EDITOR Tina Koulisheva ASSISTANT EDITOR Lauren Jane Wheatley FEATURES EDITOR Catherine Louw Junior Features Writer Olivia Mikrut BEAUtY EDITOR Tina Koulisheva FASHION EDITOR Mariska Kruger PHOTOGRAPHER Christelle Duvenage DESIGNER Tina |Koulisheva for Open Secret Design MARKETING MANAGER Mariska Kruger
4 Editor’s Letter 5 Dream Team 6 Currently
7 News 8 Gig Guide 9 Pink Spectacles 10 Reviews 15 Beauty 16 Hot Stuff
18 Destination
20 Fashion Through the Ages 22 Profile 24 Cover VIXXEN 29 Koffin Kats
30 Crossing Point 32 Real Women 34 Fashion Shoot 38 Spotlight
Editor s Letter m
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Welcome to the Revolution This issue almost didn’t happen. Thrice. The first time, I was pressed for time, with thousands of other deadlines (I have my finger in too many pies). The second, I got scared. Staring something completely new is always challenging and scary, and sometimes, as ambitions as I am, I get scared. The third time, after working on this issue for two days straight, I blinked as I saw my computer screen go blank. Yes, my laptop crashed. And yes, I managed to recover the files. That should teach me to back up. I now work entirely from my flash. The idea for this magazine formed in my little head two months ago, while sitting in traffic and paging through a magazine (one which shall remain nameless). I suddenly realised that I was fed up with the skinny girls on the covers and on the pages of women's magazines. Lets be honest - nobody looks that perfect. Being a graphic designer, I am constantly amazed at how Photoshopped everyone is to look flawless. And WHY? Flawless is boring.
agreed to join me on this journey. We then enlisted the help of freelance journalist and good friend of mine, Lauren, multimedia student and budding photographer Catherine, and multimedia designer and marketing manager, Mariska. We have, through the course of this issue, also adopted little Olivia, as we were so impressed with her work, at such a young age (don’t worry, she’s legal). And this forms my dream team of wonderful, talented and creative girls who are a pleasure to work with, but most importantly - share my ideals.
There is a new revolution happening - curvier, real women are being used in runway shows (big props to fashion designer Mark Fast for getting that started), and girls are looking up to the likes of Beth Ditto.
Our debut issue's cover girl is none other than Jen Roomes, who, by anyone's admission, has done a lot for the alternative scene in South Africa. Not content with being the bassist of kick-ass metal band Neshamah, with whom she toured the US. Jen saw a need to supply kustom culture apparel and accessories to the kids in SA that could never find anything they liked. Long before mainstream shops had even seen items like leopard print tights, she was selling them. Currently Jen is living in San Diego working at Iron Fist International and finally living the lifestyle she has always dreamed of. I have known Jen for quite some time now, and am still in awe of how effortlessly stylish she is.
So, it’s only fitting then, that we contribute to this revolution, by bringing you a magazine featuring real people.
This magazine represents everything we stand for, while obliterating everything we hate that is messing the world up.
I pitched the idea for VIXXEN to my best friend, Christelle, who is an amazing photographer, and she
WELCOME TO THE REVOLUTION.
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the dream team
Tina Terminator Koulisheva
Lauren Nerdette Wheatley
Tina is a graphic designer, currently working at a magazine. She likes to boss people around, and blames that on the fact that she’s an only child. She is loud and nosey, as well as very hyper and friendly. She has a weakness for beer (actually any type of alcohol). She constantly blames not experiencing things on the fact that she lived in a communist country for ten years.
Lauren is as geeky as they come, having a background in psychology, literature as well as being a freelance journalist. Currently, she writes on a freelance basis and has written for the Techno Talk column of a teen magazine, as well as being published in Digital Life magazine. She's a self-proclaimed HUGE Star Wars fan and likes to quot lines from THE BIG BANG THEORY. She is also extremely fond of Red Bull and her pink Nintendo DS.
Christelle Stella Duvenage
Catherine Coffeebean Louw
Christelle is doing her masters (yes, a functioning alcoholic) in photography. She and Tina share a deep love for beer. Christelle likes to drink and listen to punk., and not much else...
Mariska I Love Myself Kruger Mariska likes kicking ass, and erm, herself. A true narcissist, this girl’s self esteem never ceases to amaze. She studied multimedia and marketing. What a geek. She can be found at pool bars, muttering about how much she hates men.
Cat is studying multimedia, and talks extremely fast. She can be bribed with any form of caffeine. She likes to randomly meaw at people, and takes some pretty rad pictures. Have we mentioned that she loves coffee?
Olivia Livvie Mikrut
Originally working for us as a contributor, little Liv managed to get a special place in Tina’s heart, and we decided to make her permanent staff. She likes food. And writing! And.. um, ok will have to get back to this one once we know her better.
currently This month we love... sugar free red bull... perfect for our diabetic christelle
our friends’ cat, legend, had kittens... we are smitten. zebra & giraffe.. need we say more?
‘die bende’ have outdone themselves with this ‘fokumentary’... showing at cinemas nationwide. go see it.
THE VERGE on vuzu tv. presenters that rock + game reviews gallore = geek heaven.
fushies pillows from www.awx.co.za cute and cuddly and only R120 each.
news and events KE-AI IS BACK! The little shop that sells all kinds of cute stuff is back! Yes, thats right, KE-AI has relaunched and is back in business. With a new location and tons of new stock, the shop is looking awesome! They are also looking for staff, so make sure you pop in for a visit (bring lots of cash, you are going to want EVERYTHING). The shop is now located at 135 Greenway - Greenside - Shop 2, Johannesburg and is open from 10am til 6pm, Monday through to Saturday.
BALKANOLOGY Balkanology brings us the madness of Balkan and Gypsy music to Africa. It’s a massive manic parties where DJ’s and musicians perform a remixed fusion of Balkan, gypsy and Mediterranean melodies. Gallop through these infectious melodies on the backs of goats, attempt crossing the river of rhythms floating in a tuba. Expect DJs, pigs, trumpets, pigs playing trumpets, farmers, and farmers riding on the back of pigs playing trumpets. Everything. Plus, Balkanbeats, Frantic Gypsy electronica, Klezmer unza unza, jazzy traditional turbofolk, oompah-punk cruel romance and world beats dubbed-dout with a moustache. Don't expect this to be like anything you've ever experienced. So pencil in 14th November in your leopard print diaries. The venue is 44 Stanley, Milpark, JHB. Tickets cost a mere R80 at the door, or pre-sold online at www.webtickets.co.za
THORNROSE FEST 2010 Read it and weep. A whole weekend of drunken fun and rad bands. This is undoubtedly the best alternative music fest. Ever. The line-up is so sick, we can’t even begin to list all the awesome bands playing. Thornrose Fest is congregating at the Route 28 Resort, Jagfontein (+- 50 km from JHB north) between the 28th and 31st January 2010. The people we need to thank are Thornrose Music in association with The Black Dahlia Alternative Music Venue, Flag Music Group and Cool Runnings Africa. Worship them. Tickets cost R300 through www.webtickets.co.za or through The Black Dahlia in Boksburg and Cool Runnings Fourways. If you are lazy and only get a ticket at the gate, it will set you back an extra 50 bucks (that totals to R350, for the maths challenged). Day passes are R200 a pop and only available on Saturday, 30th January 2010. Now do yourselves a favour and go check out www.thornrosefest.co.za to see the amazing line-up.
