I think an explanation for this one would just go on and on, but I will try to cram without too many details...
A video for Barbara (my mum). Around 13 or so years ago, after her husband died, she made a voyage to Kenya and had quite an adventure there. Even though I wasn't allowed to come, the two of us held a deep connection throughout the many miles with letters and stories, and when I dreamed, I was there too. Since then, we've kept East Africa and the people she met deep in our hearts. Barbara has always known pain and struggle, and the years following her trip were no exception. In the last two, she was sinking deeper into sickness and depression. There are many stories about that but also a connecting one of another is that my friend, Andrew and his family were setting up a children's organization in Kenya through his son, Anno Birkin (poet and musician, who was killed in 2001). It piloted this year and continues on with the street kids to express and become with the arts as Anno was able to do. The stories and happenings of Anno and his loved ones inspired my mum and I to high heaven and still do especially as she continues to heal.
The song I chose ("Lorenzo" performed by Phil Collins) was written about Lorenzo Odone by his mother (for those familiar with film Lorenzo's Oil, you'll know who he is). I sang it to my mum at a school play in 2006...it's one of our favorites.
Most of the footage is from either Barbara's trip to Kenya or videos of Anno's Africa. There's also footage of the hero Anno Birkin (the heart of all this) as a boy, painting, and a clip of him as a teenager, dreaming. Along with three photos, two of his ashes and one as a boy again with his mother, Bee Gilbert (founder of the orginazation). Then there's video of my little brother Corey at our shore, flying his first kite (two of the ones we dedicated that flight to were Barbara and Anno's Africa). Like my mum or the kids in these places, Corey knows pain and struggle in his daily survival. She adopted him as a foster child in 2004, taught him to speak, and he learned to love. He lived with us for a year until our mum got very sick. The seperation still breaks our hearts, but we stayed in contact with that strong, beautiful boy, and when he returned this summer, he and I flew the kite, a wish we had promised each other a long time ago.
This was really just put up for family and friends, but if anyone else does stumble across it, be sure to check out:
anno.co.uk
Also, I'm uploading clips with sound from more of Barbara's journey in Kenya...just check out my channel. There's other relating music videos there as well, one on Corey's kite. And two on Anno's Africa (with Anno's music).
Tags: Barbara Grippo Anno Birkin Corey Stone Africa Kenya Bungoma Nairobi Andrew Bee Gilbert Noordin Arts Phil Collins
