Yippie GIFF Yippie!

Göteborg Film Festival, GIFF

GIFF is a highlight in wintertime for me. Something to look forward to every year. I love to go to a couple a movies and have a "window" to places elsewhere, situations and lifestyles I couldn't imagine before. And I love to catch a glimpse of the daily life ordinary heroes. To me they are the true heroes.

Today I could have my fill of that,  to get a little glimpse of what it is to be in an emergency unit in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria. How do they cope? How do they get through the day? What do they feel sitting in that ambulance on bumpy roads, in traffic jam? They are working way behind the clock as the cases pile up and the inter com system has broken down.

The three main caracters, playing themselves in this documentary movie, are nurse Mila Mikhailova, driver Plamen Slavkov, and doctor Krassimir "Krassi" Yordanov.
I give this movie high scores! It's taking me right in there, in the middle of their story, like if I was a fly on the wall in the front seat in that ambulance.

Sofia's last ambulance (2012, Bulgaria)

"In a city where 13 ambulances struggle to serve 2 million people, Krassi, Mila and Plamen are our unlikely heroes: chain-smoking, filled with humour, relentlessly saving lives against all odds. Yet, the strain of a broken system is taking a human toll: how long can they keep fixing society's injured until they lose their empathy? Written by Betina Ip  "






Yesterday I saw Smokin' Fish (2011, Alaska).

Smokin' Fish movie is full of scenery, mountains, lakes, rivers, beauty of nature. Very good soundtrack to all the goodies for my eye. But most of all, a very good story. A documentary about Cory Mann, a Tlingit Nation member, who grew up with his aunts and grand mother and great grand mother in remote parts of Alaska. Smoking fish in traditional way is the center of the story and out from it I learn quite a lot about the view of life this people have, ancient traditions, ways of living. With lots of humour the different members of the family (so fantastic persons they couldn't be found in a fiction movie) give their story, wich also includes many tragic points of the hardships coming along with european culture invading. Of course I want to learn as much as I can now in the days of Idle No More rising. It breaks my heart to hear how cruel we europeans have treated natives. And like much my heart rejoice when I learn that their lifestyle and culture is rising, and it's now up to western "civilization" to take a seat, listen and learn.





Eva

Learned a lot this week

Here are a few things that stood shining out, right in front of me, like if life have to shout sometimes to my stubborn senses.

* You can guide yourself to not be so shy.

* You can guide yourself to feel more secure about making mistakes. It's not so dangerous to make mistakes.

* Be a lion!

Just by dancing balboa this Sunday I got back home so full of energy, so happy, feeling more relaxed and happy about myself than I have done for a long time. Wow, there has been so much good things accomplished at work, and then it's this increadible community of dancers where I can go and meet friends.

Next day, Monday, was a kind of back lash during daytime. Was told by an unknown worker at Försäkringskassan that it looks like I'm not working full time, my income is so small. But I am! I'll tell you, I work so much I can push everything, several weeks are 7 days work days, not a single day off. Gladly learning year by year how to improve my work, my art, my entrepreneurship. And here's someone that put me in a box and think I have to be like everyone else, comparing apples with oranges (comparing employees to self-employees). It made me quite sad, and mad.

Oh, did I tell you, I made 23 concerts in two weeks? And the same day I spoke with this lady at Försäkringskassan I got three new concerts booked!

Well, Monday evening, again, fly high in joy. Because we danced and sang for Idle No More, joining in for the rights of indigenous people and sustainable living on Earth.

Tuesday new talks with the square people who just don't really understand how I can make it. I don't really think it's so way out. I'm doing fine. It's me and my decisions for my little family to live healthy. No one else can sit in another telephone and understanding my ways. Because it's just my ways and it works for me.

Today I heard from another woman, mother, artist, that I have to be a lion. I have to fight more. Next time I talk with those people who want to compare apples and oranges I can just say thank you that you care for me, but I'm doing fine. Sharpen my claws. Don't take the shit.

