Panache e magazine issue 35 by Panache Occasions Limited

Welcome to.. Tony Andrews interviews The Amazing Illustrator;

Chevelin Pierre

P17 10 tips for designing your dream home in the Caribbean

AFRIMA 2014

unites Africa at a spectacular ceremony in Lagos

JAN 2015

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JANUARY 2015

Contents

Features 48-51

Interview with Ugandan Supermodel: Atukwase Flavia

Welcome to.. Tony Andrews interviews The Amazing Illustrator;

Chevelin Pierre

20-21

P17 10 tips for designing your dream home in the Caribbean

Here’s your monthly list of celebrity birthdays for January and discover who shares your birthday.

AFRIMA 2014

unites Africa at a spectacular ceremony in Lagos

JAN 2015

32-35

Interview with Ayan DeFirst, premier talking drummer in Europe

06-15

Cover photo:

Welcome to your 2015.

Contributors; Tony Andrews, Claudia Andrews, Coral Conciouslee, Dawn Spence, Jenni Williams, and Patrick Lewis share their thoughts and advice for the New Year.

18-19

CHRISTIAN DATING FOR BLACK & MIXED RACE SINGLES

Look out for a ticket Give-A-Way from Ethiopian Airlines in February’s issue !

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Contents Categories

CONTRIBUTORS A big thank you for the help and support provided by the contributors of this edition. “Our philosophy as an ethical magazine, is never to print anything in regards to the BME population that can be seen as demeaning or negative, but to promote the positive contributions and achievements that members of the BME population have made and are making to positively impact and shape the society in which we live.” Panache E-Magazine’s readership has increased dramatically since it was launched in January 2012. We have recently won the Afro Model Award for Best Fashion Magazine and also the 2014 EBR Award for PR & Marketing. We are obviously extremely pleased with the remarkable growth and would like to share our happiness by offering new customers, the opportunity to advertise in Panache E-Magazine at unbeatable rates! Contact us : T: 07946088553 E: info@panacheoccasions.com W: www.panacheoccasions.com

Christine Simpson

Jenni Williams

Claudia Andrews

Karlton Chambers

Coral Consciouslee

Mr. Lekan Olujinmi

Dawn Spence

Maureen Smith

04. MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR’s 06. COVER PAGE FEATURE NEW YEAR - 2015 18. LIVING Health Food Drink Spirituality Travel Wellness Home / Properties Abroad Love & Relationships True life stories 26. ACHIEVE Celebrating achievements Professional services Finances 32. CULTURE Art Music Literature Politics Entertainment Events Youth Books Television / Film Technology 48. FLAIR Style Fashion Beauty Hair Grooming Shopping 56. PLEASURE Jokes Fun & games Horoscopes Competitions

Patrick Lewis

Pily Mirazi

Tony Andrews

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Editor’s

Message

Dear Readers,

Clayton Brown

Let me take this opportunity on behalf of all at Panache Occasions Ltd, publishers of Panache-E-Magazine to wish you all a Peaceful, Positive and Prosperous New Year. This month’s edition of Panache magazine, along with all our great regular features, is proud to announce the addition of two new contributors to our great magazine; Tony Andrews and Christine Simpson. Read their features on pages: 6-9 and 18-19 This month’s edition is focused on looking positively towards the future and realising the goals that we make for the year ahead. However, commendable as it is to make new goals for the future, it is even more important for a person as well as a community, to fulfil previous unsatisfied resolutions, especially if that previous unsatisfied resolutions is imperative for your survival. I am, therefore, re-posting the blog below and will continue to do so until my resolution is satisfied.

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Jacqui Brown

It seems to me that those without money are without power and those without power are essential disenfranchised. My solution; I would like to see the black community spending within its own community and by so doing, using its combined buying power to achieve economic freedom. The idea is so simple! Everyone’s doing it! Apart, that is, the black community in the UK! The idea is so simple and logical it seems condescending to think of having to articulate it to anyone; least of all to those it may concern. We need to spend our money within our own communities! It’s as simple as that. If we spend our money within our community that money gives a small business; a start-up, or a community project the same chance of success as its competitors in other sectors of the population. Whenever I speak about this subject I distinguish Africans and Afro Caribbean’s from the minority ethnic population as a whole. That is because all other groups, within

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the BME umbrella, apart from those mentioned, are spending within their communities and are buying from their own people and therefore, are doing well in terms of their relative economic strength. Everyone agrees with the diagnosis of the illness and also with the prognosis. But even though the treatment seems easily accessible and available; no one wants to be the first to take it. Why?

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Why do black business owners shy away from doing business with each other? Why are afro Caribbean’s especially, averse to spending with black businesses? The answers to those two questions are many and go back a long way, depending on how deeply you delve. Some people believe that we were indoctrinated, through slavery, to mistrust each other and that mistrust of each other now makes up part our psyche. Be that as it may, I would suggest that now is the time we all adopt the pragmatic approach! Let’s make ourselves aware of the situation we are in and deal with it! African saying: “Lions that do not work together can be defeated by a limping buffalo.” Clayton Brown Editor

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Cover page feature 6

Welcome to your

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Cover Page Feature WELCOME TO 2015

By Tony Andrews

he New Year is upon us and it’s that time of year when we think about what we want to achieve for the upcoming twelve months and beyond.

Singing “no new res, no new res, no new res, no no no…” (to the tune of ‘No New Friends’ by Drake & DJ Khaled) seems to be the feeling as both old and young recognise that too many New Year’s Resolutions are short lived and rarely make it past February. So why do we often make New Year’s Resolutions -with the very best of intentions, only for our efforts to wane and many of our goals to fall by the wayside for yet another year? A resolution is a decision and a commitment that is made in our heads. However, it is action only that will yield results. We are creatures of habit and the easiest thing to do is to simply go with the flow and maintain the status quo. Our best everyday state is to feel “okay”, “irie”, and “normal”. This is what our minds and bodies go for, even if we don’t realise it. Physiologically this is called Homeostasis; our body is stable and feeling at one. So that when someone asks, “How are you?” You say, “I’m okay, ah dey.” By contrast, happiness is a state that we all love, but feelings of extreme joy, ecstasy & bliss are occasional, not constant. In fact, if we felt this way all the time, it would be very draining, tiring and unsustainable. Think of partying 24/7 non-stop with no chill out or down time. There must be other clouds besides Cloud 9. Likewise we all experience moments of sadness, tearfulness, mild or extreme depression but in all but the most rare cases, this too shall pass. Every cloud has a silver lining. Donna Allen sang, “Joy and Pain, like Sunshine and Rain”. We will get both sunshine and rain in 2015 and we expect this. Likewise we should embrace both joy and pain as this is called life, and whatever the weather, we’re grateful we’re living it, right? So how do joy and pain, happiness and sadness affect our New Year’s Resolutions? Most people set New Year’s Resolutions in order to achieve something that will make them happy. Nothing wrong with that, right? Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

JANUARY 2015

Cover Page Feature Well, kind of. The etymology or root meaning of the word happy is ‘hap’ which means to occur by chance. “Happen” means things that “come to pass by chance”. “Haphazard” means “hazards that occur by chance”. Therefore we need to let go of trying to control our happiness, as by definition it is something that happens by chance, not by design. Trying to control our happiness is called the Happiness Trap and can actually lead to more frustration and sadness. We can try our best to position ourselves for this chance of feeling great: we can surround ourselves with positive people; excel in our careers; achieve recognition and build strong relationships. But because happiness is by chance, no amount of money, popularity or success in the world can guarantee it. So if happiness just happens haphazardly… what do we focus on then?

