so true!

NikNaks

Maize sustains us as a (South African) nation. Mielie meal or pap is an obvious example, but another less spoken about one is that of maize chips sold at station kiosks or school tuck shops. To someone with not much money these chips mean an instant upliftment of carbs and salt for about R1. They keep children and adults alike going after a long day. For the people who sell them they provide a relatively easy, albeit meagre, source of income.

 This phenomenon struck me the other day when I was buying a packet of niknaks at Claremont station and saw mountains of these bulk packets stacked on a shelf behind the counter. This foodstuff may only be maize (most probably GM) and pure MSG, but it is one that provides a source of instant comfort. 

28/08/2013

Its funny how when people ask us about the subjects or areas of interest that we are most passionate about we found ourselves unable to articulate. Its as though words become so cheap in these kinds of scenarios. Personally, my worst question that people ask is 'what do you do for fun'? Isn't everything we do supposed to be fun?

12/08/2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O13217wKRqg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y_KJAg8bHI

08/08/2013

There are people out there who will respond with an 'oh wow' before you have even finished your sentence. When someone shows a genuine, sincere interest it can be quite startling. Sincerity is an often overlooked characteristic which so many people neglect to hone. To me it is one the most admirable qualities in a person and great marker of character. 

06/08/2013

Although this was promised to be a serious post, it is instead a brief testament of why I struggle with philosophy and ethics and find so much solace within the field of anthropology.

Studying anthropology is both an escapism and a means of enacting change. Unlike philosophy, it provides definite answers. It is proactive and it can only be meaningful if it is coming from a place of love. It is a truly amazing discipline. 

I often lack the precise vocabulary when people ask me what anthropology is and why I am studying it ('It is impossible to say exactly what I mean' - T. S. Eliot The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock). It is often the things to which we hold the most attachment, in this case in the realm of intellectual and psychological stimulation, that we cannot possibly find words to convey their amount of significance to others. 

happy friday :)

serious post coming up on monday... for now here are some gems

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do4giNvHa7w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xfKU31v3Hc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FJ7F6trvBc

"You don't have to have it all figured out to move forward"