Xango

Still wondering where to find that "French freshness" and amid all the hub-bub here of people without papers protesting for the right to work, I say, whyever not? 

What would this country do without immigrants? 

They'd have no soccer team to being with. They'd have no comedians. They'd have no "jazz manouche" or accordeon music, which we all find so typically French. They have only become so over years of assimilation. 

Look at the States. I wonder if it would even be worth living in if they were no black people: they'd have no chance at cleaning out at the Olympics, no first black president, no gospel, no jazz, no blues, no rock, no comedians except for a couple of Canadians...which brings me to my point about Xango.

Forgive the white person's cliché, but in college I spent my time not making film taking classes in African and Caribbean Literature. I stress this because most people (including my largely racist Chilean family) don't know that such a thing exists, or that one can spend years reading and discussing it. 

For my taste, it a deeply rich literature because it is so close to music and mythology (these are a few of my favorite things). What I loved was drawing the comparisons from that Yoruban gods such as Xango (pronounced Shango or Chango) to the blues. Xango is the sort of Yoruban Zeus, God of metal and fire, and it is said the he walks with a limp, which makes a particular rhythm, the rhythm, like the trains going from Mississippi to Chicago, which created to blues and, to be even more precise, the boogie woogie. 

I was in London last weekend and was again seized by the fact that if London had no immigrants, it would come to a screeching halt. What makes London the vibrant city it is is that it acts as a magnet for people coming from less fortunate countries looking for " a better life" a bit like New York in the beginning of the 20th century. There is quite a buzz in the air thanks to this ambition and excitement but there is also the most ridiculous amount of surveillance cameras and police everywhere. The message: come, poor people, do the thankless work we don't want to do, but we're watching you! 

In short, I think the English could loosen up but I think the French could also, to a large extent. You would think their invading North Africa would somehow exempt them from having the favor returned years later. No, no, France. Now it's your turn to be a good host. Or just suck it up and eat your couscous. And listen to the arasbesque infiltrating your pop music, and the djembe in your hip hop...