“

What is the context, motivation and drive of setting our New Year’s Resolutions if it’s not to achieve happiness?

”

To have the best chance of sticking to our goals & objectives, achieving our ambitions and fulfilling our potential we must upgrade our self-concept and define our ‘new normal’. We do whatever we believe is ‘us’. If something is not us, we don’t like to do it, “Nah fam, that’s not me.” The image you have of yourself in the mirror, to a large extent, defines what you will actually do and what you will achieve. How others see you also has an influence in this, but no one influences how others see you, more than how you see and express yourself. 8

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2015 So enough small talk and let’s get into some real practicalities. Say you want to look good for carnival or for the summer. Rather than saying, I want to lose 20 pounds (9kg or a 1½ stone) by the time I’m chipping down the road, it would be more helpful to define who you are. Some examples, of defining your self-concept, might be: “I’m someone who goes to the gym three times per week” “If I don’t go to the gym for more than two days, I go crazy” “I’m a gym bunny, that’s me” “I’m an exercise to music freak” “I bang weights the most” “I’m an athlete every day of the week” “My body is a temple of bacchanal” “I’m a carnival costume model” “I am front line” “I am an example” “I am an inspiration” “I do it for the fans” “I do it for my people” “I bring joy to others simply by looking great” Yes, some of these may be an ego boost. But you’re not so much boosting the ego, as you are defining it. You need to know who you are and what you’re about. Then, any action that goes against your self-concept, your subconscious mind will reject it. For example, if you see yourself as one of the Caribbean kings or queens of the band, then stuffing yourself with cake or ‘chicken n chips’ would go against who you are and what you’re about. Your mind, however it speaks, will say something along the lines of, “Nah sir, I don’t eat dem ting dey”. Strengthening who you are. Defining who you are. Being confident and celebrating who

you are, is the strongest way to affect what you do and what you’ll achieve. Music and song, when it’s not about love won & lost, is full of artistes defining themselves and their people. This could be anything from hip-hop artistes rapping about money, bling and ‘all kinda ting’ ~ their dream lifestyle. Alternatively it could be soca artistes defining their behaviour in a band, drinking habits in a fete and what they love to do on the road. Yes, many of these lyrics are aspirational… how many artistes really have million dollar watches and private yachts? How many drink three bottles of rum a day, reach every fete and whine on every bumpa? Music, like many forms of entertainment, is full of fantasy and a form of escapism… crucial when we have so much reality to deal with. We can bring elements of fantasy to our self-concept, this is what makes it fun! Do you remember dressing up as a kid and pretending you’re a star? You still do this when you dress for a fete or a night out right? (Don’t lie, you want to look like a million bucks). There’s nothing wrong with this, in fact the closer our ideal self-image (the picture we have of our greatest selves in our minds) matches our actual image (what we see in the mirror and what others see) then the more content and greater satisfaction we will feel.

• I’m obsessed with this subject and practice questions whenever I can • Driver! Don’t stop at all… I’m becoming a master of the road daily • Half my time on YouTube is spent doing workouts, looking great is my lifestyle Thus, it wouldn’t be normal for you to go a day without doing a question for your studies, learning the rules and manoeuvres of the road or blasting fat from your torso. This is you (if those are your goals). Therefore, rather than just making a list of goals, however SMART they may be, why not define the 2015 ‘new normal’, for you. I stress ‘NORMAL’ as it has to be the regular, everyday, ‘no scene’ you that comes naturally and is straight-forward. Anything mind-blowing or heroic will only be achieved on special days when you’re completely up for it. For everything else, define what your ‘NEW NORMAL’ is and you will achieve results for yourself that you see as plain standard procedure, while everybody else stands and watches you in awe. All the best for 2015! Tony ‘urbansmash’ Andrews urbansmash@gmail.com

So rather than simply making a list of resolutions this year, such as: • I will study and pass my exam • I will pass my driving test and get my licence • I will get great abs for the summer Try accepting a ‘new normal’ for your self by defining who you are: Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

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Cover Page Feature

HELLO 2015 By Claudia Andrews

t’s a New Year again and amidst the gratitude of life, we see a new lease and new opportunity to prove ourselves. We have all heard the ‘new year, new me’ clichés but, within this very cliché is an essential lesson. It teaches us that change and a positive outlook is needed for every New Year as we gain a fresh start. We also have the opportunity to accomplish the things that we have been procrastinating on. A new year creates a new opportunity for growth. All these things seem commonplace in the human mind because we can all conjure up ways to improve and reason theoretically. The question however remains on how to proceed and sustain this feeling. Here are a few theoretical and practical ways we can take charge of this year and of our lives. Law of Attraction The Bible has long been advising us on believing in our wants, assuring us that “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” This very notion assures as that what can be perceived, can be achieved. Following from the biblical perspective, modern, new age thinkers have devised the term ‘Law of Attraction’ - this notion ascribes that whatever you want in life, can be achieved through positive thoughts. By channelling positivity, we attract the things that we desire. Though hard work is needed as a follow up, the law of attraction serves as the preliminary step to achieving greatness. For those that

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2015 are down in the dumps and unsure of how to proceed, this will be the perfect start. Proactivity No amount of positive thought can bring about your dreams without work from your end. Positive thought needs to be followed by diligent work. The effort, time and work put into the pursuit of a dream determines the outcome. It is also through doing so, that the journey becomes fulfilling and the results more gratifying Deadlines The new job, the weight-loss, that degree will all only be achieved with a reasonable deadline and hard work. It’s easy to dream and wish for these things, a realistic deadline however, is what distinguishes it from being merely a wish. There’s Power in a Team The people you associate with, help to motivate or derail you. Your friends can serve as your biggest motivators and cheerleaders. Therefore, it is important that you associate with the right people. If your friends are on the same journey of advancement and success, you are on the right track. If you find that your friends tend to derail you, it’s best to find others on a similar journey to associate with. Different friends serve different functions. Self - Belief Confidence is key to success. If you believe you can achieve it, then you are nearer to it than you can imagine. Let us all employ these mantras and take charge of 2015. At the end of 2015, I hope we all look back and realise how much further we have come and how much growth we have attained.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS By Dawn Spence

ew year resolutions are three of the most widely used words at this time of year. These three words cover a multitude of intentions, among the most common , in the western world at least, is the “I must sign up with the gym, give up smoking, eat less, become a vegetarian, find a nice guy”, (whoops! Who said that)? Who is sure why we pressure ourselves to make these sometimes fundamental commitments to ourselves? Can it be because everyone else is doing it? Granted it is always good in my opinion to cut too much excess from our lives; too much smoking, too fat, too skinny. But how often do we actually keep to these promises that we make to ourselves? Not very often, I would suggest. This leads us down the path to disappointment and guilt. There we go again, letting ourselves down, followed by rebelliousness soon after that. We tell ourselves and anyone who will listen that we can give up when we’re ready and we do not need the pressure of feeling bad about it. We can always try at some other time when it’s more convenient. We then experience the fall into that feeling of resignation and surrender, which leads us back to the bad habits, all by the second week in January. I have to say at this juncture, that I know some people who manage to keep their resolutions until February. I know for sure that my tendency, once I’m lying in the sea of

broken promises to myself, (especially when I was a smoker), would be to go the other extreme and binge on the very cigarettes that I had been trying so very hard to give up. I felt, almost as if I was punishing myself for letting me down. The question remains, why do we set ourselves up for what seems for most of us an inevitable failure and drop in self-esteem when we renege on our new year promises to ourselves? Why do we choose the 1st of January to make our commitments when every day we wake holds the possibility of a new start or a new beginning? We do so, I believe, because the human race is pre-programmed for change and evolution. Part of evolving is to leave behind things which hinder growth and to take on things which will benefit growth. It is a motivation to re-evaluate the patterns that no longer serve us. An opportunity to begin anew, by letting go of something old and outmoded and because we are all doing it together, there is a feeling of camaraderie, which makes the motivation even stronger. It is a chance to make a commitment for positive changes in our lives and it sows the seeds for us to revisit these commitments during the coming year. So, I for one will continue making my New Years’ resolutions, even if I break my promises by February, because I accept that I am only human and because I believe that every new day is a potential for a new start, a new chance to make a new resolution even if it is to re-start the one that I broke at the beginning of the year. Opportunities for change come to us every day. Maybe our resolutions from now on should be to seize these opportunities as soon as they appear, lest they pass us by. Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

