Diary for 25th June to 2nd July 2009

Lucy Special: The 11th Royal Anthropological Institute's International Festival of Ethnographic Film







Hi Everyone,

BOOKINGS ARE FILLING UP FAST for the11th RAI's International festival of of Ethnographic Film which is taking place in a week from today. For those of you who haven't had a chance to book tickets yet, now is your chance to do so!

The RAI's Festival of ethnographic film is a biennial event hosted by different universities around the UK. It is the largest most extensive ethnographic film festival in Britain. For people who are interested in film, learning about visual anthropology and finding out what anthropologists do, this is a very worthwhile event to go to. For aspiring or current anthropology students the festival provides an excellent networking opportunity for you to meet award winning anthropologists from around the world, watch and discuss their work as well as listen to critical debates on some pressing issues facing the discipline.

A special objective of the 11th edition of the festival is to bring together not only academic anthropologists and professional film-makers from all over the world, but also tourism scholars and experts, and members of the public, particularly from Leeds, Bradford and the Northeast of England.


The festival takes place over four days from the 1st-4th of July 2009 at Leeds Met University. The event kicks off with a very strong selection of student films that are up for the Wiley-Blackwell Student Film Prize. The prize is awarded to the most outstanding ethnographic video made by a student enrolled in a bona fide institution.

Here are some of the films up for the prize:


REBORN IN WESTPHALIA
13:30, Wednesday 1st July, Theatre B

Director: Melanie Liebheit (GER)
Year:2008

"In the middle of a German province the tireless priest Sri Paskaran built the biggest Tamil Hindu temple in Europe. In 2002, he inaugurated it amidst industrial plants in the Westphalian village Hamm-Uentrop. The film accompanies the priest in his busy daily routine and during his arrangements for the annual temple festival expecting 20,000 believers. In the neighborhood, the locals cultivate their own traditions. Irene sells fast-food sausages in the local snack-bar and farmer Externbrink meanwhile has got a holy cow in his barn. An encounter of two universes full of contrast".


ENET YAPAI-AN AMBONWARI GIRL
16:00, Thursday 2nd July, Theatre B

Director: Daniela Vavrova (SLO)
Year:2008

"Enet Yapai was six years old when I met her for the first time in 2005. Two years later I returned to Ambonwari village, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. Between November 2007 and April 2008 I followed Enet and her mother Alexia on their way to process sago, catch fish or collect grass for baskets and mats. Enet "entered" the camera in a way which we both found amusing and rewarding. The film is an experiment of a subtle and non-predictable interaction between Enet Yapai, the video camera and me".



On Saturday 4th July the festival has a special India Day where participants can join in for a special ticket of only £5 for the entire day!

Some of the highlights include:

MAYOMI
9 am Saturday 4th July-Theatre A
Director: Carol Slater (GB)
Year: 2005

"Mayomi is an intimate portrait of a young woman struggling to gain independence, whilst holding her troubled family together in post-tsunami Sri Lanka. Mayomi lost her husband to the Tamil Tigers, her mother and home to the Tsunami, and is not the only female member of her family, single-handedly caring for her disabled father, her alcoholic brother and his abandoned six-year old son. She is also still homeless and knows that in a country crippled by bureaucracy and corruption, this is unlikely to change. The film follows Mayomi as she struggles to overcome the obstacles in and outside her family. Her optimism and courage drives her forward and also provides the heart of this moving and intimate film".



Carol will be at the screening and there will be a Q & A session afterward.




You can watch a trailer of the film on-line at: www.rocksaltfilms.com



To pre-empt the India Day screenings on Friday the 3rd July internationally acclaimed film makers David MacDougall will be showing his film called Ghandi's children. Below is a description of the film.

