Mardi Gras in SL

I've been neglecting to put in a plug for my own homebase in SL, the New Toulouse community. If you want to get a real feel for what Mardi Gras is like, this is the place to go! Louhi Gothly, Gabrielle Riel and my neighbors are working hard putting the finishing touches on their floats and throws for a parade on Sunday the 22nd, and everyone in New Toulouse and Algiers is really looking forward to the celebration. Right now, a Mardi Gras hunt is going on too, so stop by and have some fun! http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Toulouse/144/174/23/

Greeks in SL at Virtual Harlem

On a Friday in April 2008, I attended an evening fundraiser for MS sponsored by the members of Delta Omega Phi, and held at the Cotton Club in Virtual Harlem; compared with the party I had attended at Mr. Bigg’s club on a previous Sunday, this group was a bit more sedate and sophisticated with the flirtatious talk, (but only a bit). It was good to see an event going on in Virtual Harlem, because it had seemed quite desolate when I first found out about it in November, and there were quite a few AVs in attendance at this event wearing resident tags, with a total of about 60 people listed in the group in the search tool. On this night, funds were being raised by a date auction, and of course, as is typical for most SL events (let alone RL events among black professionals) the women up for auction outnumber the men, but the ratio is not nearly as imbalanced as it could be, or as much as it was at the aforementioned party, where there were only 4 men in attendance. The theme was “Love Jones with a Touch of Brown Sugar,” with a total of eight men up for auction, and 12 women, and about 30 people in attendance all together. Looking at the body shape choices being made by these black women in SL, I have to wonder what exactly we are doing by not simply exaggerating butts and thighs to represent an authentic black femaleness, but also sexualizing those body features.
Is it a more authentic way of representing desire as a form of female autonomy, or are we simply making ourselves over into objects that men want to look at in SL as in RL? And compared with the way white female avatars are idealized, black female AVs really are very large visually, stretching the glitch pants to their limits. Of course, this may not mean that something is wrong with us as black women, but that something is wrong with the construction of clothing and the standards that are used to determine the “typical” size of the “average” avatar, so that in the case of many of the women here, the skirt prim layers actually expose the glitch pants when the AV is standing still because of the AV's body dimensions.
This fundraising event was also secondarily billed as an open-mic poetry reading, and Neven came forward to perform, and many others, both men and women, with love poems, and angry political poems. The best I heard that night was a pop culture play in which the poet made Batman into a baby daddy with Catwoman as the third leg of the romantic triangle; it was a great mashup not only of familiar pop culture tropes, but also a comment on the SL experience of romantic drama, which led to accompanying chat with women drooling over Green Lantern, Superman, and Aquaman. In response, some of the men moved to claim Wonder Woman as the superhero that they wouldn't mind spending a little time with. Did no one think of Storm? It shows us that the superhero pantheon could use a few more heroines! I found another example of RL pop culture being reinterpreted in SL style in the men’s style of dress for the formality of the occasion, which was heavy on the gangster-pimp tip, while coming up a bit short on the sophisticated tuxedo as the evening wear of choice. Enjoying much of the entertainment in voice, I found that most of the attendees also sounded very young, as if they are still on campus or only very recent graduates who are part of the sorority or fraternity; some tags were Omega Prospect or Delta Pledge, with some of the usual titles on the ranking members such as Big Sister or Big Que demonstrating their leadership positions in the social organizations. The club gradually emptied as the time drew closer to 8 pm SLT, and as successful bidders went on their dates for the evening, which really was truly beginning. This event was just one of a number of activities organized by black Greeks in SL; as with their RL counterparts, they successfully combine their interest in giving to the larger community with their interest in having some fun, and I am sure to have more fun and more giving to report on in the near future.