JANUARY 2015

Cover Page Feature However, irrespective of what they are, I hope we always continue with our wonderful tradition at the beginning of every New Year, but remember that every new day has the potential for a new beginning and therefore a new resolution.

NEW YEAR PRAYER

The great thing about walking with God in life is that there is always the opportunity to start anew - God always offers us a new day and a new dawn, no matter what has gone before. At the start of the New Year, why not take a moment to thank Him for last year, ask His forgiveness for where you have failed, and dedicate this new year to Him - to serve Him and love Him afresh. Featured on this page are a number of Christian prayers for the New Year, with one from Anglican and Celtic traditions, a modern prayer and some short videos with prayers and images to meditate on. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a short section at the bottom with bible verses suitable for the New Year. A good way of reviewing the year ahead is to write down the main areas of your life (e.g. work - family - friends - church - leisure etc) and then think about what God might want to do in these areas of your life for the next year. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done this you might want to share this with your partner or a close friend, and give your decisions over to God in prayer. Read more: http://www.lords-prayerwords.com/times/new_year_prayer. html#ixzz3O9ehB3sK

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2015

MAKING AN EFFORT FOR 2015

By Patrick Lewis

e hope last months health tips were helpful, so here are more health tips to help you with your exercise routine for the New Year. We all want to be fit, lose weight and look good so lets put these tips to action and look forward to being much healthier. So Go forward and be healthy

HEALTH:

Year after year we greet January by resolving to exercise regularly, eat well, give up smoking... Such resolutions might seem trite, but following these basic rules can help substantially cut heart disease risk, diabetes risk and cancer risk, according to the Health Studies. So it's worth making the effort!

EXERCISE:

In order to achieve your health goals, you'll need to incorporate exercise into your life. Research suggests that routinely wearing a pedometer encourages people to walk about an extra mile each day, lose weight and lower their blood pressure. Aim for at least 30 minutes of brisk walking and a total of 10,000 steps per day.

NUTRITION:

Why not make it your resolution to eat at least two portions of oily fish per week? Evidence suggests that the oils found under the skin of fish such as salmon, anchovies, fresh tuna, mackerel, sardines and herring are beneficial for the heart, brain, joints and may even lower your risk of cancer

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Advertise with the No.1 Lifestyle publication catering for the BME population covering everything relevant to everyday life. Double award winning; Panache E-Magazine is the No1 lifestyle publication for the Black-Minority-Ethnic population in the UK. Our USP is: to focus on positivity, value for money and giving back to the community. Therefore, editorially we follow our mission statement which is:-

Maya angelou

SunriSe april 4, 1928 – SunSet May 28, 2014 Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com / Special Tribute to MAYO ANGELOU / JUNE 2014

“Our philosophy as an ethical company is never to print anything in regards to the BME (Black, Minority, Ethnic) population that can be seen as demeaning or negative, but to promote the positive contributions and achievements that members of the BME population have made and are making to positively impact and shape the society in which we live.” Panache E-Magazine gives advertisers the unique opportunity to access and promote their products, services and branding to mainstream audiences, the ethnic sector and niche markets like never before. We are THE lifestyle E-Magazine for the BME population and as a lifestyle magazine the topics that are of interest to our readers are fairly well defined: Health, relationships, finances, tourism, leisure, fashion, and other real-life topics. Panache E-Magazine is published via Issuu which is the leading digital publishing platform delivering exceptional reading experiences and has an estimated 80 million avid readers globally.

Product information • Frequency: Monthly • Issue Date: 1st week of every month • Cover price: £FREE • Gender Profile: Women: 55% Men: 45% • Age Profile: 25-35’s 44% ¦- 35-55’s 35% ¦- others 21% • Socio Economic Groupings: AB 15% C1 56% C2 17% others 12% whose regular income range between: £25,000 - £80,000

• Ethnicity: approx. 90% BME’s (Black & Minority Ethnics), and approx. 10% mixed nationality • Readership, Impressions, Social Media & website following; Over 300,000 • Media Outlet: www.panacheoccasions.com • Social networks: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ • Mailing database: : Over 130,000 members

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3 Simple Steps By Jenni Williams

ow to motivate yourself to take charge after redundancy in 3 simple steps

After redundancy, it is easy to feel that you have lost control of your life. Apart from the financial worries, it can have a devastating effect on your self‐confidence, as you experience challenging waves of emotions about the shock and loss of your job. How then do you motivate yourself to keep going when your career hangs in the balance and the road ahead seems unclear? The definition of motivation is to give incentive to or to give yourself a reason to do something, and a reason as you know, prompts you to take action. Redundancy, can be a catalyst for change, a new beginning, not just the end, and your mental attitude is the key to successfully maintaining a healthy level of motivation. Taking on board the following 3 steps will help you to stay on track:‐ Re‐build your self‐belief from the inside out • It is crucial that you believe in yourself to be motivated to achieve your goals. Be honest, do you like yourself just as you are? Are you comfortable in your own skin? • Here is a good measure of how you see yourself ‐ list your top 20 attributes, and schedule in time to regularly add to the list. This helps you to maintain a positive mental outlook.

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2015 • Record your successes in a journal or diary every day – even if only one thing or even just one aspect of something you did turned out well that day. • Read books, blogs, articles, positive quotes and listen to music that inspires and uplifts you. • Hang out with positive people, especially those who build you up. Re‐examine your schedule and set goals • Use a diary for both long and short‐term goals • Break them down into small S.M.A.R.T. steps • Structure your days by setting up a daily and a weekly schedule, this will enable you to develop a disciplined routine. • Divided your time between job‐ hunting, networking, family, friends, health, fitness and hobbies. • Rank each daily task in order of priority. Always aim to do the highest priority task first. • Use a checklist to mark off every task you complete to show your progress. • Tick off your goals as you complete them, as a visual reminder of what you have achieved, and put your list where you can see it. • Be physically active –it is one of your strongest support mechanisms in maintaining your physical and mental well‐ being in the fight to keep motivated.

