Day: April 16, 2022

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Proxima Studios de Ryan Kavanaugh anuncia início da produção de Skill House estrelado por Bryce Hall, dirigido e escrito por Josh Stolberg – roteirista de Jigsaw e Espiral – da franquia O Legado de Jogos Mortais

Primeiro filme do gênero a ser “listado” na bolsa de valores de entretenimento, permitindo que os fãs participem e invistam no filme em ESX.io

LOS ANGELES, April 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Com base em uma ideia original de Ryan Kavanaugh, megaprodutor nomeado EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar e Tony), Skill House é o primeiro de uma franquia cuja produção principal deve ter início em junho de 2022 e sua estreia para o início de 2023. O projeto é financiado e controlado pela Proxima Studios, escrito e dirigido pela lenda do filme de terror Josh Stolberg, corroterista de filmes de terror como o Espiral: O Legado de Jogos Mortais (estrelado por Chris Rock e Samuel L. Jackson),Jigsaw, Piranha 3D, Pacto Secreto, bem como o próximo filme Saw (intitulado provisoriamente Saw X) e estrelado pelo fenômeno de redes sociais Bryce Hall, uma das estrelas de redes sociais mais seguidas do mundo com mais de 50 milhões de seguidores nos seus canais.

Skill House será o primeiro filme a ser “listado” na bolsa de valores de entretenimento (“ESX“), uma plataforma inédita que permite aos usuários investir no filme e negociar dentro ou fora do filme e na alta.

Com a personalidade de redes sociais Bryce Hall, Skill House age como influenciadores de redes sociais com uma visão inabalável da fama e do que as novas celebridades estão dispostas a fazer para alcançá-la. O filme será filmado na Sway House, uma mansão em Bel Air, famosa por muitas das maiores estrelas do Tik Tok. Ele vai aproveitar o cenário dos jovens celebridades que fazem qualquer coisa por um “clique”.

“Trabalhei com algumas das maiores estrelas de Hollywood, incluindo Chris Rock e Sam Jackson, Carrie Fisher e Dwayne Johnson… mas meus filhos estão mais empolgados com este projeto do que qualquer outro que trabalhei”, disse Stolberg. O trabalho com Bryce Hall e Ryan Kavanaugh certamente será o primeiro de um novo gênero de terror. Essas personalidades das redes sociais são a nova Hollywood e estão reinventando o que significa ser uma estrela. Quando um jovem de Maryland, como Bryce, com somente um celular e um foco de luz, pode atrair dezenas de milhões de seguidores no Tik Tok e no Instagram, ele facilita a vida para todos nós. Mas há um lado negro nesse novo cenário do entretenimento, e estou muito feliz em mostrar isso.”

“O filme será um “Hard R” de terror com uma abordagem corajosa do que é necessário para se ter sucesso em um negócio que depende de fãs que “gostem de você “. Stolberg acrescentou: “Não há nada que eu ame mais do que escrever uma cena de morte no corredor do escritório… e já gastamos mais sangue do que pretendíamos usar. Embora esse conceito possa funcionar como paródia, vou adotar uma abordagem mais séria e usar mais sustos e horror do que o humor. Eu vou dar o meu melhor. Recebi luz verde para ir em frente. E estou mais do que pronto!”

Kavanaugh, o 24º produtor de maior bilheteria de todos os tempos, produziu e/ou financiou mais de 200 filmes como Velozes e Furiosos 3,4,5,6, A Rede Social, 300, Mamma Mia!, Sem Limites, Fighter, Zumbilândia e muitos mais. Kavanaugh também já foi dono da Rogue Pictures, que lançou mais de 60 filmes de terror, incluindo Os Estranhos, Alma Perdida e A Sétima Alma.

“Este filme quebra as fronteiras entre o fenômeno das redes sociais curtas e o conteúdo de longa duração”, disse Kavanaugh. “Bryce é um dos influenciadores mais reconhecidos e polarizadores com mais de 50 milhões de seguidores e certamente será uma estrela crossover. O filme se aprofunda na psiquê humana e na sede de estrelato da nova geração, questionando até onde eles irão? Ele será sangrento, sombrio e, certamente, muito comentado.”

