Amigo! 2015
Public intervention July 20, 2015
Largo da Samba em frente a esquadra da Policia Nacional
Luanda, Angola
2000 Chinese fortune cookies,
with Angolan proverbs inside.
Project description
One thing everyone in Luanda knows about
is being stuck in traffic, the worst times being during rush hour. Having a lot of time to ob-
serve the street vendors, the idea came to me to do something during the traffic jams. Everybody also sees many Chinese people here, most often behind the steering wheel of dumper trucks transporting sand from the beaches to construc-
tion sites, or construction workers piled up in the back of pick-ups and small trucks being transported from their construction site to their dormitories. Very popular also are chinese-run copy shops and restaurants.
Also the Angolan middle class tend to employ Chinese builders for house building and reno-
vation. As many may have experienced, com-
municating across a language barrier is often very difficult. Smiling at each other, it becomes clear to the observer that each is trying to figure out what on earth the other is talking about. Being friendly is a solution: The Chinese call the Angolans “amigo!” and the Angolans call the Chinese “amigo!”.
Without having to struggle with a huge post colonial complex, China went straight into business with Africa. Their goods are flooding the continent and they rebuild war torn infra-
structure in return for much needed resources. Thinking about the Chinese presence in Luanda, after opening a fortune cookie in a Chinese restaurant, I thought, “well on this little piece
of paper could be an Angolan proverb too”.
2000 Chinese fortune cookies have been pro-
duced holding inside 10 different Angolan proverbs from various Angolan dialects.
A selection of proverbs was passed through friends and the ones with the most picks
made it into production.
While thinking about how to announce that the cookies are for free when in the traffic jam, so that people will be prepared to lower their car windows, I saw by chance in a book a photo-
graph of a performance by Daniel Buren in the 60s. Of course, instead of stripes I chose a text, in true Angolan style:
AMIGO!
PEGA O TEU
QUITUTE
DA SORTE
A ARTE É
DE GRAÇA!
(My friend! Take your fortune cookie, the art is for free!)
Considering the trash all about the city, a little educational line was added:
Mas cidadão, não deita o papel no chão!
(But citizen don’t throw the paper on the floor!)
Distribution took place during early morning rush hour with the help of two architecture students interested in art.
Selected proverbs
Quem não conversa com o seu coração,
não conversa com a sua visita.
[Katiê mâka ni muxima uê, katiê mâka ni musonyi uê].
— Kimbundu
Não vemos a nossa alma: mas ela vê-nos a nós.
[Inatuli mona na so: so situ si].
— Ovambo
Se te domina a saudade, dorme: verás no sono aquele por quem suspiras.
[Nda longeva yukukwete, pekelako: u wavela okomola k’otulo].
— Umbundu
Não se pode seguir dois caminhos ao
mesmo tempo.
[Kuata oku, eca oku].
— Umbundu
Aquilo que o braço não pode, pode a sabedoria.
[What the arm cannot do, wisdom can].
— Umbundu
Uma só mão não pode bater palmas.
[Okuoko kumwe ihaku pandula ’lukufi].
— Ovambo
Em terra de cegos quem tem olho é rei.
[Vimbo lyolomeke, ukwiso limosi osoma].
— Umbundu
Respeita teu irmão, para que teu irmão te respeite.
[Humba ondenge, n‘ondenge ekuhumbe].
— Olunyaneka
Apenas as montanhas não se cruzam; as pessoas cruzam-se sempre!
[Mulu li mulu kalisange; muthu li muthu alisanga!]
— Kimbundu
A erva cresce com folhagem; a criança com conhecimentos.
[Ciputa kola nhy mafo; mwana kola nhy mana].
— Cokwe
Acknowledgments
Jocob Lopes
Mateta