MOVIE REVIEW ; DJANGO UNCHAINED

YESTERDAY ( SATURDAY THE 26th ) I WENT TO SEE "DJANGO UNCHAINED" IS SHOWING IN LONDON AT THE THEATERS SINCE  THE 18th AND BELIEVE ME IT IS A MUST SEE.

I KNOW that there was a lot of polemic about the movie in the US because of the use of the word "Nigger" and the Violent  Scenes. But  I never really understood   why people have a problem with this especially when at this time ..SLAVERY... these two factors were a common place.
LET ME BE CLEAR black people at that time were considered less than animals so they were not really called "Ladies and Gentlemen" and if you want to see a movie which try to depict how Slavery was even partially YOU MUST USED THE PROPER WORD.
FOR PEOPLE complaining about the violence THEY NEED TO REALIZED THAT SLAVERY WAS A HUGE AND CONSTANT  VIOLENCE.
TO IGNORE THIS two facts for me is a huge hypocrisy.
"DJANGO UNCHAINED"  is a western spaghetti which take place during Slavery and has also Slavery has the main theme. I will not spoiled it because i really want you to go and see it.

I always been a huge fan of Tarantino's movies and my favorite ones are Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and now "Django Unchained".

Today I realized that I am old enough to deal with that "kind of movie". I remembered when "ROOTS" was on TV  and I was very young at that time and i couldn't stop crying in fact i only watched the first episode and it took me  16 years to watch it entirely THE PAIN, THE PAIN WAS TOO MUCH.
 SAME THING for ALL the old documentaries about The Civil Rights Movement. One image in particular never left my mind it was a Black Woman like 7 months pregnant who has to get off the bus by white men and they just beat her... what happen to her i never know BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IT WAS THAT I JUST REFUSED TO WATCH THAT KIND OF IMAGES FOR A LONG TIME.

I READ AND WATCHED  a lot of  materials about SLAVERY and I know that what you see in the movie really happened. OF COURSE Tarantino did not included two common violence like the systematic rape of  slaves and the frequent assault on children. Apparently  he says that it was his choice because  it will be too difficult to shoot or handle. ( his words ). That's why most of the violent scenes are against  ADULTS mostly MEN.
THERE ARE ALSO some humorous scenes that some people may think strange and unacceptable but for me they did make sense and I think that this is the reason you can watch the movie quietly UNLESS IT WILL BE TOO HARD but  this is just my opinion. AND OF COURSE THE END HELP TO LEAVE THE THEATER WITHOUT FEELING.....YOU KNOW.

TO FINISH I heard a lot of people who like to tell that WE BLACK PEOPLE WE MUST MOVE ON AND LEAVE SLAVERY IN THE PAST AND I JUST WANT TO TELL THEM THAT YES WE WILL BUT BEFORE YOU MUST GO TO HELL FIRST CAUSE' WE'VE BEEN THERE.  AND WE KNOW WHAT IT'S LOOK LIKE.

NEVER NEVER FORGET WHAT OUR ANCESTORS HAVE ENDURED THROUGH ALL THIS YEARS AT LEAST WE OWN THEM THE FREEDOM THAT  WE HAVE TODAY.
MAY GOD BLESS THEM.

AUGUSTIN KASSI : THE CITIZEN ARTIST

AUGUSTIN KASSI IS AN IVORIAN  PAINTER  WHO LIVES IN  IVORY COAST ( AFRICA ).
 HE IS BORN the 18 th February 1966 in Assoumoukro a small village near a town named  MBATTO.
HE IS KNOWN  for the paintings of large African Women. The idea came few years ago when in a bus in Abidjan ( capital city ) a large woman was asked to pay 2 places. It chocked him because when he was young he remembered how LARGE WOMEN WERE RESPECTED, VENEERED AND ABOVE ALL CONSIDERED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL. 
HE THINK that things have change too much in Africa especially the perception of  WHAT AND WHO IS BEAUTIFUL. HE blame this on the western influence. HE think that African needs to have and respect their own cultural values.
HE IS ALSO A HUMANITARIAN AND AN ENGAGED ARTIST. HE has created a workshop/foundation  where 5000 poor children are introduced to painting in Abidjan every year. IT HAS A HUGE SUCCESS.

YOU CAN watch this BBC video where is talking about his work.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19564547

YOU CAN WATCH THIS VIDEO ABOUT HIS WORK IN HIS FOUNDATION ;
http://www.djibitv.com/video/51/Les+ateliers+vacances+de+Monsieur+Augustin+KASSI%2C+artiste+peintre

YOU CAN WATCH THIS ONE ABOUT HOW THE CHILDREN ARE WORKING  ;
http://fondationartmonde.org/atelier-vacances/activites.php

NOW A PREVIEW OF HIS WORK ;

HIS FOUNDATION  has exported his workshop in other African counties like BURKINA FASO, MALI, NIGER AND CAMEROON.
HE  BELIEVES THAT ART IS AS IMPORTANT FOR ART THE SAME WAY YOU ARE WORKING TO TRANSFORM YOUR NATURAL RESOURCES A COUNTRY LIKE YOUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND YOU MUST PROMOTE AND DEVELOP.
HE always try to encourage local Authorities to be involve in this kind of  project.
HE IS VERY PASSIONATE AND DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF ART IN AFRICA.

SOME PEOPLE may think ART is not really a priority for AFRICAN because it is a "poor continent" affected by "war, hunger, HIV....and all sort of calamities"  despite the fact that things are not entirely this way even they may think that YOU NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON FOOD, HEALTH, EDUCATION, ECONOMY ETC... BUT FOR AUGUSTIN KASSY ART MUST BE PART OF THIS PRIORITIES.
THAT'S why is travelling all over Africa to settle these Art Workshops.

