korakor

THE NEW WEBSITE IS READY !!!!

2010-07-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

i am very pleased to see that you want to know more about KORAKOR, but this site is too old...go straight to the new one to enjoy all the beauties...

CLICK HERE !!!

Thanks again and you are going to love the new website!

Keveen

THE NEW WEBSITE WILL SOON BE READY!!!

2010-05-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hi there and thanks for visiting KORAKOR,

We are currently working on the new website that will combine our different projects: SPREAD YOUR LOVE, IT'SKOOL and ETERNITY.

But it does not mean you can't explore what KORAKOR is all about, and hopefully join our adventure and help us with our projects.

In order to help you navigate and explore KORAKOR, I have selected a sample of our work that will give you a better understanding of what we do and who we are.

HERE IS A ONE MINUTE VIDEO TO EXPLAIN WHAT KORAKOR IS

READ THIS ARTICLE TO DISCOVER MY PHILOSOPHY

Click here to read the article

LISTEN TO ONE OF MY UKULELE ORIGINALS

DISCOVER A "SPREAD YOUR LOVE" ACTION

DISCOVER "IT'SKOOL", MY FREE AND MOBILE CLASSROOM THAT TAKES EDUCATION WHERE IT DOESN'T REACH

Click here to go on the page

NOW:

If you like the projects, if you are interested in learning more and joining the beautiful adventure or collaborate with us, start by:

JOINING US ON FACEBOOK

FOLLOWING US ON TWITTER

Or sending me an email to receive sporadic news and know more about KORAKOR.

kaikuart@gmail.com

Once again, thank you so much for visiting KORAKOR and we all seriously hope you will join us and help us spread love all around.

ps: Tell your friends!

Keveen

NEW WEBSITE TO COME

2010-03-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

HI THERE,

THE NEW WEBSITE WILL SOON BE READY...IT WILL COMBINE THE 4 MAJOR THEMES OF KORAKOR:

KORAKOR: writings, poetry, films and so much more

SPREAD YOUR LOVE: expressing and boosting unconditional love for the world

KORAKOR TEACH: My free mobile classroom going to villages to teach

KORAKOR VOYAGE: Your travel opportunities with KORAKOR as well as your travel bible

It's going to be awesome...get ready!!!!

But until then, make sure you read the latest newsletter...CLICK HERE

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND LOVE

KEVEEN

March 2010

2010-03-08T06:23:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE FOR THIS MONTH'S NEWSLETTER !!!!

Drop your banana !!!

2010-03-01T13:48:00.001-08:00

DROP YOUR BANANA !!!

I was not even 4 months old when my mother took my older brother, my older sister and me to live in Ivory Coast, Africa. My mother, this wild olive-skin beauty with dark hair and light blue eyes, had peculiar reasons to emigrate on the African soil. One of them was to live and pursue her childhood dream (having an army of kids and animals all living in perfect harmony on her African farm) but also to empirically understand the teachings of Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey (renowned primatologists) who had fed her teenage's thirst for adventure.

Throughout my life, my mother has offered me a buffet of precious teachings that I modified and adapted according to my personality. The intellectual meals she would serve us could and should be seasoned to our taste and individual needs.

Here is one of her teachings that I have spiced up with my own experiences:

So let me ask you: Do you know how to catch a chimpanzee without hurting it? It is pointless to run, climb trees, use heavy artillery or to benefit from our scientific advancements. It's simple; all you need is a small box with a hole in it and a banana.

Place the banana inside the box and wait. Chimps are extremely ingenious creatures who can improvise pragmatic behaviors according to the situation. They need only a few seconds before understanding that they will have to put their arm through the tiny hole in order to reach the banana. However, once the fruit is held, their fist becomes too large to exist from the hole. Nothing prevents them from freeing themselves but their own stubborn resolve to get the banana out of the box. Now, all one needs to do is to slowly walk to the box and catch the self-condemned primate.

When talking to my friends and to people I meet along the road, we often come to a conversation that saddens me: Freedom.

Many admire my freedom and the way I live my life, many would love to live this way and many complain about their daily routine. So I tell them this story and insist that I dropped a lot of bananas to be where I am today. Nothing stops us from living fully but ourselves, and unawarely most of the time. We are the masters of self-limitations.

So I am inviting you to truly think over what is Your banana, and drop it.

Because, once you have dropped your banana and you freed yourself from yourself, you will be surprised to see that there are tons of other bananas around waiting for you to embrace them.

Alas, not much can be done for those unaware that they are holding a banana.

Keveen Gabet

February 2010, Chichicapam, Oaxaca, Mexico

2010-02-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

Hello,

It's been a month since my feet are back on the Mexican soil and my smile slowly comes back to life. I am having more and more trouble handling cold weather unless I am on a crazy adventure at the top of the Himalayas with my good friend Georges.

I cut through Yucatan, the land of Mayas, and met local shark fishermen who turned themselves into touristic guides in the natural reserves around. I traded my film-making services for fresh fish, new fishing techniques and cinnamon-infused coffee (short promotional clip coming soon on KORAKOR).

Gina is with me and takes all the benefit of our trade (see pics !!!) We also take the time to dive in a few 'Cenotes' in which you bathe in crystalline water and let your thoughts drift in their splendor.

I went back to Mexico to live a slice of my ultimate dream and to spread my love KORAKOR style:

I have been telling you about my mobile classroom KORAKOR TEACH for the last 2 months and it is finally about to start. I am now settled in a tiny Zapotec village coiled between cacti-ridden hills. Chichicapam is about one hour from Oaxaca, and it is here that I will spend the next few months working organic Mezcal in the morning (it is the father of tequila if you will) and teaching English to locals in the afternoons.

I am also developing seminars of cultural integration in the house I am repairing. The money collected will help me finance my school project as well as the upcoming cacti reforestation project that I personally cherish.

You have until the beginning of April to come visit me and plunge yourself a the heart of rural Mexico (even my mom and 3 other brothers and sisters are coming for a week in February!).

Here are the monthly news of KORAKOR classified under different branches to facilitate your navigation. You can read your favorite part and skip the rest of the newsletter.

KORAKOR VIDEOS

- Here is a man who has touched my heart in the streets of Coyoacan, Mexico City. Seeing him play the way he does moved me and I needed to share it with you.