REST IN PEACE, JOHNNY WAY We are sad to announce that Johnny Way, of AWOL passed away last weekend. Johnny was a talanted kid who loved art and music and touched everyone’s hearts. We would like to extend our sincerest condolances to his family and friends. RIP Johnny, see you on the other side.
gig guide 3rd November "Everything is For Sale" Art Exhibition - Alice Edy 6:00pm at Arts on Main, JHB: 6th November Sweet Nausea Photography Fundraiser 9:00pm at ROAR, Lower Main Road, Observatory: 7th November Let Them Live Fundraiser Crossingpoint, Faith of Fury, Fear Of Falling, Gun Down Goliath, Hey! Let's Burn Paris, Lost In Change, Red Helen, Sanctify, Silent Siren &Still Black At Sunrise The Black Dahlia, Boksburg, JHB Black Pimp'n Jesus, Cortina Whiplash, The Rock ford DJs The Bohemian, Richmond, JHB 13th November TheCavalier, Pistol Whip 45, Vendetta Cartel, Rambling Bones & Swivel Foot 20:00 R40 The Master Bay Tour (Half Price in Jozi) 7:10pm at Sundowners, JHB 14th November East Rand Rock Fest 11th Hour, 7StukkeSilwer, Black Era, Evolver, Grensbasis 13, Gross Misconduct, Holly & The Woods, Infamous, Sobrius, Sons Of Signal, Son steek, Straatligkinders, The Cavalier, Tomorrows Reasons & WALT Boksburg, JHB 18th November aKing Cheeky Monkey Lynnwood, Pretoria 19th November The Cellardoor Thursday with/by Ashtray Electric, Fire Through The Window &Taxi Violence CCHQ: Classic Corner Head Quarters Edenvale, JHB The Cellardoor Thursday with/by Ashtray Electric, Fire Through The Window, Taxi Violence
20th November Ashtray Electric, Fire Through The Window, Taxi Violence & Wrestlerish Hotbox Studios, Pretoria 21th November Ashtray Electric, Fire Through The Window, Taxi Violence, The Uncut & Wrestlerish Cool Runnings Fourways, JHB Scorcher Fest Chromium, Deity's Muse, Elusion, Facing The Gallows, Fear Of Falling, Judith, Knave, Liesl Graham, Mrs. B, Munkinpure, New Academics, NightHawk, Only Forever, Reach, The Cokestrokes, Unlisted, Waiting for Wednesday, WALT & War thane Magaliesburg, Gauteng 24th November Guns Go Bang, Lionheart (USA), New Found Disorder & Reason To Live Boston Rock Lounge, Edenvale, JHB 25th November Facing The Gallows, Lionheart (USA), New Found Disorder & Reason To Live The Bohemian, Richmond, JHB 26th November Conqueror, Lionheart (USA), New Found Disorder, The Dead Will Tell & Truth And Its Burden The Black Dahlia, Boksburg, JHB 28th November Lido Fest All Forlorn, All Will Fall, Assemble the gods, Chro mium, Dance,You'reOnFire, Fear Of Falling, Fire Like You, Hey! Let's Burn Paris, Knave, Man As Machine, Only Forever, Ree-Burth, The Otherwise, The Uncut, Unlisted, Wake To Wonder, Warthane & WeTheSage LLido Hotel, JHB 29th November Among Friends, Bloodline Ltd., Conqueror, Gross Misconduct, Lionheart (USA), Misled, New Found Disorder, Pestroy, Reason To Live, & Truth And Its Burden Cool Runnings Fourways, JHB
pink spectacles Our very own nerdette, PINK SPECTACLES, Reports from location at the recent rAge expo... Rage 2009. The ultimate in geek society. If you spend most of your socializing online, the annual RAGE expo is the time you shut off the WoW and head out to interact with people in RL. (real life) I indeed spend much of my socialising in the online world, but left my PC to join the world of the living. The Really Awesome Gaming Expo is the place where like-minded souls can gather and actually communicate face-to-face. Picture the scene: a huge hall packed with stalls, each brightly coloured and flashing with luminous lights, LCD screens in various ranges of huge, constantly playing game trailers and music pumping bouncy techno music. The one side of this hall is fenced off, enclosing the hundreds of gamers all connected to the LAN like pods in the Matrix. Security guards patrol the perimeter – only gamers allowed in this area, the nerdy equivalent of a VIP room. The stalls are constantly packed with people, most of them of the 20-something male variety. The Playstation stall features trailers for their latest and future releases and lights flashing in blue and green. Hardware stalls have graphics cards in glass displays, as if at a museum. The other end of the hall was where the anime fans could gather, and I made a beeline directly for it. The “Maid Cafe” reminiscent of the themed cafes in Japan, was where most of the Otaku’s went to sit back and take a break from the crowds. Admittedly the cafe was extremely male-oriented, with pretty girls in French maid outfits bringing them food and taking drink orders. The hint of Japanese however got the Otaku in me excited and I obliged by ordering a crème soda. It also helped that a screen and projector had anime playing in the background. Towards the afternoon the Cosplay event started. Cosplay (Costume Play) is the hobby where fans make (or buy, depending on the category) costumes to dress up as their favourite anime/game/pop culture character, and are judged by their accuracy in displaying their character as well as for displaying accurately the mannerisms, gestures and sayings as their character. The Cosplayers were fantastic: amazing costumes, and hilarious acts performed. And they brightened up the crowds which were mostly guys in jeans and black t-shirts. Walking through the expo, it was like finding a prize in a box of cereal when the sea of black and denim was broken by a guy in a bright orange Naruto outfit. And they were hardly alone, as each cosplayer underwent hundreds of shoots with passing photographers and journalists. But gaming is real reason anyone visits Rage and I sampled a couple that will leave me broke in a couple of months. Guitar Hero 5 is a level-up from the last game in the series
and is just as addictive. And DJ Hero should prove to be a hit. Some others to look forward to include Tekken 6 and Gran Turismo 5. What to expect: alot of people, small spaces, flashing lights, booth girls and teenage boys. A few funky smells (probably from the LAN gamers), product tosses, hardware worshippers and eye-popping costumes. What not to expect: Quiet discussion, pensive expressions, average-joes and health food.
music KOFFIN KATS Forever for Hire With six years under their belt and countless international tours to prove it, the Koffin Kats show no sign of slowing down. This trio blasted out of Detroit in June of 2003 with the mission to never stop for anything. They put together songs about drug use, self-loathing, and all things evil.This onslaught caught the attention of many and helped to cement The Koffin Kats as one if the top acts in the world of punk rockabilly. With their love for their fans and for the road they set out to play everywhere willing to listen to them. They have done this ever since and now have joined forces with Stomp Records to release their 5th album “Forever for Hire”. The album captures their true rockabilly essence, and does not disappoint.
