Ephrem Solomon, Abduikader Mohammed, Emmanuel Tegene, Mehari Teshome,
Dereje Shiferaw, Tewodros Bekele, Tamrat Gezahegne, Zelalem Merga,
Dariwos Hailemicael, Kirubel Melke, Hailu Kifle, Yonas Melesa, Birhanu Tena
Mengistu Alemayehu ( Bahir Dar ) Binijam Tadesse, Biruk Tadesse, Eskinder Girmay, Eyerusalem Teka, Kidist Solomon, Kiros Ashenafi, Lulit Melaku,
Natnael Yared, Tsega Tesfu, Yared Tadesse, Yohannes Sebeseba.
Yemisirah Worku, Yidnekachew Dawit, Abebech Shifraw, Meseret Wassihum
This NALA Artwork was made by Yohannes Sebeseba,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Kirubel Melke, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Yonas Melesa,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Binijam Tadesse,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Ephrem Solomon,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Dariwos Hailemichael,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Lulit Melaku, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Emanuel Tegene, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Zelalem Merga, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Yared Tadesse, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Abdi Mohammed, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
This NALA Artwork was made by Dereje Shiferaw, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(The Story about this Artwork I will write later)
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
NALA and the New Years Eve in Ethiopia (Melkam Addis Amet)
( Artworks from Kiros Ashenafi, Tsega Tesfu, Kidist Solomon, Biruk Tadesse,
Eyerusalem Teka ( from top to bottom )
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
You won’t believe it, but in Ethiopia people don’t celebrate New Years on the 31st of December but in the 11th of September, and that’s because Ethiopia uses the Coptic calendar and doesn’t only celebrate New Years on a different day, but is actually 7 years and 9 months behind our calculation of times.
While the Western World is starting the year 2016, Ethiopia is in the year 2008.
If you ever want to time-travel, just get on an airplane a fly to Ethiopia … 7 years back in time! I always knew there was a time-machine!
Enkutatash ist he Ethiopian name for New Years and marks the end of the raining season. This is the time when the adey abeba flowers bloom and the highlands are covered with a yellow flower-carpet that glints golden in the sunshine.
Children put on new white dressen and dance through the villages and hand out big bouquets of yellow flowers. People are singing happy tunes everywhere and when the sun sets they light big fires in front of their homes.
People in Addis Ababa celebrate the end of the year as well.
There are spectacular celebrations at St. Ragual Church on Mount Entoto.
It was wonderful to watch how all these people celebrated the New Year.
People were telling old tales while standing around the fires.
The problem was that I didn’t understand a single word, since I don’t speak their language but I listened to them anyway.
The word Enkutatash means jewel gift and goes back to the 10th century before Christ. When Queen Sheba returned to Ethiopia from here legendary and costly visit to King Salomon, the Supremes of her country gave here jewels and other treasures as welcome presents.
I will always keep this day and the celebrations in my mind and in my heart. It was a special way to celebrate New Year’s.
I made a lot of new friends in Ethiopia and I always enjoy coming back to this country.
And I will be back again soon!
Until then my dear friends,
Yours NALA
NALA attending an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
( Artwork by Mengistu Alemayehu from Bahir Dar, Ethiopia 2015 )
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
As you may know, I love coffee … its taste and its wonderful scent that reminds me of home. My grandmothers used to cook wonderful coffee, but back then I wasn’t allowed to have some because I was only a little child. But I was also happy with my chocolate milk!
On my journey so far I hadn’t ever been offered any coffee but I had a lot of tea because you can get that everywhere in Africa. And although they grow a lot of coffee in Kenya and Tanzania, people hardly ever drink it but tea instead and it’s very delicious.
But I have to admit that I couldn’t wait to find out what coffee tastes like and I wanted to try that in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is famous for its coffee ceremonies and I wanted to experience my first coffee during such a ceremony.
To explain what such a ceremony is all about, I will simply give you an explanation that I found somewhere:
Ethiopia's coffee ceremony is an integral part of their social and cultural life.
An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered a mark of friendship or respect and is an excellent example of Ethiopian hospitality.
Performing the ceremony is almost obligatory in the presence of a visitor, whatever the time of day. Don't be in a hurry though - this special ceremony can take a few hours.
