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posts about #congo more →
Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
Afghanistan Allows Men to Deny Wives Food For Refusing Sexual Demands • Europe's Peewee Boyz Storm Cheerleading
The Eyes Have It
What's More Important: Rape In Congo Or Hillary's Bad Hair Day?
Our Undivided Attention
Precious Cargo
"My Husband Is Not Secretary Of State, I Am"
The Faces Of Congo's Women
War Crimes Against Women, Men, Continue Unabated Abroad
Italian Wedding Ends In Disaster • Women With Migraines Less Likely To Get Breast Cancer

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amoureuse is a second class citizen
11/18/09

In reply to Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
It's all about showmanship and 1 upping each other. Fally Ipupa is 1 of the biggest Congolese stars out, hence the video below. Bentley, fur coat, American pop-star, people went WILD.
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amoureuse is a second class citizen
11/18/09

In reply to Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
How do I explain this, my people are flashy.
Even in the US, if you pull up to a Congolese party, everyone is dressed to the nines. It is part of the cultute. when my uncle who lived in Paris came to visit, the young guys in the neighborhood used to line up on the corner to see what he was wearing, when he left in the morning with my father. The man got kudos for never repeating an outfit.

In most instances, people usually borrow and exchange clothing. Yes, we are surrounded by war, chaos and utter poverty, but life goes on. Hell we've been in turmoil since the 1800s.
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logruszed
11/18/09

In reply to Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
Reminds me of the "Teddy boys" of 1970's England. Sometimes the only way to feel good is to feel like you look good.

And these gents have style. As a dandy (well, more of a fop), I approve.
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Sarah Dove
11/19/09

@logruszed: I thought Teds were creatures of the 1950s.
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logruszed
11/19/09

@Sarah Dove: I guess originally they were, but there was a revival of the style in the early 70's, pre-punk.
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Sarah Dove
11/21/09

@logruszed: Thanks for the clarification! And I commend you on being a fop in this day and age. But have you considered becoming a Dapper Dan Man?

#tips
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logruszed
11/21/09

@Sarah Dove: I used to be a Dapper Dan Man, but it has been my experience that many "DDM" use foul language and often engage in fisticuffs in family establishments such as Woolworths. I do not wish to be associated with such non-bonafide men.
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kookla
11/18/09

In reply to Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
This is such a fascinating subject, that I'm amazed I've only heard about it until now.
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randomnessish
11/18/09

In reply to Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
This reminds me incredibly of the gay dance halls in "Paris is Burning": notably, the use of designer clothes and looking good not only to promote your status within a minority and subjugated subculture, but to more importantly as a means to rise above the difficulties they've faced. Clothes and labels are so much more than "clothes" and "labels," especially to people who have limited means and a hard way of life.
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jillofalltrades
11/18/09

In reply to Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
There is a long tradition of dandyism throughout African diaspora. I'm Nigerian and my uncle was late to my aunt's funeral because he NEEDED a different tie. But this history of the dandyism, may have less to do with some sort of triumph of will over adversity and poverty, than slight negation of myths of black male potency. Like the idea that a man who is that into his own appearance couldn't possibly be a sexual threat.

Also, I don't know that there aren't women doing this same thing, but just that people pay more attention to men who exhibit this behavior.
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hollygirl
11/18/09

In reply to Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
I find this hearbreaking somehow.
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MrsAbraxas
11/18/09

@hollygirl: Maybe cause of this?

"Followers of SAPE wear $10,000 jackets and $500 shoes, but these mostly young Congolese men otherwise barely eke out a living in the rubble of Kinshasa and Brazzaville or the ghettos of Paris and Brussels, washing dishes or washing bodies, and sometimes selling their own."

(quote from colors mag here: [www.colorsmagazine.com])
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MrsAbraxas
11/18/09

@MrsAbraxas: Oh, and "many willingly spend as much on a jacket as they would on a house in Kinshasa."
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Pizza!Pizza!Pizza!
11/18/09

In reply to Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
This is so hot, and it's nice whenever subcultures in sub-Saharan African countries are highlighted, if only to counteract the impression that the whole continent is one big charity commercial.

