The Concord Meets the Eagle - March 1st 2009

Onward.

When the images touched the screen, and the sound was heard, King Street manifested a new dimension. Life-changing questions were posed, and people were inspired by the prominent display of natures resiliency and the indigenous people's ingenuity.

The Psychedelic Safari was a success, in terms both of fundraising and generating awareness and support for Apo Calypso Productions and the indigenous peoples we seek to portray. We hope to recreate a similar event, on a larger scale, sometime in the future when ample time makes itself available to us.

In the meantime, we are in the midst of finalizing the visual component of the journey that will take viewers through nature and its offerings, to a culture that celebrates these offerings everyday. This journey will emphasize, through our raw and organic approach, the blessings of nature with which we have been bestowed, and how miraculously, the Masai of Il Ngwesi have maintained their deep connection to the wildlife and environment. Viewers will be transported into the natural realm whose call has been desperately beckoning us back outside.

As we continue to sculpt the structure of this journey, our countless hours of investment increase in reward, and our faith remains firm. We are now in the final stages of having a Final Cut, and are now focusing and directing our attention towards the sound aspect of editing. This endeavor will bring us into a more specialized sound environment, where the aural aspect of the journey will awaken itself.

And the bridge building never ceases as fate merges the paths of wandering souls. Perhaps it was the ordainment of a higher force that brought Alaina Tom, a member of the St'at'imc nation, to deliver her story through the internet to a complete stranger. Regardless, of all people in the world, it was Javid who recieved this message, which detailed the story of a young woman's struggle to preserve her peoples culture, her peoples land, and the children of her peoples future. Through online communication, we were able to establish a connection based upon our shared understandings, and form a strong enough relationship for Alaina to entrust us as her hosts during her stay in Toronto last weekend, where she would speak against the encrouchment of Canadian Government upon her people as part of the No One is Illegal campaign.

In her peoples attempts to preserve their culture, the St'at'imc nation of so-called British Columbia have called upon help from indigenous cultures from all around the world. The culmination of eight years of planning and development has produced what will be the largest gathering of Indigenous peoples outside of the United Nations ever recorded: the forthcoming International Indigenous Leadership Gathering. The Gathering will revolve around the topic of 'protecting the sacred' and will bring the spokespeople of the land, the indigenous people of the world together for the first time. Upon hearing about this news, we were dumbfounded by the enormity and global import of such a gathering, and without hesitation arranged for the bringing of Masai representation to the event. We, likewise have been invited, and are anxious to hear and share stories, and develop relationships with this incredibly diverse group of protectors.

Until that time, we will be assembling our marketing package, a powerpoint presentation detailing our operation for interested supporters and investors. We will be taking this presentation on the road for a two-week funding mission while simultaneously arranging a number of launch events where we will showcase our film towards larger support networks.

Upward.

Apo Calypso Productions

The Crossing of the Return Threshold September 3 - November 27

The journey continues.


Apo Calypso is back in Toronto--the Huron word for 'meeting place'.

As we find our ground and reach out to our contacts, we find that we have gone from full immersion in the life of the Maasai to full immersion in the process of post-production. Our operation is now being run out of the live-in editing studio we have set up at the Toy Factory Lofts in Liberty Village. Here we are hard at work chiseling down our behemoth 77 hour block of footage into a finely sculpted inside-out artistic perspective of everyday life for the people of wildlife, the people of Il Ngwesi.

We have spent an exhausting number of hours behind computer screens since returning from Africa. The Apo crew has had to quickly learn the in-and-outs of the video editing program Final Cut Pro, an interface with which we are now all fully familiarized. Simultaneously, we have been tirelessly reviewing and discussing our footage as we develop the story line most true to the inside-out perspective of Maasai life. We have now constructed a rock solid outline for the visual component of the cinematic journey that will be Il Ngwesi.

Work on the audio component of the film is coming along as well. Apo Calypso is proud to announce its collaboration with Brady Bothwell. Brady is an experienced audio technician currently studying sound design at Fanshawe College. Along with his skill, talent, and knowledge, Brady will also be able to provide us with access to Fanshawe College’s state of the art surround sound mixing studio.

