Into Africa

Starring:Don Williams
Studio: Compendia
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Fascinating documentary
History incomplete
Color, history, culture, and music!

The Romany Trail, Part 1 - Gypsy Music into Africa
Starring: Romany Trail
Manufacturer: SHANACHIE
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | International | Styles | Music

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The Romany Trail, Part 2 - Gypsy Music into Europe
Latcho Drom
Latcho Drom: Bande Originale Du Film
Shotguns and Accordions - Music of the Marijuana Growing Regions of Colombia
Konkombe - The Nigerian Pop Music Scene

ASIN: B00006G8IE
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating documentary.......2006-11-10

As a middle eastern dance instructor, I found this film just fascinating. Many, many 'aha' moments for me regarding the history & shaping of Egyptian-style dance. It's a must-have for a dance instructor's library. I had hoped that Part 2 of the documentary would shed the same light on Turkish dancing, but it was disappointing from that standpoint. Still fascinating as a documentary, though!

History incomplete.......2004-11-18

This movie is quite interesting history, up to a point. The film shows respect and wonderment for the great traditions of Rom music and dance, which evolved from the Hindi customs and culture in northern India. It also offers sympathy for the much-reviled Rom people.

The film follows the Rom culture from India through Iran, Armenia and Iraq into the Maghreb, and features much magnificent belly and other dancing, music and performance feats such as fire eating, puppetry and acrobatics. In total, there are important points here concerning the vibrant roots from which this nomadic people sprang, roots that continue to evolve today.

Most fascinating are the portraits of Rom as dhimmis within the North African Islamic culture in Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt, although the narrator does not define them as such. Here, the Rom offer their Islamic neighbors services that are generally regarded within that community as enjoyable but objectionable. They perform exorcisms with music and dance, for example, and perform in the streets throughout North Africa. Yet Islam finds Rom performers, especially the women (who are often belly dancers and singers), particularly revolting; they are generally (and sadly) regarded and treated as whores.

The film does, however, feature one major deficiency. While showing the suffering of the Rom to this day, the narrator says nothing whatever about the evolution of their historical plight: He claims that they traveled from India of their own free will.

But this was most certainly as false in the 8th century as it is now, when Romany people are repeatedly asked to "move on" because they are so much hated by their oppressors. They were initially transported from India as slaves in the 8th century by Islamic jihad, and suffered 500 years of slavery in the heart of Europe.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

Color, history, culture, and music!.......2003-10-20

I bought this video to see the bellydancing influences in it. And, it's great for that. However, as an artist and someone who studies Celtic history (especially Irish Celtic history), this video offered even more than I'd expected. (If you're tracing the historical routes--and roots--of the Celtic people, this video provides helpful insights.)

Most people will buy this for the music & dancing. And, that is certainly an important part of this video.

But, "The Romany Trail" is not a slick movie or TV production. In fact, in some ways it's rather amateurish and dated. However, the color and history are well-presented, and the culture and music are inspiring.

Product Description

Explorer Paul Hoefler leads a safari into central Africa and what was then called the Belgian Congo, in the regions inhabited by the Wassara and the famous Ubangi tribes. This black and white materpiece has a run time of 50 minutes.

Average customer rating:

Into Africa
Starring: Don Williams
Manufacturer: Wheezy Multimedia Lt
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

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Average customer rating:

it's just perfect

Into Africa
Starring: Don Williams
Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Customer Reviews:

it's just perfect.......2004-08-23

I strongly recommend you buy this DVD, you will better know Don Williams, the very cool guy, but mainly, music is just perfect the voice drives you to heaven, the band is a little more modern than in records or DVDs,it sounds a little new but not too much, the usual good moon in Don records is fresh as ever,the dvd includes one or two new songs not found in other DVD releases, the sound quality is 100% perfect and this brings the occasion to hear old songs with new arangments but also better technical quality (compared to original recordings)
No doubt, you won't regret bying it.
Thierry Cordonnier

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