Dear friends and family,

Wow, it has been one whirlwind of a past year (and some weeks) spent working on Ensigo projects and traveling through Northern Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and U.A.E.! I am now back in good ol’ Nashville Tennessee where I’ll be coopin’ up until around the middle of March before I head back to Uganda. As I’m in the U.S. I’ll be working on finishing up the art and music from the U.S. contributors for the Ensigo Seeds album, recruiting U.S. artist volunteers for a new Ensigo program I’m trying to launch called “Volunteers For Creative Collaboration”, working with Compassion International again, working construction jobs, working with World Vision, and fundraising.

I’m sure so much has happened in your lives over this past year and I would LOVE if you could send me an update email or else let me know a time when you can talk over the phone and catch up (my U.S. number is: 727.753.8663)! As usual, fun and crazy situations always seem to find me, and this trip was definitely not a let down. I’d much rather share these stories over the phone or in person but as a teaser to this last year, here are some of my favorite stories to tell (hopefully this will pique your interest to the point where you can’t resist but to call.

• Fell in love with a wonderful woman named Maggie…I’m in love, I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it!
• Was a part of a panel of Ugandan musicians and producers for a weekly radio show to discuss ways that music can positively transform societies, on 94.8 FM in Kampala.
• Filmed a MusicArt video with an American filmmaker, Ugandan painter, and American photographer in Mpanga forest for an Ensigo song.
• Had a death threat in Somaliland
• Worked with the Somaliland government (ministry of culture) to begin developing copyright law to protect musicians from exploitation and generate income for them.
• Recorded 15 songs with 8 Ugandan musicians for the Ensigo Seeds Album project
• Worked with 7 Ugandan visual artists who created “MusicArt” pieces to selected Ensigo songs
• Hosted and organized an Ensigo art exhibition/concert/film viewing party in Kampala as a fundraiser to send up and coming Ugandan filmmaker Peter Tukei to Berlin to present his film at the Berlinale film festival (pictures: http://ow.ly/7R3cX and http://ow.ly/7R3iB)
• My girlfriend and I were robbed at machete point in Kampala Uganda
• Helped record audio for a film being made by the organization H.A.L.O., and then donated an Ensigo song for the video (check it out here: http://vimeo.com/23398914)
• Led songwriting workshops for children that are part of the organization Empower African Children (video: http://youtu.be/S_oquaGj4IY)
• Bizarreness of being escorted in a motorcade by the president’s personal guard to a recording studio in Somaliland
• Ensigo album release party in Piswa Uganda in which, unexpectedly, several government officials attended and gave speeches…and a goat was killed then roasted (pictures: http://ow.ly/7R4f4)
• Along with a great friend named Eric Kreutter, we wrote, recorded, advised and performed songs with Uganda’s top rock musician (and great role model), Rachel K.
• First day in Somaliland myself and two other friends visited the “zoo” and then our friend got robbed by the “zookeepers”.
• A Brandon Heath music video of the song I recorded with him and the Restore Children in Gulu was released! (video: http://youtu.be/Gy67Ugf-2Ig)
• Organized (and performed at) a benefit concert for a great non-profit organization in Uganda called Educate!
• Recorded some songs of a wonderful children’s choir that are part of the organization In Movement.
• Had a baseball sized rock thrown at my head while walking down the road in Somaliland
• One that I can’t mention over email, but it’s CRAZY
• Had a giant loogie hocked on my leg in Somaliland
• Advised/mentored several great Ugandan musicians: including Tamba and Davis Ntare.
• And a few others that are pretty neat, but not quite as neat as those listed above.

So that briefly sums up my time away. Now the thing that I’m desiring the most is…if at all possible, to sit down over some coffee or a meal and swap stories. One thing that is so hard for me while I’m away from my U.S. community of friends and family for extended periods of time are these feelings of disconnection, and not feeling as involved in your lives, and you in mine. I love Facebook and using it to keep up to date with latest happenings in your lives…but good ol’ fashioned personal emails are great too. So if you have some spare time, it would be great to get an update with how things have been going for you.

Thank you soooooooooooooooooooooo much to everyone that donated financially and through prayers to make this trip possible! Your generosity has had a huge impact on me and the lives of many people throughout East Africa….and it challenges me so often to live a more giving life!

Love,
Aaron

P.S. In lieu of sending out massively long email updates every several months (as was my habit), I’ve been posting more regular updates on www.facebook.com/ensigo and www.twitter.com/ensigo. So if your heart so desires you can check out what’s been going on with things there.

P.S. Also in this article, for the first time EVER that I’m releasing some clips from upcoming Ensigo songs. Check ‘er out.

Somaliland is unlike any country I have previously experienced. It is a land of dramatic extremes! I have had some of the most thrilling positive experiences (which I will share in detail once I’m in Uganda). But in this same trip I have also been deeply saddened by a string of negative incidents I endured. However I think I’m gradually learning to find joy in all of these experiences and seek growth.

I consider my time in Somaliland well worth it. And I’m looking forward to continue investing in the friendships that I was blessed to form here.