Apo Calypso is also proud to announce that we will be putting on a fundraiser event at Loki Lounge in Toronto! The event, which we are calling the Psychedelic Safari, will feature an artistically enhanced visual celebration of Apo Calypso’s first journey into the cradle of mankind. Brady will be the DJ at the event and will be spinning a set of tribal/house/electro/dub grooves mixed with maasai chants.

We invite you to join us on December 4th at 10:30PM, at Loki Lounge, 577 King Street West. As Always, Onward and Upward

now available online at: http://www.apocalypsoproductions.org/

So Long, But Not Goodbye August 15 - September 2

It is 3 A.M. in the morning on the 17^th of August at the Makurian boma of Il Ngwesi. A crowd of men, women, and children assemble around the center of their home, forming a circle mimicking the shape of the surrounding fence formed from withered acacia branches. A fire is blazing bright, and the sparks rising from the ashes hover overhead, dwindling in luminosity as they blend into the starry skies. An eerie silence sweeps through the crowd as a group of young boys are led from the dark, desert void, towards the crackling embers where their fate awaits. Cups of Maritina, the honey and aloe brew of the Maasai, flow steadily among the elders. The sweet nectar trickles down their throats, blending in their stomachs with fresh meat from a slaughtered bull. The festivities had carried on throughout the day prior, but now lay the very climax of the celebration: the climax of youth, the turning point of any bildungsroman, and a promotion in the community that not only carries a great responsibility, but a test of strength and great pain as well. Tomorrow, these boys will be men, and their mother’s arms will no longer provide protection for them. Tomorrow, it will be their turn to provide protection for their mothers.

Our cameras were rolling, but something so sacred, so fundamental to the beliefs of these people, seemed to be demanding our respect. As if a secret was being whispered into our ears, Apo Calypso kept silent, simply processing the information within the sequence of events taking place. Something in the air that evening reminded us that some secrets are meant to be kept silent.

Javid had spent the previous day observing, but also taking part in the celebration. He filmed, and helped slaughter the bull, he drank Maritina with the elders, and he drank, with the Moran’s, the blood of the cattle. No doubt over the course of his time there, he had not only earned these peoples respect, but also demonstrated that he and they were not so different. They welcomed him, Cam, and Max, with open arms into their home. They shared with us their culture, knowledge, and beliefs. They shared with us their smiles, their laughs, and even at times their frowns. And we shared with them, our willingness to change. To put the camera down, when the incisions had begun was the last obligation to them that we could provide.

And so, a long night of celebration brought a long morning of sleep and regeneration. Javid arose reenergized, and prepared for one last visit to a good friend, Richard Leggae. At Richard’s boma, Javid recounted his experiences over the last two months, and gathered an intimate look at the Maasai family, for one last time.

On the 19^th, Javid returned to Nanyuki, where he obtained the edited copy of the Enatum Youth Group’s recordings, which he had worked so hard to arrange, as well as an edited short video for the community to use as a marketing tool for the Il Ngwesi Lodge. He returned to Il Ngwesi for a brief visit on the following day, in order to provide the offering to the community, who needless to say were more than grateful for the gift and the opportunity to share their songs with the world.

Time was wearing thin, and up to date we had only obtained a long distance shot of a lion. We needed more. The ultimate predator, the king of his domain, is the ultimate challenge for a warrior: a challenge not only with the beast, but with any lingering fears in the hearts and minds of the newly graduated warriors. Only a Moran would seek out such a ferocious beast with nothing but a spear and an arungu to protect him. The five-century old tradition is a test of a warrior’s ability, one that has been revoked by the Kenyan government under poaching regulations.