Daniel Herther, que supervisiona a produção e o desenvolvimento criativo da Proxima Studios, será o produtor executivo. Antes de entrar para a Proxima Studios, Herther produziu o thriller de Nic Cage Desejo Inconcebível e ocupou cargos executivos na Relativity Media e no Hollywood Gang da WB (300).

Esta será a primeira vez que os fãs poderão realmente investir em um longa-metragem e participar do lado positivo do filme via ESX.

Bryce Hall é representado por Brad Baskin da Panther Management e Ryan Kavanaugh e Proxima Studios são representados por Neil Sacker.

Sobre Proxima e Ryan Kavanaugh

Fundador da Proxima Media, cofundador da Triller, Ryan Kavanaugh é um dos executivos mais bem-sucedidos, prolíficos e honrados da história da indústria do entretenimento. Usando um modelo financeiro inteligente de finanças cinematográficas, ele foi apelidado de criador do “Bola de dinheiro dos filmes”. Ele produziu, distribuiu e/ou estruturou financiamentos para mais de 200 filmes, gerando mais de US $ 20 bilhões em receitas de bilheteria e tem 60 indicações ao Oscar. Ele é o 25º produtor cinematográfico de maior bilheteria de todos os tempos. Suas produções incluem Velozes e Furiosos 3-6, 300, A Rede Social, Sem Limites, Fighter, Ricky Bobby; A Toda Velocidade, Quase Irmãos, e Mamma Mia! Kavanaugh e Proxima Studios foram pioneiros em uma transação financeira inovadora para a Marvel pós-falência, criando o estúdio e a estrutura financeira que levaram a Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ele criou a categoria SVOD (streaming) com a Netflix, que aumentou a capitalização de mercado da empresa de US $ 2 para US $ 10 bilhões. Kavanaugh é o cofundador da Triller, um dos três aplicativos de rede social de crescimento mais rápido. Recentemente ele liderou a aquisição, fusão e relançamento do aplicativo de redes sociais e música.

Ele também criou a poderosa empresa de televisão, agora conhecida como Critical Content, produzindo programas de sucesso como Catfish na MTV e Limitless na CBS, que ele vendeu por US $ 200 milhões. A empresa tinha 40 séries de televisão em 19 redes antes de ser vendida. Kavanaugh teve várias conquistas e ganhou muitos prêmios: Prêmio de Produtor do Ano da Variety, Prêmio de Liderança do The Hollywood Reporter, Pessoas Mais Influentes com Menos de 40 Anos no Mundo dos Negócios da Fortune, Fortune 400 da Forbes, Produtor de Bilhão de Dólares da Daily Variety, e 100 Pessoas Mais Influentes do Mundo da Vanity Fair.

Sobre a Bolsa de Valores do Entretenimento (“ESX”)

A Bolsa de Valores do Entretenimento (Entertainment Stock X – ESX), uma plataforma inédita que permite aos usuários e fãs investirem em projetos de cinema e entretenimento por meio da Lei de Empregos, é uma plataforma inovadora para o financiamento do entretenimento. A empresa atende às necessidades de financiamento novo e mais eficiente para os cineastas. O ESX permite que os cineastas criem um valioso relacionamento de marketing diretamente com os fãs e permite que os fãs invistam em filmes pela primeira vez. Para mais informação, visite ESX.io

Fotos deste comunicados disponíveis em
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Contato com a Mídia

Michelle Vieyra
Jive PR + Digital
202-415-7714
michelle@jiveprdigital.com
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Proxima Studios de Ryan Kavanaugh annonce le début de la production de Skill House avec Bryce Hall, réalisé et écrit par Josh Stolberg – auteur de Jigsaw et Spiral – de la franchise Saw

Premier film du genre à être « coté » à la bourse du divertissement permettant aux fans de participer et d’investir dans le film via ESX.io