So sit back and enjoy because it is most definitely not instant.
Ethiopian homage to coffee is sometimes ornate, and always beautifully ceremonial. The ceremony is usually conducted by one young woman, dressed in the traditional Ethiopian costume of a white dress with coloured woven borders.
The long involved process starts with the ceremonial apparatus being arranged upon a bed of long scented grasses. The roasting of the coffee beans is done in a flat pan over a tiny charcoal stove, the pungent smell mingling with the heady scent of incense that is always burned during the ceremony.
The lady who is conducting the ceremony gently washes a handful of coffee beans on the heated pan, then stirs and shakes the husks away. When the coffee beans have turned black and shining and the aromatic oil is coaxed out of them, they are ground by a pestle and a long handled mortar.
The ground coffee is slowly stirred into the black clay coffee pot locally known as 'jebena', which is round at the bottom with a straw lid. Due to the archaic method used by Ethiopians, the ground result can be called anything but even, so the coffee is strained through a fine sieve several times.
The youngest child is then sent out to announce when it is to be served and stands ready to bring a cup of coffee first to the eldest in the room and then to the others, connecting all the generations.
The lady finally serves the coffee in tiny china cups to her family, friends and neighbours who have waited and watched the procedure for the past half-hour. Gracefully pouring a thin golden stream of coffee into each little cup from a height of one foot without an interruption requires years of practice.
Coffee is taken with plenty of sugar (or in the countryside, salt) but no milk and is generally accompanied by lavish praise for its flavour and skilful preparation. Often it is complemented by a traditional snack food, such as popcorn, peanuts or cooked barley.
In most parts of Ethiopia, the coffee ceremony takes place three times a day - in the morning, at noon and in the evening. It is the main social event within the village and a time to discuss the community, politics, life and about who did what with whom.
If invited into a home to take part, remember - it is impolite to retire until you have consumed at least three cups, as the third round is considered to bestow a blessing. Transformation of the spirit is said to take place during the coffee ceremony through the completion of 'Abol' (the first round), 'Tona' (second round) and 'Baraka' (third round).
(Source: http://www.epicurean.com/articles/ethiopian-coffee-ceremony.html)
But of course you can also have delicious Macchiato with milk and they still use the old Italian coffee machines to make it.
And along with the Macchiato I usually spoil myself with a mouth-watering piece of cake, sometimes even two, that will make my tummy very big soon.
Ethiopia, I will be back.
Until then, best greetings.
Yours NALA
NALA in Addis Ababa
( Artwork by Hailu Kifle from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2015 )
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
Addis Ababa is one of the most fascinating cities that I have visited during the past 3 years on my journey. Local artists were busy painting me on canvas, carving me into wood and made copies of me from plastic bottles, I was busy exploring this wonderful metropolis.
One of the most famous sights in Addis is the Mercato, one of the biggest open-air markets in Africa. Its origin goes back all the way to Italian rule during colonial times and you can buy everything from livestock to golden jewellery.
And I mean EVERYTHING, but to name it all here would take ages. But I will give you a few examples of items that were sold next to each other:
empty oil cans, empty plastic bottles, used tools (even fully worn screw drivers), electronic scrap, fabric in all colours and materials, used and new wooden boards, refurbished furniture (some was made of soaked chipboard), paint buckets, Chinese-made plastic goods and covers, fruit, vegetables and shoes, chicken and jewellery … it was well worth seeing and very colourful. There were people carrying several mattresses on their heads trying to find a way between the taxis and people carrying many water canisters.
I also visited several cathedrals and churches: St.George´s Cathedrale,
Holy Trinity Cathedral, and Entoto Mariam church.
I took the urban railway to Menilik II Square and walked across Ras Mekonnen Bridge to Achat Kilo Square, visited the university and walked around the Piazza quarter with its historic buildings from the Italian colonial time, and then I walked back to Lideta, the quarter where I stayed at during my 2 months in Addis.
In the numerous cafés I was able to fill my tummy with delicious cake and macchiato that smelled and tasted very good!
The painting shows all the places that I had visited.
I say good-bye for today, until later!