Fortunately, as tables once again turned our way, a chance meeting in Nanyuki on the 21^st brought us the acquaintance of Gabrielle, a Project Biologist, for the Living with Lions Large Carnivore Conservation of Laikipia. Her interest in our project extended her will to help us in obtaining the footage we needed, via the extensive archive of lion footage that they have already obtained. By the end of the day, the warm hands of hope and reassurance guided us towards the next objective: Javid’s last visit to Il Ngwesi before his departure. The plan: to ride to three different locations in Il Ngwesi on dirt bike, where three interviews with three of the oldest members of the community had been prearranged.

The purpose of these interviews was to gather a story: the story of Il Ngwesi. We hoped to cover where the name Il Ngwesi originated, where the people came from, and how the community came to be. While all three interviews were successful, there was one in particular that stood out. A 93 year old Moisay, or elder, from Nadungoro, gave us a lengthy hour-and-a-half compassionate history lesson about his people. The story he told was one of suffering and sadness, but nonetheless one of pride for the perserverence of his people through abuse and persecution. Despite his anguish, the man understood the importance of what we were doing, and appreciated our want to listen to his experience, and the story of his people, whose strength we are forced to envy. For his willingness in sharing his story, we are very grateful.

As Javid returned to Nanyuki to finalize his outstanding debts, and distribute some of the equipment that we will no longer need: a steady-cam and tripod for B Ware Production, the bittersweet awareness of his departure from that world into another was over consumed by his anticipation to return to Toronto. With a total of 73 hours of footage obtained, we have but only splattered the paint onto our pallet, with which we must produce a work of beauty that we pray will do the reality justice. There is still much work to be done, paint brushes to buy, a concept to create, and we will continue to move forward in the upcoming months. Today, we will all reconvene together for the first time since our return, and we will see just what kind of picture we can paint.

We would like to extend our gratitude to all of those who provided us with help and strength throughout our journey. Though no words can express how much your support has meant to us: without you, none of this would have been possible.

Thanks for your support,

Apo Calypso Productions

July 29 - August 15

It was another sweltering week in the Rift Valley last Saturday. The soil remained parched, and magnifying glass skies projected the Sun’s rays into the squinting eyes of the Maasai. It was drought season north of Mount Kenya, and Il Moran had already left his home in search of pasture for his community’s herd.

Meanwhile, Javid had arranged a meeting with five Moran warriors from Chumvi. He had been given permission to relocate this group to Nanyuki for the day and bring them to the home base of BWare Productions. A portion of the Enatum Youth Group, a community development initiative of Il Ngwesi, here had their first encounter with a professional recording studio, an environment far removed from the commonplace natural stage of the Rift Valley, where they are most used to performing. Yet, despite the foreign surroundings, these five performers were in no time able to paint their world view within the four sound-proofed walls containing the ancient songs passed down through the generations. All told, a total of two hours of solid, professionally recorded Maasai chanting and guitar playing was gathered throughout the course of the day. This material, in agreement with the community of Il Ngwesi, will provide not only for our film’s soundtrack, but also for a promotional CD that will be used to attract tourists to the Il Ngwesi lodge, and funding that will subsequently aid in the preservation of their land and community. The day was a major success.

Back in Il Ngwesi, the Moran’s wanderings for pasture had brought them to Nadungoro Forest some weeks before, an area of thick vegetation and a dense canopy of trees providing natural shelter from the heat. The Moran’s, who are responsible for nourishing and protecting the cattle, who in turn provide sustenance for the community, had been spending the majority of the drought season, months at a time, on foot. They had been nomadically searching for grass to graze, surviving on a meager diet of milk and blood. The Morans are true examples of the personal sacrifice made for the community; for in their willingness to suffer through circumcision, and their willingness to walk dozens of kilometers daily, they put their tribe as a whole above themselves.

Javid arrived in the forest by foot on the 4^th of August with an entourage of locals and a donkey carrying supplies to last the rest of the week. In his presence were Francis Leggae, a Moran from Il Ngwesi, and Juma, a Nanyuki local. Each has been welcomed aboard the Apo Calypso team, and has begun a short-term apprenticeship in camerawork and cinematography, whereby we hope to inspire and encourage the use of film as a means of educating.