- Ahau Can, or 'the snakeman' in Maya language, covers a classical song that he translated in his own language. I have added a series of footage about Mexico for your empirical enjoyment…(more short clips coming!!!)

KORAKOR'S FRIENDS

- Kelly and Jefe are still exploring South America and have stopped in a very original orphanage. Here is a short and moving clip about how people are spreading their love to Peruvian children. (Beware, lots of love and hope in this video).

Casa de Milagros - Sacred Valley from Kelly y Jefe on Vimeo.

- Melanie Mehrer is a fascinating Canadian artist. Explore her website and her numerous travel stories, paintings. photographs and stylized scarves (she even made a special batch of scarves for KORAKOR that you can now purchase..check the KORAKOR BOUTIK part at the bottom !!!)

Her website

Her online shop (with tons of amazing hand-made crafts)

- Very few people know about 'permacutlure'. It is a way to organize and balance your own garden and to plant in harmony with the earth. I am inviting to discover what my friend and permaculture expert Caitlin does. Although she is based in L.A people send her around the globe to do workshops and organize their gardens. (Click here for her website)

- Alejandro Galicia (Acuna, Mexico) made a wonderful animation for KORAKOR and SPREAD YOUR LOVE. Make sure you watch this short clip!!! (Click here to watch the clip)

SPREAD YOUR LOVE

THE LIMITED EDITION SPREAD YOUR LOVE T-SHIRTS ARE FINALLY AVAILABLE...GET YOURS NOW!!! 20 EUROS WITH SHIPPING INCLUDED

The project is still improving and reaching more and more people. Lilo (Mexico), Akemi (Brasil), Josee (Canada) and Cecilie (Denmark) are constantly finding new ways to spread love and recruiting more people. Thank you girls!

I am currently editing many videos about SPREAD YOUR LOVE that will have the pleasure to discover in next month's newsletter or soon on youtube.

I am also reminding those who are on Facebook that both KORAKOR and SPREAD YOUR LOVE groups will soon be deleted. I have now combined them unto a Fan Page. Join the page to hear more stories and see great and helpful links.

KORAKOR TEACH

Since our arrival in Chichicapam, we spend most of our time working in the house and turning it into a cozy place for the volunteers and friends who will visit.

(What you see on this picture is an army of spiders that cluster to sleep together...over 150!!!)

I am also working on the curriculum of this program and trying to make everyone happy according to their needs. We have people ranging from 5 to 65 years old!!!

Classes will start one week late on February 8th.

You can read the KORAKOR TEACH newsletter on the official page…

And if you still haven't sponsored a kid, you can still do it!!!

Give 20$ or more by clicking on the PAYPAL link at the top of this page or by check.

Write me on kaikuart@gmail.com for more information.

I also remind you that each sponsor will receive, at the end of the program, a parcel filled with their art and local goodies !

KORAKOR VOYAGE

You can now join me in Chichicapam and benefit from a intimate inte

gration at the heart of rural Mexico. Your own 'KORAKOR' with the Mexican people. Join me to learn how to make organic mescal, hand-made tortillas, spicy chocolate, traditional meals and improve both your Spanish and Zapotec…

Places are limited but I will give the priority to those who follow KORAKOR.

100 euros per week (all included)

It is possible to shorten or extend your stay.

KORAKOR BOUTIK

- Melanie made 5 gorgeous KORAKOR scarves to allow me to raise a bit of money for my projects. It is her own original way to sponsor KORAKOR.

You can get your own now !!!

25 euros (Shipping included)

Write me to order yours now (great gift for your wife, your mom, your grand-mother or your secret lover)

Once again, I thank you for staying faithful to KORAKOR and sincerely hope to meet all those who read the newsletter until the end...

Korakorally yours,

Keveen (Gina and Kalula, my newly adopted puppy)

January 2010

2009-12-29T12:55:00.000-08:00

2009 is ending in warm Florida while sipping dark rum and listening to carabbean songs. A beautiful year for KORAKOR, filled with wonderful encounters, stunning artistic collaborations et uplifting moments that will stay anchored in my heart.

A short non-exhaustive summary is probably needed for those who have joined us during the year: (click on the colored link to jump in the time machine)

In 2009, KORAKOR went to Canada for a first show on the ukulele and to fall in love with Opposite of Blue. I then went to New York City to shoot the music video of Dekaf Girl with Linda Thatch, and it is at the same moment that I discovered Lisa Jaeggi, Shilo Andrews and Michael Benedetto. Meanwhile, David and Michael decided that HOSLTEE would be their full-time dedication, and Aunt Vi kept playing on her ukulele (but I lost the entire documentary when my hard-disk crashed). As I went back to France, Georges and I went to the mountains to build an igloo, and later I walked and hitched from Greece to France with Gina. During this trip called Love Walks on 4 Legs (soon in film), we learned about bread-making with Kostas and became addicted to Raki. I needed a serious cash injection so I went back to the United Arab Emirates, and spent the rest of the summer in my French forest where I met great people and spent most of my time rock-climbing and jumping naked in local rivers. Un Duo stopped by for a few songs, Josee made the official Spread Your Love T-shirt and a few articles about KORAKOR were published in French, Canadian and Mexican newspapers. Along with Regard’Ailleurs, I gave a few conferences about my book and film ‘Korakor in India’. I went to Paris to meet Devi and her Wool and Stuff creations before leaving for Mexico where I launched more SPREAD YOUR LOVE actions with the precious help of David and the amazing photographer Daniel Robles Cruz. I was happy to see that more and more people like the concept and that it is spreading around the world, for instance in Denmark with a great video made by Cecilie and her friends. In Mexico, I fell in love with the state of Oaxaca, and especially about a tiny village where I learned about organic mezcal and where I will start the first KORAKOR TEACH free school program (end of January). Lilo and Claudia Rivera invited to give a series of speeches in front of hundreds of enthusiastic students and help them spread love in the streets of Acuna, in northern Mexico. We did it in style and it was an opportunity to recruit new talented people for KORAKOR such as Ambar who created the intro clip for the new KORAKOR series. I had a quick pit stop in Texas before flying to freezing Canada and shoot a music video for Opposite of Blue, before heading to New Jersey and record a few songs with Aunt Vi. After a few liters of red wine in her company, I headed to New York City to shoot a music video for Lisa Jaeggi (who finally released her first CD) and a short film about Hosltee (who are selling their awesome T-shirts to make the world a better place). Meanwhile, Akemi told me she was currently translating my book ‘Korakor in India’ into Portuguese that you can read for free on her blog…A short break before heading back to Florida where I am writing this newsletter and am getting ready to enter 2010.

