#AfricaDay Interview with @apoetryofliving @LilCya @badilishapoetry

from left: Linda Kaoma, Siyabonga Njica, Mbali Vilakazi

We had a poetic explosion in studio today with our inspiring guests. The conversation circled around Africa Day and touched on what it means to be African. What emerged from the conversation is that we must celebrate Africa, the triumphs, the beauty and the majesty of this beautiful continent.

Linda Kaoma is the Project Manager of Badilisha Poetry Exchange which is an Africa Centre initiative. The http://badilishapoetry.com/ website is a site which seeks to connect and promote African Poets and Poets from the diaspora. Visit the site and follow the easy instructions and you as a poet can have your own profile on this amazing site. You can find Badilisha Poetry on Facebook Badilisha Poetry on Facebook

Siyabonga Njica is an emerging poet on the Cape Town scene and submitted his poem "My Dream for Africa" as part of our Africa Day Poetry Project.

My dream for Africa

My dream for Africa

Is that she blossoms beyond her barriers,
That the values and belief system she upholds,consoles and carries us.
My dream for Africa
Is that she becomes united as one,
Where the lineage of her daughters and son's,
Dance to the the beat of the same drum.
My dream for Africa
Is that she relieves her child soldiers from war,
Where all citizens can be equal before the law,
And the gap decreased between rich and poor.
My dream for Africa
Is that she combats the pandemic of Aids,
Where her infants get to live longer than just today
Away from starvation, death-beds and pain.
My dream for Africa
Is that she conserves our cultural heritage.
Where the marimba's and indigenous sounds of the djembe,
Get to be heard for many more millenniums.
My dream for Africa
Is that she promotes black pride and identity,
My dream for Africa
Is that she reaps the fruit of her soil and history.

Mbali Vilakazi is a force of nature. Her very being oozes poetry and consciousness. This award-winning Poet just returned to South Africa from an European Tour and graced our studio with her presence today. Her poetry speaks for itself, check out her website here http://mbalivilakazi.com/

You can follow all our guests on Twitter:

Linda Kaoma - @badilishapoetry

Siyabonga Njica - @LilCya

Mbali Vilakai - @apoetryofliving

The Young Designer Series :: Daniel Ting Chong (@DanielTingChong)

Today was the third installment of our Young Designers Series, where we interview up and coming designers in Cape Town and speak to them about what it takes to get in the industry, stay in the industry and succeed in the industry.

Daniel Ting Chong is an illustrator, designer, artist and VJ/DJ based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Daniel was born in 1987 in Cape Town. Studied graphic design at Vega. He is emerging as one of Cape Town’s top creative talents following a series of art exhibitions, talks, commissions from clients and design collaborations with leading international brands including Levi Strauss, New York Times and the Discovery Channel.

We spoke to Daniel Tin Chong designs/work  has been featured from The New York Times to the discovery Chanel - we found out his inspiration, his creative process and the real in's and out's of what it takes to get an idea to fruition. We also learnt about the different avenues that you can go into if you are interested in design, from illustrating, web design, interior design and graphic art.

 

To find out more about Daniel or getting hold of his work you can follow him on Twitter here

or check out his website here

 

Some of Daniels designs/projects:

 

 

Photo Diary: The COSATU Strike

Photos taken by Winslow Schalkwyk on the streets of Cape Town during the COSATU e-tag/labour brokers march on Wednesday 7th March 2012

Photo Diary: The Morning Cruise (Part 1)

Victor J!!!

Winslow and Somie 2nd Day in studio!!!

Shaun Adams and Ernie B St Clair

Nur Felix

#racedebate on The Morning Cruise

The first #racedebate on the Morning Cruise took place today with SRC members from UCT, UWC and Stellenbosch Universities participating in the discussion. The conversation was an on air dissection of the race issue in Cape Town but ended in poignant points regarding Africa as a whole being made and the panel touching on issues of the ideological conception of race, race affinities, prejudice and the social constructs of racism.

From left: Nixon Tasakana (UWC), Ziyanda Stuurman (US) and Kwadwo Ofori Owusu (UCT)

Here are some of the responses on Twitter to what was discussed on the show

 

Ruben Engel in Studio @RubenEngel007 #racedebate

Ruben Engel, Actor/Filmmaker/Philanthropist, joined us in studio as the first guest in our #racedebate Morning Cruise show today. The conversation focussed mainly on his article which was published on NEWS24 entitled The Coloured Social Genocide

A quote for the article:

"Our Nation is more liked to a bunch of knotted, multi colored shoe laces. The growing tension is making it ever harder to untangle all the hate knots. We are 18 years into democracy after many years of…emotional and physical abuse. Now that is a teenager with an identity crises waiting to rage against the machine. Those of us who are in the positions to influence this teenager cannot be acting as many of our politicians do. This teenager is at the brink of war with itself. We as nation, I believe are on the verge of a social war that is the result of our current government using APARTHEID tactics to GAIN ABSOLUTE CONTROL of our diverse and DEMOCRATIC NATION!"