Reward yourself • Always celebrate your achievements, however small –this reinforces the positive confirmation of how far you have come and it will energise you. Your rewards need not be expensive. A reward could be something simple and fun like a victory dance; perhaps a favourite treat; a phone call to a friend or even writing a blog post. The effect this will have on you is that it will spur you on to do more and achieve more. For many people once they have had time to reflect, they see their experience of Redundancy as a turning point, a character‐

building event that brought out the best in them. Others say, that the opportunity to re‐evaluate their lives was the catalyst for taking a new direction – a route that may never have crossed their path had they not encountered Redundancy. So in this brand New Year of 2015, how determined are you to maintain a positive attitude in your quest to take charge of your career after redundancy? Contact Jenni T: 07932 161 764 E:info@jenniwilliams.co.uk

Be the Change You want to Be will show you how to positively handle the life-changing, emotionally challenging experience of redundancy as you transition to something completely new. In this book you will learn the steps to take to: • Manage your emotions • Channel your focus in a positive direction • Create more clarity around what is important to you and what you want to do next • Uncover the keys to discovering the richness of your skills • Take ownership of your journey

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FREE E-Book

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2015

Daniel Sam – Up close and personal!!

Born 33 years ago to a Bajian Mother and Vincentian Father, Daniel was always interested in keeping fit. He liked a challenge and wanted to push himself to a higher standard.

icture the scene: Your New Year’s celebrations – along with the killer hangover – are fast becoming a distant memory. You grudgingly wake up each dark, wintry morning and go to work (bills have to be paid). Back to reality. As you shuffle along on the bus and tube, or wearily change gears in your car, you think about the resolutions you have made for 2015. One of them I am sure, for at least 99% of us, is to achieve optimum health by losing weight and becoming fit.

“I did some training abroad in Barbados and I always wanted to do boxing, so when I came back I decided to check out boxing in the gym. They were looking for Thai Boxers at the time and the first time in the gym I realised it was quite good, it involved punching, kicking, knees and elbows, and seemed like a much disciplined martial art; I decided to go back the following week. I got beat up pretty bad - it was a shock to the system! I thought because I was quite fit it would be a walk-over, but this was not the case. However, I went back and carried on and on. I managed to have my first fight after about a year. “

By Coral Consciouslee

Only you are no good at doing it by yourself. If only there was someone who could help and support you. Personal Trainers are so expensive......or are they?? Enter Thai Boxing Champion and Personal Trainer, Daniel Sam.

Muay Thai is a combat sport of Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This physical and mental discipline includes combat on shins; this is known as “the art of eight limbs” because it is characterized by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees, shins, being associated with a good physical preparation that makes a fullcontact fighter very efficient. Muay Thai became widespread internationally in the twentieth century, when practitioners defeated notable practitioners of other martial arts. A professional league is governed by the World Muay Thai Council.

Thai Boxing Champion - Daniel Sam

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“I realised to be serious about this I had to turn my life around, change my lifestyle and curtail my extra -curricular activities. 7 years ago, whilst working 9 to 5, a colleague I knew, who was involved with a youth project called Fight For Peace asked me if I was interested

in being a Thai Boxing Coach. I attended and spoke to the manager down there and it was then I started to do training full time. I became a professional fighter and linked that to my personal training.” Daniel’s progress has been so successful he now heads a team called “Team Daniel Sam”. “Team Daniel Sam came about because during my training, I managed to train a good group of fighters. I am pleased to say that I have produced 5 champions and one world champion. I have even had fighters come from abroad to train with me! Being a fighter is not something that one can achieve just by themselves, a lot of people are involved from training in the gym to entering the ring. It’s a team effort. It’s a family environment.” In addition to his training as a fighter, Daniel also decided to go and get his full qualification as a personal trainer. He wanted to do things properly and give others the benefit of his expertise. He also knew that to offer his services to other high-end gymnasiums, he would have to have his qualifications. The course helped his overall knowledge of how to train even better and to become more efficient in his training. Daniel was so successful that the teachers who taught him asked him to come and work with them. Starting this month, he will be working with sprinter Dwayne Chambers. “That should be good! I am trying to push and promote this method of training I believe in as much as possible. Quite a few clients are coming in because it’s January, things are building up quite rapidly.” Whilst Daniel was speaking, I calculated that though still young, he had in fact been

training and fighting for 13 years already. I asked him what his philosophy or mantra was for people like myself who didn’t exercise or hadn’t exercised in a while. “First I had to find the reason WHY I wanted to change my lifestyle, what did I need to do to find that passion and drive? Everyone needs to find a WHY that makes them get up in the morning and train even when they don’t want to”. To last beyond January, find a gym and a trainer where you enjoy training. Find a good trainer like myself that will keep giving you new goals and benchmarks.” Daniel intends to continue fighting and training in 2015 and hopes to open more gyms for his ever growing clientele. I left encouraged and inspired by the passion and drive that made an individual leave a relatively secure full time position, to embark on a venture that meant ultimately, he could only depend on himself. Having belief in oneself means that all things are possible. Guess who filled out a form there and then to start training as soon as possible?? www.danielsamfitness.com T: 07852224394

Daniel Sam’s special offer: 1 hour’s personal training and advice to one reader. Email the word: DANIEL in the subject line to: info@panacheoccasions.com to be in with a chance to win this fantastic offer. One name will be drawn on Friday 23rd January 2015 Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

JANUARY 2015

LIVING

JANUARY 2015 / Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

Living

Life faith, your race and the same or similar cultural values, narrows down the options, particularly as the black community is a minority community in Britain.”

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Christian, black, single and looking for love? Introducing

James adds: “We essentially‎ want Christian Dates4Us to be an online hub for single black and mixed race Christians here in the UK, who are looking for a relationship.”

You’re a Christian, you’re black, you’re single and you’re keen to find love. You see the same faces at church every Sunday and many of them are spoken for; your social circle is established so there are no new suitors there; and attempts from friends and family to set you up with that person who was “just right for you” have all come to nothing. What do you do next? Join Christian Dates4Us.

Though the team at Christian Dates4Us is confident about the service they provide, they recognise that online dating is somewhat of a taboo for some Christians. However, they hope their thorough understanding of the experiences of the black British Christian community will encourage single Christians to be open minded about joining Christian Dates4Us in the quest to find love.

A new and exciting arrival to the UK online dating market, Christian Dates4Us is dedicated to helping single black and mixed race Christians find love or companionship.

“We know some Christians are cautious about online dating, perhaps because they’ve never tried it before or they associate it with secularism.” James says. “We believe you can connect with like-minded people online, without losing or compromising Christian values.

Recognising the challenges that many black and mixed race Christians face trying to find a partner who shares both their faith and cultural values, Christian Dates4Us is the new online hub that enables single Christians to connect, meet and potentially find love.

“People can be placed in our lives through different means and we’re thrilled to provide this new environment in which people can connect with those they might not meet in their usual settings.

Launched in October 2014, Christian Dates4Us is the latest avenue from Dates4Us – the UK’s fastest growing online dating site for black and mixed race singles. Run by marketing executive Leon James, Christian Dates4Us acknowledges the challenges faced by many single black British Christians who are keen to find love. “We know from both research and the experiences of family and friends that finding a relationship can be challenging for Christians,” says 32-yearold James. “The desire to find a partner who shares your faith is one thing. But finding a partner who shares your

“We do hope single Christians will join Christian Dates4Us for free in a bid to find new love or companionship. A partner who shares your faith and cultural values could be just a few clicks away!” So spread the good news: Christian Dates4Us is the new way for single black Christians to seek a new relationship and it’s quite literally at your fingertips. www.ChristianDates4Us.co.uk For more information on Christian Dates4Us, email info@dates4us.co.uk

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JANUARY 2015

Living

Life

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS By: Christine Simpson

Here's your monthly list of celebrity birthdays for JANUARY and discover who shares your birthday.