LOS ANGELES, 15 avr. 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Basé sur une idée originale de Ryan Kavanaugh, nominé par le mégaproducteur EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar et Tony), Skill House est le premier d’une franchise et dont la production principale devrait commencer en juin 2022 avec une date de sortie prévue début 2023. Il est financé et contrôlé par Proxima Studios, écrit et dirigé par la légende du film d’horreur Josh Stolberg, co-scénariste de films d’horreur tels que Spiral: From the Book of Saw (avec Chris Rock et Samuel L. Jackson), Jigsaw, Piranha 3D, Sorority Row, ainsi que le prochain film Saw  (sous le titre provisoire de Saw X) et le phénomène des réseaux sociaux Bryce Hall, l’une des stars des réseaux sociaux les plus suivies au monde avec plus de 50 millions de followers sur ses réseaux.

Skills House sera le premier film à être « coté » à la bourse du divertissement (« ESX »), une plateforme unique en son genre permettant aux utilisateurs d’investir dans le film et d’effectuer des opérations en bourse sur le film et ses recettes.

Avec une personnalité des réseaux sociaux comme Bryce Hall, Skill House fait un pied de nez aux influenceurs des réseaux sociaux et constituera une vision inébranlable de la renommée et de ce que les nouvelles célébrités sont prêtes à faire pour l’atteindre. Il sera tourné dans la Sway House, un manoir à Bel Air, rendu célèbre par de nombreuses plus grandes stars de Tik Tok. Il mettra au piloris le paysage des jeunes célébrités qui font tout ce qui est en leur pouvoir pour un « clic ».

« J’ai collaboré avec certaines des plus grandes stars d’Hollywood, y compris Chris Rock et Sam Jackson, Carrie Fisher et Dwayne Johnson… mais mes enfants sont plus enthousiastes à l’égard de ce projet que n’importe quel autre projet sur lequel j’ai travaillé », a commenté M. Stolberg. « Aux côtés de Bryce Hall et Ryan Kavanaugh, il s’agit certainement d’une première d’un genre nouveau du film d’horreur. Ces personnalités des réseaux sociaux sont le nouveau Hollywood, et elles réinventent ce que signifie être une star. Quand un jeune enfant du Maryland, comme Bryce, avec rien d’autre qu’un téléphone portable et une sonnerie lumineuse, peut attirer des dizaines de millions de followers sur Tik Tok et Instagram, cela veut bien dire que la notoriété est accessible à tout le monde. Mais il y a un côté sombre dans ce nouveau paysage du divertissement, et je suis ravi de dépasser cet obstacle. »

« Le film sera un film d’horreur “hard R” et aura une approche concrète de ce qu’il faut pour réussir dans une entreprise qui repose sur des fans qui “vous aiment”. » M. Stolberg a ajouté : « Il n’y a rien que j’adore plus que d’écrire une scène de meurtre où le sang coule à flot… et nous sommes déjà en train de dépasser le budget avec la quantité de sang que nous allons utiliser. Même si ce concept peut ressembler à de la parodie, j’adopterai une approche plus sérieuse et je me pencherai sur les peurs et l’horreur plutôt que sur l’humour. Je n’y suis pas allé de main morte. On m’a donné le feu vert pour y aller. Et j’ai trop hâte ! »

M. Kavanaugh, le 24e producteur le plus important de tous les temps, a produit et ou financé plus de 200 films tels que Fast and Furious 3,4,5,6, Social Network, 300, Mamma Mia!, Limitless, Fighter, Zombieland et bien d’autres encore. M. Kavanaugh possédait auparavant Rogue Pictures, qui a sorti plus de 60 films d’horreur, dont Strangers, The Unborn et My Soul to Take.

« Ce film a pour objectif de briser la frontière entre le phénomène des réseaux sociaux de forme courte et le contenu à forme longue », a déclaré M. Kavanaugh. « Bryce est l’un des influenceurs les plus reconnus et polarisants avec plus de 50 millions de followers et sera certainement une star “hybride”. Le film plonge profondément dans la psyché humaine et la soif de célébrité de la nouvelle génération, demandant jusqu’où ils iraient. Il sera sanglant, il sera mystérieux et on en parlera certainement. »

Daniel Herther, qui supervise la production et le développement créatif chez Proxima, collaborera en tant que producteur exécutif. Avant de rejoindre Proxima, M. Herther a produit le thriller Inconceivable avec Nic Cage et occupé des postes de direction chez Relativity Media et WB’s Gang Hollywood (300).