STRUNG OUT Agents Of The Underground Strung Out have yet to get complacent. Instead, they continually unleash a battering assault of technical guitar work and gripping melodies. The band’s latest full-length, Agents of the Underground, is a triumphant defense of the title they’ve held for years. With blisteringly fast riffs, crushing rhythms, and powerful vocals, Agents of the Underground is quintessential Strung Out, yet, as with each succeeding release, the band manage to evolve their sound. With passionate melodies that recall Strung Out’s earlier albums and the ruthless aggressive music that has progressed over their recent releases, Agents of the Underground can be hailed as the perfect culmination of all their past efforts. One listen and you’ll know exactly how the band maintains relevance and continues to garner new fans with each release.
VARIOUS Wrecktrospective (Triple Disc) After 20 years as one of the premiere independent labels, as well as punk rock’s most admired, Fat Wreck Chords has amassed an extraordinary catalog of artists and releases. This album, boasting three discs and a huge booklet render a view of Fat Wreck Chords’ journey along the path of its storied existence. The first disc is a sampling of the label’s greatest hits. The second disc contains an array of all unreleased demos and rarities. The third disc is the limited release Fat Club 7” series in its entirety. The box set as a whole is an essential piece of punk rock history, a must-have for fans, and a hallmark of the dominating influence Fat Wreck Chords had in shaping a genre.
CONVERGE Axe To Fall Converge are to modern metal what the Ramones were to punk, with albums like Jane Doe and You Fail Me considered touchstones of the genre. With their new album, Axe to Fall, coinciding with their national tour with Mastodon, Converge are set to find the wider audience that the band, as pioneers of posthardcore, so richly deserve. Axe to Fall takes the band’s maverick attitude to new highs; with leader Jacob Bannon finding searing melodies amidst the chaos of chords that is their hallmark, while the band’s sound finds richer textures and deeper hooks than ever before. Nothing of the old Converge is sacrificed; everything is gained, in what may come to be considered the band's masterpiece.
reviews dvd’s DRAG ME TO HELL
i love you, man
Director Sam Raimi brings us this tale of ambitious L.A. loan officer who, determined to impress her boss and get a much-needed promotion at work, Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) lays down the law when mysterious Mrs.Ganush (Lorna Raver) literally comes begging for mercy at her feet. In retaliation for being publicly shamed, Mrs. Ganush places the dreaded curse of the Lamia on her unfortunate target, transforming Christine's life into a waking nightmare. She attempts to escape eternal damnation by seeking out the aid of seer Rham Jas (Dileep Rao ). But Christine's time is fast running out, and unless she's able to break the curse, she'll be tormented by a demon for three days before literally being dragged to hell.
In this comedy, Paul Rudd discovers proposing to his girlfriend (Rashida Jones) might have been the easiest part of getting married. Now he has to find a male friend to be his best man.
XMEN ORIGINS X-Men’s favourite character, Wolverine strikes out on his own in this X-Men spin-off, starring series regular Hugh Jackman. The story gets under way as the boy who will become Wolverine makes a shocking discovery about his family bloodline, and gains a brother in the process. Through a series of events, we are shown how Logan agrees to take part in a dangerous experiment that will fuse his bones with a powerful metal alloy called adamantium, which makes him virtually indestructible and gives him the strength needed to defeat his powerful brother. Along the way, the temperamental hero is joined by fellow mutants John Wraith (Will.i.Am) and Remy LeBeau (aka Gambit, played by Taylor Kitsch).
coraline A young girl walks through a secret door and discovers a parallel reality that is eerily similar to the life she already knows, yet deeply unsettling in a number of ways, in this animated adaptation of Neil Gaiman's international best-seller. Eleven-year-old Coraline Jones (voice of Dakota Fanning) is fearlessly courageous, and perhaps far too adventurous for her own good. Coraline and her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) have recently relocated to Oregon from Michigan. Bored in her new home since her parents are distracted by work and she has yet to make any new friends, Coraline passes the time by exploring her new neighborhood with an annoying local boy named Wybie Lovat (Robert Bailey Jr.). Coraline soon discovers a hidden door in her new house, and decides to investigate. Venturing into the eerie passageway inside, Coraline emerges into an alternate version of her own reality. At first glance, this strange new world seems even better than the real thing; there her parents aren't distracted by work, and Coraline is always the center of attention. But when Coraline's button-eyed Other Mother (also Hatcher) attempts to make her stay permanent, the frightened young girl must summon her resourcefulness and bravery in order to find her way back home and save her real family.
reviews movies law abiding citizen
gamer
Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Nick is forced by his boss to offer one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice. Ten years later, man who got away with murder is found dead and Clyde Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Nick: either fix the flawed justice system that failed his family, or key players in the trial will die. Soon, Shelton follows through on his threats, orchestrating, from his jail cell, a string of spectacularly diabolical assassinations that are difficult to predicted or prevent. Only Nick can stop the killing, and to do so he must outwit this brilliant sociopath in a harrowing contest of wills in which even the smallest misstep means death.
A high-concept action thriller set in a near-future when gaming and entertainment have evolved into a terrifying new hybrid. Humans control other humans in massscale, multi-player online games: people play people. Mind-control technology is widespread, and at the heart of the controversial game is its creator, reclusive billionaire Ken Castlel. His latest brainchild, the firstperson shooter game, Slayers, allows millions to act out their most savage fantasies, online, in front of a global audience, using real prisoners as avatars with whom they fight to the death.
inglorious basterds Only Quentin Tarantino can change the course of history and get away with it, making a blockbuster along the way. In German-occupied France, Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa. She narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema. Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine organises a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as “The Basterds,” Raine’s squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquee, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own…
twilight: new moon The romance between mortal and vampire soars to a new level as Bella delves deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural world of which she yearns to become part — only to find herself in greater peril than ever before. Following Bella’s ill-fated 18th birthday party, Edward and his family abandon the town of Forks in an effort to protect her from the dangers inherent in their world. Heartbroken, she sleepwalks through her senior year of high school and her desire to be with him at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks.With the help of her childhood friend, Jacob, she gets an old motorbike to carry her on dangerous adventures. Bella’s frozen heart is gradually thawed by her budding relationship with Jacob, a member of the mysterious Quileute tribe, who has a supernatural secret of his own. Soon, Bella learns the secret of the Quileutes and Edward’s true motivation for leaving her
reviews books I'M NO MONSTER: Stefanie Marsh & Bojan Pancevski For 24 years Josef Fritzl held his daughter Elizabeth prisoner as a sex slave and, with her, he fathered seven of his own grandchildren. But the true depth of his depravity was yet to be uncovered in the underground bunker his children called home. Over the years, his secret family knew next to nothing of the outside world. Incredibly, Josef's submissive wife Rosemarie never suspected a thing. It was a tale so appalling, so unbelievable, it reverberated in shock waves across the globe. In defense of his own moral character, Josef Fritzl made a stunning statement. "I'm no monster," he reasoned. "I could have just killed them and no one would have ever found out about it." With exclusive interviews, and never-before- released information, award-winning journalists Stefanie Marsh and Bojan Pancevski tell the complete story of an abominable crime.
