humorgrafe

O Akadémicos, suplemento produzido para o Jornal de Leiria por estudantes de Comunicação Social, insere uma entrevista com Zé Oliveira nas páginas 6 e 7 da última edição.

First Prize / Premier Prix Aristides Esteban Hernandez Guerrero Ares, Cuba

Por: Osvaldo Macedo de Sousa

(Encontrei este texto antigo, e apesar de ter sido deslocado do seu contexto, acho que pode ser eventualmente interessante...)

O que distingue o Zé Povinho de Raphael Bordallo Pinheiro, de outros ícones satíricos criados por artistas de outros países, é que eles criaram um símbolo da nação, do império e é nesse contexto que devemos ver o John Bull, o Tio Sam, o Urso russo. Raphael criou um símbolo do povo, entronizando-o ironicamente como soberano. É o liberalismo, e republicanismo como utopia em que o estado deveria ser o povo. Os outros criaram símbolos heróicos, enquanto nós fizemos triunfar um anti-heroi.
O Zé povinho, como já vários historiadores fizeram notar, nem sequer tem direito a um nome de gente, mas um diminutivo. e Não é povo, antes povinho, um candidato, alguém que eventualmente crescerá e impor-se-á como povo.
O que se passa, passado um século é a mesma ambição, ou seja o povo continua a ser Zé, Zé Maria, Zé Cabra... continua a viver o sonho de ser povo, de ser português, de ser europeu...
O mais trágico, é que enquanto os outros ícones satíricos perderam força com a história, transformando-se com novas roupagens de modernidade, o nosso Zé manteve-se enquistado no tempo, na mediocridade, razão pela qual permanece actual, e os caricaturistas continuam a utiliza-lo com todo o êxito que teve desde as suas origens.
O mais grave é que hoje ele não é um ícone, mas antes um logótipo do nosso país. Ele manteve-se no tempo. As técnicas de comunicação, os conceitos evoluíram, e o símbolo de um projecto sociológico, transformou-se em imagem global de um país. Apresentamo-nos como anti-herois, num anti-país em anti-progresso.
Se o "boneco "Zé Povinho" como logótipo mantém-se vivo e actuante, paralelamente outros artistas procuraram criar os seus anti-herois satíricos, como forma de expressarem a sua ironia, a sua sátira de cunho fadístico e deprimente. Os novos zé povinhos do fim do século XX e do séc. XXI, se já não andam de albarda, se já não sonham com a revolta, com o derrube do regimem, permanencem com a bonomia do burro saloio: teimoso, persistente, e trabalhador. Se Raphael era senhor absoluto da filosofia satírico política, hoje esse papel não é do autor mas dos seus anti-herois.
É a esperteza saloia transformada em filosofia. Hoje os novos anti-herois, começando no Guarda Ricardo, passando pelo Cicatrizante, Cão Traste, Bronkas, Bartoon, Barba e Cabelo, Diogenes, Portugal pr'a frente... são filósofos do quotidiano, que numa visão desconstrutiva da monotonia, nos dão uma "outra perspectiva" da vida, nos obrigam a passar para o outro lado do espelho, e confrontar-nos com a nosso modorra, com a nossa passividade, com o nosso conformismo de povo logotipizado em "Zé povinho". E com um esgar de sorriso, sobrevivemos ironicamente.

"Posso apalpar um pouco a senhora?". O primeiro-ministro italiano Silvio Berlusconi é acusado de assédio a uma assessora, durante uma visita a Abruzzo, área atingida pelos terramotos, a 25 de Abril. As imagens foram gravadas por uma televisão local:

http://aeiou.expresso.pt/a-virilidade-mediatica-de-berlusconi=f513265

It's a great honor to me to send you Pharaohs Magazine (Published in Cairo by FECO group Egypt) Issue# 072 I hope that you enjoy it, and welcome for any Material (Cartoons - Caricatures - Articles - News) to be Published in our Magazine.You can click on this link to download this Issue:

or New site for Pharaohs Magazine:

then enter in Pharos Magazine, you will find the new issue (72) from the magazine Pharaohs (PDF), also, the previous issues.wait next issue (73) soonNote: Please Don't reply on this E-mail addressI hope you like it, and I'll wait for your opinion.Sincerely,Ismail, M. EFFATPresident FECO of EGYPT (Federation of Cartoonists Organizations) Free-Lanser CartoonistCorrespondent of WittyWorld Int. Magazine PS. welcome to visit my web site:

www.effatcartoon.com (under construction)

Previsões da Comissão Europeia apontam para uma prolongada recessão, a pior dos últimos 60 anos: http://aeiou.expresso.pt/horizonte-pantanoso-para-a-economia=f512637