Ce sera la première fois que les fans pourront réellement investir dans un long métrage et participer aux bénéfices du film via ESX.

Bryce Hall est représenté par Brad Baskin de Panther Management, et Ryan Kavanaugh et Proxima sont représentés par Neil Sacker.

À propos de Proxima et Ryan Kavanaugh

Fondateur de Proxima Media, co-fondateur de Triller, Ryan Kavanaugh est l’un des cadres les plus accomplis, prolifiques et honorés de l’histoire du secteur du divertissement. À l’aide d’un modèle financier intelligent de la finance cinématographique, il a été qualifié de créateur du « Moneyball pour les films ». Il a produit, distribué et/ou structuré le financement de plus de 200 films, générant plus de 20 milliards de dollars de revenus au box-office mondial et remportant 60 nominations aux Oscars. Il est le 25e producteur de films le plus riche de tous les temps. Ses productions comprennent Fast and Furious 3-6, 300, Social Network, Limitless, Fighter, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, et Mamma Mia! M. Kavanaugh et Proxima ont été les pionniers d’un accord de financement innovant pour Marvel après la faillite, créant le studio et la structure financière qui ont conduit à Marvel Cinematic Universe. Il a élaboré la catégorie SVOD (streaming) avec Netflix, ce qui a fait passer la capitalisation boursière de cette société de 2 à 10 milliards de dollars. M. Kavanaugh est le cofondateur de Triller, l’une des trois applications de réseaux sociaux à la croissance la plus rapide. Il a récemment dirigé l’acquisition, la fusion et la relance de l’application de réseaux sociaux et de musique.

Il a également créé la puissante société de télévision, désormais connue sous le nom de Critical Content, produisant des émissions à succès telles que Catfish sur MTV et Limitless sur CBS, qu’il a vendues pour 200 millions de dollars. La société possédait 40 séries télévisées sur 19 réseaux avant sa vente. M. Kavanaugh a remporté de nombreux succès et récompenses, du Variety’s Producer of the Year Award au Hollywood Reporter’s Leadership Award, en passant par les 40 personnes les plus influentes du classement Fortune au classement Fortune 400, le producteur de milliards de dollars par le Daily Variety et les 100 personnes les plus influentes au monde par Vanity Fair.

À propos de la bourse de divertissement (« ESX »)

Entertainment Stock X (ESX), une plateforme unique en son genre permettant aux utilisateurs et aux fans d’investir dans des projets de cinéma et de divertissement via le Job Act, est une plateforme innovante pour le financement du divertissement. La société répond au besoin de financement nouveau et plus efficace pour les cinéastes. ESX permet aux cinéastes de générer une précieuse relation de marketing direct avec les fans et permettra à ces derniers d’investir dans le cinéma pour la première fois. De plus amples informations sont disponibles sur ESX.io

Les photos accompagnant cette annonce sont disponibles sur
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Contact auprès des médias

Michelle Vieyra
Jive PR + Digital
202-415-7714
michelle@jiveprdigital.com
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“If We, all Artists, Work in Unity, our Country’s Melodies Would be Known Worldwide,” Salem

Our guest today is Salem Goitom, an aspiring young artist craving for the highest achievement in all her work. Though young, she shoulders big responsibilities as a teacher, singer and mother, which all require working hard with dedication.

• What got you into art?

I would say I got into art mainly due to my talent discovered at different occasions. I first discovered I had the talent when I was in 11th grade singing to boost the morale of my soccer team. I got invited by Hareg Cultural Group at Keih Bahri Secondary School where I sang “Ti gezana” by Teberih Tesfahuney (a legendary Eritrean singer) our country. Then I went to Sawa for my national service and won as the star at the National Youth Festival of the 26th round. Then I went to college.