Together, the three spent a total of five days following the warriors on their journey to feed their herds. Successfully, Javid and his crew managed to capture the story, encapsulated in the beads of sweat on the Moran’s bodies, of a group of men who have been fed by their community, and now are working hard to return the favor. Javid, Juma, and Francis walked alongside these warriors, covering many kilometers a day, and returned on Friday to Nanyuki with very promising footage of the Moran’s struggle and the provider, Mount Kenya.

On the 9^th of August, Yost and Patricia of BWare Productions, who were inspired by the material recorded a week earlier, generously volunteered their services to Apo Calypso Productions. The Dutch couple offered to join Javid on his visit to Chumvi, Il Ngwesi that day, this time with a new, portable in-field sound recording set-up. And it couldn’t have been a better time: a celebration awaited them on their arrival for the circumcision ceremony that was to take place the next day. The whole Enatum Youth Group choir provided us with yet another two hours of in-the-field audio and visual recording. This time it was a much larger group of both male and female vocalists in their natural surroundings who blessed us with sounds that at times can overwhelm the ear. Both Apo Calypso and BWare Productions are thoroughly were impressed by this performance.

The next morning, Javid had made all preparations to ensure that he would obtain the necessary footage of the circumcision ceremony. Although he was informed that he would not be permitted to film the actual ceremony, he was prepared to document the entering of the boma as children, and the exiting as men. However, the one thing he could not have prepared for was the unsuspected thundercloud guest that brought the first rains and dispersed the crowds in frenzy for shelter. It was a disappointing surprise for the camera, however all is not lost. Javid still managed to obtain a collection of footage demonstrating the importance of the ceremony, and better yet has since managed to seek out another ceremony, taking place tomorrow, August 16th. This time, weather permitting, Javid will find much more ease in filming the ceremony in the home of a good friend, who has assured him that there will be no issue. Let us hope for the best as he heads back out into the field tomorrow.

Apo Calypso in the past week has also been volunteering their cinematic services to Safi Project, the only waste management company in the Laikipia district of Kenya. We shot two hours of footage for the project, a promotional donation on our behalf to be posted on their website for the encouragement of safe, environmental disposal of waste in Kenya. For more information on Safi Project, visit: http://www.safiproject.org/.

As we continue our travels, we invite Nairobi and Nanyuki locals, as well as tourists to join us on a trip to the bush, a place where a surprising number of Kenyans have never visited before. As part of our giving back initiative, we are doing our best to share with others in the mystifying experience of the African wilderness. This endeavor will continue as we cross out the remaining shots on our list:

- An interview with the community leaders on “how they came to be called “people of wildlife” - Lion tracking with the head of Lewa Downs Conservancy tours - The importance of beekeeping and the collection of wild honey in LeParua

July 14th - 27th

With each of our adventures into to the 7500 hectare expanse of Il Ngwesi, our progress reassures us, and new opportunities reveal themselves to us. From the 11th of July onward to the 17th, we were back in the home of these peoples of the wildlife in an attempt to capture the intimate relationship between man and nature, and that unspoken bond between where homage and respect are paid. The wild but gentle Maasai nature continues to unveil itself to us as our encounters with this magical tribe become more personal, beginning this time with the finalization of the formal agreement between Apo Calypso Productions and the leadership of Il Ngwesi. Here aid with logistics and permission to film anything that we see appropriate, as pertaining to the documentary, were granted to us under the understanding that showcasing these people will provide an accurate world view of the Maasai. This crucial meeting solidifies our partnership with the community, and facilitates the obtainment of any footage that has proven difficult in past experiences.

On the same journey to the Il Ngwesi Lodge, where the meeting took place, we were surprised by the presence of a second filmmaker: Vincenzo Cadallo of the Cultural Video Foundation. After a brief and informal discussion regarding our work and our purpose, he offered to contribute any help required with resources and networking to make this project a success. These two partnerships were but the preemption of a 6-day onslaught of over 15 hours of footage, which puts us at precisely 47 total hours.