It would be less bittersweet if they'd come about as a result of massive clothing donations form overseas, like maybe if someone had opened a shipping container from the 1970s only to find it full of amazing, immaculate retro wear. Also it's only half as cool as it could be with women dressing up. Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions, but something tells me they're too busy raising the kids, getting food and water and going to school.
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la.donna.pietra
11/18/09

In reply to Gentlemen Of Bacongo: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa
I am instantly reminded of the Zoot Suiters in 1940s L.A.
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Hooplehead
08/14/09

In reply to Afghanistan Allows Men to Deny Wives Food For Refusing Sexual Demands • Europe's Peewee Boyz Storm Cheerleading
I don't have anything good to contribute about Afghanistan. Way to take away even the little freedom these ladies have from day to day, you assholes. What's next, just tying them up in a corner and undoing the knots only when they need something done? I wish to Dog there was anything that we could do to change this bullshit.
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Hooplehead
08/14/09

@Hooplehead: And that was before I read about the rape epidemic in the Congo. For the fuck of shit, people, what the hell is wrong with you? Humanity is an epic fail today.
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notheretomakefriends
08/14/09

In reply to Afghanistan Allows Men to Deny Wives Food For Refusing Sexual Demands • Europe's Peewee Boyz Storm Cheerleading
Interestingly enough, back in March the Guardian was also the first publication to break the marital rape law news, and it took a few days for most publications to catch up to them, prompting country leaders to react, and forcing Karzai's people to bury the laws.
Hopefully, this time will be no exception.
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Rosa Scandalosa
08/14/09

In reply to Afghanistan Allows Men to Deny Wives Food For Refusing Sexual Demands • Europe's Peewee Boyz Storm Cheerleading
To borrow a phrase from other Jezzies, for the fuck of shit. Afghanistan lawmakers are just bent on keeping women in fear, aren't they? It's like, "Well, TECHNICALLY we overturned the marital rape laws..." No. Exactly the same as before.

The worst part is that Western powers probably can't do much, if anything, to get these new laws repealed.
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Sophie needs to study...damn
08/15/09

@Rosa Scandalosa: The worst part is that there is a culture allows men to exchange food for sex, and when that fails or gets boring, use rape; that laws were enacted to protect such a culture; and that women have very few avenues in which to change such a law within such a deeply misogynistic culture. (Note: I'm not exclusively talking about Afghanistan by any means.)

Western powers not being able to repeal laws of a sovereign nation is not the worst part.
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DollaBrand
08/12/09

In reply to What's More Important: Rape In Congo Or Hillary's Bad Hair Day?
Good work.
That said, you write that that the press could help Clinton by focusing on the actual issues at hand.
Well, Clinton (and Obama) wants to frame her visit as being all about democracy, being tough on corrupt African leaders, helping defenseless Congolese women (I am with Texas in Africa on this). That may be so, but it obscures the larger rationale for Ms Clinton's visit. Which incidentally is not a secret since State Department officials can't stop wanting to tell the media about it, but the media won't report it. That is two things:
By 2025 the US government expects to import at least 25% of its oil suppliers from African sources–Clinton is visiting three suppliers on this trip: Angola, Nigeria, and Cape Verde. Obama visited a fourth, Ghana (they discovered oil in 2007), a month ago. Right now Nigeria is the 5th largest, and Angola the 6th largest exporters of oil to the United States. Oh, and the US is facing competition from China (who operate by a different, easier, set of rules for foreign investment) for African oil and other resources.
[africasacountry.wordpress.com]
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Newsgirl
08/12/09

In reply to What's More Important: Rape In Congo Or Hillary's Bad Hair Day?
This kind of media coverage really burns my ass. And while I know we're all busy and have things to do, I'll tell you that editors and producers do go through viewer/reader feedback e-mails often. They can't read all of the e-mails, but they do read some. So, if you subscribe to/read a paper doing this stuff, e-mail an editor or publisher and tell them how lame it is. If it's a station you watch, e-mail the producer and tell them. E-mail addresses are always on the network/paper's Web sites. You may or may not get a response, but hey, it's something.
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msAnthrope
08/12/09

In reply to The Eyes Have It
can you imagine being HC and seeing these faces looking at you, knowing what they've been through? it must make you want to wave a magic wand or something.
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