16 JAN Sade - Born 16 January 1959

17 JAN Janet Kay - Born 17 January 1958

08 JAN

26 JAN

Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey - Born 8 January 1937 Jan 01 Morris Chestnut - TV Actor Jessica Jarrell - Singer Sophie Okonedo - Movie Actress Grandmaster Flash - Rapper Eddie Lacy - Football player Tank - R&B Singer Diamond White - Singer Matt Watson - American Soccer Player Jason Pierre-Paul - American Football Player Jan 02 Cuba Gooding Jr. - Movie Actor Dana Vaughns- Singer Taye Diggs - Movie Actor Sheree Whitfield - Reality Star Loic Remy - Soccer Star

Jazzie B - Born 26 January 1963

Skyy John - Web Video Star Calvin Hill - Football Player Craig Wayans - Film Producer Jan 03 Mimi Faust - Reality Star Angela Yee - Talk Show Host Kevin Ware - Basketball Player Nicole Beharie - Movie Actress Bryan Clay - Sportsperson Jan 04 Coco Jones - Movie Actor Labrinth - Songwriter Tina Knowles - Fashion Designer Al Jefferson - Basketball Player Floyd Patterson - Boxer Mike Williams - Football Player Jill Marie Jones - TV Actress

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Jan 05 Nicole Murphy - Reality Star Brooklyn Sudano - TV Actress Alvin Ailey - Dancer Ted Lange - TV Actor Hosea Williams - Civil Rights Leader Jan 06 Rayan Lopez - Rapper Mike Jones - Rapper Tiffany Pollard -TV Actress John Singleton - Film Director Jan 07 Lewis Hamilton - Race Driver Aloe Blacc - Singer Butterfly McQueen - Movie Actress Michael Sam - Football Player Zora Neale Hurston - Author

Jan 08 Dame Shirley Bassey - Singer R. Kelly - Singer Windell Middlebrooks - Actor Jan 09 Lauryn McClain - TV Actress Sean Paul - Singer / Rapper Mathew Knowles - Music Director Omari Hardwick - TV Actor Jan 10 George Foreman - Boxer Emmanuel Frimpong - Footballer Felix Trinidad - Boxer Jan 11 Lil Twist - Rapper Mary J. Blige - Singer Emile Heskey - Soccer Player Clarence Clemons - Saxophonist Rockmond Dunbar - Actor Nadia Turner - Singer Jan 12 Joe Frazier - Boxer Amerie - Singer Issa Rae - Web Video Star Axel Witsel - Soccer Player Hadley Caliman - Saxophonist Jan 13 Tayvion Power - Web Video Star Christopher Boykin - Reality star Shonda Rhimes - Screenwriter Traci Bingham - TV Actress Jan 14 LL Cool J - Rapper Carl Weathers - Movie Actor Steve Jordan - Drummer Evelyn Braxton - Reality Star Jan 15 Martin Luther King Jr. - Civil Rights Regina King - TV Actress Young Dro - Rapper Chris Warren Jr. - Movie Actor Mario Van Peebles - TV Actor Dorian Missick - TV Actor Bernard Hopkins - Boxer Jan 16 Aaliyah - Singer Roy Jones Jr. - Boxer

Richard T. Jones - TV Actor Juanita Bynum - Author

Aaron Neville - Singer Phil Lamarr - TV Actor

Jan 17 Michelle Obama - Political Wife Muhammad Ali - Boxer Steve Harvey - Comedian Ray J - Singer James Earl Jones - Movie Actor Shabba Ranks - Singer Janet Kay - Singer

Jan 25 Jordan Rizzle Stephens - Singer Eusebio - Soccer Player Robinho - Soccer Player Marcus Samuelsson - Chef

Jan 18 Samantha Mumba - Singer Estelle - Singer Mumzy Stranger - Rapper Jan 19 Shawn Wayans - Movie actor Ron Killings - Wresler Denise Boutte - TV Actress Marsha Thomason - TV Actress Jan 20 Reno Wilson - TV Actor Lead Belly - Guitarist Heather Small - Singer Jan 21 Billy Ocean - Singer Jam Master Jay - Music Producer Jan 22 DJ Jazzy Jeff - DJ Sam Cooke - Singer Marcus Canty - Singer Anais Mali - Model Jan 24 Kenya Moore - Reality Star Tatyana Ali - TV Actress

Jan 26 Christopher Massey - TV Actor Kirk Franklin - Singer Anita Baker - Anita Baker Tye Tribbett - Singer Jan 27 Vincent Herbert - Music Producer John Witherspoon - Actor Roy Fegan - Movie Actor Jan 28 Rick Ross - Rapper Jermaine Cole - Rapper Jan 29

Oprah Winfrey - TV Show Host

Harriet Tubman - Civil Rights Charlie Wilson - Singer Andrea Kelly - Reality Star Jan 30 Jody Watley - Singer Dexter Scott King - Movie Actor Jan 31

Jackie Robinson - Baseball Player Glynn Turman- Director

Mario Williams - Football Player

7 JAN

Lewis Hamilton - Born 7 January 1985

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JANUARY 2015

Living

Caribbean Property

10 tips for designing your dream home in the Caribbean By: Maureen Smith

1. Soil type on which your property is to be built should be established as early as possible, as this will affect your foundation costs. 2. You should ensure that the property is sited in accordance with boundaries to avoid breaching planning rules or encroaching on neighbouring properties. 3. Make sure that the positioning of windows, doors and verandahs allow you to enjoy the full benefit of any sea or mountain views that are available from the property. 4. The Caribbean is loved for its warm climate, but a hot and stuffy home can be most uncomfortable. Cross ventilation should therefore be considered to ensure that your home benefits from, amongst other things, cooling breezes. 5. Many Caribbean homes are open plan in design, but you should still bear in mind how the rooms in your home will flow from one to another. Furthermore, if you’re someone who likes ‘your own space’ from time to time, you may wish 22

JANUARY 2015 / Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

Maximising on view

to allocate a room that can be shut off completely to allow for this. 6. You should consider security when determining the positioning of entrances and exits in your home. 7. Avoid building extravagant and substantial homes in a neighbourhood where other properties fall short by comparison as you are likely to experience difficulties finding buyers should you decide to sell at a later date.

10. The beauty of designing your own home in the Caribbean is that you will have a say on the fixtures, fittings and finishings to suit your individual tastes and budget. Article by Maureen Smith Caribbean Property Consultant Tropical Connections

r Livin

o Outdo

8. Familiarise yourself with the materials used for building homes in the island you have selected. 9. Not all homes in the Caribbean have guttering so rainwater falls from the roof directly onto the ground close to your home, which has a tendency to leave unsightly stains at the base of your property. You may wish to include guttering in your house design to avoid this.

State of the art kitchen

A cool s leep

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JANUARY 2015

Living

Caribbean Property

White River, St Mary, Jamaica

f you like the peaceful sound of flowing water, then this exclusive home is just for you!

The lovely split level home is one of nine properties situated in a private neighbourhood, approximately 10 minutes drive from the resort town of Ocho Rios on the popular North Coast of beautiful Jamaica.

Constructed in 1997, this property is offered for sale in excellent condition, with many lovely features that include 5,500 sq. ft. of living space consisting of: Master bedroom with fully tiled en-suite bathroom with shower, Jacuzzi, double face basins and walk-in closet; three further bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms; living/dining room with high ceilings and Venetian plastered walls; a spacious and fully fitted kitchen with breakfast bar, Corian counter-tops, stainless steel cooker/oven, double fridge with ice maker, space for a breakfast table, numerous kitchen cupboards and bay windows overlooking the river; laundry room with

JANUARY 2015 / Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

washer, dryer, double sink and space for a freezer; guest room with en-suite bathroom and closet; helperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quarters comprising of separate bedroom and bathroom at northern side of the building; and a onebedroom self-contained basement apartment having income potential. Other features at the property include fitted closets in bedrooms, marble tubs and face basins in bathrooms, ceiling fans in all rooms with air conditioning in four bedrooms, porcelain tiles on main level and PVC windows. Internet and cable are also at the property.

