Some random thoughts on the Oscars, and an interview with the fascinating Issa Nyaphaga, a Camerooni, activist, artist, journalist and one time refugee whose Radio Taboo project will build a radio tower in his village to help people talk about taboo subjects – rape, public health, the environment, women’s rights, gays and HIV infected people. Issa also works with kids in the Santa Fe Public schools (those are our kids in the photo to the left) and teaches at the Santa Fe Community College. Jim Atwood has a New Mexico Minute on the sequester coming to New Mexico. And … don’t forget to give me your dog stories!
Listen to the show, #38:
Issa Nyaphaga was born in Cameroon (central Africa) and grew up in the small village of the Tikar tribe in the very heart of Cameroons equatorial forest. The Tikar are primarily farmers and like the other Tikar children, Issa was initiated in his early childhood into traditional painting.
Issa became a political cartoonist for the satirical newspaper, Le Messager Popoli. Opposed to the political regime in Cameroon, he was tortured and jailed. In 1996, he escaped from his country to seek asylum in France, where lived and worked for 10 years.
Currently based in Santa Fe, Issa still divides his time between the United States, Paris and Cameroon where he shares his work and advice with students and young artists, also conducting therapeutic workshops for children-at-risk.
More:
Issa’s Radio Taboo Project
Photos of Issa with Santa Fe Public School kids:
Fascinating man. Thank you for this Nancy have a great day