Career Tip :: ARE YOU A WORK JERK?

High-achievers can be pretty intense at work, which sometimes leads to a negative reputation around the office. If you think you're getting a bad rap (or maybe even deserve it), here are a few tips to help you turn that bad rep around and win the respect of your colleagues.

1. Talk less, listen more. People like to be heard, even if their ideas are not ultimately followed. When you're interested in what coworkers have to say and you hear their concerns, they're more likely to feel appreciated. That usually translates into coworkers not only feeling good about themselves, but also feeling positive about you.

2. Show respect. Remember your parents telling you to treat others the way you would like to be treated? This sage advice doesn't just apply to family and friends; it applies to coworkers, too. Simple politeness, such as saying "please" and "thank you," and giving coworkers credit when credit is due, can go a long way in repairing a negative office reputation.

3. Be reasonable. Not everyone is a high-achiever. Not everyone tackles challenges like you do. Not everyone works at the same pace as you do. In fact, one of the biggest causes of stress and frustration among high-achievers is that their expectations of others are often unrealistic. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Work with a coworker's strengths and work around her or his weaknesses, and both of you should be a lot happier.

4. Be discreet. Gossiping and sharing secrets can put you on the fast track to a bad office reputation. If a coworker shares a confidence with you, respect that confidence and keep it to yourself. And as tempting as it sometimes is, don't participate in office gossip and certainly don't spread it. If you like soap operas, tape them and watch them at home; don't fuel, or worse, create them at your workplace.

5. Be positive. It's hard to like someone who is mostly or always negative. No one is perfect. You will almost always be able to find something wrong with something someone has done or an idea someone has. But why? Focus on resolving the problem rather than assigning blame. This doesn't mean you have to be a pushover. It also doesn't mean you should put your head in the sand or ignore mistakes. It simply means that there are more productive ways to resolve problems than being negative and critical.

These five tips may seem easy, but they actually take practice. It's very easy to get drawn into juicy office gossip, or to fall prey to the negativity trap. But with persistence and practice, like anything else, these attitudes and actions will eventually become second nature. One word of caution, though ... don't expect your bad rep to change overnight. Just as your negative reputation probably didn't develop overnight, it's not likely to change that quickly either. But if you stay focused and stay positive, you should begin to see gradual improvements.

#TechTuesday with Kat Scholtz (@KatharinaS) of Quirk Education (@QuirkEducation)

Today we had the second installment of Tech Tuesdays where the focus was on Technology and Education. Our guest this week was Kat Scholtz from Quirk Education.

Here is more information on Kat:

Kat started as an intern herself, and went on to play a major role in developing and managing the Quirk Graduate Programme that exists today. Alongside Lyndi, she has built Quirk Education, producing and eventually managing the production of content and video production for our distance-learning courses. She is currently Head of Courses, responsible for both materials and the academic coordinators, with the growing Quirk Education team

Kat spoke to us about the courses on offer at Quirk Education as well as how digital and education play a role hand in hand in the development of skills of the Nomad employee and any individual who wants learn more about digital marketing.

Quirk Education has a series of courses available such as:Advanced Search Engine Optimisation Course
Paid Media Course
Foundations of Social Media Course
PR in a Digital World Course

You can find out more about the courses on offer here

You can also follow Quirk Education here to keep up to date with courses that are on offer.

In Studio Today :: Nonku Phiri (@nonkulululu)

Today we had the lovely Nonku Phiri in studio speaking to us about her journey in music, what she's doing now and her collaborations with house duo Crazy Whiteboi.

To find out more about Nonku, listen or download her music you can find it on her SoundCloud here

or follow her on Twitter here or get inside her head here on her Tumblr

Listen to some of Nonku's music here
  Secr.ete. by nunulooloo

What's new at Bush Radio 89.5fm

* The Biker Show on 89.5FM - http://wp.me/pht1l-Fr

** Capitec Bank & Bush Radio - financial skills and something in your pocket
- http://wp.me/pht1l-F7

*** JITSENIC - Combining Arsenic and Jitsvinger - http://wp.me/pht1l-Fh

**** Vote in the Cape Top5 before 5 and support Cape Music -
http://wp.me/pht1l-Fn


www.bushradio.co.za - CLICK TO INTERACT

Career Tip :: Be Flexible

When applying for jobs, be flexible about where you apply. Don’t limit yourself to just one city or one company. Keep an open mind about all potential opportunities.