"A monolithic building on the outskirts of Delhi provides food and shelter for 350 boys. Some are orphans, some have been abandoned, others have run away from home. About half are held under a court order having been picked up for petty crimes. Living at the institution for several months, MacDougall explores its routines, and the varied experiences of several boys. Despite the harshness of their lives, many show remarkable strength of character, knowledge and resilience. One day 181 child labourers arrive, placing additional strain on the building's deteriorating facilities. The institution does what it can, bus is it enough?".


In addition to the screenings there are several workshops and panel discussions such as the Participatory Youth film workshop, a round table discussing on broadcasting and distribution, and a meeting with the Visual Anthropology Network of the European Association of Social Anthropologists. For more information take a look at the festival's website.




The last day of the festival is marked by Asen Balikci being honored by the RAI film Committee for his lifetime achievement and contribution to Visual Anthropology. To honor his work, a film made by Rolf Husaman called The Progessional Foreigner: Asen Balikci and Visual Ethnography.

Here is a brief description:
" Asen Balikci has been a leading figure in making ethnographic films for many decades. In a series of talks between Balikci and filmmaker Rolf Husmann in different locations, the life and work of Asen Balikci are shown and discussed: the film takes us from Asen's youth in Instabul to his career in Canada where he became famous for making the Netsilik Eskimos Sries, to filming in Afghanistan and then turning to two other activities of his: as a networker for the Commission on Visual Anthropology and as a teacher of Summer Schools in Siberia and Bulgaria. His film work among the Bulgarian Pomack and his still ongoing work in Sikkim (India) conclude the film which is not only the portrait of a famous expert in Visual Ethnography, but also more generally touches upon vital issues of ethnographic filmmaking".


The festival is an opportunity not to be missed. Registration is £50 for students/concessions, and £30 for a day pass. Other registration fees can be found here.

Take a look at the website for details on accommodation and how to get to Leeds. The festival is sponsored by the Royal Anthropological Institute and the Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change, in partnership with the Northern Film School, Louis Le Prine Centre for Cinema, Photography and Television.



If you have any enquiries that you can't find answers to on the website, please feel free to contact Susanne Hammacher, the RAI's Film Officer at film@therai.org.uk or phone 020 7387 0455.

Hope to see you all in Leeds!

Diary for 18th June to 24th June 2009

Thursday 18th June- Knowing me, Knowing you...

Running until the 22nd July is a free art exhibition celebrating 150 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Japan. The exhibition is being held at the Japanese Embassy and forms part of a series of events that commemorates the political relationship between the two nations. The artwork has been submitted by members of the Japan Society, the leading body in the UK dedicated to enhancing cross cultural understanding and fostering relationships in business and education. Admission is free but photo ID is necessary to gain entry into the Embassy. For more information about the exhibit call 020 7465 6589.



Friday 19th June- Meaning and Dance in Indonesia

Today I am heading to the British Museum to watch some free ethnographic films about dancing in Indonesia. The event forms part of a series of activities the museum has run in connection to the current exhibition on the Gamelan (an ensemble of musical instruments) from Java. From 14:30pm- 16:20pm two films will be shown in the Stevenson Lecture Theatre: The Dancer and the Dance, and Tayuban: Dancing the Spirit in Java. Both films have been directed by anthropologist Felicia Hughes-Freeland. The first film explores the intricacies of Javanese palace dancing. The second film, explores a ritual that is held once a year in a Javanese village where male and female dynamics are expressed in a particular way that encourages community identity through dancing. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A session with Felicia. Admission is free but booking is advised. To book your free place visit this website. Both films are distributed by the Royal Anthropological Institute's Film Department. For more information email: film@therai.org.uk


Saturday 20th June- Youth Producing Change

Today I am heading to the Walter Reade Theatre to watch films amde by youth around the world, showing their perspectives on human rights and their visions of change. The event is presented by the Human Rights Watch in collaboration with Adobe Youth Voices, and forms part of the Human Rights Watch International film festival. The film screenings start at 2pm. For a detailed listing of the films as well as ticket prices, take a look here.