I will try my best to turn 2010 into an even more creative year.

I am inviting you to stay connected with KORAKOR and tell your friends to join us, since there are so many new artists to discover and great ways to make your life a beautiful one…

NEW CREATIONS :

- Here are two new videos featuring Lisa Jaeggi playing her award winning song ‘Menlike Gods’, followed by a special interview.

- Aunt Vi and her ukulele struck again ! Here are 2 new videos for your enjoyment.

- A new article about KORAKOR and SPREAD YOUR LOVE published in a Canadian newspaper (by Mandy)

FRIENDS OF KORAKOR :

- Kelly and Jefe are currently in Peru where they are shooting a series of short films about local NGOs. An epic adventure that you might want to join (click here for their website)

Watch a video here !!!

- Fabrice and his friends have launched their first travel documentary festival. Watch the trailer and submit your own films !!!

- Georges Pagani (who is going to shoot a short film in Togo in January) has made a very loving vidéo for KORAKOR…and he even wrote a song. Don’t miss out !

- I proudly announce that the pictures of our organization Regard’Ailleurs are going to be printed at the back of French buses !!! Here is a sample of what French people will see while driving. You can also buy our beautiful postcards to help us keep the good work. (Click here)

- My friend Marc OUBA from Burkina Faso has been awared the medal of ‘Knight of the National Order’ for the amazing work he has doen through his organization.

KORAKOR TEACH : The mobile Classroom

- I introduced my teaching project it in the previous newsletter, and here is more information about it :

I am going back to Mexico on January 7th and we will start KORAKOR’s English program in the small village of Chichicapan (state of Oaxaca). So far, we have collected 500 dollars of sponsors. I would like to thank all of you who have donated and helped us, and invite thos who still haven’t to do so. Sponsor a kid for 20 dollars and more and receive a great parcel filled with love and their artistic creations at the end of the course. I also remind you that whatever donation is happily received and that each donator will at least receive a cool letter to thank him/her as well as frequent information concerning the evolution of KORAKOR TEACH.

(You can also sponsor a kid on behalf of your friends and let us tell them you did so for them. It is a very smart, useful and original gift to offer someone!!!)

For more information, contact me!
KAIKUART@GMAIL.COM

Do not hesitate to send the information around you and invite your friends to help us with the program. You can also come visit and stay with us in February…

GOOD DEALS :

- Listen to great music on Hosltee’s BOOMBOX. Click on this link and let them introduce you to a new artistic universe (they even featured one of my songs !)

- You can now play a fun arcade game on my website…scroll down, close the advertisement box and play as much as you want…enjoy! (next month, I am putting Mario Bros on!!!)

KAIKU :

- For those of you who speak French, I will put my second ‘Kaiku’ book (3-line poems) on a Facebook application for you to read. You will then be able to read a poem daily and share them with your francophone friends.

Please, during the holidays, make sure you spend quality time with those you love and don’t wait for next Christmas to spoil them with your love and attention !

MY 2010 RESOLUTIONS:

- Eat more chocolate
- Develop KORAKOR and put more videos online
- Finish the films I started years ago
- Go to Burning Man
- Explore California
- Stay faithful to my dreams

I am sending you all my poetic love

Keveen

December 2009

2009-11-29T15:50:00.000-08:00

I am still erring and embracing the land of Mexico…plunging my entire self at the heart of people who help me become a better man. I hear and share their stories and dreams, fill up and empty cups of all sorts, sweat with them in their fields trying to understand how to live organically with our land…

Village traditions are teaching me a new way to embrace unconditional loving…so I stay faithful to the sweet road while allowing myself to wander wherever people will lead me…

I was heading south but the wind blew me up north…Within a month, I will switch from Mexican jungles to Texan plains to Canadian snow and Floridian beaches.

My life is not about getting somewhere, it is about being on the way to nowhere.

KORAKOR NEWS:

- As you can see, the main page has been entirely revamped to make your navigation easier. You will be able to explore the different themes through the new logos (big thanks to Gina who did an amazing job).

- The “Spread Your Love” T-shirts are currently being made (for more info, check the SYL part at the bottom)

- In March 2010, I am finally organizing the first official KORAKOR VOYAGE, during which you will have the unique opportunity to join me on a 13-day adventure at the heart of Mexican villages and embrace a new way of living (for more info, check the GOOD DEALS part at the bottom)

- I am finally launching my first mobile classroom. This new project is called KORAKOR TEACH (check box on the right) and will offer intensive English courses to villages entirely free of cost of them. You can either help me teach, come visit us, or sponsor a child…If you are interested, I am strongly inviting you to check the following link and explore the great philanthropic work we will be doing there.

http://korakoradventures.blogspot.com/

SPREAD YOUR LOVE

- I am finally making the Spread Your Love T-shirts (based on Josee St Pierre’s design). In Oaxaca, I met a woman with 2 kids, seriously struggling to make ends meet. She lives in a slum-like shack where she makes sandwiches and tacos in order to send her kids to school. In order to help her out, I have decided to give her the chance to sow all the Spread Your Love shirts.

- In January 2010, you will have the chance to choose one of our many unique hand-made shirts. The majority of the profit will go to this lady and the rest will be put in the SYL bank to allow us to do more good work with KORAKOR TEACH. (more information about price and how to get them will be soon published on the website.

- I am currently in Acuña (Coahuila, Mexico) giving lectures about Spread Your Love, and doing actions in the streets. For the first time since I started the project, people were waiting for me with an incredible enthusiasm. I owe it all to Lilo and Claudia Rivera who invited me and did all it took to bring me there (raising money and doing the necessary paper works). I sincerely wish more people would have the same desire to get things going and I hereby remind everyone that it is very easy to make me go to their universities, city or village.

Check all the new pictures and writings on the SPREAD YOUR LOVE page

http://spreadyourlov.blogspot.com/

GOOD DEALS

- It is finally time for you to join me on a short adventure at the heart of Mexico and its people. In March 2010, I am organizing 13-day organic seminars in Mexico during which 2 groups will have the unique chance to explore Mexico from a KORAKOR perspective.

Click here to read more about this project.