Networker Session with PANSA (@pansatweet) and RAO (@Rainbowarts1)

We had our 2nd installment of our Morning Cruise Networker Sessions with Brian from PANSA (Performing Arts Network of South Africa) and Steve from RAO (Rainbow Arts Organisation)

NETWORKER SESSIONS aims to bring different organisations together in one interview to discuss the challenges and ways of gaining victories in the developmental sector. It also seeks to introduce organisations and the work they do to the Bush Radio 89.5fm community.

PANSA was established in June 2001 to unite the industry and work towards the collective interests of the performing arts community. They provide information and advice to members and the industry through email newsletters, thier website, facebook and well as one-on-one interactions.

RAO was established in 2006 by young artists living in the Delft community.  This group challenges diversity, poverty, school dropouts and unemployment amongst the youth of the area through the mediums of puppetry, theatre, dance, music and poetry.

The on air conversation during this NETWORKER SESSION touched on the topics of: applying for funding, the work of arts-based organisations in impoverished communities and how organisations and individuals can approach their craft and work from a more business-minded perspective.

For more information about PANSA you can visit their webite http://www.pansa.org.za/ or call/fax them on 021 448 3513 or email them info@pansa.org.za or visit them at their offices - 3b Beach Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa, 7925

If you wish to contact RAO you can do so by finding them on FACEBOOK (Rainbow Arts Organisation)  or phone/fax 021 955 6751 or email: raorganisation@gmail.com

The Young Designer Series :: Odysseus (@Arnreuby)

Today was the second installment of our Young Designers Series, where we interview up and coming designers in Cape Town and speak to them about what it takes to get in the industry, stay in the industry and succeed in the industry.



Songstress Nomfusi in an Arnreuby creation at the SAMA's



We spoke to Odysseus ho designs under the label Arnreuby - we found out his inspiration, his creative process and the real in's and out's of what it takes to get a design from the sketchpad to the shop floor.

You can look out for Arnreuby's spring collection in the upcoming months at the Hope St outdoor Market but if you can't wait that long you can keep in touch and find out more about and get a hold of his designs through the following:

You can catch him on Twitter here or on his blog here

Here is a sneak peak of the Arnreuby winter collection below

Career Tip: Google Yourself

Ensure that your personal brand is attractive on the Web
In today’s job market, personal branding is the name of the game. Not only are companies spending time — and lots of money— managing and cultivating their brand profile but individuals are carving out niches for themselves as professional brands of their own.

Whether it’s one’s presence on the Web or one’s persona and look, all these elements make up key components to the brand that is you. If you haven’t started thinking of yourself as a brand, a great place to start is by doing a Google search of your own name to see what already exists and what needs to be tweaked. No matter how incognito you’d like to be, your personal information can be accessible with the click of a mouse, from those Facebook updates and photos to your resident location to your dating profiles.

Career Tip

Five Signs You’re in the Wrong Job



Sign No. 1: You’re a Loner at Work

Sign No. 2: You’re Ashamed of Your Job

Sign No. 3: Your Workload Overwhelms You

Sign No. 4: You’re Stagnating at Work

Sign No. 5: There’s No Growth and Development in Your Job

Tech Tuesday with Bernelle Verster of TEDxCapeTown

Today we had our inaugaral Tech Tuesday show with Bernelle Verster from TEDxCapeTown.

Bernelle believes an integrated approach to education, waste management (a subsection of ‘sustainability’) and economic viability is achievable. As curator of TEDxCapeTown, she enjoys creating cooperative relationships between entrepreneurs, philosophers, creatives, academics and business professionals, younger and older, and exposing them to Ideas Worth Spreading. Together with public participation events like TEDx, she believes a new model of entrepreneurship & business can be used to create positive change in the paradigms prevalent in society today.

More about TEDxCapeTown:

There are a trio of TEDxCapeTown events planned in the coming months: 

TEDxYouth @ CapeTown (26 May Aquarium, Waterfront)TEDxCapeTownED (16 June at Tatanga Junction)

TEDxCapeTown, 21 July 2012 Baxter Theatre – themed ‘What We Play Is Life’, creates a platform for unheard change-makers, individuals with profound and BIG ideas, to gain exposure and support from our audience who have the networks, passion and knowledge that can help stimulate and drive these ideas to the market. This will encourage tangible impact to our innovation and entrepreneurial landscape here in South Africa. We want to use innovation and entrepreneurship to make a difference in all areas including service delivery and human health. Attending this event is not a ticket, but a vision, and a shared belief and commitment that big ideas are achievable and in our grasp.

For more information checkout the TEDxCapeTown website http://www.tedxcapetown.org/

The Young Designers Series :: Celeste Arendse and Robynne Kahn

Today was the first installment of our Young Designers Series, where we interview up and coming designers in Cape Town and speak to them about what it takes to get in the industry, stay in the industry and succeed in the industry.

