Author: Yayi-Australie

I am a French-born Australian linguist who loves writing about multicultural experiences. Taught English in Zambia and Papua New Guinea, gained a Doctorate with UPNG. In Western Australia I worked with migrants and Indigenous communities in Kalgoorlie and Roebourne. In charge of Amnesty International WA, then moved to Adelaide. Short-listed by The Human Rights Commission for the Literature NF Award for the anthology I edited with the Multicultural Writers Association of Australia, I later published my memoir. Volunteered with the Writers Centre, became active with PEN.

International Jazz Day 2022, program -Sortiraparis.com

A call for peace and unity in the world

International Jazz Day online. April 30, 2022. Great live-streaming concert

(H Hancock, M. Miller, Y. Sun Nah etc.) List at All-Star Global Concert

“Jazz carries a universal message with the power to strengthen dialogue,

our understanding of each other, and our mutual respect. As the world

is affected by multiple crises and conflicts this international day highlights

how much music and culture can contribute to peace.”

UNESCO A Azoulay, Dir.-Gen

Free at unesco.org, jazzday.com From France 23h or Australia 9am AEST May 1

UNESCO’s website, YouTube, Facebook, jazzday.com, UN’s online TV channels.

23 March Observance

Most of us are not aware of The International Day of Remembrance

of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. BBC says

slavery includes sex trafficking and bonded labour, where a person’s

work is ‘security’ for a debt that can’t be repaid. We already know about

child soldiers and women sexual slavery but Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab advises

victims of modern-day slavery are around us all and that we should all

‘be vigilant to see and brave to speak up’. ‘A man chained in a garden.

A distressed young woman at the airport. A patient in a clinic’.

Commémoration du 23 Mars

La plupart de nous ne connaissent pas l’existence de La Journée de

Commémoration des Victimes de l’Esclavage et de la Traite Transatlantique

des Esclaves. La BBC dit que l’esclavage comprend le trafic sexuel et la

servitude pour dettes, dans les cas où le travail exercé par une personne

est pris en ‘sécurité’ d’une dette qui ne peut pas être payée.

Nous connaissons déjà les cas d’enfants soldats et de femmes exploitées

à fins sexuelles mais Dr Ewelina U Ochab nous avise qu’il y a des victimes

de l’esclavage contemporain tout autour de nous et qu’il faut ‘être vigilant

et avoir le courage de dénoncer ces cas’. ‘Un homme enchainé dans un

jardin. Une jeune femme affligée dans un aéroport. Un malade dans

une clinique.’

International Women’s Day 08/03

100Words from Women Writers                     					                                 


  Don’t ever think that just because you do things differently, you’re wrong.
                              Gail Tsukiyama
 
              The most common way people give up their power is 
                    by thinking they don’t have any.
                              Alice Walker 

         I do not see myself as a footnote to someone else’s life.
                             Martha Gellhorn

      Our histories cling to us. We are shaped by where we come from.
                        Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

           It’s where we go, and what we do when we get there,
                   that tells us who we really are.
                            Joyce Carol Oates

Happy World Radio Day

BILINGUE: Anglais et Francais 13 February/13 Février

**UNICEF/Nahom Tesfaye** A young boy in Ethiopia takes lessons
via the radio, which are being broadcast across the country.

Happy World Radio Day

One morning in 1969 in Zambia I entered my classroom at the remote
Mwinilunga High School which had no television or electricity, with a 
two-band battery radio so that my students would hear the momentous 
moon landing. The BBC crackle  was bad. I switched over to a French-
speaking station.  The radio announcer’s voice came through the static.  
I could just hear the French version of the astronaut’s words and 
translated for my students: 
    ‘One small footstep for man and a giant footstep for humanity’.
The class cheered, not at my translation, but because Neil Armstrong 
walked on the Moon. 

