Travel Talk

The past week or so has been a reverse tourism process. I get so much energy from friends visiting us from various parts of the world - without having to board a plane myself.

First, one of Rob's dearest friends from their Indian childhood, Karl Riber visited us with his wife Sarah and 11-month old darling, babbling baby, Emmy.

Both of their families have deep roots in India. I believe Sarah's family has been in India since the 1600s, along the coast of Andhra Pradesh. She's lived back and forth between England and India, including a stint as the theater teacher at Kodai international school - - where she chanced to meet Karl. He had returned to India after years in Australia. Of course they fell in love and have been wandering nomads since, most recently nesting in Australia where they can live on one half-time salary and raise their child.

Currently they are on a half-year sabbatical in Kodai and traveling, of course (actually Karl is a very hard-working pediatrics nurse). We are looking forward to meeting up with them again next month in India - at the Elephant Valley organic farm & eco-resort and also at Kodai (both in Tamil Nadu).

Karl sent us a message after leaving Minneapolis. "I'll never travel Northworst Airline again! Two hours outside of Gatwick the overhead baggage compartment came loose and fell on our heads. Luckily we sheilded Emmy but had to spend the last two hours of the flight sitting among broken airplane parts and wires hanging from the ceiling." Apparently Northwest only gave them 6,000 miles to redeem later. Pretty lame!

Shortly after Karl & Fly left, his brother Johnny Riber, wife Louise and son Jordan stopped in for a visit. Johnny and Louise met in India in kindergarten and married after high school. They have three children, the oldest is Jordan, who only popped in overnight and had to leave the next morning to fly to Utah for an internship at the Sundance Institute (http://www.sundance.org/) where he's mixing.

Jordan is an intense musician, learning the art while growing up in Harare. He's also been involved in his parents film company and is now managing some of their work in Tanzania. Jordan, his younger siblings Krista and Sterling, and our daughter Kelly have been together at school at Fairhaven College, Western Washington Univ. in Bellingham. It is interesting how the generations flow together around the world.

Jordan learned a lot from his parents, John and Louise, who moved to Africa after graduating from school in India (via a college in the US and a decision to pursue a film career). For more info see http://web.mit.edu/course/21/21f.853/africa-film/0526.html). In east Africa they raised their family and developed several film companies which tend to deal with social issues, including AIDS. Johnny is an independent filmmaker and Founder-Director of the Media for Development Trust (http://www.mfdi.org/). Louise helps run the company as an editor, producer and mother. They produced and directed the film Shanda, about Oliver Mtukudzi (Tuku music).

For some downloads and more info about Tuku:
http://www.music.org.za/artist.asp?id=84
http://olivermtukudzi.calabashmusic.com/
http://www.worldpress.org/Africa/1039.cfm

His music is available at record stores and Amazon.com.

The world of African music contains some of the most naturally gifted musicians on the planet. Husband and wife filmmakers John and Louise Riber are well aware of this fact, and in 2002 they set out to document the mercurial talents of Zimbabwean musician Oliver Mtukudzi.

Shanda
The exuberant, life-affirming music of Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi flows through this fascinating documentary portrait of a man, his times and his music. Tuku’s music talks to audiences everywhere, in Africa and beyond. Through the film, his personal choice of 10 favourite songs takes us on a musical journey spanning three decades. At it’s heart is one man’s intimate relationship with his beloved homeland, Zimbabwe. From the days of the liberation struggle, war and unemployment, through the sunburst of independence, and along the often-bumpy road since, Tuku renders the joy, anger and heartache of the human experience with legendary wisdom and compassion. The musical anthology reveals Tuku’s rich voice and beautiful compositions, like never before, from the early days of his first band, The Wagon Wheels, to his internationally acclaimed Black Spirits. Filmmakers John and Louise Riber capture the story and spirit of this incredible musician, live in township clubs and beer halls across Zimbabwe, among his endearing fans. “SHANDA is a wonderfully engaging look at the life and music of one of Africa’s most important and legendary stars. Oliver is inspirational a person as he is mesmerizing as an artist. I love this film!” –Bonnie Raitt (2002)