We spoke to Mrs Robynne Kahn Special Projects Fashion Director at Cosmopolitan SA/ Founder of A Fashion Friend as well as young designer Celeste Arendse owner of the label Selfi.

Celeste Arendse-  Selfi

A Fashion Design Graduate of Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2007, Celeste Lee Arendse started Selfi in 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa. After working for Malcom Kluk and CGDT in 2008 she became a Elle New talent finalist in 2009 and from there ventured into creating her own brand.

Inspired by architecture, forms and patterns in nature, each garment is designed to represent an innovative twist toward existing women’s apparel.
The name Selfi was created from the word self which stems from the dreamlike, juvenile part of the self which remains dormant to most. The idea was to unlock this state through playing with pattern, form and shape. Recreating, manipulating and ultimately capturing an essence or a spirit of the time. Ideally each piece should reflect a nostalgic, dreamlike connection between the wearer and item. And ultimately create form and shape from an essence which is formless and shapeless.

To find our where you can get hold of Celeste or Selfi clothing you get hold of Celeste on 082 724 74 85 or email celeste@selfi.co.za also check out the Selfi website here or you can buy her clothing from anywhere in the world here
Also if you are or know of  a designer/stylist/makeup artist and are interested in entering the industry or want to get a hold of Robynne you can find her here on Twitter or here on Facebook or you can email Robynne.

Noele 4 Jazz Saartjie Baartman Centre Fundraiser

The Saartjie Baartman Centre, due to a funding crisis, might close their doors to our community at the end of May 2012. The centre was formed in 1999 to provide free shelter, legal and conselling services, job-training programmes and other resources for abused womena nd their children.

We had a great interview with Judith Kennedy for Noele 4 Jazz Dance Studio and Aleshia Solomans, the only female singer at the event and the band Uproots as well.
Noele 4 Jazz is a community based jazz dance school operating in the Cape Flats. On the 11th of May N4J in Conjunction with Bush Radio 89.5 fm and West End will be hosting a fundraiser and part of the proceeds will go to the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Abused Women and Children. 

This White Sassy Jazzy fundraiser will Feature A host of artist such as Sammy Webber Allou April, TJ Simon, Dylan Roman, Alicia Solomons, Wayne McKay as our Host and many more show your support with R50 per person at the door drinks and snacks on arrival.

You can visit the Saartjie Baartman Centre website http://saartjiebaartmancentre.org.za/ for more information on how you can donate funds or contact them telephonically via 021 633 5287.

Pre book your tickets by calling or sending a sms to 0825575178 or pay a visit on the Noele 4 Jazz face book page.  

@LooonMoon in Studio #midmorningmadness

Chantal Stanfield in Studio (@chantalgal)

The beautiful and multi-talented Chantal Stanfield joined us in studio for a delightful interview about her career, the challenges in the industry and the importance of surrounding yourself with positive people and the ones who are in the same industry for the support you need as an artist.

You can check her out on facebook here Chantal Stanfield Page or on twitter here @chantalgal

Freedom Writers

Happy Freedom Day! The Morning Cruise put out a call to poets in Cape Town to write a one minute/30 line poem about Freedom Day. The poems are part of a larger project that the Morning Cruise is embarking on (more details to follow).

Some of the poets were on air during the week and we also made voice recordings of their poems. Some were in studio today on Freedom day!

In Studio Today Fingers In The Sky (@fingersinthesky)

Today we had Fingers in the Sky  (Andrique, Aiden, Leigh and Wilton) in studio talking to us about their sound, their musical influences and the rock scene in Cape Town.

We got a taste of their music with the record ''White Lies"
You can stay up to date with Fingers in the Sky here on their Twitter
You can also find out more about them here on Boom. Fm and download their music here

Cooking From The Heart Cookbook Interview

We had an amazingly informative interview with Dr Vash Mungal-Singh CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa and Mariska Fouche who is the Public Affairs Manager at PharmaDynamics which is key financial sponsor of COOKING FROM THE HEART Cookbook which will be officially launched in September 2012 during National Heart Month. 

The book will contain only South Africans’ favourite meals (across cultures) that have been given a healthy makeover and will take a very important aspect into affordability. The goal is to ensure that each recipe can be made under R50 and to feed approx. 4 – 6 people. In addition to this, Cooking from the Heart will be distributed free of charge to South Africans. 

  DID YOU KNOW:

Cardio Vascular Disease kills about 195 people a day:
33 of these deaths are as a result of a heart attack
60 are due to stroke
37 people die of heart failure

For more information you can contact THE HEART AND STROKE FOUNDATION SOUTH AFRICA here