Sunday 21st June- Feasting on Street Food

Al Jazeera is an Arabic language news network, which has an English chapter whose headquarters are in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Recently Al Jazeera has produced some fantastic documentary short films on street food around the world. From street food in Mumbai to San Sebastian, or Brick Lane in London, the films demonstrate the connection between culture, food, community and identity. "Street food is more than a cheap source of nourishment. It tells stories of shifting populations, trade connections and evolving identities. Key ingredients proclaim a melting pot of cultures, while culinary customs and techniques give a place its individuality". All the films are available for you to watch on youtube. To find out more and watch a few clips, visit this website.


Monday 22nd June- Art from Ghana

A new exhibition will be opening on the 2nd of July at the October Gallery which will show the work of Ablade Glover, one of Ghana's foremost painters. Trained in Ghana, Britain and the United States, Glover has gained international reputation as both artist and educator. The exhibition will demonstrate his lifelong passion for life, activity and colour and his willingness to show the vast variety of livelihoods and existence in Africa. For more information about the exhibit and the artist himself, take a look here.





Tuesday 23rd June- Waiting for Harry

As part of the run up to the 11th RAI International Festival of Ethnographic Film, taking place on the 1st-4th of July in Leeds, a series of film screenings is being held at the Hyde Park Picture House. Most are award winning films from previous RAI film festivals, and have reached international appeal. Tonight's film is called Waiting For Harry. Produced by anthropologist Les Hiatt and fim-maker Kim McKenzie, the film explores one man's crucial role in a mortuary ritual of the Anbarra people of Northern Australia, and the interactions, dilemmas and consequences that happen when Harry is nowhere to be found. The screening starts at 6:30pm. For more information and to book visit this website.




Wednesday 24th June- International Essay Contest for Young People

Enter an essay and you could win a trip to Japan and $1000! The Goi Peace Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO, has organised an international essay competition for young people. The theme of the competition is ' The role of science in building a better world'. Young people (anyone up to 25 years old) are asked to submit innovative ideas of how they think that scientific and technological advances can be used to realise a more equitable and sustainable world. Essays must be 800 words or less, and can be in submitted in various languages: English, French, Spanish or German. The deadline for submissions is the 30th of June. For more information about the contest guidelines and specification visit this website. Good Luck and Gambare!

Diary for 11th June to 17th June 2009

Thursday 11th June- 'Fieldwork'

Today I am going to browse my local bookstore and take a look at a new novel called 'fieldwork'. The novel is written by Mischa Berlinski, who was trained as a classicist at Columbia University and worked as a freelance journalist in Thailand. The novel follows the obsessed young reporter on a trip to Thailand, where he discovers a story about a charismatic anthropologist who has just committed suicide in a Thai prison, where she was serving a murder sentence. The novel follows Mischa's exploration of the anthropologist's life, taking him on encounters with hill tribes, the work and lives of missionaries, and engagement with sexual, religious and scientific taboos. For excerpts of the novel, and reviews of the book take a look at this website.




Friday 12th June- To be solitary or social...

Anthropoloigst Joan Silk from the University of California, Los Angeles has just released findings on a 15-year research project looking at the social behaviour of baboons in Botswana. The project involved researchers Robert Seyfarth and Dorothy Cheney to carry out observations for 7 hours a day, six days a week, monitoring the reproductive lives of 66 adult females. The analysis of the findings revealed that offsprings of mothers with the strongest social bonds have offspring which live longer than those with the weakest social bonds. Silk's researchers measured the social bonds by using 'an index of friendship' which looked at duration and frequency of grooming, and approaches between animals. To read more about the research take a look at this interesting article.



