{"id":66150,"date":"2014-03-22T02:39:25","date_gmt":"2014-03-22T02:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sierraexpressmedia.com\/?p=66150"},"modified":"2014-03-22T02:39:25","modified_gmt":"2014-03-22T02:39:25","slug":"brazzaville-from-worst-city-to-best-dressed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/?p=66150","title":{"rendered":"Brazzaville: from worst city to best-dressed"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe SAPE is an ode to joy, the joy of living. The SAPE is an art form, the pure wit born from poverty in our streets almost a hundred years ago<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 DJ Carlos La Menace in Al Jazeera documentary Sunday In Brazzaville<\/i><\/p>\n

In 2002, Brazzaville was considered the worst city in the world to live. Now, thanks to the Society of Atmosphere Setters and Elegant People(SAPEURS), the Congolese capital is rather becoming known as the best-dressed, especially after the SAPEURS went viral earlier this year in an advert and short film for Guinness Europe.<\/p>\n

Premiering on Al Jazeera on Sunday, 23 March 2014,\u00a0Sunday In Brazzaville<\/i>\u00a0is a vibrant glimpse into your average Congo weekend of pink suits, hip-hop and wrestling.<\/p>\n

The 25-minute documentary focuses on four characters. Yves Francois Ngatsong, alias Yves Saint Laurent, is the president and founder of a SAPEURS association; Carlos La Menace is a DJ on local station Radio Libert\u00e9; rapper Cheriff Bakala is recording his first album despite living in a country with hardly any music producers; and champion wrestler Palmas Ya Ya relies on fetish voodoo and faith to help him defeat younger and stronger opponents.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the 1940\u2019s, when Hitler occupied Paris, Brazzaville was Free France\u2019s capital,\u201d says La Menace. \u201cCharles de Gaulle lived here. Then they called it \u2018Brazzaville the Green.\u2019 Today we call it \u2018Brazzaville the Garbage.\u2019 On your left plastic bags, on your right a stinking town… But the Congolese know how to dress. For that matter there\u2019s no problem\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Ngatsong says that as a government employee, \u201cWith my salary I can\u2019t even travel to Kinshasa, because with our salary we barely pay for food and rent.\u201d Despite this, he has\u00a080 complete suits, including one sent to him as a present by his idol Yves Saint Laurent.<\/p>\n

\"Yves<\/a>

Yves Saint Laurent<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cMany of you might think that the SAPE is an eccentricity or a stupid way of dressing,\u201d La Menace says on radio. \u201cMaybe you see a sapeur at the street and say, \u2018Look at that fool, he wants to dress like the whites. A madman that spends all his money in suits. A bad example for the youth.\u2019 You may think like that. That\u2019s up to you. But I think you\u2019re wrong. The SAPE is an ode to joy, the joy of living. The SAPE is an art form, the pure wit born from poverty in our streets almost a hundred years ago. Today, thanks to people like Yves Saint Laurent, this art is more alive than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sunday In Brazzaville\u00a0<\/i>premieres at 22:30 GMT on\u00a0<\/i>Sunday, 23 March 2014 on\u00a0Witness<\/i>, Al Jazeera\u2019s premiere documentary strand. It repeats at 09h30 GMT on 24 March 2014; at 03:30 GMT on 25 March 2014; and at 16:30 GMT on 26 March 2014.<\/p>\n

<\/object><\/p>\n

By Kevin Kriedemann & Joy Sapieka<\/i><\/p>\n

Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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