The characters in my Chinese name Hua Se Kai roughly translate to “open thinking flower”. Hua is pronounced “Hwaaa” similar to how Taiwanese pronounce my family name Ward.  Se Kai ran together sounds like Skye.  I made this discovery on my first visit to Taipei in 2004. I have found that each return visit offers new discoveries and insights. My rapidly approaching East Asia trip promises to be just as extraordinary.

In March, I will make my fourth and fifth annual trips to Taiwan and Korea respectively. I will travel on business but have cleared my agenda for a few days of checking out the local and underground scenes.  How does a “soul sistah” keep it real in Seoul, Korea?    And, just how does an English speaking dreadlocked Afriles navigate East Asian culture and business protocols?

Iban and Tongzhi

What is it like to be living out loud in the Iban and Tongzhi communities in Korea and Taiwan? Did you know Taiwan’s first public gay “marriage” took place in 1996; the couple received a letter of congratulations from the mayor of Taipei.  Would you feel comfortable patronizing a Taiwanese lesbian bar called “The Jailhouse”? The bar entrance accessible via stairs in an alley in central Taipei.  Another bar, Esha is described as a tomboy club for women only.  Uh, does that mean one might find femme tops on the premises too?  Look for my upcoming dispatches from these countries in late March.

Now, let’s see how culturally savvy you are. Click here for a photo quiz. Answers forthcoming in Skyeview.

Chant peace.

Korea / Taiwan Links

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Woman Black-Woman Light

FEMMAFRI is an association of Black and métisses women in the Marseilles region. In recognition of the Day of International  Women FEMMAFRI will host “Femme Noire-Femme Lumière “a free two-day cultural event in honor of Black women.

Program

• Conferences, debates,

• Film screenings,

• Artist’s exhibitions,

• Community organization booths

• Concert

March 8

Space Culture- 42, Canebière – Marseilles 1°

March 9, 2007

Space Julien 39 Cours Julien – Marseilles 6°

Free entry

URL: http://www.journeedelafemme.com/jdf_FEMMAFI.htm

The Art of Living Black 2007

Self-Guided Art Tour – Various S.F. Bay Area Locations

March 3 & 4, 2007

URL: http://www.taolb.org/tour.html

 A One Woman Show written by and starring Micia Mosely

The Laney College Theatre

900 Fallon Street

Oakland, CA

Ticket Information –

Advanced: $18 / $13 students

At the Door (cash only): $20 / $15 students

March 2 & 3, 2007 @ 8pm

URL: http://www.miciamosely.com

London Street hits the Temple Bar in L.A. this Wed. night.
Don’t miss it!

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007
Temple Bar
9:00p.m.
1026 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica Ca. 90401

http://www.templebarlive.com
http://www.londonstreetmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/londonstreet
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/londonstreet

The Presidents holiday weekend was ideal for checking out a satellite exhibit in San Francisco for “The Art of Living Black” (TAOLB), an annual bay area black artist’s exhibition and self-guided art tour. Over the weekend, I visited the African American Arts and Culture Complex (AAACC) home to various afro-centric art and cultural organizations, including the Sergeant Johnson Gallery and the African American Historical and Cultural Society (AAHCS). The AAACC was also the venue for the San Francisco Black LGBT Film Festival. Yes, one can say I got my BLACK on this past weekend!

In addition to visiting the art venues I enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather and sparkling San Francisco bay. Seasoned travelers with time constraints know the best use of travel time is a guided tour with a local friend or acquaintance. On rather short notice, I managed to link up with Canadian travelers who were in town for only two nights. I organized a fun day on the bay and visit to places of interest within a short distance of their hotel, the fabulous Sir Francis Drake Hotel in Union Square. They were the perfect visitors flexible, spontaneous and considerate. Gracious guests do inspire warm hospitality and a fun time for all.

My motivation for trekking over to the city on Saturday (2/17) was to attend the S.F. Black LGBT Film Festival. At the risk of sounding pissy, I must report the term “festival” is most assuredly a misnomer for this event. I won’t go into details about ticketing problems and an undelivered feature film–the event is a modest and apparently poorly organized community project of the San Francisco Black Coalition on AIDS (BCOA). Film festival enthusiasts are forewarned this is not a travel destination event. In support of the volunteers, I will say they remained admirably congenial while dealing with one logistical problem after the other and low attendance.

Another fortunate circumstance of the S.F. BCOA event is that it was located at the African American Arts and Culture Complex (AAACC) a well-established nexus for Black performing artists in the bay area. The Burial Clay Theatre has been the site of many performances by resident theatre companies including Cultural Odyssey, AfroSolo and the African American Shakespeare Company. If you ever see an announcement for a performance by the Medea Project: Theatre for Incarcerated Women, run don’t walk to purchase your ticket or reserve a seat.

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[French Version]

Paris is an architecturally lovely city, culturally seductive, charming, inviting, erotic and intelligent. In short, all the characteristics that would make for a good lover are to be found here, were she a person instead of a geographical location. Oh sure, Paris can be moody with its ever-changing skies, wet streets, abnormal climate shifts, spontaneous strikes, impromptu street demonstrations and celebrations.  And yes, at times Paris can appear to outsiders as a self-righteous and tempestuous wildcat.