Saturday 13th June- Music and Dance from Java

Tonight at the British Museum, you have a chance to learn about Indonesia through music and dance from the royal courts of Central Java. The Southbank Gamelan Players will be performing with dancer Ni Made Pujawati. For those of you unfamiliar with the Gamelan, it is a large ensemble of instruments ranging from gong-type, to keyed melodic instruments, and others made of bamboo, iron or brass on which traditional music from Java and Bali is played. The Southbank Gamelan players include musicians who have trained extensively in Indonesia, and have worked with artists from all over Europe, Indonesia and the U.S.A. The performance takes place at 6:30pm in the BP lecture theatre. Tickets are £5 or £3 concession.


Sunday 14th June- Music and Us

Today I am heading to the Brady Arts and Community Centre from 2-5pm for a series of musical performances, film and debates by key local artists from Tower Hamlets, and Spitalfields Music. The event aims to look at the role the Arts play in negotiating shifting identities and cultural difference in this London Borough. Tower Hamlets, has had various communities with different cultural backgrounds come and go for years, and currently there are over 100 different mother tongue languages spoken within four square miles. The area has also one of the highest concentration of artists in London. The event is free but booking is required for the debate. For further information about the programme, list of screenings and bookings take a look here.



Monday 15th June- The Norh-West Passage.. a matter of life or death

One could say that British explorers have been obsessed with exploring the Arctic. Adventurers such as Captain Cook, Sir John Franklin, Sir John Ros, and others lost many men from blizzards, hunger, and scurvy as they sought to find the North-West passage (the sea route that connects the North Atlantic and the North Pacific Ocean). A new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum displays paintings, letters, maps and ethnographic objects from British explorers throughout the ages who have ventured into this part of the world. With climate change the threatened ecology of the area, many organisations are once again highlighting the importance of this region. The exhibition is free, and open daily from 10:00am-17:00pm.


Tuesday 16th June- Anthropology Days in London and Wales

Bookings for the London Anthropology Day are now full, but there is still a chance that you are able to take part in the day by booking on the waiting list. The waiting list is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The LAD 2009, is a free university taster day open to teachers, students, and life long learners interested in finding out what anthropology is all about, what it is like to study the subject at university and the types of careers anthropologists do. To book your free place on the waiting list fill out a form here. For those of you in Wales, or nearby the LAD's sister event called Wales Anthropology Day (WAD) still has a few places left, so if you are quick you can still get in. You can book a place for WAD here.



Wednesday 17th June- What are anthropologists doing about climate change?


Anthropologists Susan A. Crate and Mark Nuttall, have edited a new book called Anthropology and Climate Change: from Encounters to Actions. The book is divided into three parts. The first part looks at how anthropology and anthropologists have explored the relationship between societies, culture and climate from prehistoric times, as well as how the language we use to describe our relationship with the environment has changed both within and outside of the discipline. The second part of the book looks at cutting edge research that anthropologists are doing around the world on climate change. The third part of the book, asks anthropologists to become engaged, by linking their research to appropriate action, and bridging communication between policy makers, environmentalists, social scientists, educators and activists. For people interested in applied anthropology and environmental concerns, this a very good resource.

Diary for 4thJune to 10th June 2009

THURSDAY 4th June- Upcoming Wales Anthropology Day

For those of you who have not yet had a chance to book for Wales Anthropology Day (WAD), now is your chance to do so! The WAD takes place on 19th June at the University of Wales, Lampeter. WAD is an open university taster day for students interested in learning about what anthropologists do and what it like to study the subject at university. Similar to its' sister event the London Anthropology Day, it provides an opportunity to actively engage with the discipline through interactive workshops on biological anthropology and social anthropology. To book your free place visit the WAD website.


FRIDAY 5th June- Spotlight on Indigenous Peoples

Today I am going to book in advance for a 'question time discussion' focusing on the lives of indigenous peoples around the world. The event takes place on 11th June from 6:15-7:30pm at the Royal Commonwealth Society. The discussion is a unique opportunity to hear from people who have in depth knowledge and first hand expertise of working with indigenous communities. Guest speakers include for example, Stephen Corry, Director of Survival International (an international organisation supporting tribal peoples around the world); Purna Sen, Head of Human Rights at the Commonwealth Secretariat and Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, a Yanomami Spokesperson. To find out more about the even visit this webiste. The discussion is free and open to all but advance booking is required. To book your free place email publicaffairs@thercs.org or go through the RCS's registration here.