Carlos Pessoa no PÚBLICO online sobre Vasco Granja
Vasco Granja, divulgador de banda desenhada e do cinema de animação em Portugal, morreu esta madrugada em Cascais. Tinha 83 anos.
Autodidacta e com múltiplos interesses culturais ao longo da sua vida, Vasco Granja nasceu em Campo de Ourique (Lisboa) a 10 de Julho de 1925. Começou a trabalhar, ainda muito novo, nos antigos Grandes Armazéns do Chiado, e depois ao balcão da Tabacaria Travassos, na baixa lisboeta, que consideraria, anos mais tarde, a sua universidade. O seu interesse pelo cinema surge na adolescência e aos 16 anos chegaria a ser admitido como segundo assistente de fotografia no filme “A Noiva do Brasli”, de Santos Neves.
No início da década de 50 envolve-se no movimento cineclubista, tendo desempenhado funções directivas no Cine-Clube Imagem. Granja foi preso pela primeira vez pela polícia política do Estado Novo em Novembro de 1954, quando militava clandestinamente no PCP. Esteve preso sem julgamento seis meses e quando foi libertado voltou às suas actividades cineclubísticas e à divulgação cultural na imprensa. Datam de 1958 os seus primeiros artigos sobre o cinema de animação, nomeadamente na sequência da descoberta dos filmes experimentais do canadiano Norman McLaren.
No início da década de 60 arranja trabalho na Livraria Bertrand, onde se manteve até à reforma.É preso de novo em 1963, julgado e condenado a 18 meses de prisão. Quando foi libertado, em 1965, Vasco Granja retoma a sua actividade cultural, com artigos nos “media” sobre cinema e literatura.O seu nome é habitualmente associado à divulgação da banda desenhada em Portugal. O termo “banda desenhada” é, aliás, utilizado pela primeira vez por Granja num artigo publicado pelo “Diário Popular” em 19 de Novembro de 1966.
Integra a equipa fundadora da revista francesa de crítica e ensaio de banda desenhada “Phénix”, nos anos 60 e participa regularmente no Salone Internazionale dei Comics, em Lucca (Itália), o mais importante encontro do género nos anos 70.
Em Portugal, a sua actividade de divulgação da banda desenhada intensifica-se a partir do aparecimento da edição portuguesa da revista “Tintin”, em Junho de 1968, onde escrevia e traduzia artigo, além de ter a responsabilidade da secção de cartas aos leitores. Foi director da segunda série da revista “Spirou” (edição portuguesa) e coordenador da edição de banda desenhada da Bertrand. Animou o “Quadrinhos”, um dos primeiros fanzines surgidos em Portugal, em 1972. Esteve ligado à fundação da primeira livraria especializada de BD em Lisboa, O Mundo da Banda Desenhada, em 1978.
Em 1974 e 1975 integra o júri do Salão Internacional de BD de Angoulême. Depois de 25 de Abril de 1974, Vasco Granja mantém um programa regular sobre cinema de animação na RTP, que teve mais de 1000 emissões e divulgou sistematicamente as grandes escolas internacionais do género. Estava reformado desde 1990.

1- What do you know about the history of humor in your country?It has been there for ages, as we have the rock drawings, so it was there before us.Seems to be the oldest rock Art of all.

2- Has it ancestral roots or is it just a contemporary formula of European importation of facing reality? It has ancestral root, may be when it comes to tools are European Importation. The ideas remain African.

3- Are there many cartoonists in your country? YES
If yes, what are their names?
Ali Masoud ‘KIPANYA”, King Kinya,Fred Halla, Chris Shola, Abdallah Masoud, Popa Matumula, Mussa Ngarango, Haji abeid, Noah Yongolo, Cloudy Chatanda, James Gayo, Danniel Mzena, Fadhil Mohamed, Adam Lutta, Abdul King O, Francis Bonda, Oscar Makoye, Sammi Mwamkinga, Nassoro Mjusi, Robert Mwampembwa, Ibra Washokera, Sagawala, David Chikoko, Ms. Zaituni Sayeedea, Simon Regis, Ahmed Viriyala, Supa Deo, Chris Katembo
Do you have their contacts?YES

4- Are there any Humor Festivals in your country?NO

5- Is there any specialized humoristic press in your country? YES
If yes, whar rae the names of the newspapers? SANI, Is the other press publishing cartoons?ALMOST EVERY NEWSPAPER

6- Why did you decide to dedicate yourself to this art? PASSION AND WAY OF COMMUNICATING MY IDEA

7- Who are your local masters? ALI MASOUD ‘KIPANYA’(www.kipanya.co.tz)
Which are your international references?The late MacNeil

8- Do you think that in your graphic style there is a special African influence? A LOT
9- Can African Culture influence your way of creating humor? VERY MUCH AS WE TRANSFORM OUR WAY OF LIFE TO LAUGH AND JOKE ABOUT AUTHORITY

