Clowndestine Occurences

This week the darker side of clowns reentered my consciousness when a work colleague who had been read Stephen King’s “It” ( featuring the evil clown ”Pennywise” who uses balloons to tempt his child victims) was freaked out by the synchronous appearance of balloons in his back garden. This was followed up by a number of balloon and clown syncs in quick succession. Like one does when bamboozled by synchronicity he shared the experience and of course the meme was passed on, I went home to see an article on T.V about an undercover UK policewoman who infiltrated a non violent direct action environmentalist group called the Clandestine Rebel Clown Army. There’s a lot of stuff on Spy Cops (undercover police work) about in the media at the moment.

The dark side of clowns first entered my consciousness as a kid when my parents used to enter my brothers and I in an annual carnival in my mothers hometown. For the first few years we dressed in cool costumes as grenadier guards ,knights of the round table and snow white and the seven dwarves, the first year i didn't really like the costumes was when we dress as black and white French Peirot clowns, I had always associated the clown with the red nose circus big top variety and typified the commercial arena Ronald Mcdonald.I had never thought of a dark side.

In my teens I read “It” watched the film and became aware of the “psycho clown” typified by Penny wise and the Joker of Batman. and even fantasied about being a pro skateboarder with my own model of skateboard with a killer clowns design.

It wasn’t until much later I made the connection with the Court Jester / The Joker in the modern deck of playing card who is represent by the Fool in the Tarot. My knowledge of the symbolism of "The Fool" is limited but I understand he can represents the querant at the beginning of their journey to enlightenment but also the querant at the end of the journey having achieved enlightenment and a new found playful freedom bringing the querant full circle.

Click the links for more on the trickster / sacred clown  or the Insane Clown Posse

The Jeronimo's - Master and Professor

Over ten years ago I met a famous Brazillian Capoeira Master named Jeroimo who now teaches Capoeira in Australia ,I did a workshop with him and always regretted not buying his book -"Capoeira, A Slave Ritual" .

More recently another Brazillian Capoeira teacher named Jeronimo entered our circle as a blue belt "Professor" I didnt take advantage of his classes as perhaps I could have and now it seems he may be moving on. Is there a pattern repeating here ?

Tarra Xinha - Green Tara

So you know what its like when you go on holiday and a sound track presents itself "Kizoumba" has been on the horizon for a while now (courtesy of Sandra and Aaron) and i'm not sure how close the rythmms of Tarra Xinha are .The Family in Brazil were referring to Tarra Xinha  as a type of  "Forro" , but that category is so wide its meaningless to me. , The production of the cd they were caning ,struck me as having an oriental twang so reminded of me off Green Tara so anyway here's a Tarra Xinha track for your delight.

Click the links for more Taras

First transmissions (Eradication of infectious diseases)

21 MCs ,  Seconds , Taras 

Black Tara