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Tribute to the Days of Somali Musical Yore:

In my research I found that the golden era of locally composed and recorded Somali music has passed, hitting it’s pinnacle in the mid 1980’s with the popularity of groups like Iftin and Dur Dur, While there is an abundance of wonderful new Somali music being created by the diaspora (notable artists: Nimco, Maryan Mursal, and K’naan), the current state of music in Somalia is dismal. In recent history musicians were highly revered as cultural icons and voices of a generation, however many are now trapped in lifestyles of destitution revolving around an addiction to an amphetamine-like drug named “khat.” As a tribute to the days of Somali musical yore, and a longing to see local musicians return to making beautiful music and developing their talents, I am posting 5 of my favorite songs that were collected during my research. I hope you are as moved by the passion in the performances in these songs as I am. And please join me in praying for the restoration and local support of the musicians (and their families) who are remaining in Somalia.

Iftin – Haka Yeelin Nacabkeenna
Dur Dur – Goromphmca
Arays Esse – Haddii Kale Wahan Iahaa
Kinsi Xaaji Aadan – Adkaysan Waayoo Aduun Dhibkiisaa
Xasan Aadan Samatar

Dancing in the United Arab Emirates

Dancing with lights

Shredding on the traditional drums

A man and his falcon

Crossing Dubai Creek on a dhow

So while I was in Dubai, I stayed with an aunt of a friend from college. She was an amazing host and treated me to a true Dubai tourist excursion…riding around like crazy in SUV’s in the sand, then going to a village in the desert for some traditional cultural events.

On this trip I’ll be gone for a year (September 21st, 2010 – September 2011), and will be traveling to some new countries (Somalia and Sudan), as well as some joyfully familiar countries (Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi). I will be continuing to work on the benefit/collaboration recording project as well as beginning a new project focused on bringing artist volunteers over to Africa to collaborate with people here. I’m so excited to start this new adventure and I want to present you with an opportunity to partner with me both financially and through prayer.

I have just begun sending out support letters that give a much more detailed description of what my year abroad will entail. If you have not received one yet please shoot me an email at: aaron [at] ensigo.com and I’ll be sure to send you one.

Below I have set up a PayPal account to easily make secure monthly donations. Also posted is a PayPal link to make a one-time donation. (Note: PayPal donations are not tax deductible). If you would like to have more options for making donations and receive a tax-deductible receipt please visit the “donation” page of this website.

Subscribe Through PayPal to Make Recurring Monthly Donation’s to Aaron’s Ministry With Ensigo

Donation Options

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Make a One-Time Donation to Aaron’s Ministry With Ensigo

Back in 2008 when this report came out I remember feeling elated as I read through page after page of well documented material which confirmed the viability of what I had been passionately working towards for the last several years…utilizing music as a way to overcome poverty! In this brilliantly written 357 page study the authors/researchers conclude that “this report provides empirical evidence that the creative industries are among the most dynamic emerging sectors in world trade.” And that the creative industries (with music as a central component) “have the potential to generate income, jobs and export earnings while at the same time promoting social inclusion, cultural diversity and human development.”

With this report being the first to present the perspectives of the United Nations on this exciting new topic. The creative economy seems full of possibility as a way to overcome poverty! And this makes me so excited for the potential of Ensigo in the next few years.

Feel free to download the PDF of this report here: The UN’s Creative Economy Report

The earthquake is feared to have killed more than 100,000 and Haitian officials have stated that it is possibly much higher. Most of the damage was in the heavily populated capital of Porta-au-Prince.

You can help keep people alive.

Our friends at Food for the Hungry are working with their partners on the ground, providing the following to survivors:

* Water filtration systems
* Water purification tablets
* Kitchen kits and cooking supplies
* Flash lights, blankets & medical supplies
* Hygiene kits
* Temporary shelter tarps and plastic

Without this immediate disaster relief, infections and disease will spread, killing countless more Haitians. Food For The Hungry already have a head start with workers mobilized on the ground. But they urgently need additional supplies and support to save more lives.

Your gift of any size now will provide what they need to bring life-saving help to Haitians in need. Donate now at www.fh.org

While you are making your donation please check out some wonderful music below by Altieri Dorival, the father of Haitian Twoubadou music.

P.S. Click on the highlighted link to listen to and/or purchase the album that was talked about in the interview…Ensigo: East Africa In Binaural

9. Baaba Maal | “Television” | [Palm Pictures, 2009]
Senegal

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8. Staff Benda Bilili | “Polio” | [Crammed Discs, 2009]
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Staff Benda Bilili – Polio
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7. Amadou & Mariam | “Sabali” | [Nonesuch, 2009]
Mali

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6. BLK JKS | “Molalatladi” | [Secretly Canadian, 2009]
South Africa

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5. Mulatu Astake & The Heliocentrics | “Masenqo” | [Strut, 2009]

Ethiopia

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4. El Rego Et Ses Commandos | “Vimado Wingnan” | [Analog Africa, 2009]
Benin

El Rego Et Ses Commandos – Vimado Wingnan
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3. Blitz The Ambassador | “Something To Believe In” | [Embassy MVMT, 2009]
Ghana

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2. The Very Best | “Angonde” | [Green Owl, 2009]
Malawi

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1. Oumou Sangare & Bela Fleck | “Djorolen” | [Rounder, 2009]
Mali