The Book of African Records (BAR) is a proudly African, innovative and growing organisation. We collect records about Africa and Africans and use these as a positive change agent against stereotypical coverage of Africa in the global media.

In 2015 and 2016, and in collaboration with tourism boards across Africa, BAR is organizing a promotional and world-wide road show to be known as the African Records World Expedition. This cultural diplomacy shall take participants across 41 countries over a distance of 52 000km by road, using expedition vehicles. If successful, this journey will be the first circumnavigation of the Earth’s surface by Africans.

The African Records World Expedition will be collaborating with an African satellite television that shall be documenting and broadcasting this historic journey as a reality show for popular consumption across Africa.

This is a call for interested individuals who would like to join the expedition as a participant. There are no specific personal qualifications as the final 12 participants shall be chosen through a 3-tier elimination process that shall test candidates’ fitness for travel, general health status, ability to mentally endure extreme conditions, command of foreign languages, Class 1/4 driving skills, among other things. Whilst the organization and sponsors shall meet costs of travel for the entire 14 months, successful candidates are required to contribute 15% towards own total cost of participation.

Successful candidates will also be expected to play an active role in the preparations for 11 months prior to departure day. There are no immediate material benefits to participation.

Positions available: 12 (this includes, among other things, photographers, videographers, rapporteurs, drivers, mechanics). Individuals with a multiplicity of skills will be given preference.

Duration of expedition: 14 months (Departure day is 1 January 2015)

Countries to be covered: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Holland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, India, Australia, Japan, Canada, USA, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica,  Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, South Africa.

An introductory meeting for potential participants shall be held in Harare in the 1st week of January 2014.

For further details, interested individuals are kindly requested to email: expedition [at] bookofafricanrecords [dot] org

Zimbabweans are never short of a plan

This year Robert has been making a range of imaginative Christmas tree decorations

There is something touchingly beautiful
about his recycled angels
the curse of our consumerism
reappearing as the messengers, warriors, guardians
a re-visitation of the wise ones
kitted out in the latest colours

Robert asked me to invite you to drop by
if any of you in Harare are on a hunt for Christmas tree decorations…

Source: Poetfire

1. Who are you?

2. Tell us about the initiative you want the books donated to.

3. Where is it?

4. If you were going to write a novel, short story or memoir, tell us what your first sentence would be

Please email: info [at] kubatana [dot] net

* An Elegy for Easterly, Petina Gappah; Running with Mother, Christopher Mlalazi; Not another day, Julius Chingono; The Stone Virgins, Yvonne Vera; Stained Earth, Derek Huggins; We Need New Names, NoViolet Bulawayo; Laughing Now, New Stories from Zimbabwe; Writing Lives edited by Irene Staunton

Read a 2009 Kubatana interview with Mokoomba

*Note: we answered these questions generally as a band

Describe yourselves in five words?
Fun, energetic, flexible, humble, persevering.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Never stop working hard.

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever done?
On our first trip to Europe, we got “lost” by accident in the red-light district in Amsterdam and we were a bit surprised by what we saw in the windows! We were on our way to a concert and we arrived a bit late understandably . . .

What is your most treasured possession?
Our music instruments.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
The sorrow of losing loved ones.

Do you have any strange hobbies?
Not really, coming from Victoria Falls we are used to seeing people jump off the bridge with ropes attached to their ankles. Nothing is strange after that!

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
Nothing at all, we are very confident young men.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Free time.

What have you got in your fridge?
ZLG water, fish from Norton, Lyons Maid ice cream, vegetables from Mbare musika and some really smelly cheese.

What is your greatest fear?
It has to be death and snakes.

What have you got in your pockets right now?
Phone, keys, wallet and some “sweets for change” from our favorite supermarket.

What is your favourite journey?
Our favourite journey is coming back home to meet our friends and families after a long tour.

Who are your heroes in real life?
Our parents and families are our everyday heroes but we also admire musicians from Africa who have made it, like Youssour Ndour, Salif Keita, Baba Maal, Oliver Mtukudzi.

When and where were you happiest?
On stage, doing what we love.

What’s your biggest vice?
Rehearsals.

What were you like at school?
We were generally good students at school and some of us had OK academic grades but to be honest we always could not wait for the bell to get out the door and go to play music.

What are you doing next?
We are preparing for 4 different concerts which we will do in December in Harare, London and Victoria Falls.

Source: Brainpickings