Africa Is a Country

Hold On To Your Hat

Hold On To Your Hat

By
Sean Jacobs

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL3tRBZv7QA&w=500&h=307&rel=0]

South African football fans (well, boosted by corporates) have brought the world the plastic vuvuzelas. There’s one other invention of local football that might catch on: Makarapas, the elaborately decorated construction hard hats that now come in national colors.

There’s an interesting history about the origins of makarapas and the man who invented it, Alfred Baloyi.

Above, Heineken, in an ad for the Dutch portion of its global market, sends up the hat’s origins.  Apart from the twist at the end, the narrative is close to the real thing, as you will discover in this story–reported in more journalistic fashion; don’t worry about the cheesy music–by Yahoo Sports:

[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/12711845 w=500&h=281]

And as a bonus, also a link to a high energy version of the Makarapa story by one of the young reporters of the Sony-sponsored FevaCasters:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJYJyO-zbAs&w=500&h=307&rel=0]

— Sean Jacobs

Further Reading

Not exactly at arm’s length

Despite South Africa’s ban on arms exports to Israel and its condemnation of Israel’s actions in Palestine, local arms companies continue to send weapons to Israel’s allies and its major arms suppliers.

Ruto’s Kenya

Since June’s anti-finance bill protests, dozens of people remain unaccounted for—a stark reminder of the Kenyan state’s long history of abductions and assassinations.

Between Harlem and home

African postcolonial cinema serves as a mirror, revealing the limits of escape—whether through migration or personal defiance—and exposing the tensions between dreams and reality.

The real Rwanda

The world is slowly opening its eyes to how Paul Kagame’s regime abuses human rights, suppresses dissent, and exploits neighboring countries.

In the shadow of Mondlane

After a historic election and on the eve of celebrating fifty years of independence, Mozambicans need to ask whether the values, symbols, and institutions created to give shape to “national unity” are still legitimate today.

À sombra de Mondlane

Depois de uma eleição histórica e em vésperas de celebrar os 50 anos de independência, os moçambicanos precisam de perguntar se os valores, símbolos e instituições criados para dar forma à “unidade nacional” ainda são legítimos hoje.