10- What is your definition of humor? COMMUNICATING THROUGH SATIRICAL APROACH
Which is the role of cartoon in the contemporary society?IT HELPS ON TRANSFORMING OUR COMMUNITY POLITICALLY, SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY AND CULTURALLY.
11- Do you think that your political opinions influence your cartoons? YES

12- How does your country see graphic humor? AS TOOL OF COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT

13- How do the politicians react? THEY DON’T LIKE TO BE DRAWN, HOWEVER SOME ENJOYS.
Is there any official censorship? YES, FROM GOVERNMENT THROUGH EDITORS
Are there any governmental or private persecutions? YES, SOMETIMES

14- Further to political problems, are there any ethnic, religious or social problems for that censorship? RELIGIOUS YES,

15- Are the ethnic issues an obstacle for a democratic laugh? NOT REALLY
And what about the religious ones? DEPENDS ON THE ANGLE.

16- Have you ever been persecuted or went to prison? NOT YET

17- Do you believe that humor can help with the democratization of the world? IT DOES

18- What do you think about the relationship between Africa and Europe? ONE SIDED, WHERE AFRICA THINK IT NEEDS HELP FROM WEST, WHILE WEST SEE THE POTENTIAL THAT AFRICA HAS FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT, IT’S A CONFUSION TO ME.
North and South? SOUTH ARE DEPENDANTS

19- Can humor be a helpful instrument in that relationship?YES, WE DID A LOT, BUT DEPENDS ON THE PARTICULAR COUNTRY AS NOT ALL COUNTRIES LIKE HUMOR.
An instrument to allow us to know better each one of us? YES
Or do you believe that it should be done in more serious ways, through other forms of art? IT WORKS ON ITS OWN HOWEVER OTHER ARTFORMS CAN STILL WORK ON THEIR DIRECTION.

20- If you succeed to laugh with everybody, can Peace be an universal reality? NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.IF THE WORLD COULD LAUGH AT ONCE, WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE AT LEAST.

Name: Fred Halla
Birth Date: 22nd May 1975
Place of Birth: Songea
Nationality: Tanzanian
Sex: Male
Marital Status: Single
Language: Fluent in Kiswahili and English
Profession: Visual Artist
Computer Literacy: Introduction to PC and Windows software applications
Contacts: P.O Box 5260, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Tel: +255 754 263 810,
Email: fredhalla@yahoo.com
Websites: www.artshost.org/rafiki
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2002 -2005 Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts at the University of Dar es Salaam
1996- 1998 Advanced Level education at Jitegemee High School in Dar es Salaam.
COURSES/ TRAINING.
2001 Illustration course by Children’s Book Project for Tanzania
1999 Book Illustration Course by Ministry of Education and Culture in collaboration with SIDA.
WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS ATTENDED
2008 Ngoma International Artists workshops in Uganda
2007 Rafiki Regional Workshop in Dare s salaam
2004 Illustrators Workshop organized by The British Council - Dar es Salaam.
2004 Website Designing Workshop organized Rafiki Art Trust in Dar es Salaam
2002 Advanced Cartoonists Workshop organized by The British Council
Dar es Salaam.
2001 Workshop on Primary Education Development Program (PEDP), awareness creation and development of Information, Education and Communication Material (IEC) organized by Ministry of Education and Culture.
EXPERIENCE
2005 to date Chairperson Rafiki Art Trust
2004 Coordinator for Regional Mural Painting Workshop by Rafiki Art Trust.
2001 Displaying designer for Embassy of Japan exhibition “East African Leading Cartoonists”.
EXHIBITIONS
2008 Group exhibition on the South African Heritage Cultural Week in Tanzania at Alliance
2007 Group exhibition at British Council Tanzania
2007 Group exhibition at Nyumba ya Sanaa by Rafiki Art Trust
2003 Online exhibition on “Romanian Great Comedian, Writer, Poetry” (Calgiale Caricatures) organized by Eastern Europe Cartoonists Rights Network.
2003 On line exhibition ‘bongotoons website’ at Virtual Museum of Contemporary African Art in Netherlands organized by Africaserver Foundation in Netherlands. (www.vmcaa.nl/bongotoons).
2002 On line exhibition on “XXI Century Great Personalities” in Romania organized by Eastern Europe Cartoonists Right Network.
2002- World Press Freedom Day (Open air exhibition) organized by Popular Association of Cartoonists in Tanzania.
2002- Public exhibition on National Census awareness (an open air) organized by Popular Association for Cartoonists in Tanzania.
2001- “Election 2000” at Nyumba ya Sanaa organized by Wasanii Art Gallery.
2000- East African Leading Cartoonists (WITTY BLACK LINES) held in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, organized by Embassy of Japan.
2000- Water color Paintings at the embassy of Finland organized by Fine Artist Association of Tanzania (FAAT).
AWARDS:
2008: The Winner of International Young Visual Arts Entrepreneur Award 2008 (IYVAE 08) in Tanzania.