Ref No: JAM056 Property Type: House Bedrooms: 7 Bathrooms: 7 Price: USD $675,000

There are two driveways at the property, a single This is without doubt a beautiful property in a lovely carport, a two-car garage with automatic shutter and desirable location that any owner would be door, parking for approximately eight cars and four proud to call â&#x20AC;&#x153;home sweet homeâ&#x20AC;?. dog kennels. Get in touch: The fully enclosed property sits on approximately 1/4 of an acre of landscaped grounds that include a grass area for picnics, paved patios and garden area with banana, ackee and breadfruit trees. Concrete steps lead down to the White River providing unlimited access to rafting and more.

Tropical Connections Limited Weatherill House, New South Quarter, 23 Whitestone Way, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4WF, England Telephone: 0845 222 1413 Mobile: 07506 354 902 Fax: 020 8686 6125 Skype No: 020 3287 9452 Skype: maureen.smith2004 Email: info@tropicalconnections.co.uk

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JANUARY 2015

ACHIEVE

JANUARY 2015 / Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

Achieve Celebrating Achievements AFRIMA AWARDS By Mr. Lekan Olujinmi

FRIMA 2014 unites Africa at spectacular ceremony in Lagos - https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=QRH-anxCER0

The 2014 All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, brought together some of the best talents from the five regions of the continent to the 2014 main award ceremony held on Saturday, December 27, at the Grand Ballroom, Oriental Hotel, Lagos Nigeria. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=-Kk-l-veIZQ Starting from the red carpet to the stage embellishments, Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enduring cultural

heritage and creativity were on display at the highly-anticipated awards ceremony that also welcomed guests which included African Union Commission, AUC, officials, government officials from ministries of culture, ministries of trade and industry and captains of industry across Africa. https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wcbcVa1fCE The ceremony, produced by PRM Africa, a Lagos-based PR, Brand Communication and Event Production Agency, was conceptualised around African cultural themes ranging from the rich Egyptian heritage of the Pharaoh era to the earthy depth of the artistically intricate Benin Kingdom, the folklore and oratory skills of the West Africans and the fierce power of the Zulu Kingdom. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=QYTvXhJwgAQ#t=13

African Union Commission, Mrs. Angela Martins presenting the AFRIMA Legend Award won by Fela Anikulapo Kuti to his daughter, Yeni Kuti

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JANUARY 2015

Culture

Celebrating Achievements

Cindy Munyavi from Zimbabwe

Cindy Munyavi (Zimbabwe) & Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa,

Co-host, Maryse Acotie (Togo) and AFRIMA’s host, 2face Idibia (Nigeria)

Dear Zim from Zimbabwe winner of the Best African Rock

AFRIMA 2014 opened with a dramatic appearance on stage of the 11 feet high ‘Adagbe’ drum; arguably the world’s tallest drum -rhythmically beaten by drummers on stilts while fire breathers brought a fiery glow to the performance. The capacity audience was further awed by the presence of veteran Nigerian culturist and actor, Pa Peter Fatomilola who emerged on stage to chant a litany of prayers and proverbs in Yoruba language. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=qJEYtdwaU6Y 28

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MaryseAcotie in Cleopatra outfit and 2Face dressed as Pharaoh

Nigerian Actress Cossy Orjiakor & Zimbabwe Rock star, Dear Zim

The event’s 14 ushers wore the Benin queen and Egyptian queen attires –seven apiece, while the 16-man strong security team wore the traditional regalia of Zulu warriors of South Africa to man the event venue and the red carpet area where guests were treated to assorted drinks, finger foods, photo shoots and interview sessions.

Nikki Laoye from Nigeria winner of the Best Female Artist in Inspirational Music

The costumes donned by the awards’ hosts, globally renowned African music star, 2Baba Idibia and Togo’s bilingual radio and TV personality, Marisse Akotie, remained true to the cultural concept of AFRIMA 2014. The event’s first music performance by 2Baba saw him wear the royal outfit of a Pharaoh -a ruler in ancient Egyptto perform his hit single Odi Ya to backing choreography by 54 children representing the 54 countries on the African continent. Marisse, complemented 2Baba in her

Tee Mac, Daughter of late Afro Beat Legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Yeni Kuti & Rikki Stein

Wiyaala from Ghana performing on stage

Egyptian queen outfit as she joined her co-host on stage after his performance for the formal opening of the night’s event. http://www.afrima.org/ Other sizzling performances came from top African performing artistes such as Dear Zim from Zimbabwe; Wiyaala from Ghana; Radio and Weasel from Uganda; Bez, TemiDollface, Niyola, Timi Dakolo, Oritsefemi, Davido all from Nigeria among others. Vanessa Mdee from Tanzania, winner of the Best Female Artist in East Africa

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JANUARY 2015

Culture

Celebrating Achievements

Nigeria artistes also took home the highest number of trophies, 13 in total, with O.B.O crooner, Davido, carting away four of the coveted 29.3 carat gold-plated AFRIMA trophies. 2Baba won the Best African R’n’B & Soul category endorsed by Channel O, while Afrobeat creator, late Fela Anikulapo Kuti received the AFRIMA Legend Award. The legend award was presented by the Head of Culture Division, Social Affairs Department, African Union Commission, Mrs. Angela Martins (who also represented the AUC Chairperson at the awards ceremony) and received on Fela’s behalf by his first daughter, Yeni Kuti. Some presenters of awards for night include Rikki Stein, international adviser of AFRIMA (UK), Kenny Ogungbe (Nigeria), Delani Makhalima (Zimbabwe), Peter Mscheu (Tanzania), OJB Jezreel (Nigeria), Tee Mac

2 Face, MaryseAcotie & Davido at 2014 AFRIMA

JANUARY 2015 / Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

(Nigeria), Ahmed Soultan (Morocco), Steve Ayorinde (Nigeria), Davina Green (Zimbabwe), Richmir Totah (Republic du Benin) among others. The Klub International Management Company and Panache e-Magazine would like to thank the AFRIMA team for having us as one of their media partner’s on this fantastic event/Brand . we are honoured to be linked with a Untied African Brand and prey that this leads to a platform where we learn that together we can do anything and will do great things. http://www.afrima.org/index.php/latest-news/mediapartners

2014 AFRIMA Awards Winners List Regional Categories Award

Winners

Country

Track

Best Female in Central Africa

Laurette La Perle

DR Congo

Lembo La Mboka Ame

Best Male in Central Africa

Fally Ipupa

DR Congo

Original

Best Female artist in East Africa

Vanessa Mdee

Tanzania

Cover

Best Male in East Africa

Diamond Platinumz

Tanzania

Number One

Best Female Artist in North Africa

Noura Mint Seymale

Mauritania

Tzenni

Best Male Artist in North Africa

Ahmed Soultan

Morocco

It’s Alright

Best Female in Southern Africa

Cindy Munyavi

Zimbabwe

Parere Moyo

Best Male in Southern Africa

Heavy K feat. Professor

South Africa

Beautiful War

Best Female artiste in West Africa

Angelique Kidjo

Benin

Shango Wa

Best Male Artiste in West Africa

Davido

Nigeria

Skelewu

CONTINENTAL CATEGORIES

Winners

Country

Track

Album of the Year

Olamide

Nigeria

Baddest Guy Ever Liveth

Song Writer of the Year

Olawale Ashimi (Brymo)