The antiracist uprisings that jumped off in 2005 indeed served to expose Paris’ dirty undergarments. She is simultaneously a city full of grace and beauty as well as a deluded diseased starlet with barely concealed festering wounds.  Still, hanging slip, smeared makeup, rotting teeth and all, I claim her as my Mistress. J’adore Paris!

In the fall of 2005 when Clichy-sous-Bois ignited (unbeknownst to me), I was attending the after party for Cineaffble, the Paris Feminist and Lesbian Film Festival.  A member of the radical feminist lesbian collective that hosted the party graciously invited me. At the festival, I had met several lesbian feminist activists including a number of Black lesbians at a special screening of LOC short films. That weekend my Paris experience had deepened with new lesbian friendships, intellectual stimulation, and a funky good party amongst the womenfolk.

I didn’t learn of the accidental death of Zyed Benna and Bouna Traoré, in Clichy-sous-Bois until I read news accounts the next day. In 2006, I visited Paris several times and observed a palatable radicalization and militancy amongst Black folks. There appears to be a quickening of Black consciousness and visibility. Depending on ones perspective, these are either exciting or scary times in Paris because Black folks are on a move. Consequently, it is no surprise this energy finds fertile ground in all manner of artistic expression.

Paris has a long history of embracing literary and performing artists African American expatriates.  Indeed, the African American arts legacy in Paris is a constant draw for me. Intentional or not, I always seem to make a personal connection with that legacy.  For example, one of my prized compact disc is a recording entitled, “A Lover’s Question” that features the late James Baldwin reciting his poetry accompanied by 17 stellar musicians including Steve Coleman, Pierre Van Dormael, Slide Hampton, et al.

Years ago, I purchased this disc in the Virgin Megastore on rue de Champs-Elysees.  I wept with sadness and joy when I listened to the disc in my hotel room.  James Baldwin epitomizes the affectionate and inspirational interplay between African American expats and Parisians of yesteryear.  My discovery of the Baldwin recording in Paris is one of many fond memories; a Black arts connection I cherish.

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Paris est une ville avec une architecture plaisante et une culture séduisante. Paris est à la fois une ville excitante, charmante, plaisante, érotique et intelligente. En bref, tous les traits applicables à un bon amant décriraient Paris si elle était humaine au lieu d’un point géographique. Bien sûr, Paris peut être capricieuse avec ses cieux changeants, ses rues humides, ses décalages de température imprévisibles, ses grèves spontanées, ses démonstrations et fêtes improvisées. Et oui, parfois les étrangers la trouve présomptueuse et fougueuse comme une chatte sauvage.

Les émeutes antiracistes de 2005 ont exposé les petits secrets des jupons de Paris. Elle est à la fois une ville gracieuse et attirante et une vedette désullusionnée incapable de cacher complétement des plaies ouvertes. Malgre, ses jupons défrichés, son maquillage en déconfiture, ses dents pourries, je l’ai prise pour ma maîtresse, j’adore Paris.

En automne 2005 quand Clichy-sous-Bois a éclaté (je n’en savais rien), j’étais à la réception a l’honneur de Cineaffble, le festival “Quand les Lesbiennes se font du Cinema”. Une membre de la collective féministe et lesbienne radicale m’avait aimablement invitée à leur fête. Au festival, j’avais rencontré plusieurs activistes féministes lesbiennes y compris quelques lesbiennes noires qui assistaient à une projection spéciale des courts métrages de LOC. Au cours de cette fin de semaine, mon expérience de Paris est devenue plus solide avec mes nouvelles amies lesbiennes, la stimulation intellectuelle, et une fête vraiment chouette au sein des “womenfolk”.

Je n’ai pris connaissance de la mort accidentelle de Zyed Benna et Bouna Traoré a Clichy-sous-Bois que le lendemain matin en lisant un quotidien. En 2006, j’ai visité Paris en plusieurs fois, et j’ai remarqué une radicalisation et un militantisme visible parmi les noirs. ll me semblait observer une accélèration de la prise de conscience et de la visibilité des noirs. Les noirs bougent, cést une periode passionante ou effrayante, dépendant de votre perspective. Ce nést donc pas surprenant que cette énergie nourrie toutes sortes d’expressions artistiques.

Paris a une longue histoire d’embrasser les écrivains et les artistes expatriés d’origine Afro-Americaine. En effet, l’histoire légendaire de l’art Afro-Americain à Paris est pour moi une vraie source d’inspiration. Intentionnellement ou pas, je semble toujours établir un rapport personnel avec cette légende. Par exemple, un de mes disques compacts le plus précieux est un enregistrement de James Baldwin “La question d’un amant” (Lover’s Question) récitant sa poèsie accompagné de 17 musiciens extraordinaires comme Steve Coleman, Pierre Van Dormael, Slide Hampton, et autres.

Il y a des années, j’ai acheté ce disque au Virgin Megastore sur la rue des Champs-Elysées; j’ai pleuré de joie et de tristesse en écoutant le disque dans ma chambre d’hôtel. James Baldwin est l’incarnation de l’affection et de l’échange culturel entre les expats Afro Americains et les parisiens d’antan. Ma découverte de l’enregistrement de Baldwin à Paris est l’un de mes souvenirs les plus émotifs. Un lien de plus entre Paris et l’art afro-americain que jádmire.

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