SATURDAY 6th June- Feedback for Lucy !

Lucy would like to ask readers of Anthropologist About Town for some feedback on ways to improve the blog. Some of you have already gotten in touch and asked for events to be put up ahead of time (when possible) in order to ensure there is enough time to book places. Others have suggested putting podcasts on the blog. If you have any suggestions on what you would like to see more of (links, books, or certain aspects or subdisciplines of anthropology) please let me know by emailing: writetolucy@gmail.com Any constructive criticism and feedback is greatly appreciated!



SUNDAY 7th June- A glimpse into marginalised communities in Japan

According to Director Kazuhiro Soda, ' no one is immune to mental illness'. The stress of living an urban lifestyle, with its associated pressures and sense of loneliness, loosing a loved one, or being victims of abuse, are just some examples of how people can cross the imaginary boundary between 'health' and 'illness'. When it comes to tackling the subject of mental illness, Mr. Soda has found that it is still very much taboo. In his new film MENTAL, Mr. Soda tries to let the complex realities and voices of people in a outpatient mental health clinic in Okayama, Japan speak for themselves. His film making techniques also alow room for the audience to make their own assessments of the different interwoven narratives. MENTAL has won various awards, including best documentary film at Dubai and Pusan film festivals. Take a look at the movie's trailer as well as its associated website for more information about the film, the director and future screenings.


MONDAY 8th June- The Accessible Arctic

Today I am heading to the Canada House near Trafalgar square to take a look at their new exhibition on 80 years of Arctic photography. The arctic which makes up 40% of Canada's landmass, has over 100, 000 people living there, with indigenous peoples making up 80% of the population in certain regions. The photos in the exhibit are from articles featured in the Royal Canadian Geographical Society's magazine: Canadian Geographic. The exhibit was assembled and curated by the Canadian Museum of Nature, an organisation which has led in Northern research and Canada's natural history. Addressing issues concerning climate change, sustainable economic development and collaboration between peoples from circumpolar regions, is seen as essential by Northern Canadians to the survival of the people and the land. The exhibition is open to all and free from 10:00am-18:00pm Monday-Friday. For more information on the exhibition take a look here.



TUESDAY 9th June- Learning through observation: life in a co-educational school in India

As part of the run up to the 11th RAI International Festival of Ethnographic Film, taking place on the 1st-4th of July in Leeds, a series of film screenings is being held at the Hyde Park Picture House. Most are award winning films from previous RAI film festivals, and have reached international appeal. Tonight's film is called Schoolscapes produced by acclaimed ethnographic film maker David McDougall. Cherished for it innovative use of the camera and power to tell a story without the use of narration or subtitles, the film explores the life of students in a co-educational school founded on Krishnamutri's philosophies. The screening starts at 6:30pm. For more information and to book visit this website.


WEDNESDAY 10th June- Behind the academic lens

Today I am heading to UCL to meet the new generation of visual anthropologists. The Oxford Academy of Documentary Film is putting on some excellent documentary film screenings of student work from UCL's Department of Anthropology's new course in Practical Ethnographic and Documentary Filmmaking. Ranging from 3-20min, the films cover topics from homo sapiens kissing in Russel Square, to the meanings people find in cities and confounding stereotypes of Islam in Britain. The film screenings will take place from 4:30pm to 6:00pm in Theatre One, the Cruciform Building, UCL (Gower street entrance, opp. Porter's Lodge). Open to all.