Yours NALA
NALA was on TV again
( Painted by Mehari Teshome from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2015 )
You can see more Artworks from the Artist, just click here: Artists from Ethiopia
Hello my fellow art lovers,
Although I didn’t really want to, I had to give an interview again about my trip from
Cape Town to London.
This time I was interviewed by Evie Maina, a beautiful Kenyan lady who works for the TV station KBC in Nairobi.
She came to my exhibition unannounced and asked me many questions with I answered patiently. They videotaped all the artworks and interviewed André as well who was very nervous to be on camera.
The show “Artitute” aired on the 30th November 2015 at KBC.
I am still very excited about it!
Yours NALA
...and below you see Evie Maina and Andrè at the 4th NALA exhibition in Nairobi in front of Artworks from Ethiopia.
NALA is afraid of a mouse
( Painted by André Pilz in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2015 ) MDF Woodcut and acrylic
While I was in the bathroom today I remembered an encounter which I will never ever forget in life. In June of 2015 I was on my way from Nairobi/ Kenya to Kampala/ Uganda.
I hadn’t been on the bicycle for quite a while then and the first days back on the bicycle were pretty exhausting and I got out of breath quickly and had to stop for a break very often.
One day, after a 35 km leg I arrived in Limuru and I was totally exhausted from the cycling I had done that day. That day I met Peter who lived in a dented iron-sheet shack.
Peter offered me to stay at his place and sleep on his couch and I gladly accepted. It didn’t take very long and the room (which was living room, bedroom and kitchen at the same time) was filled with children from the neighbourhood. They wouldn’t say a word but just stood there and stared at me in awe.
At night a noise woke me up. Something was gnawing at something. I switched on my torch and saw 4 mice on the table next to me eating away at something. Open buffet for those little rodents. They were cute to look at from a distance, but when one mouse started climbing up the couch I got rather scared and jumped off the couch. That little thing gave me quite a fright.
In Ruanda at my host family’s place, there were 3 mice and 2 rats that came out at night to play hide and seek underneath my bed and then they would climb up on the curtains towards the ceiling and disappear in a hole in the wall. Yuck … goose bumps on my back. And the room smelled like a rotting rats’ nest.
But nonetheless I would like to thank all the people who let me stay for free at their places.
You all were a big help!!!
Yours NALA
latest update: 27.December 2020
NALA in Valencia, Spain (español abajo)
Hello my Friends,
many greetings from Valencia in Spain.
Today I visited ,,Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciéncies,,
( Science Museum) in Valencia, Spain.
The weather can not be better for my little city adventure.
Soon I sent more photos from this amazing City.
Come and visit Valencia.
I wish you all a great week.
Take care and keep in Touch.
Yours NALA
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NALA en Valencia, España
Hola mis amigos,
muchos saludos desde Valencia en España.
Hoy visité la Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciéncies en Valencia, España.
El clima no puede ser mejor para mi pequeña aventura urbana. Mañana les envié más fotos de esta increíble ciudad.
Ven a visitar Valencia.
Les deseo a todos una gran semana.
Tenga cuidado y mantenerse en contacto.
Tuyo NALA
Hello Friends of NALA,
Here I present you another unique NALA Artwork from Ecuador.
Nala explores nature while riding a llama.
The Artist is Mika Játiva from Quito in Ecuador.
Thank you, Mika for this extraordinary Artwork.
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Hola amigos de NALA,
Aquí les presento otra Obra de Arte NALA única de Ecuador.
Nala explora la naturaleza mientras monta una llama.
El artista es Mika Játiva de Quito en Ecuador.
Gracias, Mika por esta extraordinaria obra de arte.
This NALA Artwork is now exhibited at Zeitz Mocaa Art Museum
in Cape Town / South Africa
22. October 2020 till 10. January 2021.
NALA and Graffity Ana by Richard Scott
Richard Scott is a very well known international British artist who lives in Cape Town. He refined my 2013 NALA painting with his Grafitty Ana.
I visited Richard in his studio in Cape Town in 2019.
He was immediately enthusiastic about my NALA Project and enhanced my little NALA painting with his art.