Nigeria

Down

Best African Group/Duo/Band

Paul and Peter Okoye (P-Square

Nigeria

Personally

Best African Collaboration

D’Banj and Friends

19 countries in Africa

Cocoa Na Chocolate

Most Promising Artist in Africa

Wiyaala

Ghana

Rock My Body

Best African Contemporary

Angelique Kidjo

Benin

Shango Wa

Best African Electro

Mi Casa

South Africa

Jika

Best African Hip Hop

Davido

Nigeria

Aiye

Best African Pop

Elani

Kenya

Kookoo

Best Afriacn Reggae, Ragga & Dancehall

Radio and Weasel

Uganda

Breath Away

Best RnB &Soul Brought To You By Channel O

2Face

Nigeria

Dance in the Rain

Best African Traditional Music

Adjiboye and Yinka Ayanda

Benin and Nigeria

Inna and Ise

Best African Rock

Dear Zim

Zimbabwe

Indiana

Best Female Artiste in Inspirational Music

Nikki Laoye

Nigeria

Only You

Best Male Artiste in Inspirational Music

Bro. Philemon feat. Morris

Ghana

It is Well

Best Video

Bez (Kemi Adetiba)

Nigeria

Say

Revelation of the African Continent

Wiyaala feat. Jupitar

Ghana

Rock My body

Song of the Year

Davido

Nigeria

Aiye

Producer of the Year

Don Jazzy and Robbie Malinga Nigeria and South & Mojalefa Thebe Africa

Artiste of the Year

Davido

Nigeria

AFRIMA Legendary Award

Fela Anikulapo Kuti

Nigeria

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Eminado and Impilo

JANUARY 2015

CULTURE

JANUARY 2015 / Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

Culture

Interview

Talking Drums By Mr. Lekan Olujinmi

he Oduduwa Talking Drummers are a multicultural troupe formed by Ayan DeFirst officially known as Ayan Ayandosu that presents the most authentic YORUBA, IBO, and HAUSA music from Nigeria, and a variety of other types of music, Culture and Heritage from other African countries such as Gambia, South Africa, Cote Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ivoire, Congo, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Kenya, Zimbabwe and many more. One of the performances that stands out for me was when Ayan De First - Oduduwa Talking Drummers opened the Nigerian Olympic village in the Theatre Royal in Stratford back in 2012. The group uses mainly Traditional musical instruments such as Talking drums ensemble which comprises of Dundun (Iya Ilu), Aguda, Omele Isaaju, Atele, Gudugudu, Djembe, Palongo, Agogo, Sekere, Coral, Tama. The Oduduwa talking drummers has two Bands. The Talking drum is a unique traditional musical instrument that mimics the voice and synthesizes languages. Yoruba is one of major Tribes in Nigeria and Talking Drum is one of their great traditional art forms, which also include door and house-post carving, terracotta works, pottery, cast bronze and Forged iron sculptures. Talking drum itself is carved from a length of hollowed-out tree trunk and takes about two to make big one (Iya Ilu) and one week for small drum (Apala /Adamo, Gangan). The rigidity of the hollowed-out tree is what

gives the instruments its unique sound characteristics. The Drum heads are made from baby goat or rams skin and are held in place by lengths of tanned antelope or old ram hide, which is particularly elastic and allows wide range of voice-like sounds to be generated. Welcome to Oduduwa Talking Drummers! Tell our international readers what keeps you inspired to continue within the entertainment business for so long Talking Drummers?. First and Foremost, the blessings from my dad to carry on drumming instead of my initial ambition to become a medical doctor or a Pharmacist. Secondly, I want to leave a legacy behind after I have died to be the first African entertainer to have achieved the unthinkable and unachievable in the Western world. Thirdly, also to inspire the young generations who have no idea of their cultural background. The passion and interest to give a well deserved recognition to the African Traditional Artistes, Talking Drums and other African musical instruments globally. As you will agree with me only a small percentage of people have respect for African musical instruments. How long have you been doing what you do & when did you start, and give us some more details of your coming event for 2015? I started drumming at the early age of five and it has not stopped, and my skills in Arts actually brought me to the England. My event Ayan De First Cultural Heritage Showcase was launched on the 23rd of August 2014 and it was stormed by the performances of the Artistes from Nigeria, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Kenya. And Ayan De First Cultural Heritage Showcase 2015 will involve international traditional Artistes from Africa, England,

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JANUARY 2015

Culture

Interview

Scotland, Romania, Spain, Trinidad & Tobago etc to showcase their Cultural Heritage. The event gives an avenue to showcase Arts & culture across the world. It will be held at high security venue in Central London which will be attended by lots of Dignitaries, Diplomatic and notable people across the world. A lot of Media will be involved and will be held in other countries like Nigeria, America & Canada.

Ayan DeFirst meets Prince Charles and Camila Parker Bowles.

Do you think that your choice of business has changed you for better or worse? Yes it has made me better with fame, recognition and achievements and I am very optimistic that the fortunes will be followed sooner. Did you have the support of your family when you said you wanted to be in the entertainment business? YES my dad actually dictated to me to be in this industry and my mum blessed me as well. What reaction do you tend to get from friends, followers or fans regarding you being the founder of Ayan De First 34

JANUARY 2015 / Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

Oduduwa Talking Drummers? Mixed reactions really as you know everybody must have enemies or haters. But the good thing is the good feelings is much more than the bad ones. Ratio 80 to 20 which is fantastic. There are some who are very jealous of my achievements, with passion, but they are a minority and they simply can't do anything about it. What do you consider are your main passions in life? To leave a legacy behind after I have passed. To give a deserved recognition to the African Traditional Artistes, Talking Drums and other African musical instruments globally. To inspire young African generations about their source and to make them realise what they have as Africans origin are as good as Gold and Silver. What advice would you give to others trying to get into the music industry? To be passionate, focused, and be good at whatever music they want to play and ready to face the challenges. Do you do much travelling and how do you manage family life and your business? It is not that easy to balance the two sometimes but I have a very understanding family who support me to bits. I do a lot of travelling all over Europe in particular. But will do much more in the years to come as I want to extend my services across the Globe. What are your plans for the New Year 2015 and beyond? To do more shows - Ayan DeFirst & Oduduwa Talking Drummers Performed at 40th Birthday in London UK - https://www.

youtube.com/watch?v=lQUtR7Jlm_o Teaching more classes Ayan DeFirst | Master Drummer of Africa @Jamaica 50 High Commission UK - https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=MxQRmUQcQ1w Do you have New Year's Resolutions for 2015 regarding your profession & other hobbies? To make Ayan De First Cultural Heritage Showcase a Global event. To extend my services to Europe more and to America, Canada, South America. To make Ayan De First school of Arts & Culture known to the audience and establish it widely. To bring young generations from African origin back to their roots.