I HOPE YOU WILL take time to watch the videos so YOU will understand WHAT IS TO BE NOT JUST A PAINTER BUT  A CITIZEN ARTIST. GOD BLESS

NEW HAIR TREATMENTS FOR A NEW YEAR

I HAD TWO WEEKS holidays so it was enough time for me to prepare my hair for the coming New Year,
I MADE TWO TREATMENTS,  The Deep Conditioner  one with palm oil, Greek yogurt and lemon and The one with Henna ( henna + 1 egg + palm oil + conditioner).
YOU CAN GO  to my older post to see how i made them.
For the deep conditioner : http://minasek.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/deep-conditioner-palm-oil-grec-yogurt.html
For the the henna : http://minasek.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/henna-treatement-for-hair-traitement.html

THE FIRST WEEK i made the Deep Conditioner treatment because i want to prepare my hair for the Henna treatment the week after.
THIS TWO TREATMENTS was needed for my hair after 6 weeks of micro braids. the Henna Treatment is made two times a year, in Spring and winter. I also use it for my very few grey hair.

The state of my hair after 6 weeks of micro braids. 

I took off my braids. 

I washed my hair then it was blow dry.

My hair are ready for The Henna treatment which was made the week after.

I kept it 8 hours, then washed, co washed and it was blow dry.

My hair were  ready for my new micro braids. They were made two days later.

NOW  I AM READY FOR 6 MORE WEEKS. THIS IS STILL THE WINTER SEASON SO I NEED TO KEEP THIS PROTECTIVE STYLE AT LEAST UNTIL FEBRUARY.

TV OR WEB TV : SUPPORT THE DIFFERENT VOICES

I HAVEN'T  WATCHED TV SINCE 10 YEARS AGO BUT I HAVE TO PAY MY TV LICENCE AND IT COST ME £ 145 PER YEAR. I HAVE 2 OLD TV IN MY HOUSE BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THEY ARE COVERED  WITH A LOT DUST. LOL.

IF I WANT TO WATCH A SHOW I JUST GO TO A WEBSITE LIKE BBC i PLAYER BECAUSE I AM JUST TIRED OF THE AMOUNT OF ADVERT WHICH INTERRUPT EVERY 15 MINUTES ANY PROGRAM AND ALSO I DO NOT SEE A LOT OF CONTENT RELATED TO ME AS A PERSON.
YOU KNOW AS A BLACK INTELLIGENT WOMAN ( YES I THINK I AM ). EVEN WHEN I WANT TO LISTEN TO MUSIC I JUST AVOID ALL THIS RUBBISH / PREDICTABLE SHOWS TO ONLY   FOCUS ON REAL TALENT AND THERE ARE PLENTY ON YOUTUBE... OLD, NEW, FAMOUS OR UNKNOWN.

THAT'S WHY I AM A HUGE FOLLOWER OF WEB SERIES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES MADE BY BLACKS ACTORS / PRODUCERS. THERE IS A LOT OF TALENT IN SOME OF THEM. THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF STORIES RELATED TO ME WHICH ARE NOT COVERED BY MAINSTREAM SHOWS.

TO NAME A FEW STARTING BY MY FAVORITE :

- "THE UNWRITTEN RULES" written by KIM WILLIAMS starring AASHA DAVIS...  YOU CAN WATCH  KIM WILLIAMS THE AUTHOR ( BOOK ) AND CREATOR OF THE WEB SERIES  EXPLAINING HOW AND WHY  SHE DECIDED TO CREATE THIS SHOW.

-" ROOMIELOVERFRIENDS "  A BLACK & SEXY.TV PRODUCTION AND ALSO CO PRODUCED BY ISSAE RAE OF "THE AWKWARD BLACK GIRL".

BELOW AN ORIGINAL INTERVIEW OF ONE OF THE MAIN CHARACTER. YOU NEED TO NOTICE THAT THIS IS NOT THE INTERVIEW OF THE ACTRESS  BUT RATHER OF THE CHARACTER SHE IS PLAYING. THIS CONCEPT HELP YOU TO ENTER DEEPER IN THE STORY.

- " THE COUPLE " ALSO A SERIES FROM BLACK & SEXY TV. PRODUCTION

THIS THREE SHOWS ARE WORTH A TRY AND FOLLOW BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH WE MUST SUPPORT THEM FINANCIALLY SO THEY CAN CONTINUE FOR A SECOND SEASON  ESPECIALLY "THE UNWRITTEN RULES " AND " ROOMIELOVERFRIENDS" WHICH NEED TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL OF 25 000 DOLLARS EACH.
http://www.indiegogo.com/theunwrittenrules
http://www.indiegogo.com/roomielover
YOU CAN MAKE A SMALL DONATION STARTING BY 1 OR 5 DOLLARS  AND MORE IF YOU CAN YOU JUST NEED TO GO ON THEIR WEBSITE AND CONTRIBUTE IF YOU LIKE THEM.

THINK ABOUT ALL THE MONEY AND TIME  THAT YOU  PUT ON  MOVIES OR TV SHOWS  AND IT WAS SOMETIMES INSULTING OR DEGRADING.
THINK ABOUT THE LACK OF QUALITY SHOWS PORTRAITING BLACK PEOPLE IN GENERAL.

THIS IS A HUGE OCCASION AND A VERY CHEAP WAY  TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
 DON'T HESITATE GO, WATCH AND CONTRIBUTE SO YOU WILL SUPPORT THE DIFFERENT VOICES THE ONES THAT WE CAN'T SEE IN MAINSTREAM TV.
THANKS A LOT.