F MY LIFE Maxime Valette, Guillaume Passaglia & Didier Guedj The devastatingly funny world of F My Life, where calamity is comedy, will have you in stitches. Covering every disastrous pratfall in love, work, family-life, and more, F My Life proffers other people’s ruinous, real-life happenings to brighten your gloomiest day: someone getting dumped through a greeting card, ignored at their birthday party, or insulted by their own grandmother. Spanning everything from ironic twists of fate to downright shameful moments, F My Life’s squirm-inducing stories are comedy at its finest
ARGUING WITH IDIOTS Glenn Beck
It happens to all of us: You're minding your own business, when some idiot informs you that guns are evil, the Prius will save the planet, or the rich have to finally start paying their fair share of taxes. Glenn Beck, author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers An Inconvenient Book and Glenn Beck's Common Sense, has stumbled upon the secret formula to winning arguments against people with big mouths but small minds: knowing the facts. And this book is full of them.
UNDER THE DOME: A NOVEL Stephen King On an entirely normal day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighbouring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when--or if--it will go away. Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens - town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing even murder--to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because is running out.
reviews games platform: Xbox 360/ Playstation 3 – Resident Evil 5
platform: Nintendo DS/DS Lite – Super Princess Peach Growing up, my favourite game of all time had to be Super Mario. Nothing was more awesome than controlling a little fat Italian plumber and sending him to rescue the damsel in distress, Princess Peach. However, the guys at Nintendo realized that Mario saving the Princess over and over again was getting a bit old, and in this day-and-age, surely the Princess could save herself? Super Princess Peach proves that she can do that and more, in the Peach version of Super Mario. Now you can send Peach in her full pink princess gown on a mission of her own, which includes some of the old Mario-world favourites. The game is just easy enough to pick up and play anytime and difficult enough to be frustratingly addictive. The graphics are bright and colourful and the “mood” feature adds a little something extra to classic side-scrolling game.
As a long-time fan of the RE games, I was desperate to get my hands on the latest in the series. What could be better than mindlessly killing zombies? But the latest in the Resident Evil series has a little something extra. Co-op. It was this feature that I was most excited about, apart from senseless violence and breath-taking graphics. I could spend hours slaughtering zombies and share the fun with someone else. The game certainly delivers in all regards: the game-play is fantastic and the choice of weapons is impressive. However, the co-op feature just seemed to ruin the experience and was quite a disappointment in the end. I found it to be extremely clumsy, with myself and my fellow co-op player almost always getting in each others’ way. The game does prove to be very enjoyable despite this and is a must for fans.
platform: PC The Sims 3 The third installment in the recordingbreaking series of games, The Sims 3 brings us back to those virtual “dolls”, playing god and making (or breaking) the lives of your sims. The game is the same basic concept of the original Sims and The Sims 2, controlling the lives of your simulated human beings (or sims) with a few significant improvements that lovers of the game will certainly notice. The first is that your “sims” can now move freely throughout their neighbourhood, without head-ache inducing loading screens and annoying “elevator” music driving you insane. Your characters also have much more realistic personalities, going from the original
“horoscope” personality chooser to a more detailed engine, choosing everything from favourite colours to whether or not your sim is a heavy sleeper. This realism helps your sim find a job that suits his/her personality, and certain characteristics help fuel certain careers. Apart from these, and some other extras, The Sims 3 is the same concept that fans love and adore. The game is highly addictive and should come with a warning label. Extensive customization of absolutely everything means your sim is truly unique – just like you
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destination Travelling through Northern Ireland and London Words by Lauren Jane Wheatley
I embarked on my trip to Northern Ireland with only a vague idea of what to expect. “The weather is awful, but the people are awesome!” That was the basic idea I was given about the North of Ireland. I arrived the first day to find these cliché’s to be true. Day 1 was a typical Irish summer, cloudy skies and drizzling rain. But the cheerful, friendly Irish made up for it, with everyone from airport security officers to taxi drivers treating me like their long-lost friend. Travelling in Northern Ireland is at its peak in August, when the weather is at its best. On day 2 of my trip we took a drive from Belfast, the capital, to Giant’s Causeway, which took about an hour. Giant’s Causeway is a fascinating place, right up north along the coast of Northern Ireland. These hexagonal formations in the coastal rock were formed millions of years ago, and scientists are still baffled as to how exactly they formed. The Irish of course have the perfect folksy explanation, which tells how Finn McCool the Giant created these “stepping stones” in the rocks as a way to cross the sea to his lover on the other side in Scotland. For those who enjoy a bit of shopping, the city of Belfast is hard to beat in Ireland. Shops line the streets and the buildings are a quirky mix of modern and old. Gothic shops are interspersed with tiny churches, and classic buildings hold tattoo parlours and music stores. For music, movies and games, HMV is a utopia, and these stores are dotted all over Belfast. The largest of which is the megastore found just around the corner from the impressive Castle Court shopping mall. The store boasts 3 levels of games, music, books, movies and merchandise. For gothic, punk and hippie clothes and accessories, Fresh Garbage is the perfect little shop. The store opened in 1969 and has stayed open in the same location on Rosemary street for forty years. The clothes are reasonably priced (I picked up a beautiful gothic-style black and purple flowing skirt for around R250) and the store has a heady scent of incense. The staff are friendly and enthusiastic, and possibly the best looking sales staff you’ll ever see (think petite goth girls with fire-engine red hair) Shopping in Belfast is a pleasant experience almost anywhere you go. Not only are clothes a lot cheaper there but all staff are cheerful, friendly and always happy to be of assistance. Castle Court mall has a fantastic variety of shops but to get the real Belfast shopping experience, it has to be done out on the streets. For comics, fantasy/sci-fi merchandise, books, games and generally all things geeky, Forbidden Planet are nerd utopia. The store in Belfast has 2 levels, boasting shelf after shelf of figurines, collector’s items, limited editions and everything in between. For cheap accessories in every style and colour shop at Claire’s, with stores in almost every part of Belfast.
