into the pili. Once you begin pili consumption you loose all sense of taste for the next 30 minutes (indeed some have died). You can only taste the fantastic depths of the pepper itself… then you burn.



Then a pili high.



Then more burn.



Pili high.



Then the burn eases off, little by little. You begin to remember where you are, who you are, and a renewed sense of purpose in life surfaces from somewhere behind the frontal lobe.

Mutinous Burundi child soldiers sent back home

Hundreds of former child soldiers for Burundi rebels, who recently staged a mutiny demanding better conditions at a demobilisation camp, begun returning home on Wednesday, an official said.
"It's a great satisfaction for us," said Romain Ndagabwa head of the camp where they stayed for about a month in central Gitega town.
The first batch of 136 of the 340 teenagers left Wednesday and the rest will be released next week.
"This morning 136 FNL child soldiers left the Gitega demobilisation centre for their provinces of origin where they will be reunited with their families," said Ndabagwa in a telephone interview with AFP.
The child soldiers from the National Liberation Forces (FNL), Burundi's last active rebel group, had been in Gitega, 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Bujumbura, since early April awaiting demobilisation.
Aged between 16 and 17, they last week stormed out of the camp in protest to demand better food and to be speedily sent back home.
Each child is being sent off with a kit of clothes and food and will receive a transitional monthly stipend equivalent to 13 euros (17 dollars) for 18 months to allow for their reintegration into society.
A once-off payment equal to 100 euros (136 dollars) will be made out either for formal education or towards a small project of the youngster's choice.
The FNL officially became a political party on April 21 after ending its armed struggle. Around 5,000 FNL former combatants are to be disarmed alongside more than 10,000 allied fighters who will return to civilian life.
The Great Lakes nation struggled to emerge from a 13-year civil war that ended with a ceasefire in 2006 ceasefire after leaving 300,000 dead.
The civil war pitted the army, once dominated by minority Tutsis, against various rebel Hutu groups.

tea season is year round

My Buddy Brando took some shots of a weekend away up in Northern Burundi. I was supposed to get some shots of Coffee for a film I'm doing, but we stayed at a Tea plantation. Obviously this presented a bit of a dilemma for getting coffee shots. Needless to say I have some great tea footage. For now I just want you to see the Tea fields of Northern Burundi as captured by Brandon and his super sweet Cannon.