South Meridian

Learning from Latin America’s Media Pirates

[3.Dec.07] :. Today’s illicit “DVD factory” in a corner of Paraguay might tomorrow become a node in a democratic, grassroots distribution network for Latin American media.

Living on the Margins

[5.Nov.07] :. The protagonists of tomorrow are people who are off-line, somehow off the grid, unsophisticated or simply unimpressed by the general spectacle of information-overload and conspicuous consumption.

On Being Savage

[28.Sep.07] :. In today's world, in which most native people live not in forests or on islands but in cities, savagery has become a state of mind more than anything else. Perhaps a little 'savagery' would be good for modern civilization.

Playing from the Hip

[27.Aug.07] :. Jorge Ben always sounds like he's playing from the hip, not from the head, not really from the heart either.

Delfin Quishpe: Ecuador’s Unlikely YouTube Celebrity

[3.Aug.07] :. Other than cute animal photos and pornography, the content that enjoys the most popularity on the Internet often has a link to real-world events of generalized significance – like Quishpe's 9/11 video.

Blood Art from Africa?

[5.Jul.07] :. Everywhere one looks these days, the supposedly "forgotten" continent is under the glare of spotlights. But there is a thin line between patronage and plunder.

Tom Zé: Brazilian Music Machine

[30.May.07] :. Tom Zé, the tough sertanejo, should not be crossed. Eventually he will have his way.

The Resilient Works of Roberto Bolaño: Raccoon-Resistant, Water Resistant, Immortal

[3.May.07] :. Roberto Bolaño's Los Detectives Salvajes, like so many good works, traverses time, language, cultures, and survives a bit battered, but little worse for the wear.

On Revolutions, Civil War and Dictators: The Work of Ryszard Kapuscinski

[6.Apr.07] :. Kapuscinski, a master of subjective journalism, once referred to news agency reporters as “terrible victims of information”.

Brazilian Choro Music: The Oldest Jazz

[1.Mar.07] :. Before jazz, before samba and bossa nova, before even Stravinsky had been born, musicians in 19th century Rio were testing their virtuosity playing choro tunes.

Tropicália: Brazil’s Musical Revolution Turns 40

[2.Feb.07] :. Tropicália would combine the cosmopolitan sensibilities and lyrical precision of rock with the entire geological depth of Brazil's considerable musical tradition.