Diary for 28th May to 3rd June 2009

THURSDAY 28th May- Medicine and Human Realities

Today at the Centre for History of Medicine in Ireland (CHOMI) there will be a Medical Humanities Symposium from 10:00am- 4:30pm in room N003 at the University of Ulster's Coleraine Campus. Supported by the Wellcome Trust, professors from universities around the UK will be presenting on topics ranging from doctoring in the 19th century, to cultural representations of disability. To register and for more information contact Leanne McCormick at lv.mccormick@ulster.ac.uk or phone 44(0)2890366300.



FRIDAY 29th May- Divorce Iranian Style

Tonight I am heading to the British Museum's Stevenson Lecture Theatre at 6:30pm to see a documentary called Divorce Iranian Style. The film produced in 1998, has won numerous international awards, and has brought renowned acclaim to its directors Kim Longinotto and Ziba Mir-Hosseini. The film provides a rare glimpse at the intimate lives of women who undergo the process of divorce in an Iranian Court. Filming from within the court, Longinotto and Hosseini, let the women tell their stories in which they confront bias laws with innovation and personal strength. For an interesting review of the film take a look here. The screening will be followed by a Q & A session with the two directors. Tickets cost £3 for adults £2 for concession. For those of you interested in renting a copy of the film, or coming to watch it at the Royal Anthropological Institute, get in touch with Susanne Hammacher at: film@therai.org.uk



SATURDAY 20th May- An amazing discovery for the human sciences

Several nights ago some of you may have watched the BBC documentary on the discovery of the Ida fossil what has been called 'the missing link' between the first primates and modern humans. Found in amazingly preserved condition Ida is 47 million years old. She was found in the Messil Pit in Germany and is the most complete primate fossil ever found. The documentary, narrated by David Attenborough follows the research of Palaeontologist Jorn Hurum and his team, as they analyse and examine the anatomic features of Ida in a lab at the University of Oslo's Natural History Museum. You can watch the documentary again or downloaded it here. Alternatively, take a look at this amazing website on Ida, the discovery, Hurum and his team. Some have argued that the BBC production did not reveal any of the controversies surrounding the discovery and that media hype has overshadowed some people who question the scientific validity of some of Hurum's claims. This article highlights some of the controversy.



SUNDAY 31st May- What do anthropologists do?

Anthropologists find work in a variety of different fields ranging from working in museums, to working as business consultants, or in development and tourist agencies. Often the word 'anthropologist' does not appear in their job title, but anthropologists use the skills they have learned from their degrees, such as undertaking ethnographic research, analysing cross cultural data, doing interviews and apply these skills to their current roles. Veronica Strang, professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Auckland has written a new book called What do Anthropologists do? The book takes a close look at why anthropologists are in demand for certain roles, and the job opportunities that are open to people studying the degree. It's written in an accessible manner and is a very useful resource for people beginning their exploration of anthropology and those already studying it at university.


MONDAY 1st June- An Empire of Subjects

Today is the second session of the Imperial History seminars, which are being held at the Institute of Historical Research, Senate House. Hannah Weiss from Princeton, is giving a presentation on 'An Empire of Subjects: the silences of law and the rights of subjects 1760-1790'. The seminar is free and starts at 5pm in the Germany room. For more information about the seminar series, email Dr. Jon Wilson at jon.wilson@kcl.ac.uk








TUESDAY 2nd June- Art and Mental Illness

For those of you who are 'incurably curious' there is a wonderful exhibit on at the Wellcome Trust on Mental illness and the visual arts, focusing on Vienna in the 1900s. At the start of the 20th century, Vienna was one of Europe's leading centres for modernism and was a city obsessed with the mind, madness and psychiatry. The exhibit takes a multidisciplinary approach to representing how 'madness' and art interacted in Vienna and encourages us to think about how mental illness is thought of and portrayed today. For more information about the exhibition, visit this website. The exhibition is free, and runs until the 28th of June.