Q: What do you know about the history of humor in your country?
A: Unfortunately, it’s something very difficult to get history of humor in Tanzania. It seems there is no any official writing on the subject but, according to hearsay, humor has been here since time immemorial. Generations to generations used to joke from each other. It’s something from ancestors. Though, may be, it was not in a form of cartoons.
Q: Has it ancestral roots or is it just a contemporary formula of European importation of facing reality?
A: Humor has ancestral roots but because of cultural mingling in these Globalisation era there is also some, as you put in, a contemporary formula of European importation of facing reality.
Q: Are there many cartoonists in your country? If yes, what are their names? Do you have their contacts?
A: Yes, there are many cartoonists in my country…I think I will communicate with some of them to ask for possibility for them to allow me to send their contacts to you.
Q: Are there any Humor Festivals in your country?
A: As far as I know, there is no such an event here.
Q: Is there any specialized humoristic press in your country? If yes, what are the names of the newspapers? Is the other press publishing cartoons?
A: We had three or four weekly humoristic tabloids here in Tanzania but, unfortunately, all of them have ceased publication. Personally, I run one of those publications, named Macho (Swahili word for eyes). This tabloid was published weekly (in 2003) by my small firm, Kamtu Ltd. We ceased publication, mostly, because we ran out of funds before a paper has managed to establish itself to many readers. Even today, some readers continue to ask us when we will restart publication. On the other press publishing cartoons. Yes, they publish. For example, we have about 15 daily papers here (including two evening published tabloids) and, almost, all of them use cartoons, from editorial cartoons to comic strips, comic stories…you name it, (Mind you, that’s not including weekly tabloids! Which are too many to compare with the daily papers. )
Q: Why did you decide to dedicate yourself to this art?
A: Cartooning has been just like my loudspeaker to air my views to my people, the world and especially decision makers. I think it was that truth that led me to dedicate myself in the field.
Q: Who are your local masters? Which are your international references?
A: My local masters were Christian Gregory and Phillip Ndunguru. Those two gifted cartoonists are now dead. Internationally, there are many cartoonists whom I admire their work but the late American cartoonist Jeff MacNelly was my most favorite.
Q: Do you think that in your graphic style there is a special African influence?
A: Yes.
Q: Can African Culture influence your way of creating humor?
A: Yes, very much! Especially when I draw cartoons about African affairs.
Q: What is your definition of humor? Which is the role of cartoon in the contemporary society?
A: Anything that can make people amuse, especially in a positive way. I think cartoon play a big role in the contemporary society. For instance many institutions use this medium on their campaigns nowadays.
Q: Do you think that your political opinions influence your cartoons?
A: In Many cases the answer is yes but in some cases I face the challenge to draw cartoons according to what a paper policy want and sometime I draw according to mainstream views.
Q: How does your country see graphic humor?
A: People (readers) appreciate them. Some enthusiasts send emails, smses, and calls to cartoonists or even letters to the paper editors to say their appreciations.
Q: How do the politicians react? Is there any official censorship? Are there any governmental or private persecutions?
A: Tanzania was a single-party nation but after the collapse of eastern bloc, some changes occurred here too. One of the changes was the establishment of the private owned media. So many papers have started then and the use of editorial cartoons also started at that time. I was the first cartoonist to draw cartoons that challenged the system through the then bi-weekly tabloid, Fahari in 1989. So you can see editorial cartoon is still a new phenomenon here, as a result some politicians don’t like them especially when cartoon has a negative opinion against them. But they are happy when cartoon has a positive opinion about them or has a negative opinion about their opponents. What hypocrisy! We have a government department dealing with media. It is this department that acting as the official censor. On persecutions, No. There is no persecution against any cartoonist.
Q: Further to political problems, are there any ethnic, religious or social problems for that censorship?
A: As cartoonists, we didn’t face those problems yet. We have tried to know and respect our guidelines!
Q: Are the ethnic issues an obstacle for a democratic laugh? And what about the religious ones?
A: Of course, there are ethnic issues that are obstacle for a democratic laugh. As you know, there is sensitivity in religious issues. Remember the issue of Danish cartoons. It’s the same here. You can’t draw everything you think about! You will have to rethink twice and then I think you will decide ‘No. This is not right to draw it will cause misunderstanding to the society!’ But if you will decide to draw that kind of cartoon, well, editors will block it!
Q: Have you ever been persecuted or went to prison?
A: No.
Q: Do you believe that humor can help with the democratization of the world?
A: Yes, I believe so!
Q: What do you think about the relationship between Africa and Europe? North and South?
A: In some cases, I think there is seriousness. In some cases, I think there is hypocrisy.
Q: Can humor be a helpful instrument in that relationship? An instrument to allow us to know better each one of us? Or do you believe that it should be done in more serious ways, through other forms of art?
A: Somehow it can be a helpful instrument. But still it depends on response you get from your targets. It is the response that can put you in a position to know if you are on the right track or it should be done in more serious ways or through other forms of art.
Q: If you succeed to laugh with everybody, can Peace be a universal reality?
A: If there is no hypocrisy at all, yes, Peace can be a universal reality.

