PUBLISHERS,PRINTERS,DISTRIBUTORS,PRODUCERS
Newspapers,Magazines,Newsletters,Books,Calenders,Stickers,Bandanas,T.Shirts,Cards,Posters,Music Video pictures,African Artefacts,Theotre and Art Exhbitions.
Loncom House.George Morara Avenue TEL.0710-353605
NAKURU-KENYA e.mail;canews2001
Friday, June 12, 2009
The wonders of magic theater
BY ERIC SINDABI
In performing arts like music, ballet, dance, circus, opera, drama, mimes, concert, cabaret among others, only magic theater, according to critics, comes out extra ordinary because of its mystic nature.
According to literary critics, magic theater touches every corner of the world and is interesting, eye catching and to all-young and old and other cadres of humanity. In magic theater, the language of tricks, human dexterity and illusion is universal.
Magic as an art seems to have evolved independently in many cultures of the world. Rarely has it been studied that magic art as being borrowed from one either race to another nor society to another.
Deities
As early as the 14th century magic as an art in theater industry was already developed in areas like China, United Kingdom, Japan, India, America and in some parts of Europe. Interestingly, according to studies, links between magic and religion are very strong. In many cultures of the world, only people linked to deities or superstition were engaged to magic. The word magic itself is defined as the secret power of appearing to perform or do impossible things.
or example in African cultures witchdoctors and Devine rulers were believed to perform magic. In the Biblical Jewish society Prophets and patriarchs were believed to perform magic and were directly connected with God.
The original Jewish traditional beliefs of creation of mankind, according to the holy Bible, God created the universe from formlessness through magic.
In the modern and even ancient Christian world, prayers are believed to infuse miracles that are closely linked to the phenomenon of magic. Jesus Christ performed numerous miracles during his mission and even his dispels are believed to have performed miracles. To date modern Christians and preachers believe in miracles that is a direct communication between a worshiper and God.
Book
The first published book on magic theater called; Hocus pocus (The anatomy of Legerdemain) was published in 1630.Hocus was a Court magician during the reign of King James 1 of England. One of the greatest magic Theater heroes of the world was Giovanni Giuseppe Pinetti who conjured in leading European theaters between 1750-1800.The first theater dedicated to magic was set up in England at the old Egyptian Hall in London in the 18th century.
Illusion
An illusion that was called “The living half of a woman” was performed to show a beautiful woman appearing to have no legs resting on a raised flat surface. Another popular illusion in magic arts was running a sword through a person’s body.
Modern street magic theater artists are able to lie down and let a heavy vehicle pass on them. Others can act like eating fire, others walk on ropes, make people “give birth to eggs” and can “bisect a womb of a woman and expose internal organs. Others can “manufacture foodstuffs” while others can fancy piercing a sharp object through parts of a human body.
Society
The first society in the world devoted to magicians was born in 1905 in England. Under the British Magical Society magicians from all walks of England came together to market themselves and to uphold their rights and welfare. In America the Magic Guild caters for the welfare and rights of magic theater players.
In Kenya the Association of Magicians is responsible for the activities of magicians and traditional med icemen. Under the Ministry of Culture and social services, the Association issues Certificates to practicing magicians and bush doctors and monitors their activities. The association also champions for the rights of local magicians and prohibits exploitation and negative publicity of its members.
As much said and speculated about magic, it remains an art that is mysterious, catchy and universal. It has no boundaries or cultures of difference but is both wonderful and un exploited. To many, magic theater is non existent yet is all and about.
Elevate Nakuru to a city status
By Eric Sindabi
Nakuru is also one of the oldest urban centers in the county having developed as a Trade, Agriculturural and Transportation centre.
To late Nakuru still marshals in these fields and has proved to be one of the most key urban centers in the country. It lies between the western and central parts of the country and plays a big role as a link centre.
