You easily remember Oryema once you have seen a recent picture of him: blond dreads, and a hint of a blond tach. Now that’s something you don’t get to see often. I admit I am not a fan, unlike when it comes to his music. A true revelation for me, immediately reminiscent of Ayub Ogada, and thus it didn’t come as a surprise to me when I learnt that the two collaborated on some pieces.
UPDATE: Today, 23 June 2018, I learnt about his passing, aged 65, after a long fight with cancer.
Gulu is also the town where Okot p’Bitek was born. A friend from Zambia (hey there!, you know who you are 😉 ) recently introduced me to his best-known book, The Song of Lawino (1966). It’s a wonderful lament of a wife about her all-too European husband. He, Ocol, will respond later, in The Song of Ocol (1970). Very interesting author and scholar – read more here and here in German.
Settling in with hotel life
Morocco was the first country on the African continent that I visited, first, I believe in 1992 or 93, just for a day trip from Cordoba in Spain to Marrakech – two night trains, so that day trip took three days all in all. The next time was early in 1994,again by train via Paris and Madrid, and I spent almost three weeks there, from Marrakech to M’hamid al-Ghizlane, the Gate to the Sahara, at the end of the road, then into the Atlas mountains and to Essaouira and Casablanca. And I also spent all my money, and was kinda stuck in Spain over Easter (semana santa!!!) …
However beautiful a country Morocco was, travelling was so stressful, the touts so exhausting, I promised myself never ever to go back again. Well, come 2013, in a time of crisis, I chose to do exactly that: return to Morocco, to Marrakech and all the way to the end of the road.