DO NOT HESITATE TO PASS THE LINK TO YOUR FRIENDS (it is also a very original Christmas present to offer someone…just a thought)

MY FRIENDS’ CREATIONS (click on the links to explore their creations)

- Paula Santos is a multifaceted artist who was brought to me by Newton’s law…We were attracted like magnets and it is now obvious to me why we met. Here is a painting she dedicated to KORAKOR and I am inviting you to explore her web page filled with pics, creativity and her own mind-blowing quotes…an artist that should not be missed or overlooked.

- Cecilie ( a well known and extremely active member of KORAKOR from Denmark) stroke again. In her new video, she is sending her goodnight kisses to all the followers of KORAKOR. Therefore, this video is dedicated to YOU!!!

- Devi Kernem is currently dedicating herself to wool knitting. She is selling her original creations which I invite you to explore. Nice and original ideas for Christmas gifts…or simply for the pleasure of seeing people’s creations.

- Akemi (Brazil) made a wonderful video connecting the people she met through KORAKOR…Another great way to connect and expand your love for the entire world.

- In October, Daniel Robles participated in a creative workshop about ‘El Dia de Los Muertos / The Day of the Dead’…You can see a sample of their work on this newsletter (pics from Sean Shelton, Daniel Robles Cruz and Emily Cooper).

If you want to check more pictures, join their group on Facebook...

SPECIAL THANKS

KORAKOR and SPREAD YOUR LOVE could not exist and thrive without your help and love. So here is this month’s special thanks

- David De la Parra (his mom and grandpa) for hosting me, loving me, feeding me and giving me all his love.

- Daniel Robles Cruz (and family) for opening all those doors and allowing me to have such a beautiful experience in Mexico (marry me Dani!!!)

- All the Mexican love-spreaders who have helped me spread love in the streets and on all over the internet.

- David Greenberg for the many glasses of Mezcal and the pics.

- Vanessa for allowing me to walk her dog (Nubes) and offering me a very pleasant roof.

- My family in Chichicapan fpr letting me stay with them and offering me the most intense human experience. Also for teaching me the secrets of organic mescal making.

- The Cruz family from Pluma Hidalgo for teaching me the essence of organic coffee.

- Benjamin and Ximena for the great night and all the love.

- Lilo and Claudia Rivera for making it possible for me to go to Acuña as well as organizing the many conferences.

- Papa Oso and Mama Oso for hosting me, feeding me, pouring liters of coffee and loving the way only parents can.

- My Acuña Love-spreaders (Tania, LLuvia, Adryana, Jorge, Jemima, Marissa, Marisol, Yulian, Ambar, Jose Luis, Hector, Brenda, Marey, Alex, Mario, Erik…and all the others)

- My most faithful friends for their constant support, and for giving me this burning desire t olive more, create and love life (Georges, Emrys, Gina, Cecilie, Akemi, Devi, Jo, Yvan, Jerkette, Sarah, Amanda, Mom, Paula, Celine, Kelly…)

Korakorally yours,

Keveen

ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK 2010 IN MEXICO !!!

2009-11-19T08:50:00.000-08:00

(CLIQUEZ ICI POUR KORAKOR VOYAGE EN FRANCAIS)

Get ready to spend the most intense 10 days of 2010!

I present this Spring Break 2010 special:

Here is a sample of what you will do during this trip:

- Meet people from villages who will give you all their love and dedication

- Participate in the making of organic Mescal (most likely the last 100% organic liquor made in the country)

- Learn how to cook authentic Mexican dishes with local cooks and grandmas eager to share their knowledge

- Meet the many men and women who walked days in the desert to live the American Dream and hear about the pains of such a trip

- Dive in refreshing rivers to escape the scorching sun

- Explore one of the oldest Mayan temples situated on top of a mountain overlooking the valleys

- Get lost in the gigantic markets while trying all kinds of weird foods, from roasted grasshoppers to Tamales

- Explore the process of organic coffee, banana and cacao and drink the finest and purest coffee of your life

- Sleep in a jungle

- Swim under waterfalls

- Snorkel with gigantic turtles, colorful fishes, and watch whales and dolphins swim close-by

- Get a beautiful tan on the long sandy beaches of the Pacific coast

- Take long naps in hammocks while sipping cocktails and fresh coconut milk

- Surf beautiful waves to cleanse your body

- Sing, dance and revel around a bonfire after admiring the sunset

- Drink more mescal, tequila, rum and beer than your body can handle (drink moderately...good organic juices will also be provided)

- Hike through tropical forests

- Spread Your Love everywhere we go

- Learn a lot about the people who influenced and changed the country

- Learn basic Spanish

- Divulge in natural body treatments and massages

- Bring back the most intense pictures and memories of Mexico

-Make your own "Spread Your Love" shirt

- Have a daily shower (bucket ones at times)

- Have fun with your own personalized KORAKOR guide book filled with surprises

- Post great Facebook updates to make your friends envious

- See the most stunning landscapes

- See sunsets…on the beach…on the top of mountains…over the jungle…

- Watch and share the video of this trip on youtube (provided by KORAKOR PRODUKTION)

- Come home with new friends that will stay in your heart forever

And I obviously cannot name all that will happen during this KORAKOR VOYAGE in Mexico…

PRICE

400 US$

Please advise this rate includes all the following:

Accommodations, bribes, personalized guide book, guide services, Spanish lessons, some selected activities (snorkeling trip, Mayan Temple, cooking lessons…) and local transportation.

(THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE AIRFARE TO MEXICO NOR FOOD EXPENSES)

WHEN

(10 days from March to April 2010)

You have different options for this organic adventure.

Since Spring Break is not the same for a lot of universities, I am inviting you to organize YOUR OWN TRIP!!!

Gather a group of friends (from 4 to 8 people) and decide when you want to come.

If you cannot motivate your friends to join, don't worry, I will put you in another group! Just give me your dates and I will take care of the rest!

THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO BRING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE AND EMBRACE NEW VISIONS!

KORAKOR open-heartedly invites you to experience what the world has to offer and to join one of our voyages. It is for this reason; the rates are kept to a bare minimum, as it will support the local population with whom you will share your adventure.

Korakor Voyage, an adventure alongside yours truly, on a life-altering trip in the heart of Mexico and its people. I guarantee you that after 10 days of total immersion in this jubilee of a country, you will know more about Mexico, its traditions, its urban legends and culture, more so than anyone who would have backpacked the country armed with the Lonely Planet guide.