This NALA painting is now hanging from
22. October 2020 - 10. January 2021 in the
Zeitz Mocaa Art Museum in Cape Town in a special exhibition. "Home is where Art is"
A Big "Thank you" goes to Andrea Schachler. She helped me so much, that this Painting found the way to the Art Exhibition at Zeitz Mocaa. Thank you, Andrea.
Hello friends of NALA.
please see Article here: Nala helps
You will surely remember the NALA Corona Art artworks by Joan Otieno from Nairobi, Kenya.
With the help of my NALA Project, the Kenyan Artist Joan Otieno sold small NALA artworks for over 400 euros. (40,000 ksh)
Many thanks to the buyers from Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Each sale ensured that everyone had enough rice and beans or corn porridge and vegetables to eat, and the Warembo Wassani Art Center continued to help underprivileged children improve their future.
Unfortunately, these small NALA artworks are still in Kenya and could not yet be sent to Germany due to Corona and high-cost transport costs.
DHL asked for an amount of 300 Euros for 6 kg of recycling art.
If you are flying from Kenya to Germany or Switzerland in the near future, please let me know.
Maybe you can bring the NALA Art package with you.
Thank you for reading.
André Pilz,
The NALA Art Project.
The Ecuador - Peru cyclingtrip is cancelled because of the current CORONA pandemie.
I start as soon as the situation is getting normal and no risc for health and life.
I wish all my friends, website followers and all people i dont know yet, good health and stayed strong.
NALA visits Ecuador and Peru.
www.the-nala-project.com
Long-distance cyclist André Pilz from Kassel, Germany will be visit with his NALA art project the countries of Ecuador and Peru.
André and Nala cycled approximately 16,500 km in 3 years
from South Africa to Ethiopia.
On the road, they met 119 artists from 15 countries, who
supported the Project with more then 160 NALA Artworks.
Now they going to South America and looking for painters
and sculptors support the NALA project.
NALA is a little African girl who had the dream
traveling behind the mountains and escaping from home
to explore the world by bicycle.
The artists tell NALA's travel story through
works of art that are shown in traveling exhibitions.
There have already been 8 Art exhibitions in Africa and Europe.
If you want to participate in the NALA global art project,
write me an email or a message on Facebook.
thelittlenala@gmail.com
FB: TheNalaProject
only 5 more available ( 15 NALA Art Memory sold )
The Nala Project presents,
The NALA Art Memory Game.
#StayHome - limited edition 2020
36 selected NALA artworks by artists from 15 countries now enrich your gamenight at home.
Stay at home and play; The NALA Art Memory Game.
More Infos here: NALA Products
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Das NALA Kunst Gedächtnisspiel.
#StayHome - limited edition 2020
36 ausgesuchte NALA Kunstwerke von Künstlern aus 15 Ländern bereichern jetzt deinen Spielabend zu Hause.
Bleib zu Hause und spiele; The NALA Art Memory Game.
..............................................................
The Nala Project presenta,
The NALA Art Memory Game.
# quedarse en casa - edición limitada 2020
36 obras de arte seleccionadas de Nala de artistas de 15 países ahora enriquecen tu noche de juegos en casa.
Quédate en casa y juega; El juego de memoria de arte NALA.
NALA ART Booklet ready for Download
The NALA ART Booklet is now available as PDF File for download.
Selected Artists show amazing NALA Artworks from southern and east Africa.
NALA Slideshow video on YouTube
On YouTube you can see the little video, which we shown during the NALA ART Exhibition in Germany.
This Video shows André´s and Nala´s artistic bicycle Journey through Africa.
The titles are in german language, but there are very nice photos to see.
Follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSkB-UHgOeo
It will be lovely if you can leave a comment about the NALA Project here: Opinion about The NALA Project.
Thank you very much
Yours NALA and André
I am currently in: Aarau, Switzerland
Tel. +41 76 823 1367
Email: thelittlenala@gmail.com
Current mission:
+ André and NALA are back in Germany to promote
The NALA Project and their Artists. Searching new Exhibition Space.
Next destination
We will start to our NALA Art Project Cyclingtrip through Ecuador and Peru as soon as Corona Pedemie is over.
Cycled kilometer: 16.425 km
Tourstart by Bike was: Monday April 1, 2013
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