My friend the artist told me at the end of the phonecall: Good luck to you with your VERY important work!

Eva

My #J28 Day in Göteborg, Sweden

Göteborg on Global Day of Action with Idle No More


I'm happy to meet some more people in town outside Haga Cinema.

Together we united in
Songs
Dancing
Drumming

We also had burning herbs for purification that one person brought and shared around our circle.

Hugs and warm eyes.
Just drawn together by the spirit of solidarity movement with INM. None of the people there today I had met before. But I'm thankful to see them, and I hope I will see them again.

Read more on www.idlenomore.ca and their link to the global day of action.

Time to say thank you for this absolutely brave day!

Eva

What a joy to sing to the elders

The last two weeks we did 22 concerts to the elders. Vocal trio Irmelin in Göteborg, what a joy!

It's a fine job, the elders get so happy, they need this input from outside to put colour to the daily life. Many have loss of memory, sit in wheel chairs, can't take part in society like they used to. It's a good thing that the city employ us musicians and make sure they get live music when they can't go to concerts in town anymore.

Our songs come from the north sea, shanties and sea men songs. In the audience we've had a number of people who worked on the sea. Here's the tattoo one former sea captain showed us after concert. He was 16 years old when he started on the sea. The tattoo was made then.

Dotted dresses and red shoes has been our outfit for performance.

Most days lovely winter weather. Frosty trees, minus degrees, blue sky.

Göteborg by night. Many days we kept on working late after doing our concerts. We have to compleete the mixing of our new coming cd and we did the photo session as well.

No wonder that I have been extraordinary tired this weekend, the first free days in looong time.

And what can be more energizing than dancing? Today is balboa boost at the dance club. I'll be there!

Eva

Irmelin tour-end in Göteborg

This morning, on the last day of our tour.
Soon time to hit the road and get to the first gig out of two.

This morning from my kitchen window.

My song-sisters Maria and Karin. What a great tour we've had! 22 gigs in two weeks. No wonder we have increased our coffe-level.

Communicating, tour-managing!

Tomorrow will be a lazy day, but first we'll give all we have to the elders, the heroes, the grey panters. To see their smiles, their eyes, it's the greatest reward we can get.

Eva

It's time to do things

It's January, it's cold, dark and snowy. Most of us sit indoor in warm places.  Then, I wish to ask you for a moment of your time to read this increadibly inspiring story. And send a thought to these young people doing their big walk in support of Idle No More.

Journey of Nishiyuu, the quest for unity, is a walk with seven young members going 1100 km. Youth in the age of 16-17 years walk in snow between Wapmagoostui and Ottawa! They are walking for life. Determined to follow through. One purpose of their walk is to call for unity among the First Nations people.
Isaak Kawapit, celebrating his 47th birthday today, is an experienced hunter and take part in the walk as guide for the youth. What a birthday to remember!
It's beautiful pictures on their facebookgroup with over 10.000 supporters in this moment I'm writing. I think it will spread world wide and grow.



There are great artists creating posters for Idle no More. All credit to them! Here's an article presenting the movements artist: huffingtonpost.ca

Good night! Eva

Luzern concert with Annika Dobler on cello

This morning I stood up early to go to the airport and fly to Switzerland. Great to be here again! For the first time I have seen Luzern today, beautiful city. It's snowy and winter time, and I'm lucky to be here. Tired yes, but it's ok. Annika and I immediately sat down to go through our concert program. The music feels growing, maybe it's getting ripe in the subconsious during the period we didn't play together. Last time we made concert is nearly a year ago.


Welcome to concert: Sousol at 15, Sunday 20th of Jan, in Luzern.


The venue is both a concert venue, and a dance hall for tango and lindy hop. You can guess I feel at home! No photos? My own computer stopped breathe this monday, and I had to leave it with my computer wizard Pär Johansson. Great guy! Yesterday the problem was solved and my computer is alive again. So that's why I'm blogging without photos.

 Good to do a little computer-detox.

Just music in my mind and dresses in my gig-bag.


 Eva