Explore Gullah Culture in SL

At the newly-opened Sunrise Mansion and Gallery on Isla del Sol, you can chill while watching YouTube blues videos in the inviting landing area, or make your way downstairs to the opening exhibit of work by artist Indea Vaher. Vaher’s inspiration is Gullah culture, and like the Low Country, the Mansion and Gallery is warm and beautiful, peaceful and relaxing. Help yourself to the greens and black-eyed peas, gumbo, ribs, cornbread and pecan pie kept warm in the kitchen, but before you sit down to enjoy your sumptuous feast, be sure to ladle yourself up a glass of champagne punch. Indea has furnished the whole house with much care and attention to detail; each room really feels as if you have just stepped off the ferry from the mainland to enjoy the slower pace of life and the rhythms of the sea. Looking around, I really feel like I’ve stepped into my great-grandmother’s kitchen, with its freshly scrubbed checkerboard linoleum, the cabinets filled with shiny, gleaming glassware and simple, sturdy stoneware, the serving table covered with a clean oilcloth. Indea pays tribute to the creativity of the Gullah with the woven baskets on display in the kitchen; in RL, of course, such creations are put to practical use, as serving trays and for storage, as well as for aesthetically pleasing decoration. The paintings on display show vibrant, colorful portraits of the men and women of the Sea Islands going about their daily lives, shrimping, fishing, selling and buying in the market, gossiping and playing music under the moss-covered oak trees, airing out homemade quilts, and working in their gardens, or dancing in the moonlight. Vaher provides visitors with an informative notecard that introduces visitors to the history and culture of the Gullah people as a distinctive African retention, and she invites all visitors to sit down by fireplace in the parlor or chat with a friend on the balcony overlooking the beach. A display in the side yard reminds visitors to the Mansion that the Gullah historically cultivated indigo and made their own dye to create the batik fabrics that the area is still known for, and in the front yard, a display informs us of the major role that the Gullah played in survival of the European and African settlers in South Carolina by cultivating the rice that is still a staple of the cuisine there (as it is in New Orleans, in the Caribbean, and along the West African coast). Sunrise Mansion and Gallery tells the story of some of the cultural traditions that connect people of the African Diaspora.

Africa in SL

Africa in SL is 65440 square meters of open skies and open land for horse riding, dancing under a tent, enjoying a magical adventure of the mind while you and your sweetheart take a romantic hot air balloon tour, or go out on the lake for an innertube ride. You can have fun dancing in the warmth of a campfire on the beach, or dive into the waterfalls. Relax while enjoying the natural landscape inhabited by wildlife. The sim is a showcase for Dreaming African/Flora Prims, a collection of African plants by Vlad Bjornson, the principle artist and landscaper responsible for creating the Africa sim, which features some examples of native flora. Vlad initially created many custom flowers, plants and trees that cannot be purchased or seen anywhere but in the Africa sim, and according to the owner/manager Rain Husar, now he is growing a new group of plants that you can buy and use to decorate your own builds. These exotic flowers, bizarre succulents, and other African beauties are all based upon their RL counterparts. Mother Nature has a wild imagination, and she has provided an amazing variety of life in Africa from which Vlad draws his inspiration. 40% of all sales of these plants will go towards maintaining the African sim and donations for charities such as One.org.

Ebony and Ivory Skins at Little Africa

Tura Sitbu’s Little Africa has expanded into Ebony and Ivory, billed as an interracial meeting place. It has a number of intimate spots for romance, some more secluded than others, including a lovely Arabian-inspired tent, bonfires, and some beach shacks. Enjoy the rhythm of the surf while you share a table for dinner for two under the stars; share a relaxing massage or more adventurous options; slow dance on a balcony overlooking the open sea or nearby waterfalls, or hit the dance floor at Babes Paradise. You can also shop Tura’s skins and shapes lines; she recently developed some specialized shapes for teen girl AVs (for those who want to be 18 years old again), and continues to create a variety of skins in different tones for male and female AVs, including Nubia, Melli and Nandi for the girls, and Chandu, Ngabe, and Deo. The demos of her skins that I tried on have not yet met my high standards for achieving a natural and flattering tone; there is a grayish undertone to the Melli skin that is not improved by the use of face or body lighting, although I did appreciate that the nipples were actually brown in color, and not orange-y. In its natural-look, no-makeup version, the coloring is warm and pink with nice freckling, so I assume that this is an attempt at a mixed-race look. Some of the warmth of the makeup needs to be added to the skin’s overall look in order to really effectively convey a suntan or healthy skin tone. The demo shape that comes with the skin made my hips completely disappear, and turned my chest from a comfortable C cup into some DDs threatening to topple me over, and made my eyes even larger, while fleshing out my jawline, but still maintained a feminine look to my face. I can say that the shape and skin did compliment each other; I was able to see a distinctly different person looking back at me. In the pink makeup version, the Melli face looked even warmer and more realistic, and the red tone makeup heightened the contrast of the freckles across the bridge of the nose. Tura’s Diva demo shape has wonderful cheekbones, nicely rounded and lifted breasts, and a booty to match! Unlike the Melli, Diva has some hips too. This skin comes with vibrant makeups to accentuate the large eyes, those high, sculpted cheekbones, and the velvet brown skin tone; the demo also includes moss-green eyes that remind me of Tyra Banks. Jiro is an Asian skin with an ivory glow; the demo shape included is small-waisted, with nicely balanced breasts and hips that are not too large. The geisha makeup is particularly playful and flirtatious, with touches of blue in the eyeliner that make the look more dramatic. The Leila skin comes much closer to the warm, sandy brown look that I was hoping to achieve with the Melli; the evening makeup gives the face a touch of gold shimmer that really compliments the green eyes; her demo shape is slight of hip and somewhat in the butt, while giving a fullness to the breast that is not over-done. The Nandi shape is for women who want that hourglass look, and the men who love them! The Nandi skintone is like a tanned version of the Melli, and comes out with a nice convincing warmth that the Melli is lacking, and the Nubia II skin is just slightly darker and browner than the Nandi. I appreciate this designer’s contributions to representing a variety of versions of virtual blackness, and look forward to what she may make in the future.