ABOUT POPA
Cartoonist and illustrator, Popa Matumula, was born on Wednesday, June 25th, 1969 in Kilwa, Lindi region in Tanzania. After completion of his secondary (Technical) education in 1987, he started his career as a freelance book illustrator and a cartoonist for a local comic magazine and newspapers.
Popa, also known as Kamtu, after his creation of a famous local cartoon character, Kamtu, has been in this field since then.
The cartoonist, who was the first in Tanzania to draw editorial cartoons that challenged the system under the then one-party political system through bi-weekly political tabloid, Fahari, in late 80s, has contributed his cartoon services for almost all leading newspapers in Tanzania. Among them are Sunday News, Majira, Mtanzania, The African, The Citizen, Business Times, Uhuru/Mzalendo and in the two weekly comic (& satire) tabloids, Sanifu (where he was among the key founders) and a short-lived Macho, the tabloid that was published by his own firm, Kamtu Ltd.
Also his cartoons have published in a number of publications abroad. Publications such as New African (UK), Newsweek (Korea edition), Los Angeles Times, The Post Star, Highsmith (US), KOSA Report, eins Entwicklungspolitik (Germany), Farafina (Nigeria)…
His cartoons, also, have exhibited in various exhibitions, those including Political Cartoons & Caricatures in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda), Volkerkundemuseum Frankfurt (Germany), 2000 Political Elections in Tanzania, 2001 Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), 2002 & 2003 Press Freedom Day, Malaga University (Spain), 2007 & 2008 World Press Cartoon (Portugal), 2007 London School of Economics and Political Science (UK)
In 2001, he was one of the winners (Honorary mentioned) of the UN editorial cartoons competition- United Nations Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Award.
In 2007, he was the winner of Tanzania’s The Edward Moringe Sokoine Journalism Award (in cartoon category).
Hail from Morogoro, Popa, who does not take meat or smoke, believes that his editorial cartoons are his loudspeaker to express his views to the World.
He humiliates with the truth that only 20% of the World population benefit from 80% of the World’s wealth while 80% of the population scramble for remaining 20% of the wealth.
He resides in Dar Es Salaam.

