Farewell and departure to a different world
Before we had to go to Malindi airport we took a cab to the small Takaye Village where we had spent a few days before. We said “Kwaheri” to everybody and gave them a small present: A small barrel organ playing a song called “Reperbahn nachts um halb eins”. The people of the small village loved it and finally everybody was singing his own version of that famous sailor song from Hamburg. A propos: the white stuff out of the yellow can is the popular coconut tree schnapps…
Long Version of the Reeperbahn session (14.6 MB, 7:30 min)
After having a fun farewell at Takaye Village we flew to Lamu. This time the plane didn´t look that old and dilapidated like on Friday and contrary to our first flight we didn´t lose any fuel and actually arrived at destination! The airport looks like a toy airport. Like at the airport in Malindi, inside the terminal building stands a big red balance with a clock-face where the luggage was weighed. Everything happens here manually: flight tickets are raised by hand; the luggage is loaded manually and subsequently loaded back to the passengers waiting around the luggage van.
To reach Lamu one has first to cross the river by boat. On arriving on the island the first view you get is one of a pretty Italian fishing village: blue-green seawater, many fishing boats around and houses right beside the sea..
But the closer you come the more you realize: this is something completely different. The Arabic influence in the music that fills the streets is unmistakable. The majority of the people at Lamu are Muslim. You see veiled women and men with skirts walking down the streets, donkey riders and camels carying loads. The music at Lamu is much different from everything we have already listened to and you can listen to the muezzin five times a day.
Muezzin in Lamu
After check-in at the Sunsail Hotel right beside the sea, we take a walk through the gradually darkening town.
Sunday, 29 Mar 2009 at 12:58
Hallo Ihr Abenteurer. Bin ganz froh für Euch so eine aufregendes Projekt zu machen. Die Vorstellung der “angeborenen Musikalität” der Menschen, die so erdverbunden Ihr Leben führen und offen teilen, macht mich nachdenklich. Sitzen die Leute hier in ihren Buden und jammen auch so viel rum!?!?!
Die Reeperbahn Session is n Traum.
Ich bin gespannt auf Euch und danke für die tolle Doku, macht Spaß hier im kalten Hamburg hot stuff zu hören+sehen.
Weiterhin holdes Glück für Euch. isi
Wednesday, 1 Apr 2009 at 14:04
Liebe Isi,
es ist wirklich ganz unglaublich wie präsent Musik hier ist und wie nah die Menschen sie erleben. Alles passiert mit dem Körper – er ist das wichtigste Instrument. Musik ist ein sehr wichtiger Teil der Gemeinsachaft und Freundschaft und wann immer die Menschen locker und gelöst sind (und das versuchen sie im Umgang mit anderen immer zu sein) musizieren und singen sie geimensam. Und sie lachen so gerne und so viel – das wäre was für dich!
Wir sehen uns in Hamburg!
LG, Agnieszka