C. Hannibal cultural history

Native tongues

If you’ve seen Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto and think you know all there is to know about Mexican indigenous culture, please stop reading my blog. Above, Nahuatl classes are being offered in New York City as part of a project to spread endangered languages. Nahuatl is the most common indigenous language spoken in Mexico and comes in several different flavors of dialects. The Mexican government takes some care with developing awareness for the endangered languages of its indigenous tribes, though not much in the way of making sure the people survive. It remains and insult to tell someone they look “indian” or “indigenous” in Mexico. Ask somebody.

Here’s some Nahuatl podcasts and recordings courtesy of the Mexican government. Take a listen, here.

You can check out the government website in English, here. According to the site:

The CDI was established as an institution for obligatory consultation on indigenous affairs for the Federal Public Administration complex, as well as for evaluation of government programs and actions and training of federal, state and municipal public servants for improving care for the indigenous population.

Yeah, I guess so.

Here’s some music that’s inspired and funky by Nahuatl Soundsystem. Two Eps are available for download, here.

Call it Aztec dub cumbia. Or as the bandcamp.com site says “

Aztec/Cumbia/Dub/Electronic/Reggae music collective originally from the roots of Tenochtitlan in Mexico, Afro-latin roots in Colombia, Andiean Mountains in Argentina and Downunder Australia.”

(Click on cover art to play)

 

C. Hannibal buildings, cultural history

Diner Passion in Jersey

Diners are to New Jersey what hot dog and pretzel carts are to New York. I’ll take the 24-hour ubiquity of the diners over some dude slamming a dog between two buns and slathering mustard on it (with a big exception: Gray’s Papaya ). The diner pictured here is the Skylark. Moms took me here after a reporting trip to Philly. I’ve been to many Jersey diners in my day and I don’t remember this one. On your way to the bathroom  hallway lights flickr in a sequence. One, two, three…then all of them light up at once. It’s kind of cool and very kitschy, just like an NJ diner should be.

For lots of N.J. diner suggestions, look here.

C. Hannibal digital media

Moms connected

 

The city, covered in white pillows, can’t match the ‘burb’s when they bristle with snow crystals.  I don’t see the suburbs that much.  When the snow was already pretty much melted all away I found myself in the Bronx. What you’re about to see is for the children. Made by children, me and Semi, breaking day at the edit bay.

Always get your Bronx news from my City News Room class site: Bronxink.org

 

 

Snow photo from: Makinglifefit.com

C. Hannibal cultural history, digital media

You Will Be Assimilated

I hope my Star Trek nerds get the headline to this post.

Not too long ago, I reached out to T.A.N and he wrote me back. I was sitting at work, wishing and hoping for greener pastures. The idea of writing for a living–just writing–was a concept I didn’t think possible. Although I’m making the right moves right now, I still have yet to prove I can sustain a 401k on checks from my writing prowess alone.

Patrice Evans, who blogs as The Assimilated Negro told me in his reply that not only was living off words possible, but if you really tried hard enough, it could be a reality. This coming from a guy who made it seem like his only entry into writing was his curiosity about life. Later he tells me he was an aspiring rapper. Blame hip-hop.

On the cusp of publishing his first book, this spoken word, blogging hero of mine is rolling through the halls of the academy to break down what makes an opinionated blogger rise to the top. I know a lot of people want a piece of that knowledge. Stay tuned.

**Flier by @angELLEnise

 

**update:

I think we’re going to change this flier because T.A.N tells me there’s a new book design. These things are fluid in the publishing industry. Holler.

C. Hannibal Racially Speaking

“Excuse me for answering you this way…”

 

The way MO-HAM-Id rolls off O’Connor’s lips is slightly aggravating, but I like the way Malcolm handles this panel. I can envision the TV viewers who were alarmed beyond all recognition when this originally aired in 1963.

Sometimes, while reporting, it seems necessary to have the forced cordiality that Malcolm has with the folks aiming for his dome in this clip.

 

For more old Malcolm TV, check out this clip.

C. Hannibal cultural history

Biking and Black History

Adventure Cycling Association and the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Minority Health hooked up several years ago to give us the Underground Railroad bicycle tour. You don’t have to be Harriet Tubman to travel from Mobile, Alabama to Owen Sound, Ontario. The 2,100 mile route follows the historic “Follow the Drinking Gourd” meme as a guide. FTDG was used to encode escape instructions with reference to the Big Dipper.

It looks easier than editing B-Roll.

Video via

C. Hannibal Racially Speaking

Afro-Latino in the Bronx

 

 

As I’ve mentioned before we’ve switched our focus from BK to BX. One of my first pieces is on one of my favorite subjects: Black folks who happen to be Latino (or vice versa). This story found me and it’s been told 10 different ways by people with a keen eye on New York’s subcultures. I’ll soon post a piece from the Bronxink.org explaining what this is all about.