www.tnayer.blogspot.com
1-What do you know about the history of humor in your country?
I wrote an article about Sudanese cartoon published in “Cartoon World” book by Bayram Hadjizadah- Azerbaijan (2009). Its title is (History and Present-day of Sudan Cartoon) and I hope it become helpful for your research.
(History and Present-day of Sudan Cartoon)
by Talal Nayer
Sudanese cartoon now is comparatively modern. Sudan knew this art since 1821 when The Turkish army occupied the country. They brought with them the stories and tales of The Near East, charters of these stories and tales speared widely, among these characters was "Juhah". Many countries have similar charters, for example in Iran and Azerbaijan we find "Molla Nasreddin", in Turkey we find Naserddin Khodja.
The stories and jokes of these characters spread widely among poor people in the towns and villages, generations pass them to generations. After occupation of Sudan by Britain and Egypt in 1898 Sudanese newspapers like Alsudan Alhadeeh, Alhadara, Alfajar published cartoons from English and Egyptian newspapers especially from The English Magazine "Punch", but at that time there was no Sudanese cartoonist.
The first cartoonist "Ezzaddin Osman (1933-2008) started his work in 1959 in "Alakhbar" newspaper, and then he transferred to "Alray Alaam","Alayam" and "Alsahafa" newspapers.
In the early of 1980`s " Ezzaddin " had been banished to Emirates for ten years because one of his cartoons against the Minster of transports in the government of the ex-president Gafer Nounery .When he returned back to Sudan in 1986 he continued his work with "Al telegram" ,Nabbed Alkarikaeer" and "Alsharie Alsyasi" newspapers . He retired and stopped his drawing cartoons in 2005.
“Ezzaddin Osman had a great influence on the Sudanese politics and society. He had a great ability in creating public opinion. Ismail Alazahari the first Sudanese Prime Minster after Independence in 1956 was accustomed to start his day by reviewing Ezzaddin Osman’s cartoons.
His cartoons discussed in markets, streets and offices, some of his works became famous jokes in Sudan told even today.
Cartoon art in Sudan reached its climax point in 1994 when "Nabbed Alkarikaeer" or "Cartoon Pulse" the first Sudanese cartoon newspaper. After that many cartoon newspapers published like "Alawail", "Alam Alazkeya", "Donya Alkarikaeer" and Alam Alcomdia".
All these specialist newspapers supposed to be a strong base for this art nourishment, but unfortunately most of them stopped publication, now there is only "Nabedd Alkarikaeer" and "Alawail" are published.
Nabbed Alkarikaeer in 1995 was the first Sudanese newspaper in distribution it exceeded all newspapers even the political one and there are more than 14 cartoonists. Now it has only two cartoonists, the space of cartoons is decreased too much; most cartoonists stopped working in newspapers because of poor salaries paid for them.
In Sudan now is about 35 daily newspapers, cartoonists work within their staff is only eight, four of them work in political newspapers.
This situation resulted from the fact that publishers do not allow cartoonists to publish their works especially the beginners. Even mature and experienced cartoonists have no chance to publish their works and their salaries are very poor. One of the problems of cartoon art in Sudan is security censorship which removes any work critiques political, social and economical situation.
Another problem, Sudanese cartoonist has no any organization to protect them and to improve this art. All efforts to improve this art in Sudan are individual; the state does not give any attention for cartoon art in Sudan .
The future of cartoon in Sudan is in danger, the number of cartoonist is continuously reduced, few of them take cartoon as a basic job, and most of them have other jobs.
Future will witness no cartoons on the Sudanese newspapers .Ezzaddin Osman had planted the first seed of cartoon art in Sudan, but this tree will die if no one takes care of it.
2- Has it ancestral roots or is it just a contemporary formula of European importation of facing reality?
In Sudan we no effect of Europe in our local cartoon, at least until the past 10 years. Sudan is relatively new country, until 1821 there is no united country called ( Sudan ). There are more than 596 tribe divided into many ethnic and cultural groups, and every group have its local humor stories and heroes, but there is no one super humor hero selected by all Sudanese.
In 1821 The Turkish army occupied the country and they brought with them the stories of "Juhah" from The Near East.
But the first (Local Humor Super Stars) was Wadd Naffash how was a real personality lived in Umm Dorman City, and the most famous cartoon character is (Ammak Tanngo) or (Uncle Tanngo) which appeared in Alsubbiyan magazine since 1946.
3- Are there many cartoonists in your country? If yes, what are their names? Do you have their contacts?
There are few cartoonists and most of them are not professional. I
4- Are there any Humor Festivals in your country?
No there are not at all!
5- Is there any specialized humoristic press in your country? If yes, what are the names of the newspapers? Is the other press publishing cartoons?
Yes, now there are only two newspapers: "Nabedd Alkarikaeer" and "Alawail" are specialized humoristic press, the space of cartoons is decreased too much; most cartoonists stopped working in newspapers because of poor salaries paid for them. Besides that the quality of these cartoons decreased so much.
In Sudan now is about 35 newspapers, cartoonists work within their staff is only eight, four of them work in political newspapers. There is only one Sudanese comics magazine called (Semesma)
6- Why did you decide to dedicate yourself to this art?
I believe that any caricaturist should carry clear message of awareness , this awareness maybe take a political form in most cases, this may not satisfy some who are trying to avoid politics. I have way in caricature which I called (theory of the tree) and it can be explained as follows:
If you see that a tree has damages and you want to uproot it, you will not only wipe its trunk and remove some leaves from dry branch, but you must focus on the original and uproot it from the roots at all.
I believe that the politicians are scourge of Sudan ; every problem its origin a political problem such as poverty, unemployment, spinsterhood and crisis of the sport, I can prove that if in some respects, not all of them. Therefore, I focus on the direct political issues unlike some colleagues who mock the details of daily small suffering such as the provision of food, the problem of transportation and the money. But when I collected all these details, I discovered that it forms a single word with clear and large letters is (corruption)!