It was truly an honour to be able to finally get to do this interview with Ayan De First Oduduwa Talking Drummers after we have been talking about doing something to profile him for so many years, like they always say â&#x20AC;&#x153;in Gods time is the right timeâ&#x20AC;?. Keep up the good work, we truly need to have you take part each year in the Notting Hill Carnival flying the flag for your majestic brothers & sisters from the African continent. http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=HN.608043 893505787729&w=300&h=300&c=0&pid=1 .9&rs=0&p=0

11. What is the one thing your life experiences have taught you while working which you would like to teach to the next generations? A lot really but I will just say to the young generation to get ready to face challenges in their career. 12. Can you make the drums you play? Yes I can, even while sleeping! I actually call myself doctor or professor of drums. 13. What did you love most about life when you were growing up? Music & football. 14. What are you hoping for in 2015 and beyond? To achieve my aims and objectives and to be globally accepted and reckoned with. 15. Describe in four words your experience of what is real love? Appreciation from my fans. Ayan DeFirst Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

JANUARY 2015

Tourism

Culture

PROUD TO SERVE NIGERIA

London

Kano Abuja Enugu Lagos Addis Ababa

BEST AIRLINE STAFF SERVICE IN AFRICA 2013

Now offering dailly flights from London Heathrow to four cities in Nigeria via our hub Addis Ababa with an award winning traditional Ethiopian hospitality, highly competitive fares and generous baggage allowance. For further information or booking conditions please call our 24/7 reservation line on 02089877000 or contact your nearest travel agent

www.ethiopianairlines.com 36

JANUARY 2015 / Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

COMPETITION

Look out for a ticket Give-A-Way in Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issue ! Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

JANUARY 2015

Culture

National Independence days 1. Republic of Cameroon January 1, 1960 Independence from France and United Kingdom. 2. Republic of the Sudan January 1, 1956 Independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom 3. Haiti January 1, 1804 Independence from France

The Klub International Management Company & Panache E-Magazine would like to wish the African & Caribbean countries featured a very Happy Independence Day this JANUARY. Please click on each flag to reveal some more information about each country.

We know you will all have many happy returns for your special days & quite rightly so. Please feel free to contact me should you wish to profile your event in this section. Lekan Olujinmi CEO E: - theklubman@ymail.com W: - www.panacheoccasions.com T: - +44 (0) 7831 128 707 38

JANUARY 2015 / Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

WINNER Best PR & Marketing EBR Award 2014

The UK’s No1 portal for the African & Caribbean community

PANACHE -M f

e agazine

WINNER

Special tribute

Best Fashion Magazine Afro Model Award 2014

Maya angelou

SunriSe april 4, 1928 – SunSet May 28, 2014 Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com / Special Tribute to MAYO ANGELOU / JUNE 2014

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JANUARY 2015

Culture

Interview

The Amazing Chevelin Pierre By: Tony Andrews

hevelin Pierre is the founder of Chevelin Illustrations, which is a Haitian art studio and comics publisher, dedicated to drawing and sequential art which is causing waves across social media at the moment. I got a chance to speak to the man himself and asked him a few questions.

I was only three years old when I started drawing and I still have some of my drawings that I did at that age. To be honest, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember exactly when I discovered my talent, but I know I was sure, I will be developing this passion. Q. Did you consider doing anything else in school? I must confess that drawing was not my first passion. My brother and I did cherish a passion for all things related to astronomy. Drawing was a tool, it helped us (my brother and I) represent the Universe as we thought it was. So, you can understand that I did not spend my entire time at school drawing. Q. What did you want to be when you grew up? The answer is obvious: Astronaut. As I said before, I really liked astronomy. I was always drawing stars, comets and anything else related to it. The stars were my entire contemplation object. As a curious boy, I wondered how the Whole Universe is. Since no one could give me any answers, I turned to my own imagination. Drawing was the best way to bring me my answers.

Chevelin Pierre founder of Chevelin Illustrations.

Thank you for allowing me to feature and promote your exceptional work in Panache E-Magazine also, thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Q. How old were you when you started drawing and when did you discover you had a talent? 40

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Q. What did you do before setting up Chevelin Illustration? Before setting up my own enterprise, I was working for an editing press as a Drawer and a Director of production. I was a freelancer too. Q. How did Chevelin Illustration get started and how did it grow? Chevelin Illustration is a product of will. I desperately wanted to bring something new to the communication field in Haiti. I, therefore, decided to create a communications services provider company. For example, Chevelin Illustration provides communication and

marketing services in fields such ads. My company also produces comics and animations products. Q. What is the main work of Chevelin Illustration? We are actually producing comics, animations (that is essentially the production part) and illustrations (services for marketing purposes). Q. Why give artwork & stories free online? Chevelin Illustration is born in Haiti, so it is known nationally. Nevertheless, it is vital for

the company to get its market place growing World Wide. The dream was not to stay only within the sole Haitian market. Giving the artwork and Stories free online constitutes a marketing plan to get known outside of the Haitian borders and access to a wider market place. Now, we have followers from the whole Caribbean and from Latin America and Europe. We are just using the media to promote our artwork. It is a time investment. Q. People love your art. What do you say to people who want to buy copies to put in Visit: www.panacheoccasions.com

JANUARY 2015

Culture

Interview

their home? We are thinking about a way to do so. It would be so expensive to print the copies here in Haiti, then to get them to those people who want them. We are in talks with different printing press in order to handle this issue. People from the Caribbean, United States of America, Canada and France will be able to order an artwork from us and can expect having it in a reasonable time and for a very low price. The shipping cost from Haiti is a disadvantage. Q. If a young person wants to be an illustrator, what advice would you give them? Being an illustrator is a very passionate perspective. According to me, that is the first condition, or requirement this person should meet. But it is not enough to be a great illustrator. You need to be opened to criticism, to other ways of thinking. That is very important for the career of an illustrator. The last requirement is humility. Do not take yourself as the summit. Drawing is a dynamic art, and accepting you can do better than today is the best attitude that will bring you to excellence. Q. What is the future of Chevelin Illustration? As I said earlier, Chevelin Illustration produces illustrations for marketing purposes. We work for a lot of companies, helping them in their promotional campaign. That is good point for us. However, we have bigger dream. We want to focus ourselves in productions such comics and animations. We want to become the Haitian comics company. Haiti has good potential and great story to be told. We want to put our talent to service of our culture. Chevelin Illustration can be the Haitian Marvel company. That is our goal and the way we see ourselves in the future. I think you will agree that Chevelin Illustrations is a name you will be hearing a lot of in the future. Just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget where you heard it first. All the best for 2015 Tony â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;urbansmashâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Andrews urbansmash@gmail.com 42

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JANUARY 2015

Culture

Events

Pily’s PEOPLE & PLACES By Pily Mirazi

ily Mirazi was elected as executive member of the Branch Executive Committee of the African National Congress – UK who commit to working tirelessly for the members and supporters of the ANC in the UK, and to ensure that it is formally constituted by dignified leadership that uphold the reputation and values and the founding principles of the ANC, as well as promote the legacy of the ANC.

The newly elected Branch Executive Committee members of the ANC UK – listed below. (Standing from left): Cde Khulani Sithole Treasurer; Cde Khawuleza Mnqanqeni – Deputy Secretary, Cde Zinhle Mlambo – Additional Member; Cde Mohau Segole– Additional Member; Cde Bongiwe Pakkies – Additional Member; Cde Nduna Biyase – Additional Member; Cde Pily Mirazi – Additional Member and Cde Thandile Nombeko - Secretary. (Seated): Cde Ramadimetje Mashigo-Chigwende – Deputy Chairperson and Cde Jabu Sibeko - Chairperson

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Pily Mirazi visited a beautiful small country near South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lesotho who hosted an amazing beer festival in Koma Caves. An amazing experience with SA Divas

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JANUARY 2015

Culture