Soukous Cafe

Soukous Café is a wonderful hangout with African music 24/7, a dance floor, club house, sea, sun and starlight. Everything is free, and they never close! Regular weekly events include Dance Africa with DJ HarleyMC Homewood, every Friday 2-4 pm SLT, and African Roots Heartbeat with DJ Yannis Martynov, every Sunday 10 am -12 noon SLT. The music stream here is energetic and uplifting, so turn it up while you work on your taxes, your other finances, your blogs or your photo albums in your internet browser! New features are being added to the new location, but in the meantime, there is plenty of space for dancing and hanging out on the verandah of the open-air clubhouse. Learn about the many different styles of music coming from the continent; owner Caramba Vella provides direct links to some introductory information available on wikipedia, so while you listen to popular music genres such as Afrobeat, mbalax, highlife and other styles, and modern adaptations of the ancient instrument, the kora, you can also learn more about some of the influential artists performing and touring in Africa and Europe. Vella also invites visitors to share any other relevant and interesting websites about African music. Hopefully, this cafe will be hosting some live performances soon!

Celebrate Black History Month in SL

Part of the Sugarhill Retreat build, the Museum of African American Experience has mounted a wonderful exhibit just in time for Black History Month. The third floor features portraits of a variety of twentieth-century entertainers in music and in film. While expected faces are there, for example Motown artists from the 1960s and 1970s like the Supremes, Stevie Wonder and the Jackson Five, representing the commercial pop of those decades, visitors are also reminded of the many other artists and genres who have so deeply influenced American music and represented American identity and creativity around the world. The display recognizes R&B artists from the 1950s and 1960s such as Ray Charles, Jackie Wilson, and the Platters, jazz artists from the 1930s and 1940s such as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie, and blues artists such as B. B. King and Bobby Blue Bland. I was particularly pleased to also see other, more recent influential figures included as well, such as DJs Grandmaster Flash and Grand Wizard Theodore, recognizing the continuity of black creativity in the arts. Among the stage, film and television stars also being paid tribute are such major historical figures as Hattie McDaniel, Pearl Bailey, Flip Wilson, and Dorothy Dandridge, helping to make their faces known to a new generation. More contemporary milestones are also acknowledged, most importantly, the Oscar winners Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, and Forest Whitaker. The second floor of the museum introduces visitors to significant events in African American history, documenting them in photographs as well. One wall recognizes African American contributions to military history, including a profile of the Tuskegee Airmen, and portraits of Benjamin O. Davis, and photographs of WWII servicemen in action, as well as portraits of black astronauts. Another wall pays tribute to black sports achievements, with portraits and photographs of Olympic athletes including Jesse Owens, Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell, and champions of many different sports, such as gymnast Dominique Dawes, figure skater Debi Thomas, NHL players Willie O’Ree and Fred Braithwaite, and tennis players Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe, and Venus and Serena Williams. A third wall features black political milestones and leaders, including photographs of members of the Black Panther Party from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as some recent portraits of those who survived the persecution of that era. Finally, the first floor also features a historical narrative of survival and resistance, documenting some recent developments in South Africa, and reaching back through the civil rights movement, Reconstruction, slavery and the Middle Passage. Black inventors and entrepreneurs such as Madam C.J. Walker, Elijah McCoy, Benjamin Banneker and others are also recognized. Much thanks are due to owner Will Wellman for providing a visually rich educational experience by creating this interesting space. It comes highly recommended when you want a place for a quiet and thoughtful conversation!