WEDNESDAY 3rd June- Top of the mornin' to ya

Hats.. are they just a fashion accessory, or are they part of someone's identity, a status symbol, a mark of artistic expression? For centuries hats around the world have given us clues as to various aspects of a society, fashion trends of the time, political activity, social class distinctions. Currently at the V & A museum is an exhibit entitled an Anthology of Hats by Stephen Jones. Stephen Jones is a milliner and has been making hats for fashion houses, exhibits, and designers for decades. The exhibit focuses on the life cycle of a hat, from how it is 'born' in the eye of the designer, what external inspirations from nature, fashion, politics are taken and through to its final journey to the top of someone's head. If you are a hat lover, this is something you shouldn't miss! For more information about the exhibit take a look here. Tickets are £5 for adults and £4 for concession.

Diary for 21st May to 27th May

THURSDAY 21st May - Felt expressions

Today marks the beginning of an interesting art exhibit held at the Rose Issa Gallery on 269 Kensington High Street called Felt Memories by Bita Ghezelayagh. Bita has experience as an architect and art director of several Iranian films. She started working with felt in 2004, designing her own display tunics and capes. For Bita, the canvasses express memories of growing up in Iran living through the revolution in 1979 and the war in Iraq (1980-88). Bita has found herself heavily influenced by post-revolutionary visual popular culture and includes elements such as pictures, metal keys, and Persian phrases that reflect this influence in her work. The exhibition runs until 20th June. For more information visit this website. For a preview of Bita and some of her tunics take a look at this article.

FRIDAY 22nd May- Celebrating Aboriginal Art

After 6 years of teaching both at primary and secondary level, Basil Hall, decided to train as a print maker in Canberra. Working with Aboriginal artists across a range of Australia's remote communities, Basil Hall has enabled many artists to establish their visions in print, becoming part of a celebrated contemporary art scene. An exhibition of 25 years of his work collaborating with aboriginal artists is currently on at the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery on 2a Conway Street, London. The gallery has gained a reputation for championing Aboriginal and non-Western Art. The exhibit which is called 'Etched in the sun'. It is free and runs until 20th of June. For a preview of some of the art on display take a look here.



SATURDAY 23rd May - Indian Melodies

Indian strings and Dances is a major exhibition currently on at the Museum of Croydon. It features instruments, dance costumes, and video interviews with leading practitioners of classical Indian music and dance traditions. Today from 1-2pm there will be a special guided tour of the exhibition given by the curator and event organisers. Following the tour will be two dance performances at 2:30 and 3:30pm. The first is the Kuchipudi dance, which originated in Andhra Pradesh and is renowned for its grace and elegance. The second is the Manipuri dance which is one of the most 'beautiful classical dances of North East India'. Both the performances and the guided tour are free. For more information about the exhibition and associated events take a look here.

SUNDAY 24th May- Brochures are on their way!

Many of you have emailed asking for copies of Discover Anthropology and Careers in Anthropology brochures produced by the Royal Anthropological Institute's Education Department. For those of you have not yet received your brochures, just to let you know they are on their way! We have recently requested a reprint of the brochures as we ran out of stock. If you have any problems receiving the material, or would like to request additional copies, please email Nafisa Fera at education@therai.org.uk





MONDAY 25th May- Viva la vida

On the 31st of May, Regent street in London will be transformed into a pedestrian friendly Spanish cultural extravaganza. Rather than the usual congested frenzy of cars and people shopping, the street will be traffic free from 12pm-6pm and there will be food, dancing, art, and live performances to celebrate twelve regions in Spain. Some of the programme includes Djs from Ibiza, flamenco dancers, Valencian paella and 30 Royal bagpipers from Galicia! For those of you who still want to shop, stores on Regent street will be taking part in the fiesta by offering promotions and competitions. Anyone interested in continuing their Spanish culinary journey, should visit Borough Market on the 2nd and 3rd of June, for a Spanish Gourmet Festival. To find out more about the programme of events for the 31st as well as see pictures of last year's day, take a look at this website.