I had the pleasure of getting tattooed in Belfast. Tattoo prices vary heavily from place to place but there are a multitude of studios to choose from. Castle Ink Tattoos is almost always full, with a first-come, first-tattooed basis. I was tattooed by award-winning artist Johnny Venus of Johnny Venus Tattoos. Northern Ireland is a History buffs dream, with a feast of ancient buildings and old castles to visit and explore. I visited two castles, the first of which was Dunluce Castle, which was built in the 13th century. The castle is a ruin, however the original layout and walls are still intact. The castle also had a couple guides dressed in Medieval costume, and they displayed artefacts from the castle such as tools and weapons. I even tried my hand at a Medieval knight’s long bow, which I could hardly lift. The second castle I visited was Carrickfergus castle. This castle in particular is must-see, as most of it is still intact, including the roof. The castle is a huge tourist spot so expect it to be packed, but the castle itself is fascinating and the views are spectacular. The night life in Northern Ireland is just as you’d expect, with a trip “down the pub” as Irish as shamrocks. Drinking in Ireland is quite a bit more expensive than South Africa, however an Irish tot-measure is 3 times a South African one,
giving you value for your money. My first Irish pub was not the traditional Irish kind, as it was a pizza tavern upstairs with the bar at the bottom. But the drinking was every bit Irish, and it’s a great place to meet the locals. Don’t be surprised to make friends with whole tables of people and have drinking contests with strangers – it’s the Irish way, and they’re happy to share. Heading back to South Africa, I had to stop over for a couple nights in London. London for those who don’t know, is a busy, packed, and awesome place. It’s a melting pot of different people and cultures, with hippies and high-street label queens walking side-by-side. The summer days see a culture of street performers showing off their talents, and after a morning of shopping it’s perfect to have lunch on the grass by the river Thames, in the shadow of the London Eye. My stay in London was brief, but a trip to Camden Town had to be made. Camden is the chosen land for every person of
TRAVEL TIPS * Visiting Northern Ireland in August means experiencing their extremely long summer days. The sun rises at around 4am and only sets at about 10pm, leaving 18 hours of day time. This takes a bit of getting used to, so give yourself a couple of days to adjust. * Make sure you budget for your entire stay. Don’t let the cheaper clothing prices fool you – it all adds up. * There are no direct flights to Belfast itself so a stopover in London is necessary. The tip is to try and get a direct flight to London from South Africa, as an extra stop-over will make the trip that much longer and unnecessarily painful. * The best place to stay in Northern Ireland is definitely the city of Belfast. The city itself is crammed full of things to do and see, and is central and close to everything. * Be prepared to eat a lot of fried food, as the Irish love their fish and chips. Eating out is pricey in the UK, so picking up a “chippy” take-away is the most cost-effective way to eat. * If you’re heading to London, make sure you have plenty of money to spend! London is very expensive, but apart from that you’ll want to shop while you’re there. * Budget for transport – a day pass for the train system in London is around R120 and you’ll need the train in order to see what London has to offer. * It’s a good idea to carry a pocket hand-sanitizer with you, as the trains are very unhygienic. * In Belfast and London, shopping is done out on the streets, so sunglasses are a must * Be sure to carry a hoodie or something similar with you at all times, as the weather is extremely unpredictable. A sunny day at the Thames could turn into a freezing cold blizzard so be prepared.
any alternative counter-culture. The main street is packed to bursting with shops selling boots, punk accessories, Gothic Lolita dresses, tie-dye skirts, crafts, t-shirts, corsets and leather jackets. In the market, be prepared to haggle, as the marked price is almost always negotiable. For lunch, the vegan restaurant inSpiral lounge is the perfect place for a relaxed, healthy meal that is surprisingly tasty. Sit on cushion-lined benches overlooking the river, listening to soft ambient music and surrounded by hippies, elegant ladies and suited corporate types. The trip was amazing from start to finish. Northern Ireland is relaxing, the people are layed-back and friendly and all want to your friend. Perhaps I would’ve done London first if I did the trip again, as the madness and fast-pace of London takes some healing, even after only a short visit.
Words by Olivia Mikrut Where does fashion come from? Why do the clothes we wear today look like they do? Styles come and go throughout the seasons, but imagine how much they’ve changed throughout the years - throughout the centuries? What is humbling to realise is that in each era, the clothes of the time were considered the trendiest and the most modern. Have you ever thought about the times when you were a little girl and your mum dressed you in pink dresses full of frills and bows? I know I have and I find myself wondering “What was she thinking?” It’s a fact that in a few years people will be looking at pictures of the way we dress today and think that they’d never wear what we are wearing now, but the world of fashion is an ongoing thing with new trends and styles sprouting up everywhere. And these trends never just spring up from nowhere. There’s a little bit of fashion history in all of us even though we may not know it.
We’re going to start off our journey of through fashion history by looking at the Victorian era. The Victorian Era was the time when Queen Victoria reigned in England from 1837 to 1901. These were the times when people were very interested in literature, theatre, drama and opera and also the times when casinos were very popular. Not to mention the drinking and prostitution (sort of like a “Shakespeare hits Vegas” era). This is one of, if not most important, era in fashion history. As today, styles changed throughout the seasons and “new” trends were introduced as old ones faded. There was a big variety in the clothing styles and trends during the course of Victoria’s reign. For example, in 1837 cloth was manufactured in the mill towns of northern England, Scotland and Ireland. But clothing was normally custom-made by seamstresses, tailors, hatters, glovers and all sorts of people who specialised in clothing and families who could not afford to pay for them usually made their own clothing or bought and improved used clothing. By 1907, clothes were factory made and sold in large, fixed price department stores. Custom and home sewing were still used, but hardly ever. New machinery and materials changed clothing in many ways. The introduction of the lock-stitch sewing machine in the mid-century made home and boutique dressmaking that much easier and enabled a trend that extended the trimming of clothes, which was usually extremely time-consuming to do by hand. This new machinery made lace much cheaper than when it was done with the old methods as it took fewer working hours to get it made. New materials from far-flung British colonies gave rise to new types of clothing materials such as rubber for making gumboots and mackintoshes (raincoats). Chemists also developed new, cheap, and brighter dyes that replaced the old animal or vegetable dyes. The Victorian era had many sub-eras during the time, in which fashion changed and developed, times when it was out with the old and in with the new. In the early Victorian era,
women wore layers of up to seven petticoats to keep their skirts full; their waists were cinched with a corset, creating an hourglass shape. After that there was the Civil War era, which brought about the invention of the ‘Caged Crinoline’, which was basically a large metal structure which ladies wore under their dresses to make them the illusion of fullness instead of using petticoats. Surprisingly, it actually made the hoop skirts very popular in the 1860’s. After the Civil War era, during the late Victorian era, the wide bell-shaped skirt shifted to a bustle in the 1870’s, which became even more popular in the 1880’s. By the 1890’, the emphasis shifted to wide “leg-omutton” sleeves.
Victorian bathing costumes covered a woman almost completely from head to foot and were pretty much made up of long sleeved vests that were used as costumes. After the death of her husband in 1861, Queen Victoria went into mourning for the rest of her life, starting a trend that resulted in American widows performing their own mourning rituals, including wearing only black for an entire year and a day after the death of their husbands. Even though the Victorian era was completely different from what we wear today, some people now look back on the Victorian era with wistful nostalgia. They imagine a dream world of lacy dresses, lavish balls, country house parties, and charming cottages surrounded by old-fashioned gardens. And Victorian Era trends are still alive today, with its influence showing up in many micro-trends. The counter-cultural trend known as “Steampunk� is heavily influenced by the Victorian era, with wearers donning Victorian-style clothes that have had some or other modern twist added to them, such as distressing and rivets, and melded with modern Gothic or Punk styles. Another example of Victorian fashion being incorporated into a contemporary style is the Gothic Lolita fashion culture, with girls dressing in the style of Victorian era dolls. These are all proof that fashion even as far back as the mid-19th century can still have an influence on the styles, trends and choices of today.