We were able to witness the man to nature interaction that is constantly taking place in Il Ngwesi, and the celebration thereof through song and dance, by a group of nearly 30 Moran's and women: enough chanting to keep the elephants away. Also, during one of our in-vehicle journeys, we were priviledged by the presence of 5 Moran's belting out their ancient songs as the vast landscape of the Rift Valley flew by. To share in this celebration was no doubt and honor as always, for which both us and the camera are grateful.

Meanwhile, as the team were breaking down camp and preparing a trip to the coastal island of Lamu, Cameron was back in Toronto on his computer cataloging images, drafting proposals, and hunting for a place for the soon-approaching second phase of this endeavor: post-production. Via phone he was receiving the vital updates regarding the debriefing session that took place between the 18th and 19th on Lamu. Here the detailed description of the model for future use on future projects of the process, groundwork, values and approaches, questions to be asked, storyline, budget, and shooting method for this entire venture were discussed, as well as plans and shot lists for the next stint, to take place between the 28th of July and the 14th of August. Javid will be travelling solo on this mission as Max's departure on the 22nd has regrettably approached and passed. Upon his arrival in Washington D.C., Max will begin to outline a more concrete conceptualization of the overall story and structure of this film, as well as familiarize himself with the software that will be necessary for when the three regroup for editing on the 26th of August. He will be in co-ordination with Cam back in Toronto, as the designing of a template for a website and the raising of funding for post-production are now underway.

Fortunately, in Max's absence, Javid will be accompanied by a new crewmember. He will be taking the time to mentor a Maasai from the community in the art of filmmaking with hopes of furthering the documentation of Il Ngwesi. This will be one of the many footprints that Apo Calypso will leave behind for the community when we are forced to depart.

Javid and this yet to be identified apprentice will be shooting the following:
- The Myth of Il Ngwesi, as told by a Moisay
- Lion tracking with the head guide at Lewa Conservancy
- Close-up shots of animals yet to be obtained
- 10-day on-foot herding trek
- As well as the bringing of one Moran and one woman to B Ware Recording Studios

Onward and Upward,
Apo Calypso Prductions

July 1st - July 13th

Once again the Apo Calypso team is back with our most recent updates. After working on the 1st and 2nd on gathering amazing animal footage and on obtaining permission to film the Moran's graduation ceremony at the Makurian boma , we were optimistic on our way there on the 3rd. However, we were disappointed to learn that this permission was not to be granted upon our arrival, understandably due to the importance of the ceremony remaining as true to its traditions as possible. Nonetheless, Apo Calypso has been informed of a number of the same ceromonies taking place in the month of August, as well as a circumcision ceremony next week in the same Makurian community boma, to which we have been invited.

Following our visit, we returned back to Nanyuki on the 4th and said our final goodbyes to Heather Ramsey, who was to head back to Nairobi for her flight the next morning. Although she was dissapointed to leave, she clearly enjoyed the two-weeks stay which she was fortunate enough to spend with such a special community. She will be helping us build the architecture and groundworkings of Apo Calypso, the non-for-profit productions organisation, upon our return to Toronto.

Back in Nanyuki, the collection of 3000+ photos taken thus far were being copied and duplicated for Cameron, who was leaving on the morning of the 7th, to take back to Toronto. Although he will no longer be with the rest of the team in Kenya, he will be busy applying for grants, compiling contact lists, a photo album, mastering sound recording, and writing his first-hand account of his voyage and submersion into the Maasai culture, and his reemersion back into the 'west' thereafter. Also: the Apo Calypso story.
So the team travelled to Nairobi to say their Kwaheri's and were soon after to be found in the streets of Nairobi and the slums of Kibera, gathering incredible city footage to emphasize the contrast between the Maasai' and the rest of Kenya's way and state of living.


We had a very successful meeting with the Nairobi production company Vivid Features, (where most of Kenya's media equipment is sought out for) where we were granted access to Final Cut editing software, as well as a professional DAT recorder. The latter will be added to the collection of new and improved sound equipment we have gathered, courtesy of BWare studios, who have offered their help with equipment as well as plain experience.