• How many artistic works have you produced?

I have so far released two songs, and one is on the way. But all in all I have produced ten, including soundtracks. But it was my singing of one of Tsehaytu Beraki’s songs that got me well recognized.

• Tell us your school life.

I did my elementary schooling at Dahlak Elementary and then went to Natsenet Junior Secondary School. After attending Keyhbahri High School, I went to Sawa as a member of the 26th round. I joined the College of Arts and Social Sciences at Adikeyh and earned a diploma in Fine Art with a good grade.

• Did your upbringing influence you to be involved in art?

Surprisingly, not at all. But my neighborhood, Kagnew, did influence me a lot because most of my neighbors were somehow involved in art. I believe it was my talent that got me into art in addition to my parents’ support. My parents are very well acquainted with art, particularly my dad. He has a good taste for poems and always gives me his opinion regarding my work. And so does my mom.

• Were you able to maintain a balance between school work and art in college?

The moment I joined college I was accepted in a well talented family of youngsters who had a big interest in art and academic work. In those days most of the college activities involved art such as drama, poetry, songs and dances. I experienced art in my daily life. What helped me most with maintaining a balance between school and art was time management. Most students knew what to do and when to do it. For instance, activities related to art were usually held after dinner. College life was more like living in a helpful family in every aspect. That’s why it was not difficult for me.

• After graduating from college, you were assigned to work as a teacher. Did this create any obstacle for you to start singing as a career?

At the beginning, as with most youngsters, it was hard because teaching is a demanding job and gives you the responsibility of looking after students and their needs. But with the help of experienced teachers at Awet Elementary and Junior Secondary School, I was able to manage my time.

• How do you manage as a mom?

I have two kids — a five-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy. To be honest it is very difficult. I had to go to school leaving my six-month daughter home. I then would use any time I could find at work to go back home to breastfeed her and go back to work again. I was always running. The good thing, though, is my parents have always been by my side. Their presence in my life was and is crucial.

• The reaction of your students as an artist…

I can say I have two personalities, one as a teacher and another as an artist. Initially I began as a teacher but when I started appearing on the media, not only my students but also my supervisors were surprised. I handle myself very professionally at school, as a teacher. I do that because I have to. I want to be an example for my students. I want them to understand that no matter how valuable a career is it means nothing without education.

• How do your students’ parents feel about you?

No one necessarily starts as a professional in his or her career. You get to that stage by learning from and correcting your mistakes. And a teacher learns all the time while teaching, personally and professionally.

Parents entrust us with their children and their feedback is very important for teachers. Parents of my children are very appreciative of what I do, and I believe that is because I try to do my job by treating my students like my siblings.

• What do you do for your career development?

I love reading. I read different types of books, including those related to my profession. To take care of my voice I always do warm ups. I pay attention in choosing poems and rhythms by using helpful references as I desire to make our nine ethnic group melody known worldwide. I enroll in courses offered by associations such as the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students. Believing that I know nothing helps me to use every opportunity to learn.

• Your message to beginners in art.

I suggest they use every opportunity they find to learn. They should yearn for education that could help them improve.

• Your future plans …

From the many plans I have I would like to get a vocal scholarship and release four or five songs of my own instead of one in a year. I want to work for the melodies of all nine Eritrean ethnic groups to be known internationally. I am sure if we, all artists, work in unity, our country’s melodies would be known worldwide like others.

• Thank you for your time.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Taita Making 101

Who doesn’t like taita in Eritrea!? Come on! Unless there is something fundamentally wrong with you, taita is, well let me put it this way. As the fictional character from Seinfeld, Jackie Chiles, once said referring to O’Henry Candy bar, it is delicious, scrumptious and outstanding! Taita is exactly that.

The first European who came across taita (the soft flimsy pancake made of taff or eragrostis Abyssinica and is considered Eritrea’s staple food) lying on the mesob (cone-shaped wickerwork used as table) must have thought it was a sponge. It looks like one with the difference, among others, that sponge is spherical while taita is round and flat.