Spooky Tattoonz Words by Tina Koulisheva Photography: Catherine Louw
A new kind of tattoo parlor opened up some time back. A tattoo parlour like no other - rather, one with, much like its’ owner, Ryan Bolton (aka Buster), quirky and fun. Ryan has been doing all kind of art since he was a little scummy punk kid in the 90s. So, its only natural, of course, that he ended up doing something highly creative for a living. He first considered the idea of becoming a tattoo artist seven years ago, but it took a while to turn this dream into a reality. In between trying to find the right studio with talented artists, he kept himself busy with plenty of other work. When I met him, six years back, he was working at the airport. As a baggage controller. True story. He also trained and qualified as a special effects make-up artist, and once he had qualified, he practiced that skill for two years before embarking on tattooing as a career. During that time he worked on music videos and feature films. and also fine tuned his skills with comic illustration and comics. Along the way, he managed to find time to play bass for THE STEVIE WONDERFULS. But in 2005, the kid could no longer hide the urges deep down inside him (sounds like a porno, but bear with me here) - and so Buster apprenticed at Empire tattoos in Johannesburg, and, later, at Phoenix tattoos in Hartbeeepoort. A year after joining the Phoenix crew, Buster qualified as a tattoo artist. At some point he disappeared to Cape Town, but eventually came back to Johannesburg and opened his own parlor, The Little Shop Of Horrors. Buster has done comic illustration most of his life, and you can see the influence of dark, psychobilly art in his big colour pieces. Creatively, Buster has a wide range of influences. Locally
he cites local tattoo artists Ant from Phoenix, Tyler B Murphy from Sins of Style, Danny from Voodoo ink and Ronald from Tattoolya as being very influential. He also respects the works of international master such as Jime Litwalk, Bob Tyrrel, Nick Baxter, Tony Ciavarro, Corry Miller, Brandon Bond and Joshua Carlton. But his influences are more wide-spread than just the tattoo industry. Cult and horror movies, cartoons and other people’s art are also important to Buster, as well as the work of fine artists such as Ralph Steadman, Jhonen Vasquez, Salvador Dali, Crayola, Tim Burton, William Kentridge and Roman Dirge. From these diverse sources he hand picks elements from poster and skateboarding art, surrealism, pop art and portraiture. The result is DIY punk-influenced style that delivers unique tattoo work to clients that demand a unique piece of art and a clear differentiation from the herd. Gisella Rose is the Pin-Cushion Princess, the master piercer of the shop. The shop is located at the 44 Stanley Road, where art, culture and youth culture rub off on each other in coffee shops, restaurants, fashion and art shops. As a result, the shop is a laid-back, professional place where you can chat to Buster about your ideas for tattoos. Mad tunes envelop you, making the shop unique in its ambiance to match the unique skin art it produces. In short, a tattoo studio like no other you will find in South Africa, The Little Shop Of Horrors provides a hygienic, unique and professional tattoo service. Plus, Buster and Gisella are pretty rad kids.
Words by Lauren Jane Wheatley Photography by Christelle Duvenage Art Direction by Tina Koulisheva
J
en Screams – as she is known, attracts attention wherever she goes. Perhaps it’s the hair, usually dyed fluorescent colours, or the clothes, a mixture of 40’s pin up and 70’s punk. Usually though, it’s the impressive collection of tattoos adorning almost every appendage, including her feet. Ms Screams (aka Jen Roomes) is not your run-of-themill 20-something girl. A go-getter with the entrepreneurial flair of a gypsy, Jen is known for her store, Silent Screams, as well as playing bass guitar for now-dissolved band Neshamah. She attributes her look to regularly hanging out at a tattoo studio down
the road from the art school she attended as well as being at shows of her friends’ bands Her online shop, Silent Screams (www.silentscreamsdistro.com) is the real success story here. And it took playing bass for Neshamah to get her there. In 1999 Jen heard that a friend’s band needed a bass guitarist. Having already built up a keen interest in the punk/hardcore scene, Jen jumped at the chance to play bass for them. Only problem was, she couldn’t play bass guitar at all. She wouldn’t be Jen Screams if she didn’t snatch up the opportunity, and 3 months before a huge show, she took it upon herself to learn to play as well as have the ability to play Neshamah’s songs. She pulled it off, and for 6 years Jen was the bass guitarist for the hardcore band. The experience led her on two US tours, once in Chicago as well as New York and Florida. The band also recorded 4 albums with her on bass. The touring led her to befriend members of other bands, including Norma Jean and Stretch Arm Strong. The entrepreneur in her saw a chance, and Jen offered to sell CD’s of other local bands at shows. The demand for band merchandise was on the rise and Jen seized the opportunity by creating band merchandise herself and selling it at gigs. “From there I had contact with other record labels from our CD being released on a USA label, and traded a lot of our albums for other music. Which I sold at the shows. It all really grew from there.” She says..
Soon after, Jen released a paper-zine entitled Silent Screams. “[It] was a voice for the youth that weren’t really heard” The paper-zines were sold side-by-side with the band merchandise and there was real interest generated in it. The project only folded when Jen realised she didn’t have time to keep up with the demand. But it was this paper-zine that birthed the name that would soon be synonymous with punk and psychobilly fashion and merchandise in SA. Jen’s next big idea were printed t-shirts. Having acquired a contact for custom-printed t-shirts, she decided to make up her own featuring her own designs, all with the Silent Screams name on them. These she added to her line of merchandise sold at gigs. “Before I knew it all the kids were walking around with my Silent Screams tees” The t-shirts soon ended up in stores. Jen realised she was tapping into a gap in the market. She manufactured her own studded bracelets and belts and slowly but surely began delving more in the market, researching suppliers and finding contacts for merchandise that was hard to come by in SA. It was at this stage that her online store was born. Soon after, in 2005, Jen packed up her bags and left her whole life in Cape Town, including the band, to start afresh in Pretoria. It seemed only to be fate that just a year later, a friend contacted her offering her the chance to open her own bricksand-mortar shop. Once he (Clayton of Revolution) moved off the premises, Jen took over, stocking his skate merchandise (which according to Jen, made sense as the shop was at Thrashers Skate Park) as well the products Silent Screams was famous for. Punk and rockabilly clothing, accessories, neon hair dye, skull hair clips, studded belts and unique jewelry. With the store thriving, business going well, Jen was on cloud nine, until she arrived back in SA after a trip to London to find that the skate park had been bought out and she was forced to evict her beloved store.
Without her own shop Jen stuck with running her online store as well as supplying other shops with her merchandise as a wholesaler. Her future dreams are big, with plans to move over to San Diego in the USA as well as work at the cult clothing label Iron Fist. And what of the store that got her to where she is today? “I’m not too sure what’s gonna happen to silent screams just of yet, I might just keep stocking other stores with my product.” We certainly hope she does.