Why can I promise such things? Because I offer a genuine experience, quality time with local people who have had led fascinating lives, and have so much to teach us about their country.

Korakor means a "body to body connection with life".

Therefore, by joining this voyage, you will see and experience a new way to embrace travelling and have the opportunity to change the way you interact with the local population and yourself. I am hoping that it will eventually boost and motivate you to take up your own backpack and head out to experience the world for yourself (or join me for another KORAKOR VOYAGE in another country). This trip will give you the key tools to embrace such a lifestyle and will definitely inspire you to challenge your current perspective on many aspects of life.

My goal is to allow you to understand more about Mexico and its people. You will become an agent of adventure, participating and interacting with the local population. You will envelop in all your senses; and we be asked to put your heart in everything you do. I believe it is the best way to fully appreciate what a country and its people have to offer you...This is the core philosophy of KORAKOR.

IMPORTANT FACTS

However, before you sign up, I ask you to bear in mind a few important facts:

- You are kindly asked to get your own travel insurance as KORAKOR cannot be held responsible for any injuries or incidents during this trip, I will provide some information on general coverage, but again I urge you to research this for your own benefit.

- You are more than welcome to extend your stay, but I can only be responsible for you during our seminar.

- Flying to Mexico City might be found at a more reasonable rate, but please realize this will require additional transportation to Oaxaca; the bus costs approximately 30$ and takes about 6hrs. If you choose to fly to Mexico City, please notify me prior so that I may provide you with all the needed transfer information to our location, and or so that I can arrange to meet you there.

- If you want to participate in this KORAKOR VOYAGE, you will be asked to send a deposit in advance to ensure placement for your reservation (about 200$). If you have monetary concerns, please contact me to discuss further. I will neither drink nor fly away with your money!

- If you do not have an adventurous mind and easy temperament, or if you are afraid of insects, and need your own privacy at all times, you are kindly asked NOT to join our little adventure. (I will, to the best of my ability try to make you as comfortable as possible, but I ask you realize conditions are not always known.)

I AM NOT GIVING TOO MANY DETAILS OF THE TRIP SINCE IT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED ON A GIGANTIC TREASURE HUNT FILLED WITH SURPRISES...

Keveen

Recent News

2009-11-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

10-11-09: Potchutla

- Spent the last 6 days in a tropical forest growing organic coffee, banana and cocoa
- Sees the world differently since this revelation
- Invites you to consider spending a little extra money when buying products. Go organic..when you see the work it takes to grow it...
- Is heading to the Pacific coast to wash his body and treat the million mosquito bits covering my body
- Is organizing integrated tours in March...More info to come

November 2009: Oaxaca, Mexico

2009-10-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

HOLA everyone,

I have now been wandering Mexico for a month and have not ceased to be amazed and to fall in love with all that was happening to me. From the people I met, to the food I put in my body. I love life and I hope it is contagious. This will be a long newsletter filled with good news and love...

On the paved streets

My heart beats

Amongst pastel houses

And purple bougainvilliers

My inspiration finds its happiness

Erring Mexico´s randomness

Another shot of Mezcal

And my horse leaves the corral

My words gallop through Coyoacan

While my body flies as it can

I think of Diego and Frida

When I empty my Tequila

And leave the Mariachis

Sing why my heart lives

Will Mexico be so sweet

To let me under her sheet

05-10-09

KORAKOR´S CREATIONS

- Cecilie, Lotte et Amalie (Danemark) made a video in honor of KORAKOR and SPREAD YOUR LOVE. In order to thank them, Daniel and I have made a video response on the ukulele singing them how much love we have for them. Click here to watch the video

- An article in French about KORAKOR in Le Var Matin. Click here to read the article

- Another article in French about KORAKOR in Ouest-France. Click here to read the article

- From now on, I will post regular updates on the websites to keep you posted of my evolution as well as to give you interesting links and news.

- You can now follow KORAKOR and SPREAD YOUR LOVE on Twitter. Click here to join us on Twitter.

- Make sure you check my new poems in the box "My writings".

MY FRIENDS´ CREATIONS

- The Spread Your Love video made by Cecilie, Lotte and Amalie. Click here to watch the great video

- Kelly Schiller used one of my songs for her short clip about Love. Click here to watch the video

- A poem in French by Akemi (Brasil) and her first encounter with KORAKOR

Toile d’araignée

J’ai connu un homme un jour.

C’était quand je marchais calmement par les tresses du monde et, tout d’un coup, je ne pouvais plus bouger. J’étais collée à quelque chose. Cet homme était suspendu par un fil et il cousait sa toile avec ses huit jambes. Il la peignait avec son aquarelle d’arc en ciel, en même temps qu’il peignait tous ses fils et filles avec un amour irresistible. Il m’a enlevé mon peignoir et enfin je n’avais plus de dentelles, j’étais nue avec que des dents pour goûter le monde auquel il m’avait invité. Je n’avais que mon palais pour explorer son grand palais. Il m’a chanté qu’elle est belle la vie et qu’il ne me laisserait plus partir.

Je lui ai donné tous mes dés à coudre pour aider à la couture de sa toile. J’avais si hâte de répandre ces fils d’amour et de repeindre ma vie noire et blanche avec des couleurs indiennes. J’étais prise.

Et il pouvait se charger en moi n’importe quand. Mais c’est finalement moi qui me charge en lui.

Tout le temps.

- A poem by Gina

Expiration Date

what if one day you clean out you cupboard, your refrigerator, your...you

what if you find there was something perfectly good that went to waste because

because it got pushed back too far to notice

because you forgot and got a new one

because you have too much...or too many

because...

because it expired

what if it was perfect

what if it was the missing ingredient

what if it was so full that at any moment if could spill over

a delicious flavor, unlike any

what if you forget to savor it

what if you spill a drop

waste it

let it sit too long

what if it expires

what if...

THE "SPREAD YOUR LOVE" PROJECT

The project has grown considerably this month. many people have joined the group and we are lucky to have new catalysts of love amongst us.

To this day, I have managed to organise a few Spread Your Love actions in the streets of Mexico and the positive vibration follows its own path. I have been invited to talk about Spread Your Love and KORAKOR in two universities in the north of Mexico. Lilo has managed to boost her students to raise the necessary money to fly me over there by selling cakes, car-washing...I am truly touched by their love. I am flying to Acuna on November 15th, where I will spend a few days spreading my love there and joining their enthusiastic group.