And it is made of taff, a grass-like plant which is fed to mules in South Africa and is mostly left alone as a friendly weed in some parts of the world (with apology to taita lovers all over the world).

Injera is a generic name for bread. Taita is the pliable pancake-like with one thousand and one holes (like crushed Swiss cheese) testifying to its perfection. But Eritreans seem to use the word injera for taita on many occasions.

The Italians, who colonized Eritrea, never added taita to their menu.

Maybe they thought it could easily compete with their spaghetti. I don’t think that the British who succeeded the Italians took pains to even taste it. Those who did would in their aristocratic and plumy accent say: “It does taste like the Indian chapatti in some mysterious ways, I presume!” and they would add: “Could it be that the Indians have been trading with this poor people in the past?”

The Americans, more adventurous than their predecessors, ate it and liked it. Some were rushed to their army hospital only to be given last warning not to ingest indigenous foods again. By going native, they became poor insurance risk back in the USA.

Then the Ethiopians came. These were not strangers to taita. They were its co-inventors, only that they found our taita a little bit thicker and darker than was dictated by custom.

It needs a great deal of skill and nimble hands to bake taita. Those who thought of producing it in the past must have been our first alchemists. You knead the taff flour-based dough, leave it to ferment, take a sample from the fermented part, add water, boil it and pour it over the dough and wait. Many girls fail to pass the test. They either bake injera with no holes on it, or bake good ones that stick to the surface and refuse to come out of the overheated mogogo (traditional clay oven).

“If you fail again, you will never find a husband,” implores the mother.

“The one I marry will eat steak and pizza instead of taita and tsebhi (spicy meat stew),” retorts the naughty girl. She is wrong. I have heard that Eritreans who have lived abroad all their lives still go crazy about taita.

I am sure that only wives of feudal lords in the past could have had the time and energy to come up with such complex culinary formula.

While the serfs ate kitcha or gogo (bread so hard it breaks your jaw), the feudal chieftains relished their taita eaten with zigni and derho.

Kids in Eritrea have taita with sugar sprinkled all over for a 5 o’clock snack. Normally they spiced their taita with salt but given the opportunity they preferred the sweet sugar.

Thus, they were in some way co-inventors of the sweet and sour dish that is very much vaunted by the Chinese.

Taita+Taita=Hanza, used to say a math teacher jokingly, meaning that if you put one durra-based taita on top of another durra-based taita, you come up with a new kind of bread known as hanza. Children prefer it to taita, but it doesn’t taste good with stebhi due to its sugary flavor.

A new ingredient and a new addition to the menu. You take the taita fresh from the oven and lace it with butter and berbere paste. The end result is katagna. Only those with little cholesterol in their blood and with strong stomach lining should try it.

Baking takes almost from one to two hours depending on the quality of taita. Most of the time it happens that at the end of the baking, the dough is not enough for a full round taita (with the normal diameter). So you go for a little one. This is called ts’l’ka. It is given to children who until now have been gawking at the piles of taita.

The problem with taita is that it can easily get moldy if touched by hand. The most frightening sight for a woman is to see the taita she had baked two days ago going moldy on the third day.

What can you do with a moldy taita except throw it away? But some innovative women lay it on the ground to dry. Direct sunshine kills the mold, but the end result is a bone-dry taita, which is good only to be ground and to be used for a rainy day. This is known as korosho.

This type of food catches your eyes in airports going out of Eritrea and arriving in European or American towns.

“What is this?” once asked a customs officer at a Danish airport.

“It is our traditional food,” asserted the Eritrean.

He looked perplexed. If he suspected it for drugs, he could have used his sniffing dogs. But the dogs did not show any interest at all.

It is very difficult to explain taita to foreigners and to Europeans or Americans in particular. With most who taste it as invited guests, it is love at first sight. But there are those who wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole.

“I find it very sour and bland at the same time,”

“C’est deguelass! (It is disgusting)” barks a French man.

Some taita are yellowish, others brown or even black. They say the rich eat white injera, while the poor consume the black varieties. Fortunately, it has been scientifically proved that the darker varieties contain more iron than their white versions. Iron is good for health, and helps to brighten the black mood of menstruating women.