Jen’s tattoos have won awards and have been featured in magazines, including making the cover for International Tattoo Art magazine. She had no idea she made the cover until she came across the magazine while on a trip to the USA – “...I went to a magazine stand and there I was.” Each one has a meaning close to her heart:
• A rose with diamonds, with a banner saying “friendship”: a dedication to all Jen’s friends. • A sugar skull and rockabilly butterflies: representing Jen’s love for music. • Back piece: a female angel and the word “sincerity”. “It sums up everything about me or people I love, people who are sincere and loyal are people I really like to • “True” and “blue” on each leg just associate with.” above each foot. These tattoos make • Roses and spider webs (arms): up the saying “True blue” which these represent the two parts that describes a person that is loyal and make up Jen as a person: “girly but faithful. with a bit of an edge.” • ‘Kewpie’ doll wearing a sailor hat • Diamonds: These are a girl’s best on an anchor. This represents Jen’s friends, but tattoos are Jen’s best family, her mom having been a day friends. mother for 25 years (“I had a baby • Lady Luck: Jen claims she has under 2 in almost every room, since always been lucky, and this tattoo I was born basically”) and her father pays tribute to that. a commander in the navy. • Snake under her arm: Two of Jen’s
closest friends visited her from the USA and London. It was around that time that the movie “Snakes on a Plane” was released, and the three friends got matching snake tattoos to commemorate the visit. • Two heart lockets with keys: One each for her parents. • A swallow with a heart for her partner Andy, as she left her life in Cape Town to be with him. • Blank stars: Jen’s friend Ulrike told her she shouldn’t get the stars filled but rather to leave them blank. As a tribute to her friend, Jen has decided to leave them unfinished. She has more, but these don’t have any specific meaning, but rather represent her love for old school tattoo art.
Words by Christelle Duvenage
The spirit of Rock & Roll has never been so animated as in its reincarnation as The Koffin Kats. Unifying the finger-snapping swing beats of classic rockabilly with rigid, infectious punk rock energy, this Detroit trio ensures that psychobilly is still alive and kicking. Originally formed in 2003, with a mission to not stop for anything, their sound is anything but normal. It is less more melodic then most of their psychobilly counterparts, but doesn’t shy away from the genre’s love for speed, scream-along choruses and B-movie lyrics, situating their songs within hammering upright bass and ferocious distorted guitar. Vic Victor, with a haunting quality to his great voice, got fed-up with his basement band days and craved to have his part in the excitement of a touring band, and so he got together with his long time friend Tommy T Bags, a.k.a. Tommy Koffin, and tried their hands at the doom-struck twang of their punk-rockabilly fusion that would become “the upright bass throwing, beer slamming, blood gushing, and sonic assault known as The Koffin Kats”. The band has had a number of drummers over the years, with E-Ball Walls, who played with the Kats during 2003, rejoining the line-up in 2007. They released their self titled first album in 2004, and hit the road in support of the record, releasing on Hairball 8, Inhumane, a faster and angrier album, in
2005. A pissed off and rapid Straying from the Pack was released in 2006 that vaguely moved away from the psychobilly-true sound towards more of a “punk” bitterness. Through all the album releases, the band found themselves touring, and had this comment: “Some people are made for the road. Those who can live in a van, eat bad food, not worry about money or the future, can detach themselves from girlfriends and family, and whatever other issues that wait back home will survive longer. Road dogs”. Through all the touring they found enough time and material for Drunk in the Daylight, in 2008. Recently, The Koffin Kats have joined forces with Stomp Records to release their 5th album Forever for Hire. With their love for their fans and for the road they set out to play anywhere and everywhere where people were willing to listen. Their onslaught on stage and attitudes toward touring has cemented The Koffin Kats as one of the pinnacle acts in the world of punk-rockpsychobilly.
Getting the [Crossing] point through Words by Christelle Duvenage Photo by Rochelle Phipson
As it should be at all shows, you will find no band-crowd separation. You’ll locate Ray either in the middle of the crowd or half the crowd on stage, screaming the lyrics into the mike like they have written them themselves. After a brutally energetic set you will find the members of the band being non-band members, conversing and connecting without tonnes of superiority with everyone and anyone that feels like a chat. You don’t get a sense of hunger for fame and the celebrity it brings when you talk with them. In an over-populated scene that seems to have forgotten about the mortality rate of the average band, these guys make and share music as an obligation to themselves, with a humility equivalent to few, sharing their experiences of what is happening in the world around them in a positive manner with anyone who wants to listen.
“Up in arms to our feet, won’t become a plastic population, the melody of a conscious generation” Brave and powerful words and synopsis of the sound that punch you in the gut and make you take notice of the passion cultivated in making and sharing their music. For little over a decade Crossingpoint has been a major player in the South African hardcore scene, bringing positive and punishing sounds with an unwavering message to the kids. Originally formed in 1998, their determination, hard work and do-it-tyourself values distinctive of their punk roots, have assisted them in turning complications on their path into opportunities of progress. The sound we all have come to associate with Crossingpoint has developed over the years with different members present, but stayed uncompromising. The band best describe their sound as “a passionate and often dark brutal synthesis of hardcore, metal, and punk in combination with a relevant message”. Brandon, Ray, Ross and Richard advocate a Straight Edge lifestyle with a cruelty free way of existence. In
the early 80’s a band called Minor Threat coined the term in a song with the same name. This song is believed to have been the start of the Straight Edge movement within the Punk scene. This movement had the intent of spreading a positive and personal message: there’s no need for alcohol, cigarettes, mind altering drugs or promiscuous behaviour to have a good time. Straight-edge principles are adopted by the individual in an effort to first better themselves, and then the world in which they live. Modern interpretations of the philosophy include a vegetarian (or vegan) diet and an intensified consciousness and involvement in environmental and political issues. Hardcore has slowly been adopted by a wider audience, and many bands have diluted their message and their lifestyles to better agree with the listener. Where it used to be about an unbending message in response to societal problems, these days it seems bands easily shy away from a specific message as not to offend potential followers. Crossingpoint have stayed true to their roots by playing creative, energy-ydriven music with an insightful spiritual message that inspires application. The world is never going to change over night, but “my heart is changed by yours and your heart is changed by mine”, therefore change happens in the minds and hearts of individuals who lead through example and encourages change within others. Crossingpoint’s urgent and honest message is aimed at reaching the individual in a thoughtful way and helping them to see the world for what it truly is. They put out the message that there is hope and that it is possible to have faith, which gives comfort, peace, and strength in these crazy times we live in. The power and passion Crossingpoint consistently achieves in their music is well worth the experience, and they are playing a show with Californian based USA band Lionheart on Friday 27 November at Burn nightclub in Durban. For more updates on the band and upcoming shows, check out their facebook group,
www.myspace.com/crossingpoint, or www.crossingpoint.co.za.
real women Female Circumsision Words by Olivia Mikrut
They say all women have issues...it’s a girl thing. However, some women’s issues go far beyond PMS or breaking a nail. Every woman complains about little things, but the ones who are really suffering seem to grin and bear it. Rape, abuse, abortion, these are all real issues that women have to deal with every single day. It isn’t just a statistic, it’s reality for thousands of women. We see these things happen, we see it on the news and complain about it, yet nothing is being done to stop it. In today’s times people are not informed about half of the things that go on in the world. Ignorance isn’t always bliss. It’s time that we learned about real issues and see things as they really are. Nothing makes any of us better than the other, none of us are invincible to these things. Be aware, be informed, because you can never be sure that it won’t happen to you. It’s time to stop whining about the issues...and start doing something about them!