I am working on the criticism and revealing the main causes of our suffering and not the side effects, I think that any caricature as (direct free-kick)!
I consider cartoon is my way to clear my visions and my weapon which I use to fight corruption.
7- Who are your local masters?
Which are your international references?
Personally, I don't have a local master, but most of Sudanese cartoonists flow the cartoon style of the most famous cartoonist in Sudan (Ezzaddin Osman). My international cartoon reference is (Ares) from Cuba .
8- Do you think that in your graphic style there is a special African influence?
Yes I guess so, and this appears so clear on my subjects and shapes and faces which all show our local issues.
9- Can African Culture influence your way of creating humor?
You can not say this absolutely and all the way because the humor in North Africa (Arab countries) is so much different than South. In Sudan we effected with many different cultural waves, so Sudan is special case and this influence is personally and different from artist to anther. In simple words I can divide the main cultural influences in Sudan to: (Islamism Arabism movement, Africanizing movement, and at last the European culture). Sudan is in the cross section of Africa and Asia and so many cultures so judgment is so personally and relatively.
The African culture appears its strong effect very well in the countries of South of Sahara.
10- What is your definition of humor? Which is the role of cartoon in the contemporary society?
- I think the caricaturist must provide political and social awareness through his work, because the hand which holding pen is one, but it must express issues of thousands and millions of the oppressed and the marginalized. Caricaturist must not paint to his personal glory, also caricaturist should not consider himself as government-employee to fill in white rectangular area in a page, and also he must not make himself joke to entertain some readers. Here I mean who working in the political press only, where some of people make caricature is synonym for jesting. When I meet some people and they know that I'm caricaturist, they expect me to tell jokes, but I'm not clown to draw jokes for readers, I raised the slogan of (the time of laughter is over).
We laughed at our pain and our tragedies enough time, but the wiping on wounds doesn't cure it and analgesics do not treat the cancer. I know that my speech quite rough, but the truth is more severe than that.
I don’t know how person can laugh amid all these tragedies and smile amid these tears and bloods. I think that joking in this critical time considered misleading for minds and unreasonable vanity in the time of seriousness!
11- Do you think that your political opinions influence your cartoons?
Yes I think my political opinions and visions is my first and biggest inspire of me, I am a communist and I do most my cartoons about the social equality, fighting poverty and corruption, capitalism, imperialism, militarism, hunger, sickness, racism and calling for Socialism and human rights and democracy.
12- How does your country see graphic humor?
The majority of Sudanese governments want the people to believe that cartoons mean telling jokes and this is absolutely wrong, the politicians and the military dictatorship governments curb the rule of cartoon art in telling jokes and used the cartoonists as a tools to mislead the public opinion and to fool the Streetman.
13- How do the politicians react? Is there any official censorship? Are there any governmental or private persecutions?
Most of politicians in Sudan don't like the cartoonists and they make many problems with them. I faced in May 2008 a big problem with ex-Prime Minster of Sudan (Alsadeg Almahdi) because one of my cartoons.
Yes, one of the problems of cartoon art in Sudan is security censorship which removes any work criticize political, social and economical situation. The official censorship done by The Security system officers, they come at night to every newspaper and remove any cartoon they don't like, some times this thing becomes so random. Dealing with the security censorship became a part my daily work. To avoid problems with security censorship some times I didn't draw about the subjects they did not want me to say my opinion about it, so with time I made personal censorship on myself and became involuntarily a part of this censorship and that is the worst thing can ever happed, but no this is a living reality.
14- Further to political problems, are there any ethnic, religious or social problems for that censorship?
In Sudan you can not criticize the political leadership, the presidency, corruption. Beside that you can not criticize religious leadership or religious at all.
15- Are the ethnic issues an obstacle for a democratic laugh? What about the religious ones?
In Sudan the ethnic issues and religion is a big taboo and most of cartoonist don't even think to talk about this, ever at all.
16- Have you ever been persecuted or went to prison?
No
17- Do you believe that humor can help with the democratization of the world?
I think cartoon is one of most powerful opinion tools and we should use it to show our readers and people the real vales of democracy, equality, peace and human rights.
The cartoonist should have enough awareness to help make our world a better place to live in.
18- What do you think about the relationship between Africa and Europe ? North and South?
I think there is so many misunderstanding things between North and South, The imperialism made a bad history still presents now in our life. The ages of slavery and European occupation of African, Asia and Latino America confessed both the new generations of North and South.
I guess we can not change the past but we can make the future, so we have to respect each other and work together to build a new peaceful world.
19-Can humor be a helpful instrument in that relationship? An instrument to allow us to know better each one of us? Or do you believe that it should be done in more serious ways, through other forms of art?
The cartoon art can play an important rule and fix and correct the form of relationships between North and South because the art that I conceder it a cross road of many kinds of arts like plastic art, photography, cinema…etc , I think we can make the things better with serious ways and support democracy and human rights.
20- If you succeed to laugh with everybody, can Peace be a universal reality?I believe in the global peace and I work so hard to make the future better for our next generations, I know may be I can not watch when the universal become a living reality but the dreams of today will be the reality of tomorrow, we have make the best of our ability to make this dream get closer and more achievable and possible for our unborn kids.