In the past, when dignitaries came to visit the country it was customary to serve them taita with tsebhi just to show them how much you respect your culture. But you had to notify them in advance so that they may decide to take the leap of faith as they arrive in the host country.

I have heard that Queen Elizabeth I liked it after tasting it at a luncheon given in Addis Ababa by the King.

Have you heard that an American guest invited to lunch was about to use our taita as a napkin? He was right away reprimanded for his insolence by the otherwise very kind and humble host. And then you have this crackpot who dared to ask whether it moved. I don’t know what he meant by that, for if it moved it was alive, and if it was alive it was not cooked, and his hosts would have been very kind enough to provide him with a spear to kill the moving beast.

But there are those who have positive tastes for anything under the sun. Their problem is that they don’t know how to go about eating it.

A Kenyan did the following before a pile of injera and a plate full of tsebhi; he took a spoon, scooped some tsebhi from the plate and slurped it. And then he turned to the injera, took a morsel and ate it. He used a spoon for tsebhi and his fingers for the taita. Was told to put an end to his funny way of eating the semi-national dish. He couldn’t care less.

If the cereal chosen to make taita happens to be mashela (durra) then the end result is a very soft and digestible taita which should be consumed on the same day. If you try to eat it the next day with shiro or hamli (vegetables), it crumbles in your hand. More of it will be falling to the ground than goes inside your mouth; the cohesive property of durra is very poor compared with that of taff.

Now listen to this: of the taita that doesn’t have holes or eyelets. It means that either it has not undergone enough fermentation or that something other than taff or mashela has been used in its making.

Nowadays, taita is being made using not taff or mashela, but rice and even wheat. The result is, more often than not, indigestion, heartburn and sour stomach.

Where did the name taita come from? I don’t know. But there are many places in the Middle East and Asia where injera-like pancakes are made. Chappatti in India and Tanur bread in Lebanon. Wherever it might have come, taita is here to stay.

And what’s more, the elderly love it to the point of worship. This for two reasons: they say it is our culture and our pride. But the real reason is that being soft and tender it can be easily chewed with their toothless gums even during the last days of their life on earth.

Disclaimer: This writer can’t make taita even to save his life!

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Presentation on the Oral Tradition in Tigre Language

The Afar proverb which says ‘Intikuficintooy, aytiku-abbahficinto’ meaning “the ear is as old as the past” puts it succinctly. The marvel of oral tradition is that messages from the past continue to exist as long as they are told.

On March 31st last month, the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students hosted a presentation on the oral tradition of the Tigre language in its weekly program at the Junior Club. The presentation was given by Staz Mohammed Said Osman, a former student of the Revolution School, and, currently Unit Heat at the Eritrean Commission of Culture and Sports. Staz Mohammed has an avid interest in research onoral tradition.

Eritrea has nine ethnic groups who are distinguished by their own languages and ways of life, but united by a common history and destiny. In his presentation, Staz Mohammed underlined that oral traditions are documents of the present because they are told in the present. Simultaneously oral traditions embody messages from the past and are expressions of the past as well. Oral poetry is introduced to a Tigre child (this is also broadly the case in other language groups) in the early ages of infancy when mothers cuddle and recite poems to infants and toddlers.

Oral tradition is part and parcel of the intangible cultural heritage conveyed from generation to generation through words of mouth and is also called a living culture. In this connection, Staz Mohammed highlighted the significance of oral tradition in the livelihood of the people. During the entire presentation, Staz Mohammed, who is proficient in several Eritrean languages, used proverbs of Tigre and Tigrigna languages to express the ideas he intended to communicate to the audience.

The Tigre ethnic group is known for its rich treasury of oral tradition that expresses many aspects of life in the society, including marriage, death, pilgrimage, customary laws, resistance, childhood, pregnancy, birth, circumcision, New Year, seasons, traditional medicine, religious traditions, and rite of passage. Staz Mohammed Said Osman said that in Tigre language, there are poems for everything; even for lice. The oral poetry for lice that caused laughter among the audience run as follows:

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea