La Sape: "I could buy a piece of land
but bought a pair of shoes"
The swagger of life
from the hospital ward
St Vincent's
La Sape:
you
are alive
you
matter
Raiding from the fashionistas:
a Cuban hat
lime green socks
sunglasses
a walking stick
Marvel pyjamas
red-suited PJ's
crescent moons, monkeys
and crucifixes
the sharpest hair
the best set of shoes
A smile playful,
cheeky, dressing
up, being
alive, putting
his best foot
forward
rollerskates?
ReplyDeleteOr a motor scooter?
DeleteI want the book!
ReplyDeleteJames, there's some fascinating stories about La Sape - a really intriguing movement.
DeleteI am ignorant of this movement. What is it please?
DeleteRob, TBH I didn't know about it till I was at an exhibition launch last week. It comes from the acronym - "for the Society for the Advancement of People of Elegance" and is very active in the Congo (amongst other places). Basically it's a sub-cultural movement of sapeurs who spend the little income they have in dressing up in elegant designer attire - as a way of rising above very harsh realities of upheaval from decades of civil war, oppression etc. It's got lots of political and poetic sides to it. It's essentially the Congolese version of joie de vivre.
Delete