January 31, 2005
Burundi comes out for Bob
The Royal Drummers of Burundi took over the centre of Addis today a day before the start of 'Africa Unite', a month long celebration of Bob Marley's 60th birthday. The drummers are going to be one of the star attractions at tomorrow's launch ceremony and, I think, at Sunday's big concert.
If their performance was anything to go by, the celebrations are going to be quite something. They basically stopped Addis in its tracks by hoisting their huge drums on to their heads and marching across one of the busiest streets in the city. They then circled the Menelik monument three or four times, beating the hell out of their drums and jumping high in the air.
Bob Marley is going to be taking over this site over the next couple of weeks. There is something different happening most days and I am helping to cover the event for AP. Regular random postings will resume when it's all over at the end of February.
Posted by aheavens at January 31, 2005 4:07 PM