Here are some pictures of the Spread Your Love actions in the streets of Mexico.

For more information about the movement, the pictures and the videos, please log on

http://spreadyourlov.blogspot.com/

SPREAD YOUR LOVE

- Each month, I am inviting you to send your love to someone who might need your help, your support and just unconditional love. be it a postcard, a drawing, a photo or a poem, the most important is to send it so that the person will feel loved.

This month, I am inviting you to send your love to Rebecca Rivoal (she speaks English and French) who is suffering from a double hernia and will have surgery on November, 15th. She is pretrified to go to the hospital and I truly believe your support will help a lot.

Please, send your love to:

Rivoal Rebecca

Route de Sevigny

61200 Argentan

France

TO EXPLORE

- Explore Daniel Robles Cruz´s work. he is a very talented photographer who never ceases to amaze me with his poetic eye.

http://danielroblescruz.com/

KORAKOR GOOD DEALS

- After spending 5 days in a tiny mountain village in the region of Oaxaca, I came up with the burning desire to start my first KORAKOR English program. In January and February, I will organise the first entirely free English course for the local population. It will most probably be a 5-week intensive program and I will need voluntaries to help me. I have already obtained a house for us to live in while we teach. I will soon create a blog for this project on which you will learn more about how can you join, how can you sponsor a kid...

It is one of those villages where children roam the streets, where old folks ride their donkeys to the fields and where you jump in the river to escape the afternoon scorching sun...more to come. stay tuned and let me know if you are interested.

I am sending you all my unconditional love from Mexico...

Keveen

Sporadic news

2009-10-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

25-10-09: Oaxaca

- 5 days in a tiny mountain village to get initiated to Mezcal
- Will soon create the first KORAKOR English program in this same village (stay tuned and read upcoming newsletter)
- The day of the dead if coming fast and I am so happy to see the Mexican squeletons raising in front of my stunned eyes
- Do not think I will come back to France before a while
- New poems in the "my writings" box
- Can get enough of his daily life

17-10-09: Mexico City

- In love with Mezcal
- Poetically productive
- Falls in love every 30 seconds with dark-eyed brunettes
- erring all day long with no other goal than being
- Spreading My Love
- October 1oth: Operation "LOVE CARPET" in Coyoacan (drawing hearts with chalk on the floor and inviting people to join) Click here to see picture of this event
-October 16th: Operation "BIG CLEANING" in Espacio Esculturico (picking up garbage in the protected park)
- October 17th and 18th: Operation "LOVE METRO" in Mexico DF (posting hearts all over the metro station, cars...)
- October 20th: Heading to Oaxaca to shoot documentary about Mezcal and about coffee plantation in the mountains.

Coyoacan

2009-10-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

On the paved streets

My heart beats

Amongst pastel houses

And purple bougainvilliers

My inspiration finds its happiness

Erring Mexico´s randomness

Another shot of Mezcal

And my horse leaves the corral

My words gallop through Coyoacan

While my body flies as it can

I think of Diego and Frida

When I empty my Tequila

And leave the Mariachis

Sing why my heart lives

Will Mexico be so sweet

To let me under her sheet

5-10-09

Frida

2009-10-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

Frida

This woman that you see

Suffered more than you and me

But she turned her pain

And all that is vain

Into a delightful extasy

That made us all happy

She painted what she felt

From her neck to the belt

Stuck in bed for ages

She celebrated the glory of standing-up

She fought on and on and never gave up

Because she knew life always manages

To show you its beauty

And love in its entirety...

Oct 09

Philosophy

2009-10-17T10:21:00.000-07:00

All my writings have a copyleft which means you can use them, translate them, share them, print them...provided to mention my name and invite people to explore my website www.korakor.fr

Click on the article you want to read and then click "back" to return to the list.

- May Angels go back to Heaven!

- Why travelling on a bicycle?

- The 'right' use of Copyrights

- 78 things I learned so far

- Question / Answer

- Drop Your Banana

POETRY

2009-10-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of poems I wrote (French and English). Click on the title to read the poem and then, click "back" to return to the list of titles.

All my poems have a copyleft which means you can use them, translate them, print them...provided you mention my name and invite people to visit my website http://www.korakor.fr/

- Coyoacan

- Frida

- Loyal to my Mezcal

- It´s Your Will

- Sexual Longings

- En parallele

- Confessions d´un amant

- A few Kaiku

- Matinee canadienne

- Si Seulement...

- KAIKU

-

It´s Your Will

2009-10-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

It's Your Will
(this poem was written to influence the girl I loved to leave her boyfriend Will to celebrate life in my company)

No offense to your Will
But My willy has a will...

Will I ever meet your Will
&
Will you ever meet my will?

I will be frank to you
So Be frank to Will

I don’t feel well when I hear Will
But Do you feel Will when you are with me?

I will do what Will will not
&
Willingly put my willy in your slot

Will you be Will’s forever
Or
Will you be mine for shorter?

Tis time that Will return
As Tis time for my will to turn.

05/03/06

Sexual Longings

2009-10-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

For Safari writting night, Dec 2009

Theme: sexual longings

I slept with women who wanted a dick, who wanted to fill a lack, who wanted to understand, who wanted to find out, who did not really want, who wanted to experience, who wanted a representation, who accumulated, amalgamated and calculated.

I had sex with many of them…same same but different!

I slept with men who wanted to fuck, who wanted to empty their balls, who wanted to relax, who wanted to sweat, who did not want to masturbate, who wanted to feel, who wanted to imitate, who collected, repeated and exploited.

I had sex with many of them…same same but different!

But…

We enter to dance the trance
&
Fuck in vain to obtain

But…

We make love, fuck, hump, shag, copulate, fornicate, we name it…

But…

What do we seek?

But…

[----------------------------Timelessness---------------------------]

(December 2009)

A few Kaiku

2009-10-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

La machine à laver

Certains chrétiens se sont persuadés
Que l’église est à utiliser
Comme une grande machine à laver.

Prévisions

Ils font l’amour en espérant
Que leur maîtresse ou amant
Les conseilleront au passant.

L'enfant des rues

La pauvreté est un vilain virus
Créée par de gentils Crésus
Qui prennent soin de petits anus.

