Friday evening I was minding my own business watching the One Show on BBC1. It was already an episode that had caught my attention. Not only did it feature one of my heroes, Lord Robert Winston, talking about coping with the lose of his father, but, the show's special guest was the beautiful Naomi Harris, another lady who I have a definite girl crush on, talking about her part in James Bond, fashion and her up and coming role as Winnie Mandela in The Long Walk to Freedom - the Nelson Mandela biopic.
Naomi (middle) with One Show presenters Chris Evans (left) & Alex Jones (right)
About 2/3's of the way into the program they featured a women I had never heard of, Winifred Atwell (1914-1983). This Trinidad born British pianist achieved some remarkable things in her life. When she moved to the UK in 1946, she gained a place at the Royal Academy of Music, becoming the first female pianist to be awarded the Academy's highest grading for musicianship. She later went on to be the first Black person to have a UK number one in the singles chart, the first British artist to sell a million records and then to have 2 other consecutive million selling hits, another first. Over her career, Winifred Atwell sold in excess of 20 MILLION records!
Here's Winifred and one of her most popular hits 'Five Finger Boogie'
Winifred also enjoyed International fame. When she moved to Australia in the 1960's her celebrity prompted the Australian government at the time, to give her special dispensation from their racist immigration laws and allow her to make the country her home. While there Winifred was outspoken about Racism in the country and fought to highlight the injustices towards Aboriginal Australians.
Winifred getting her hair did in her salon
These are just a fraction of Winifred Atwell's achievements. They're made all the more impressive by the fact that Post-WW2 immigration to Britain, from it's colonies, had resulted in Racial tensions and many ethnic minorities faced considerable prejudice.
I was pretty damn impressed by Winifred already and then the One Show dropped this nugget....Winifred opened what's believed to be the UK's first salon catering to Black women in Brixton, in 1956. In the package, hairdresser Errol Douglas comments on the significance of this. Unfortunately the original building on Railton Rd, where Winifred's Salon once stood, is no longer there. Ironically it was burnt down in the 1981 Race Riots.
You can watch Friday's One Show HERE on iPlayer as long as it's up. The segment about Winifred starts from 21.14 mins. How have I never heard about this remarkable woman! Have you?! Kanika x
At the beginning January I wrote about having a New List. It’s basically my quest to make sure each year I hallmark my time by experiencing new things.
It means that with
each new year I try to have an idea of at least one New Thing I’m gonna do, but
it also means that if at any point I’m presented with the opp to do something new, I give it a go. I’ve already done a
couple of new things this year so from now on I'm going to be documenting my
new achievements in ‘I Have Never...'
So here goes. Technically this isn’t my first I Have Never... of the
year, but it’s a goodun’.
I Have Never...taken part in a Flashmob
Last Thursday 14th,
I joined in my first Flashmob
dancing in support of One Billion Rising. One Billion Rising is a global initiative
started last year by Vagina Monologues creator Eve Ensler, in response to the
shameful statistic from the UN that:
One in three women on the Planet will be raped or beaten
in her lifetime.
This translates as the unbelieveable figure ofONE
BILLION WOMEN!
14th February 2013 was the 15thV-day, another initiative by Ensler, and One Billion Rising was a world wide call to arms for men and women toWalk Out, Dance, Rise Up, and Demand an end to violence
against women and girls.
Rio from Sugar Loaf Mountain (photo Miguel Buergo)
This time last year I was in Rio de Janeiro for Carnaval!
I have never, and probably will never experience anything like it. It's an multi-sensory assault on your person that just keeps coming. They don't call it the biggest show on earth for nothing. This year it's Karla's turn to go crazy at Carnival, and knowing how much of a Brasilophile she is, she'll have been going hard on the Samba for the past month. Can't wait to hear all of her tales when she gets back!
In Brazil Carnival isn't just something to do one bank holiday at the end of summer like it is here in London. In the run up to Lent, it's the one time of year when norms are turned on their head. People from all corners of society collectively let out what seems like a long held breath, temporarily leaving stresses behind and embracing the spirit of fantasy, realisation of imagination and jubilation that is Carnaval. Street parties, parades and general gatherings of all sizes attract the oldest and youngest to celebrate, dance and have fun.
Samba is at the heart of many communities in Brazil and Carnaval is the pinnacle of this. Samba schools work throughout the year and invest hundreds if not thousands of hours and enough money to make your eyes water, into Carnaval. Each school can take thousands of their participants out on parade, giving their members the chance to publicly show their immense pride in the community that is their samba school.
