Saturday morning...a great night last night..went with Gerald and his brother to the BEST traditional African music...12 guys hot..dressed in original warrior clothing...using ancient and contemporary instruments, loud, wild...dancing like mad, crazy...a welcome relief after cofacilitating a two day workshop...lucky i had some experience with facilitation,consensus decision making,group action...but learned it with the Quakers back in the 80s...ICA has worked out a great methodology and way of teaching of which i knew not..!! Challenging as they say in the business...20 people...located out in the high density area of harare...hundreds of one floored houses packed together,mothers carrying babies with sheets andtowls..wrapped around their chests..the babies hanging out the back, fromthe front you see a shrouded bosom with two feet protruding from each side...market, lots of action, food on the roadside...music, noise, activity, colour, sound...life teaming with life...great warm people...i´m staying with the director, his wife who works with UNESCO..who has been in paris all week...their two kids..gated, secure.
next week i´m giving my big two day art workshop...doing it much like the way i do it at the art retreat...monday andtuesday..we are estimating and buying paint..paper..sponges...water spray bottles i hope...
i have two people helping me...mary mesa and MARANGA...HE IS the logistics person... am conquering my problem with remembering names which are unfamiliar to me..like maranga...i am sure this lovely and very helpful man´s name is not totally pronounced like that but reminding me of that tango dance in Dirty Dancing THE MARANGO or A...and it works...samewith Geralds dad..whose name is MISSANGJO...thinking of MISS ANGEL..anditworks..therest, likegoodmorning or how are you in Shoni escapes me so far...my brain is splitting after a long day facilitating ICA methodology i am just learning...with people who speak very softly and gently, hence with all the drumming and noise outside, i can´t hear...partially in english and in shoni..so yes.it is challenging.but so very interesting.they ended the workshop with three local actors portraying a hilarious but nastily true vinette on family violence against women...

moved deeply by stories from the workshop...a woman with three sisters who have died now, leaving each one, three kids...to be looked after by the remaining ones...all of whom deny the cause of illness....except her, she who is making it her business to understand and learn, and then go out into the community to teach..the AIDS percentage here is coming down...from 30 % to now about 18 i am told....lovely people, an artist who tells me of how artists are seen in his community, different, strange..to be avoided...not trusted..i missed a meeting today of his frieds, other artists..back out at the location...no transportation, but am learning how to take the bus system myself....not unsafe...as our western papers portray...

sothat´s it for today...don´t know when i´ll get back..but you all, be well and safe, and have a good weekend...haveloved your emails too..thanks...xLps...haven´t gotten the picture connection down here yet...onething at atime..but i cansay thatwhen i flew in this place ws covered in purple flowers....