A la pucelle

Garde bien ton mouton bergère
Car le loup est l’ennemi mystère
Qui le saignera pour se satisfaire.

Matinee canadienne

2009-10-17T10:07:00.001-07:00

Matinée canadienne

Une mer scintillante s'ouvrant a moi
Innondée de diamants deposés par le froid
Sur chaque brin d'herbe réside
Une goutte d'eau chrysalide
Paillette matinale
D'un présent automnal

Crack, crack et crack
Mes pas les mattraquent

Etoiles de couleurs jonchées sur le sol
La brise timide les caresse au vol
Eparpillés sous un arbre épuisé
Ces feuilles mortes forment un ilot embrasé
Cercle de feu perdu dans l'océan blanc
La transition des saisons est mise en suspens

Crush, crush et crush
Mes doigts les accrochent

Un écureuil curieux m'observe de son tronc
Une floppée de canards s'enfonce dans les joncs
Sur la rivière couverte de brume
Les oies sauvages s'envolent une à une
Le castor a abandonné son oeuvre d'art
Il est tôt mais déjà trop tard

Clic, clic et clic
C'est une orgie photographique

Les matins rougeoyants de l'automne canadien
Appellent à la rêverie solitaire du quotidien
Je voudrais figer le temps
L'espace d'un instant
Et permettre à mon stylo
D'honorer ce tableau

decembre 06, Waterloo, Canada

En parallele

2009-10-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

En parallèle

Quand je lui parle de multiculturalisme
Elle entend sauvagerie et tribalisme

Je veux retourner vivre en Afrique
Elle imagine des culs-nus et pas de fric

Quand je veux partir avec nos enfants sur la route
Elle pense aux maladies et me met dans le doute

Je lui parle de nouveaux départs
Elle déteste devoir dire au revoir

Je nous imagine marcher dans des rues orientales
Elle ne pense qu’à construire son cocon familial

Je voudrais vivre de spontanéité
Mais elle insiste pour la sécurité

J’adore manger avec mes petits doigts
Elle rétorque que ce n’est pas courtois

Ma connaissance se base sur le voyage
Alors qu’elle s’instruit à chaque page

Je me réjouis du poulbot et du saoulard
Elle me vante les mérites des thésards

Je célèbre l’outrecuidance
Mais elle loue mes silences

Je propose une sortie montagnarde
Elle réserve à ‘La Fondue Savoyarde’

J’ai des penchants hédonistes
Et elle me traite d’égoïste

Mes erreurs me rendent plus fier
Les siennes l’envoient en Enfer

Nous sommes deux skieurs de fond
Deux parallèles et deux horizons.

17/01/08

Si Seulement...

2009-10-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

Si seulement…

Si seulement…

Je pouvais me réveiller avec ton haleine
Mes draps sentir ta sueur
Le lit avoir une gauche et une droite
Ton rasoir et ta crème de soin
Deux brosses à dents sur le lavabo
Huit yeux dans le miroir
Des Tampax au pied des chiottes
Tes culottes dans le linge sale
Ta propre tasse de thé
M’inquiéter de la qualité
Voir la vie en double
Trinquer avant de boire
Casser de trop longs silences
Sobrifier mes nuits…

Plus j’y pense, plus je me demande
ou
Plus je me demande, plus j’y pense

Mieux seulement
ou
Seulement mieux

Faire à deux
ou
Deux à faire

???????????????????????????????si seulement????????????????????????????????

2005

Travel Stories

2009-10-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

INDIA:

- Letter before leaving

- 5 months, 25 euros, a bicycle, a beard and love to share

- My host the old man

- Stroll along the Ganges River

- Tips to cycle in India

- (video) Publication of the book 'KORAKOR EN INDE' (In French only, but currently being translated into English)

- Slide show about India

- Excerpt of my documentary on India

.

UNITED-ARAB-EMIRATES:

- A hasty departure

- How I 'tamed' my class

- Two minutes from death

- My sailing dream

- The art of squatting

- The art of driving

- Snowing in the UAE

- The Arabs' revenge on the desert

- Sexuality

- Slide show about the UAE

USA:

- Private concert at the US immigration office

- The Lovebugs' Fable

CANADA:

- The monkey dance: a pseudo anthropological study of clubbing in Canada

SCOTLAND:

- Highland Games

- Wild roving in the Highlands

PERU:

- Being paid to go to the Machu Piccu

CUBA:

- My travel baptism

THE WRITINGS

2009-10-17T09:57:00.001-07:00

I have divided my writings in 4 categories in order to ease your exploration. Click on what specific theme you want to see the list of my writings. Once you have read the article you wanted, just click back to see the list.

TRAVEL STORIES

POETRY

PHILOSOPHY

SONGS

.

OCTOBER 2009

2009-09-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

September has turned its back
Leaving in me a great mark
Of beautiful people I met
Of souls I won’t forget

Teas I shared with pleasure
Kisses and hugs I treasure
Connecting with unknowns
Bearded ones and clowns

Mexico is coming fast
And announcing a blast
Souls that are calling me
No one will be my enemy

I am leaving France
In a sweet trance
To penetrate Mexico
And every pueblo…

KORAKOR’S NEW CREATIONS : (click on the colored links)

- Short film on Kostas, the baker of Zitsa, in the northern mountains of Greece.

- Freestyle in French honoring travels. Featuring ScHinZe, Georges Pagani (who can’t really clap). The vidéo was shot 2 days before cycling to Portugal.

- You can now enter KORAKOR’S CHAT ROOM and talk to people who are connected to KORAKOR. Feel free to talk, learn a language, make new friends and find your soulmate. KORAKOR is above all a platform on which people meet and exchange love…Please, do not put private information on this chat room as I don’t know who has control over what is put out there.

- As I was sipping a large glass of rum on the rocks in my forest, I started writing a list of random things I learned and apply in my everyday life. I stopped at number 78 as my rum was finish, but could have go on and on. I will soon deal more extensively with each point.

CREATIONS DES AMIS

- Akemi (Brazil) recieved my KORAKOR package and has decided to create her own korakor purse. She then made a little video that I am inviting you to watch. Feel free to do similar videos that warm my heart.

- Gina made a great cover of ‘Flight of the Conchords’…have fun watching it.

- Mandy Richardson wrote an article sharing her view on polygamy…enjoy her perspective and explore her blog as well.