TUESDAY 26th May- The Baby and the Buddha

Today I am going to watch a BBC Four documentary called The Baby and the Buddha. The film is produced and directed by Nati Baratz and follows a former Buddhist disciple's search for his reincarnated Tibetan master. The disciple Tenzin, is instructed by the Dalai Lama to search for the reincarnation of this master who is now embodied in a little boy and may be anywhere in the world. Tenzin's spiritual journey takes him through countries, passing mountains and villages, travelling by helicopter, mule and on foot. His journey gives us a rare insight into certain aspects of the Buddhist faith, as well as one man's discovery of himself. You can download and watch the documentary for free here. For an interesting review of the film and discussion of rebirth take a look at this article.


WEDNESDAY 27th May- Rethinking Gender in the 21st Century

A series of seminars exploring the impact of masculinity on health and well-being, are being held at St. Antony's College at the University of Oxford. Today's seminar is called 'Being a Father.. is the Embodiment of Everything I do: African Caribbean Fathers' Accounts of Fatherhood and Health' . The seminar is given by Dr. Robert Williams and Dr. Alistair Hewison from the University of Birmingham, both with extensive experience and background in public health management, organisation and policy. The seminar is free but registration is required. To register email Yiu-tung Suen at yiu.suen@sant.ox.ac.uk. The seminar takes place in the Dahrendorf Room at 5pm. For those of you interested in learning more about men's health and well-being, take a look at the Men's Health Forum, an active charity involved in organising National Men's Health week 2009 which will take place in June.

Lucy Special: Anthropology Outreach Events in July

Hi Everyone,

I am posting a special Anthropologist About Town message to let you know about some fantastic events that the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) is running in July and to give you a chance to book some tickets before they all run out!

For those of you who are budding filmmakers or who really enjoy experiencing the world through visual means, the RAI's International Ethnographic Film Festival is a great event to meet visual anthropologists, watch ethnographic films from around the world, and engage in some topical debates regarding ethics and the use of archival images.

The festival is taking place at Leeds Met University on the 1st-4th of July. The RAI is thankful for the support and collaboration of the Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change, the Northern Film School, National Media Museum and Louis le Prince Centre.

From May 12th and every Tuesday evening until the festival, Leed's Art House Cinema will be showing previous award winning films from 2007 and other festivals. You will have a chance to meet the film-makers and engage in Q & A sessions afterwards. You can find details of programme for these pre-screenings here.

Registration for the festival is now open and if you book by May 20th you will be able to receive an 'early bird' discount. Take a look at this website for more information on bookings and fees.

The week after the festival on July 9th is the London Anthropology Day, an annual event that the RAI's Educational Outreach Programme organises at the British Museum's Clore Centre.

The event is a free university taster day for Year 12,13 and FE students, career advisers and teachers. On the day there will be interactive workshops, films, photo exhibitions, university delegate stands, as well as talks on careers and the university application process.

This year we have 16 universities attending including: University of Bristol, Brunel University, University of Cambridge, Durham University, Goldsmiths, University of Kent, LSE, University of Manchester, Oxford Brookes University, Queen's Belfast University, Roehampton University, UCL, UEL, University of Sussex, and University of Wales, Lampeter.

The day will be a wonderful opportunity for participants to interact with anthropology students, and lecturers and to gain some valuable information about what the various departments have to offer. For photos, films and additional information about the day, please visit: www.londonanthropologyday.co.uk

The event is free, but advanced booking is essential as spaces are limited. To book your place visit www.londonanthropologyday.co.uk

If you are already an undergraduate or postgraduate student of Anthropology and you would like to be a volunteer for the day, we recruit around 20 volunteers each year. The requirements is that you are reliable, trustworthy, able to take direction and work as a team. To be a volunteer, please contact the RAI's Education Officer, Nafisa Fera at: education@therai.org.uk

If you require any paper publicity for either of the events listed, please get in touch with Nafisa at education@therai.org.uk with your postal address and the amount of flyers or posters you need.

I look forward to seeing you in July!