Skip to content or view screen version

Hidden Article

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Australian grandmother auctions singer from the Congo on EBay

Kerry Bowden | 01.07.2005 21:22 | Social Struggles | World

Live 8 might have Madonna - but a unemployed grandmother in Australia has Jean Paul Wabotai ( known as the Golden Voice of Africa)

Australian Grandmother auctions Singer from the Congo on EBay!

 http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4743718222

In December 2000 Kerry Bowden, an unemployed grandmother from Far
North Queensland Australia, made a promise to her then one day old,
third grandchild Caitlin Jean - that she (Kerry) would work the rest
of her life to make it a better world for all children by the year
2015. From then to now what has happened can only be described as
truly inspiring.

In 2002 Kerry then wrote One Mind One Voice - the words of this poem
have touched the hearts of so many, from Israel to Afghanistan, from
Palestine to New York. From children in Taiwan to the President of
France and Nobel Peace winners in Puerto Rico. No one is untouched
once they read Kerry's simple message to the world.

Now another has been inspired by the words of One Mind One Voice. Jean
Paul Wabotai (known as the Golden Voice of Africa) contacted Kerry
late 2004 to say he would like to make her poem into a song. Jean
Paul’s art is unique; he uses his voice and body to create a whole
world of music that not only evokes the land of his birth but the
sensibility of an entire planet. The style of his music has come from
his African roots from A'cappella singing and body percussion to
instrumental world music.

Completely solo he can move an audience beyond their inhibitions to
sing, dance, clap, cry, laugh: his is indeed a exceptional talent.

Jean Paul will arrive in Australia in early July and together with
Kerry, launch the One Mind One Voice song during a three weeks tour of
Far North Queensland. From the sale of each One Mind One Voice CD,
one mosquito net will be supplied to a child in the Congo where
Malaria is claiming too many young lives.

While Jean Paul and Kerry now have the support of Rotary International
to help supply mosquito nets, they have funded the tour to this stage
entirely by themselves. However from here on they will rely not only
on the Rotary International backing but on sponsorships and donations
from the wider community. Opportunities to give financial - or "in
kind" - support will abound during the FNQ tour even though all
events will be free to the public. Hopefully much of the program may
be beamed to the world via web-cam and the Internet.

Kerry has come up with some "imaginative" avenues for attracting the
much-needed funds: currently she is auctioning Jean Paul on Ebay !

On July 12 just prior to the start of the tour - the highest bidder
for the EBay auction will see both Jean Paul and Kerry fly to any
Australian destination for Jean Paul to perform - be it at a
suburban backyard barbecue, a corporation boardroom in Perth, or on a
yacht circling Sydney harbor. Andrew Denton's "Enough Rope" TV
program might be the winner - or could it be Rove? Maybe they 'll be
wooing the passengers on one of Bramston's virginal flights…who knows?

Let the bidding begin!

Contact Kerry on mobile 0410233 244 or by email at
 kerrybowden@onemindonevioce.org

More information can be found at the website www.onemindonevoice.org

Kerry Bowden
- Homepage: http://www.onemindonevoice.org