The flag bearers of Rocinha samba school (Miguel Buergo)
Last weekend, Rio Samba schools paraded in the famous Marquis de Sapucai Sambadrome. The annual event is judged and this year's results were announced on Wednesday. 2013's victors of Group Especiale, the top ranking group, are [*drum roll*]....Vila Isabel. Tomorrow night they'll head up the Champions Parade in the Sambadrome, along with the other top 6 schools: Beija Flor, Tijuca, Imperatriz, Salgueiro and Grande Rio.
Clara Paixao
So, before it's all over for another year I had to feature this stunning woman, Clara Paixao from Beija Flor samba school. I'll level with you, I'm a lil' bit obsessed. This woman is gorgeous, a great dancer AND the proud owner of a lovely head of Natural hair. Clara has talked about how she has received negative comments for not wearing weaves or straightening her hair, the default for many women samba dancers in Brazil, and how she's chosen to embrace her natural hair because she sees it as an important part of being a mulata . This insightful article from Black Women of Brazil tries to define what a mulata is.
In November, Clara came second runner up (Princessa) in the 2013 Rainha do Carnaval (Queen of Carnival) competition. It's a prestigious contest. The winner was Evelyn Bastos from Mangueira, an equally stunning and phenomenal dancer and only 18 years old at the time! Check her out too, I could be wrong but I think she also has natural hair. This summer I'll hopefully get the opportunity to see both Clara and Evelyn in flesh, when I go to Coburg International Samba festival in Germany. Til then I'll try to keep my stalking to a minimum!
Here's a video of Clara's routine and her being crowned 2nd Princessa, loving her tiara topped fro at the end.
Kanika x
p.s. I'm pretty sure you can watch the Champions parade live online tomorrow. If I find the right link I'll update the post with it before tomorrow night.
Last month I well and truly fell face first off the blogging band wagon. I've been a bad blogger. Mainly preoccupied with sorting shit out, starting a new job and such, but I'm here to make amends!
Three weeks ago, Friday 25th January to be exact, I finally got my act together and made it to my first natural hair event, the Nubian Beauty and Photography event in Stratford!
Hosted by and featuring a photography exhibition by Louise Sam, the night was held at Purely Natural. I'm not familiar with the area so had no idea this salon, which caters for Afro and Natural Afro Hair existed, but you learn something new everyday! Word on the street is that they were enlisted to groom the hair Ms Knowles the younger when she was in town recently, so if it's good enough for her...
Nubian Beauty and Photography Event Friday 25th Jan 2013
Of course, my week old hair do was looking a little tired thanks to a sweaty samba session the night before. Hiding my messy barnet underneath a hat would have defeated the purpose of the game, so Friday afternoon was spent trying to revive a dishevelled 2 strand twist into a halfway decent up do!
I met my friend and fellow natural head Ami beforehand, both natural hair event virgins we were equally excited and not really sure what to expect. As soon as we got there however, the smiley faces and spread of nibbles put us at ease. Yes, we've both craven but hey, there are worse vices!
Oh dear. It's already February and we're only just now revealing our first Natural Beauty for this year! Fear not, it's a goodun. Meet Lauren. We hope you'll enjoy her hair story as much as we did.
NAME: Lauren
AGE: 31
NATURAL FOR: 7 years
When You Gonna: So... tell us. When did you decide to go Natural and why? Lauren: Well I was natural until the age of 16, when my grandma took me to have my hair straightened much to my mum's annoyance as I had been getting my hair pressed. With straight hair came male attention as well! In 2006 I was a girlie holiday with two friends who were natural and I made the decision to go natural as well. So after getting my hair wet in the sea I wore it curly for the rest of the holiday and that was it -decision made! WYG: How did you find the transition? L: Going natural was not an easy process as I chose to cut it off (at the hairdresser the woman sitting next to me let out squeal as I was there cutting my hair and she was having it sewn in) and I did not use extensions or weaves and wow did I have some bad hair days as I did know not how to care for curly hair; what products were good and not, so it was a steep learning curve. WYG: How do you feel about your hair now? L: I feel very blessed with hair as I can choose to be Curly Sue or straight or afroish and would say I either have my hair straight or curly. I tend not to wear my hair curly at work and tend to wear it up in a bun and save my curls for evenings with friends. My curly hair recently landed me a date with a guy - which did not quite work out but hey ho - my hair and I are hopeful. WYG: Good. One must always remain positive over all! Ok, do you have any products you can't live without? L: On my recent holiday to Jamaica I realised that I could apply conditioner to help maintain the curl rather than keep wetting or washing it everyday and I have continued that here and the most I can get away with is three days and then wash it out and start it again. My latest product of choice is BB - Creme de Coco - conditioner before that I would use Redken Fresh curls curl refiner. I do use a diffuser especially in the winter months - not good to go out with a wet hair!!!
Get Lauren's Must Have and other Bumble and Bumble products online here:
WYG: Thank you Lauren for sharing and for the tip on achieving awesome holiday hair!