The Town’s human geographical attributes including ultra modern buildings and a green landscape is a force to reckon with while it gives way for expansion. In fact the town was once reputed as among the most cleanest in the continent of
As a centre of tourism attraction Nakuru boasts of some of the most famous sites in the world. The re-known Flamingos of Lake Nakuru National Park,The Menengai Crater and the Hyrax pre-historic hill are all situated in the heart of
Nakuru is also an attribute to such local higher and middle level academic centers like Egerton and Kabarak Universitys.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
SUMMIT RESSORT NAKURU – KENYA
- Hotel and conference
- Hot disco Djs
- Music concerts
- Beauty contests
- Fabulous foods and drinks
- Camping sites
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The tantalizing tales of tress
By Eric Sindabi
1. Environmental lovers and other stakeholders have always applied trees in their gestures to conserve the environment and other related programmes .For example we at Egerton engage in an annual tree planting environmental activity like the one that took place recently in all the campuses. However a lot about trees is left undesired. According to reference sources trees are man’s best environmental friend. People think of trees as if they will live always. Year after year, generation after generation, for trees beautify man’s environment. Old trees shade houses and city streets from the sun. Their buds and flowers are signs of seasons. World medicinmen extract specimens from tree, leaves, bucks and roots. Their flowers turn to fruits for animal and human food. Mills and factories reap millions from tree trunks, bucks and other parts. Trees continue to grow as long as they live.
2. The term tree means larger plant according to botanic science. Trees live longer than any other plant species. While scientific research indicates that trees are the oldest non-living things , first from man and animals. For example the world’s largest living thing is the Sherman tree found in the sequoia National Park in California. It measures 272 feet in length and 36 feet width .The travelers tree which grows in Malagasy can store up to pints of water in its long leaf stalks. On the other hand the tallest tree of the world are the Californian red woods ranching between 300-400 feet long .
3. The ombu tree of Argentina has been termed the world’s hardest tree species. It survives without water while it cannot be cut down nor burnt out. It survives violent storms, intense heat and insect attacks. Addingly the African famous baobab is one of the most useful tree of the world. It has a huge trunk, which can store water or form tree houses after hollowing .T he trees leaves are used as vegetables and medical herbs .The fruits, seeds and roots are all used in various domestic needs.
4. About 30 million years ago, Botanist say there were many more trees species than the ones growing today. For example scientist believe that some deserts, oasis, swamps, mountains and forest growing tree species have died out. Trees fossils research has shown that some minerals and forest resources contains tree fossils of many tree fossils of many tree species that died over more than hundred million years ago. For example coal deposit and petrified forests have been found to contain tree fossils. Some of these tree species have been identified as club moss tree and horsetail trees that grew in coal forming swamps while modern ones are herbs. Man has helped tree life Continuation by conserving the environment and replacing trees for many purposes and from one climatic condition to another .In Kenya , for example we have both indigenous and exotic trees. Some hundred years ago, eulycaptus trees grew only in Australia but today, many eucalyptuses beautify cities, hills, parks and forests all over the world. Home owners all over the world plant various tree species for shade, decorations commercial windbreakers or for fruit harvest. End
Monday, June 8, 2009
Of writers and Politics in Africa
BY ERIC SINDABI
According to literary critics, literature is all about Man and his environment. It is to this note therefore that one could easily come across political and related themes in most African creative works or normally referred to as African Literature.
The critics say that to write in Africa, one has to tackle three aspects of the continent including history, identity, and destiny. Since the political independence the African social –economic environment has been pre-occupied with power struggle and its distribution. Here, capitalism, socialism, imperialism and neo-colonialism have taken a centre stage in many forms.
Hence to write in Africa, one cannot side step these issues. Politics is all about life on a day to day scope in society. Politics indeed shape the destiny and nature of livelihoods of a people as it involves power and society.
Seasoned African creative writers like Prof.Chinua Achebe,Prof.Ngugi wa Nthiongo’,Christopher Okigbo,Dennis Brutus,Peter Abrahams,Alex Laguma,Ken Sarowiwa among others,have all tackled political themes in their creative works.
The writers have transcended the level of politics per se and even getting deeper into the minds of the culprit of post –colonial Africa; the illiterate, the un-employed, the urchin, the marginalized, the destitute and the peasant.