Examples:

Reporters sans frontières et le Cartoonists Rights Network dénoncent la condamnation à un mois de prison du caricaturiste Chit Swe (Myamar – Birmania)
Chit Swe, caricaturiste de presse et militant de la Ligue nationale pour la démocratie (LND), a été condamné, le 3 août 2005, à un mois ferme d’emprisonnement et six mois avec sursis d’emprisonnement par une cour de Rangoon.

Ali Dilem (Algerie) - La cour d’appel d’Alger condamnait ( le 11 février) le caricaturiste Ali Dilem à une année de prison ferme et 50 000 dinars (550 euros) d’amende pour une dizaine de caricatures… du président Abdelaziz Bouteflika, parues en 2003 dans le quotidien Liberté. Ali Dilem, fameux caricaturiste cumulait alors, soulignait l’organisation Reporters sans frontières, « toutes peines confondues plus de neuf ans de prison », en notant que « la susceptibilité du président Abdelaziz Bouteflika n’a décidément pas de limites. Aujourd’hui, les tribunaux sont engorgés par les affaires de presse ».
Rappelons d’autre part que l’Algérie comme le Maroc ont vu fleurir ces dernières années la caricature comme un moyen de combat très efficace, dans un contexte où la liberté de presse, parfois en progrès, reste fragile. D’où une sensibilité particulière à la défense de la liberté de… grossir le trait.
Dans un dossier du 24 avril 2005 du quotidien Horizons (Algérie), était posée la question : Y a t’il des limites à brocarder ? Le caricaturiste Zino, alors interrogé, considérait que « pour moi, la liberté de créer est totale et entière, sinon je passe à côté de la raison d’être même de l’art de la caricature. J’irai même plus loin en disant, c’est moi qui imagine et conçoit mon sujet en toute liberté sans aucune influence du thème ou du sujet analysé. Mon inspiration a besoin de cette marge de liberté pour qu’elle puisse s’exprimer. » En revanche (cité par l’agence Syfia), Le Hic, caricaturiste du journal algérien Le Jeune Indépendant, signalait qu’en principe, « on peut rire de tout, mais pas avec tout le monde », mais précisait : « je pratique l’autocensure pour éviter d’être censuré. (Cela) fait partie des outils du caricaturiste. Il utilise le crayon, le papier et l’autocensure. » Même opinion chez Ayoub, dessinateur au journal arabophone El Khabar : « Je me suis fixé des lignes rouges que je ne dois pas franchir, même si je suis conscient que normalement la caricature n’a pas de limite. Je me suis adapté. »


Shapiro ( South Africa) -January 27, 2009 · A cartoon lampooning one of South Africa's top politicians has sparked a million-dollar lawsuit and renewed debate over freedom of expression in the country.
The cartoon is graphic. It shows the president of the ruling African National Congress, Jacob Zuma, unbuckling his belt and preparing to rape a distressed and blindfolded Lady Justice. She is being held down by several ANC alliance partners, one of whom is saying "Go for it, boss."
Jonathan Shapiro — pen name Zapiro — created the cartoon. He insists politicians are fair game, especially when they step out of line.
"We should respect the office; we do not have to respect the person who occupies that office," he says. "We should be able to attack them, to make fun of them."
Zapiro's cartoon, published in Johannesburg's Sunday Times in September, lampoons Zuma on two fronts. First, by depicting Zuma with a shower head on his head, the cartoon recalls his 2006 rape trial. Zuma was acquitted. But he testified that he protected himself from possible infection from the HIV-positive woman by taking a shower immediately after having sex.
The cartoon also references a pending corruption case against Zuma, which could hamper his ambition to become South Africa's next president. Zapiro says his cartoon shows Zuma metaphorically threatening to rape the justice system in his quest to become president.
An outraged Zuma last month sued The Sunday Times and Zapiro for nearly $1 million, claiming his reputation and dignity have been damaged. During an appearance on a radio program, Zuma said that Zapiro's work is "quite vulgar" and that the cartoonist is "invading" his dignity.
In reply, Zapiro called in to say that he does exactly what journalists, cartoonists and satirists do in democratic societies.
He challenged Zuma to show a commitment to freedom of expression, rather than just pay lip service to it.
"You've mentioned a responsible press," Zapiro said during the radio broadcast. "A responsible press is one that holds its politicians to account."
The award-winning cartoonist has lampooned many of South Africa's leaders, including Nelson Mandela, who never took issue.
Tawana Kupe, a media critic and professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, defended the cartoonist on another radio program.
"It's bad taste, but bad taste is part of an artist's creativity," he said.
Kupe argued that Zuma should drop his lawsuit. But editor Mathata Tsedu, chair of the African Editors Forum, disagreed.
"Bad taste and legal are not necessarily the same. The cartoon may be in good taste but may be legally wrong," Tsedu said. "The court must pronounce on whether [Zapiro] has crossed the line."
The debate is continuing on the airwaves and in the streets, in think tanks and press institutes, and, sooner or later, in court. And that will add still another chapter in the evolving drama of a young democracy grappling with issues of freedom of expression.