Free to be Virtual

Robben Island is an educational project of Uthango Social Investments intended to promote different social philanthropy projects in Africa with a focus on Human Rights; Uthango also manages Virtual Africa as a place for SL’s global visitors to explore the people and possibilities of the continent through learning about a number of RL non-profit development iniatives. Robben Island’s 52288 square meters include a marketplace, and a number of educational exhibits. One of these pays tribute to Nelson Mandela’s 40 years of struggle against apartheid with an exhibit that features artwork inspired by him, and moving thoughts quoting Mandela’s speeches and essays about freedom. Signs posted across the sim feature the different articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as part of a Human Rights Discovery Tour in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Declaration. A larger African Arts and Culture Center in a lovely open space connects Mandela’s work to international struggles for social justice, with different exhibits of photographic and other work documenting the lives of working people not only in South Africa, but around the world. There is also a very beautiful memorial to Miriam Makeba, which includes a space where visitors can listen to her music while viewing portraits of the late activist at different stages of her life and career. Another display identifies from their search profiles other groups existing in SL that feature aspects of African culture. You can tour the region by taking a free balloon ride, and by purchasing a virtual bicycle to get around the sim, or renting one of eleven virtual campsites, you can donate directly to the Uthango project. African Voices Lounge provides an additional space where visitors can relax and socialize, enjoying a beautiful build that represents the rugged landscape of South Africa.

Saminaka, in RL and SL

A notecard that I received on June 1, 2008 as an introduction to the region of Saminaka stated:
“Sannu da Zuwa! Welcome to Saminaka--a little slice of West Africa with a Nigerian Middle Belt flavor! We're just getting started, but we will supplement its beauty with Nigerian architecture from various regions that will be shops. Plenty of relaxing activities will remain--well, even more than now! You are always welcome to come and bring your friends, ride the ostrich, avoid the jellyfish, enjoy Guarara Falls at midnight! There will be Nigerian music video events, too! If you're interested in joining the group to be kept apprised of progress, wander into the office (the only building so far--temporary!) and click the sign to join. We're happy you're here! best at sunset.....”

In the search (although the TP coordinates provided there leave you under water), the region is further described: “Think Middle Belt of Nigeria--Jos region! Beautiful Guarara Falls, rock formations, wildlife. Enjoy the free aeroputter and see the entire island of Saminaka from the sky! Get a haircut under the tree, find the chamaeleon!” Saminaka is the original name for a RL region of Nigeria that is today referred to as Lapai, Niger; in SL, its 51088 square meters are still sparsely trafficked. On the continent, the region is served by the Abuja International Airport named for Nnamdi Azikiwe, and in SL, the landing point for the telehub takes you to the village of Ikorodu. There you will find a lovely and welcoming town center being developed by Tamzin Barzane, who has a number of stores offering Afrocentric modern and traditional clothing, jewelry, and art, including masks, statues, woven rugs and hangings based on actual textiles from the Continent, baskets, pottery and other furnishings, housed in authentic-looking clay-walled, tin-roof buildings. After you are done shopping, or just need to take a break from it to catch your breath, you can settle yourself in the square and play a fast-moving game of Mancala, or stroll over to Tarkwa Bay, where you can dance under the palm trees and in the sand to the originator of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti, and those he inspired. The rezzable Aero-putter makes it easy to fly over from Ikorodu Market to Nupekwo Quarter, a residential compound that includes Katamba Gallery and Cultural Center (and a large ant hill—Tamzin, how do I call the anteater to come out!?). You can sit outside with the residents to cook and eat, or get your hair braided, and enjoy the music there. I can't wait to see what else Tamzin Barzane has planned for the region. It looks like it will be a wonderful opportunity to increase awareness and appreciation for Nigeria in SL and in RL, as hopefully more residents will invest some time and skills in creating and sustaining cultural spaces in SL.