Chinua Achebe for example in A man of the people is disillusioned with how African independence took a degenerative process. Freedom became corruption while Democracy became Autocracy and dictatorship because of political immaturity.
In A walk in the night, Alex Laguma reflects the ills of the political apartheid system as it were in South Africa, while in the Trial of Dedan Kimathi Ngugi wa Ntiongo’ clearly puts across that to be a scribe means being with the people, being their voice, speaking out the silent cry of the masses and talking on behalf of the voice less.
Critics thus hint that it is to this basis that most post independence governments have always been so openly uncomfortable with seasoned writers. Their works inflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. These works dramatically depict the day to day experiences of the post colonial African masses in the hands of their governments or those in power.
Corruption, injustice, insecurity, poverty and hunger, bad laws and marginalization.....name it, all characterize the citizen of Africa.
African government leaders who hold on to power feel threatened by the activities of seasoned writers because they expose their ills and enlighten the society.
These writers have undergone un told sufferings in the hands of those in power for their noble creativity.
Many have tasted jail and lived in exile and some lost their lives for their works that depict the plight of the common man in the African society. Kenya has not been left behind in this. For example the presumed father of serious literature in Kenya Prof.Ngugi wa Nthiongo’ has had difficult times trying to soldier on with his creative works during the Kenyatta and Moi regimes. Indeed the author still lives in exile to date. Recently the writer and his family during a visit in the country were brutally assaulted by people who were believed to be politically linked out to intimidate the literature icon and force him out of the country.
Critics however categorically hint that literature transcends Geographical boundaries…that from our rural Kenyan villages, we can be able to access information about Kenya by someone in New York. Intimidating writers is not really killing their intelligentsia.
Nakuru Town Campus gets new Director
By Eric Sindabi
Egerton University Nakuru Town Campus,the home of Self Sponsored Programmes now has a new Director Professor Lenah Nakhone Wati. The immediate former director Prof.S.Kagwanja has been appointed deputy Principle in-charge of Administration and Finance at Chuka University College. Before her new assignment Prof.Nakhone was the Director of Crop Management and Research Centre (CMRT).
Talking to NewsLink recently, the new director said that her immediate goal was to stir SSP at Nakuru Town Campus to greater levels by first expanding facilities and creating centralized services. She said that there was a need to de-link most University Academic and Administrative services from the Main Campus in Njoro to provide efficiency at Nakuru Town Campus into meeting the University’s Vision and Mission.
The director hinted that the University Management was in a process of acquiring more space for Lecturer rooms and offices at Loncom House to reduce congestion at the Campus. She added that the Faculty of Commerce would soon be based at NTC.
Nakuru Town Campus located within Nakuru Municipality along George Morara Avenue is the foundation of the most competitive Bachelor of Commerce (BCOM) and Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Self Sponsored degree programmes. Other major courses based at the Campus include; Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communication (BACOM), Bachelor of Library and Information Sciences (BLINS), Bachelor of Industrial Technology (BIT) and Masters in Industrial Technology (MIT).Nakuru Town Campus is also the centre of the Twining degree programmes between Egerton and Michigan Universities.
Prof. Nakhone joined Egerton University in 1984 as a lecturer in the department of Chemistry Faculty of Science. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Math and Chemistry and a Masters degree in Environmental Chemistry from the University of Nairobi. In 1986, she graduated with a PhD degree in Soil Sciences from the University of Nottingham (USA).In 2004 while on a sabbatical leave Prof.Nakhone won a Fullbright Senior Scholarship and taught and did research as a visiting scholar at Iowa State University-USA.
On the social scene, she is the President of the Nakuru region SOROPTIMIST International Club. The organization is an NGO which through charity and philanthropy aims at elevating the lives of marginalized women and girl child in the across the world. The NGO that is recognized by the United Nations comprises of educated and professional women who dedicate their energies and financial resources towards Community based Women related projects in over one hundred countries. It is headquartered in Philadelphia in the United States of America. Currently SOROPMIST is playing an active role in assisting women and girls in IDP camps in the country.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)