Now we are heading back out to Il Ngwesi, in hopes of fullfilling a specific shot and sound list for the upcoming 5 days, where a meeting with the community leaders, regarding permission for the film's title, will also be orchestrated. We have 23 hours of film to be shot by July 18th, whereupon we will continue to search for simba and also a more indepth shooting of the provider, Mount Kenya.

P.S. The goat, Buanafiki, is happy and hungry.

June 21st - July 1st

The Apo Calypso team is busy making arrangements for the days to come, however let us give a brief update on the previous 10 days.

The 21st and 22nd were spent in Nanyuki preparing for the touchdown of Heather Ramsey on the 24th and deciding how best to spend her 12-day visit here in Kenya. Due to a number of illnesses in the team, we had been forced to keep our energy exertion to a minimum for these two days.

Having recovered, on the afternoon of the 23rd we set out to Nairobi for a nights stay on account of Heather's early arrival the following morning. Unfortunately, our meeting with Senator Joseph Lekuton fell through, partially as a result of his obvious preoccupation with the newly formed coalition government. Nonetheless, on the 24th we were back on our feet and ready to partake on our next adventure.

We picked up Heather, got a bite to eat, and before we knew it were returning to Nanyuki to charge batteries and pick up the necessary groceries and supplies for our departure that afternoon. Our destination: back to the community boma for an in-depth look at the Maasai woman' and Moran's day-to-day work for the community. In Heather's words, this is not simply a car ride, but rather a trip back through a seemingly 15, 000 year time period.

We obtained some beautiful shots of the flowing river of Ngare Ndare and arrive that evening just in time to set-up camp and record a marvelous sunset through the floating Acacias and behind the rocky ridges of Il Ngwesi.

Having awoken to the calling of the eastward Sun, the team was well-rested and prepared for a few days of extensive work. On the 25th alone, we managed to capture a full 6-hours of footage, which included:

- the birds and trees of the rift valley
- women beading a nourishing their children
- the different stages of the boma throughout its construction and inhabitance
- woman constructing fence from branches
- a goat slaughter with 20 Moran warriors
- Moran jewellery/adornments
- the Maasai flute
- and another beautiful sunset

While this was all being filmed, Javid was meeting elsewhere with the elders of Il Ngwesi, the go-to men for everything in that community. Fortunately enough, the meeting went off without a hitch, and luckily the elders of two other communities, Amboseli and the Masai Mara were present. These two contacts, particularly in the Mara, will indeed play a useful role in the weeks to come.

On the 26th, we were allowed the chance to capture more of the life of a Maasai woman. We gathered footage of group song and dance, the sweeping of the boma, the building of fire, breast-feeding, and the vital retrieval of water. The woman's responsibility over the rest of the community is never underestimated on any of its members' behalf.


The next day we returned briefly to Nanyuki for a photo off-load, battery charge, and restocking of food for our next destination.

We then head off to what is the biggest sporting event, not to mention the finest example of the commercialization of nature, in Kenya. The Safaricom Marathon in Lewa Downs Conservancy is one of the top ten most difficult terrains on the world circuit, and Apo Calypso was in the press lines capturing the sunrise stampede on the 28th of feet (some with shoes, others without) through the Rift Valley. Inspiring landscapes bore the name 'Safaricom' where all eyes could see, an unmistakable conflict for the Maasai culture, attributed to the rise in commercial interest in what was once Maasai territory.


Having experienced and captured nature in a considerably different fashion than our previous encounters, we have returned to Nanyuki for Canada Day and will be back in the bush tomorrow.

We have received news of a massive graduation ceremony and celebration for the older Moran's in the Makurian community boma beginning on the morning of the 4th until the evening of the 5th, throughout which 1,000 Maasai visitors and 10 bull slaughters will be expected. We have been invited, and are awaiting news on what the elders will expect from us in order to film the procession.

NEXT DESTINATIONS:
- Sweet water
- Chumvi
- Nadungoro
- Makurian
- Mount Kenya helicopter flight
- Nairobi
- Masai Mara