[Leica] IMG: Cape Town Carnival

[luisripoll at telefonica.net (Luis Ripoll)]

Great documentary and great pictures John, I've enjoyed very much

Saludos cordiales
Luis 

-----Mensaje original-----
De: lug-bounces+luisripoll=telefonica.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+luisripoll=telefonica.net@leica-users.org] En nombre de
John Mason
Enviado el: s?bado, 24 de marzo de 2007 20:53
Para: lug@leica-users.org
Asunto: [Leica] IMG: Cape Town Carnival

I spent most of the last three months in Cape Town. 
It was the carnival season, and my longest stay in South Africa since I
lived there in '89 and '90.

Taking advantage of the circumstances, I accepted my friend Zane Ibrahim's
invitation to join the Pennsylvania Crooning Minstrels, one of several dozen
minstrel troupes that are the heart and soul of the carnival.

Carnival is deeply rooted in Cape Town's working class communities.
Minstrel troupes have been around for over 100 years--the Pennsylvanians
date back to the '30s--and the tradition of marching through the city around
Christmas and the New Year goes back to the days of slavery in the early
19th century.

The most spectacular part of the carnival is die Tweede Nuwe Jaar--the
Second New Year, January 2nd--when the troupes march through the center of
the city, effectively taking it over.

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/03FlagAndCoke.jpg.html
>

<http://tinyurl.com/yuxef8>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/01ClownUpClose.jpg.htm
l>

<http://tinyurl.com/2e7dn9>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/04BandAndCoke.jpg.html
>

<http://tinyurl.com/2437nt>

For each troupe, a day of marching or competing begins at the
klopskamer--the clubhouse--where members assemble to march through the
neighborhood, before boarding buses that will take them downtown:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/06Clown.jpg.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/2gorvx>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/09OrangeHouse.jpg.html
>

<http://tinyurl.com/2yv3n8>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/11ManUmbrellaBus.jpg.h
tml>

<http://tinyurl.com/yqe8wj>

An important part of the carnival are the competitions in various local
stadiums, where the troupes bands, choirs, and marching are judged:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/17FlagsAthloneStadium.
jpg.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/3cf7eh>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/18DancingBoyGreenPoint
.jpg.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/2otrg2>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/19TarikInGreenPoint.jp
g.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/2jun9h>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/20BandInStadium.jpg.ht
ml>

<http://tinyurl.com/35ysal>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/21ChoirSingsGreenPoint
.jpg.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/3yoeh9>

None of this comes easily.  Rehearsals start in October and continue until
the end of the competitions in late February:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/22CoachAndSingers.jpg.
html>

<http://tinyurl.com/24vjby>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/24Singers02.jpg.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/27gfk8>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/25BariSaxRehearsal.jpg
.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/yr5w7s>

For the members, participation in the troupes (which is very often passed
down from father to son and mother to daughter) is a mixture of fun and
tomfoolery...

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/14aDancingGirls.jpg.ht
ml>

<http://tinyurl.com/ytv57r>

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/10RedFace.jpg.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/2y4ou7>

...and great seriousness:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/16TamborineInSunset.jp
g.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/yqg5wk>

By happy coincidence, we are this year's championship-winning troupe:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/27ChampionOfChampions.
jpg.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/2534pt>

And, when I say "we," I mean it:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/28EkIsNKlops.jpg.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/2hyylq>

See more here:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/CapeMinstrels/>

--John

John Mason
Charlottesville, Virginia

DEMOCRACY OF SPEED, a Photo Documentary Project:
http://www.virginia.edu/history/DocSpeed/

Additional Documentary Projects, here:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Mason/


 
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