Female circumcision is one of the issues that very few people are aware of, it’s even new to me! Just because it isn’t heard of often doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. In fact, it is estimated that female circumcision still affects about 138 million women and girls worldwide. It doesn’t only happen in our country but all over the world. Unfortunately we cannot fight against what we are unaware of, but we can always take the first step by gaining knowledge. So what is female circumcision? Female circumcision can also be known as female genital mutilation or female genital cutting, but whatever you want to call it, it all leads to the same thing. The mildest form of the practice involves slicing off a piece of the clitoris, but the full operation involves the entire removal of the genitalia and the stitching up of the outer lips of the vagina leaving only a small hole for urination and menstruation. Where did it all begin? Practices involving the cutting of female genitals have been found throughout history in many cultures, but there is no real evidence of when or why this ritual began. Some theories suggest that it might have been practiced in ancient Egypt as a sign of distinction, while others think that it originated in ancient Greece, Rome, pre-Islamic Arabia and Tsarist Russia. However, nobody knows for sure. The result of female circumcision is that sexual feelings are either inhibited or terminated. Sexual intercourse is usually extremely painful for these women. In extreme cases girls can die as a result of haemorrhaging, septicaemia and shock. They have complications starting from when they start their periods. Women will endure a lot of pain because the blood can't easily get out, as well as many of them experiencing continual abscesses. The most complicated situation is childbirth because they have to be cut open and then they insist on being re-circumcised, stitched up again. Other consequences of circumcision are ulcers, scar tissue and cysts. Some more
lasting effects include urine retention, resulting in repeated urinary infections and obstruction in menstrual flow, which may lead to frequent reproductive tract infections, infertility and chronic pelvic pain. Why are there so many complications? It is mostly because this practice is done with no anaesthesia, and it is performed in unsanitary conditions with things such as razor blades, scissors, kitchen knives and pieces of glass are used, sometimes on more than one girl. This procedure is usually undergone by girls who have not reached puberty and girls as young as three endure this process, but the age at which the operation is performed varies according to country and culture.
So why are these things done? Female genital cutting is done for many complicated and poorly understood reasons. In some cultures, the practice is based on love and the desire to protect. Some societies support it because they consider it necessary in order to reach womanhood. In many cultures that practice female circumcision, a woman gets recognition and economic security through marriage and childbearing, and circumcision is usually a requirement for qualifying for wifehood. Other reasons include the belief that it enhances male sexuality, curbs female sexual desire, has aesthetic, purifying or hygienic benefits and prevents promiscuity and preserves virginity and that the clitoris is an unhealthy, unattractive and lethal organ. These are only a few of the reasons why women have to undergo these painful procedures.. Female circumcision is deeply rooted in the traditions of a number of societies, but it is a form of violence
against women and girls. In order for this practice to be understood, female circumcision must be placed within the broader context of discrimination against women across cultures and as a symptom of the greater problem of women's inferiority and compromised dignity. The documented complications of female circumcision are a violation of a person's right to physical and mental health. Such fundamental freedoms are protected by several universal human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This practice is believed to be wrong, whether it is tradition or not. Things are being done around the world to try and prevent it, but will this be enough? It still happens today, and it will continue to happen if something isn’t done. Now that you are informed about it, will you try and help? Or will you turn the other cheek? The choice is yours.
An international advert to raise awareness for female circumsision
Iron Silent Scream Fist
Photography by Christelle Duvenage Art direction by Tina Koulisheva Model: Ulrike Praeg Clothing: Silent Screams & Iron First
SPOOKY CHERRY Working with this little ball of energy, there is never a dull moment. Ulrike Praeg (aka Spooky Cherry) is a 21-1year-old chicka living in Pretoria, and studying Interior Arichitecture. She doesn’t have many hobbies, she just likes reading, and her boyfriend, Dirk (who she has been macking on for the past six years). Her book collection makes even the most seasoned rockabilly fan seem like an amateur. This girl loves rocking out to Rancid, The Misfits and The Dropkick Murphys.
spotlight Words by Lauren Jane Wheatley
She gave us juno. We loved it. Now, she presents us with Jennifer’s Body. Diablo Cody is on a roll. Diablo Cody certainly isn’t shy. With a sharp-tongue and quick wit, she’s not your average Hollywood screenwriter, with a past that included a day-job as a stripper. But when most hear that Oscar-winning screen-writer Diablo Cody was once a stripper, scenes of the rag-toriches variety form in their minds. Why was she a stripper? Was it out of poverty? A bad childhood? Was she driven to it out of desperation? But Diablo Cody is anything but desperate. She exhibits a personality that proves she’d never be forced to do anything, describing herself in her own blog as “middleclass trash from the Midwest”. This woman tried stripping on a whim - and found that she loved it. Diablo Cody, (aka Brooke Busey) was born in 1978 in Illinois, USA and attended a Roman Catholic school. Always a talented writer, Cody’s jobs consisted of proofreading radio copy, as well as writing for a weekly newspa-
per and as the back-page columnist for Entertainment Weekly. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Media Studies and wrote several blogs, including Red Secretary and Darling Girl. Famously “the girl who was once a stripper”, Cody signed up for amateur night at a local strip joint. Perhaps it was her extroverted nature, maybe she was bored easily, but Cody found the experience to be quite enjoyable, and quit her day-job to pursue it as a career. She eventually moved on to working peep shows at an adult DVD store. But the call of writing lured her back into the real world and at the age of 24 she wrote her memoir Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper. Soon after completing her book, Cody’s manager Mason Novick encouraged her to put pen to paper for her first screenplay. Cody wrote Juno within a matter of months, and it was this coming-of-age, quirky drama that shot Cody to stardom and earned her an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as well as four nominations including Best Picture. Cody has got a lot to offer in the world of screen-writing, and her latest film Jennifer’s Body (starring Megan Fox as the title character) is set to show off her talents to their full extent. Other projects include the dry comedy United States of Tara, about a woman living with dissociative identity disorder, as well as co-writing the script for the musical Burlesque. And just in case you were wondering why Cody doesn’t use her real name? She claims her real name sounds like a furniture store. And if people don’t like her fake one? “I like my fake name. It's engraved on an Oscar. Yours isn't.”
‘This woman tried stripping on a whim - and found that she loved it.’