Bonne Journée de la Radio

Un jour en 1969 en Zambie, je suis rentrée dans ma classe à Mwinilunga 
High School, école secondaire isolée ou il n’y avait ni télévision ni
électricité. Je tenais à la main ma radio pour faire écouter à mes étudiantes 
l’atterrissage sur la lune. Puisque la  BBC faisait trop de craquements, 
j’avais changé pour écouter une station en Français. Ayant réussi à entendre 
la voix d’un commentateur malgré la statique, j’ai pu écouter la version 
française des mots de l’astronaute et je les ai traduits pour mes étudiantes:
 
   ‘One small footstep for man and a giant footstep for humanity’. 
La classe a applaudi pas ma traduction mais le fait que Neil Armstrong avait marché sur la Lune.

International Drabble

O 22, here we come!
Instead of Happy New Year in your language, and because I learnt 
the word for ‘Good’ in many languages, I will try a way of wishing different people in Europe: French, Swedish, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Irish, Polish, Russian; East Africa Swahili; Australia Wongatha, Ngarluma, Kaurna; PNG Tok Pisin, Motu; and Asia Bahasa Malay to have a Good 2022!
Bon 2022, Bra 2022, Hyvä 2022, Buono 2022, Bueno 2022, Kalos 2022,
Go maith 2022, Dobry 2022, Horosho 2022; Nzuri 2022; Palya 2022,
Marni 2022, Waba 2022; Gutpela 2022, 2022 Namo; Baik 2022.
[Comments are welcome]

Z for Zazie

						 							 
    The heroine from the film  'Zazie dans le Metro' 
    Appealed to me because she showed irreverence 
    Against the authorities- an activity I cultivate. 
    Coined in the days of the Absurdist Theatre,
    The era of my studies, to later climax 
    Into the 1968 French revolution. 

             	With the cheek of a non-urban youth
                She embarks on a visit to Paris
                Embarrassing her uncle who,
                Though eccentric, found her
                Hard to restrain.

                Zazie performed aerobic jumps
                Over the metro barriers,	
                Her cussing shocked
                His friends’ gang.

                Travel Man and  IT Crowd’s Actor, 
                Ayoade, confessed this film
                Changed his life. 
                It did mine too.

Y for Yo-Yoing

She’s always lived in the small town on a highway.
It has one set of traffic lights and little action.
For one year she stands near the lights,
spinning the yo-yo up, then down.
				
As time goes, she has difficulty when cars approach 
The move called ‘sleeping yo-yo’ works best 
When there are no vehicles about. 
So she changes her tactic

During the frequent gaps in the traffic 
She reels off a song as she performs, 
Playing ‘round the world’ motions
When lights go red, she steps out
humming in rhythm 
with her yo-yo
until the lights 
go to green.

X for Xenophilia

1 2

I wave. ‘Hello, Heroes in comedy

guys! I’m back. or drama, baddies

Sorry, I missed perhaps goodies?

the last class, The discussion

I was sick!’ pauses. I say

They greet me. ‘We’ve looked

All in a circle. at films only.

The tutor starts. what about

Pleasant topic. the theatre?’

3 4

Nearest to me The discussion starts.

a student turns – And it involves me.

a look of interest! That’s unusual

‘Excellent point! What’s new? Topic,

Did you ponder tone, team or accent?

a play by chance?’ Could be the latter…

He has actually The foreign accent ?

heard my words! It sometimes is !

W for Water

The boat engine creeks signalling an imminent lock. A stillness follows 
allowing moments of discreet reflexion. This lull precedes a to-ing 
and fro-ing, a rhythm inapt to this boat’s magic allure 
when it floats over the expansive Rhine with no lock 
in sight, revealing to us all several picture 
postcard peaceful scenes. Early this morning 
the river managed to keep us well afloat.  
Castles emerged atop lush green forests 
while rows of houses came into view 
like decorated and gilded gems. 
Enchanted by this floating 
vision, I dream beyond 
the end of time and, 
breakfast, oh, dear
I've missed it!

V for Vision

Arriving atop, I sit down. As I look up I take in a remarkable

dreamlike vision. Nestled against the river bank are three

pretty red roofed and yellow-fronted houses. Further back

there is a forest and on the side some lush green bushes.

Picture perfect. I take in the beauty of it, but soon

decide something ‘s missing. Not light nor extra

colour or features! I think it’s people.

The elements all make a lot of sense

Yet to create atmosphere you need

people. I long for the warmth

of human vision, touch

and talk. These make

life’s experience

complete.