- Ken Ogle made a great video about the contrast between his life in the USA and his life in the UAE. Take the time to explore the rest of his website…tons of fascinating material.

- Gina has finally created KORAKOR’s logo as well as promotional drawings that we will soon post in the streets of the world (feel free to ask the printable form and spread it around your place). Devi used the logo and with her creative genius, she had fun with it…

GOOD DEALS

- If you have always wanted to help kids and teach English but never managed to have the chance or the needed diploma, here is your chance. A small school in Nepal needs English ‘teachers’ to help them get a better education and assist them in their personal development. Check the website and get in touch with them. Sebastien will be happy to give you more information about this humanist project.

Click here for the website

MEXICAN PROJECT

- I am landing in Mexico City on the 28th of September where I will spend a few days meeting local artists, poets, wrestlers, David and love spreaders to interview them on different subjects: love, life…During the trip, I will walk, cycle, ride horses and hitch across the country trying to meet as many people as I can and collect their viewpoints on life to see what we can learn from them. You will be able to hear what they have to say about their country. It is a humanist project that I sincerely hope will inspire you…

- I will also make a series of voice recordings to share what happened, stories from others as well as sounds from Mexico. All you will have to do is log on KORAKOR and listen to the files.

- If you per chance do not know what to do with your mini laptop, or wanted to contribute intelligently to KORAKOR, I am strongly inviting you to get in touch with your local computer store and give me a great Christmas present in advance…

SPREAD YOUR LOVE

Thanks for your time, your love and I can only invite you to live fully…

Korakorally yours,

KEVEEN GABET

78 things I learned so far

2009-09-23T02:21:00.000-07:00

78 things I learned so far

1. Nothing is absolute in life
2. Life is not a path but a gigantic field on which I go forward as I wish
3. Life is a buffet of ideologies, people, perspectives…and I do not want to stick to one dish
4. I believe in empirical knowledge
5. Life is not a bitch, it’s how I angle it
6. The world can be seen through many perspectives, and none is more valid than others.
7. A perspective only accentuates certain limited aspects of life
8. Lying to others is ok, but lying to myself is not
9. It is not because you steal a few times that you are a thief
10. There is no definite road to happiness, it is the road itself that brings you happiness
11. Do not say that someone is right or wrong, but agree or disagree
12. I do not speak of nature as a separate entity, I am part of it
13. Destroying nature is destroying yourself
14. Being selfish means being perfectly yourself
15. Do not try to see with the third eye when you still cannot appreciate life with your two eyes
16. Love yourself before wanting to save the world
17. Loving unconditionally means loving no matter what the person is or does
18. Try to understand the difference between the petty ego and the Greater Ego.
19. Being egocentric is seen as very negative when it means knowing yourself and loving yourself
20. Say ‘yes’ to whatever life brings you
21. Situations do not happen for a reason, you put meaning to them
22. When a door slams shut in front of you, make sure it is not locked
23. If a door is locked, do not waste time complaining about it, look for windows or other doors
24. I do not miss anyone as you miss people who are absent. The people I love are constantly with me
25. I do things for myself first. I pick up garbage, I help those who suffer and do not hurt anyone because I do not want to see ugliness around me.
26. The world does not need sympathy but true empathy
27. Be like the driftwood and let yourself float freely on the River life
28. It is easy to avoid knowing yourself with momentary superstitious havens
29. We give too much credit to those who remember a lot of encyclopedic knowledge, but not enough to those who remember to live life fully
30. To find peace of mind, we try to refuse, forget and push away things we do not like when we should fully embrace them.
31. Burning letters, erasing all traces or moving far from a person will never make that person disappear from your head and heart
32. To have the desire to eradicate desires is still a desire
33. We waste so much energy and time trying to transform reality so that it answers our beliefs and plans.
34. If time is precious, take it.
35. Follow your excitement
36. Some should treat others better than the way they treat themselves.
37. We are masters of self-limitation
38. Everything is possible when you really want it
39. When you put all your heart and energy on one thing, you will be surprised to see the universe helping you
40. Believe in synchronicity
41. To live in the moment, you have to be aware that you will be nostalgic of this very moment in the future
42. There is no returning to a time and place on earth, we have to go forward we what we know
43. Force yourself to act as you wish you would
44. Our brain is a powerful computer constantly downloading information, and it should be switched off occasionally
45. Being passive with the world’s problems is being active in creating them
46. There are different truths at different time, place and cultures. No need to fight for The truth
47. Belonging to any group (family, country, ideology, religion…) is what creates antagonisms in our world
48. Allow people to be whoever they want to be
49. Do not judge a book by its cover, its title or its critics. Read it yourself.
50. Everything is connected
51. Do not boast or hate the body that you did not engineer
52. We need more feed-back on this planet
53. Behave in a way that will bring beauty to the environment
54. We all have an active role on this world, be it not to do anything wrong toward others
55. No one is equal. This is precisely what makes the world so rich.
56. It is very easy to blame unconsciousness or our subconscious to avoid being responsible
57. No matter what you do, there will always be people to criticize you
58. You are more respected and loved than you will ever know
59. Dare to speak your mind even if it will be unpleasant to hear
60. Do not aim at hurting anyone
61. Life should be about construction and not destruction
62. We waste time telling people how much we will miss them
63. I have always blamed my short arms when my it was indeed my legs
64. Humility is a virtue for hypocrites
65. Choosing is refusing
66. Giving up or letting go is not a failure
67. It is not that you do not have a chance, but more that you did not see it
68. Simplify
69. By complaining about things you should have done, you don’t see the other opportunity
70. Introspection is the most beautiful path
71. Knowing what you do not want to be is already a big step forward
72. Head to the right or head to the left, but the most important is the first step
73. Even if only person listens to you, keep talking for that person.
74. If no one listens, keep talking for yourself
75. Fear is a great burden for life
76. Traveling with holes in your pockets to embrace the moment
77. This list will always evolve
78. Cf article 1

2009-09-13T07:14:00.000-07:00

2009-09-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

SEPTEMBER 2009

2009-09-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

August has now passed and we will all wait for his return next year. The heat is getting worse and worse, which brings forest fires closer and closer to my little forest. We pray all the pantheons we know to create a magical wall that will save my forest from burning. My father cannot wait to sell his house and move to a tropical island where he will drink cocktails et work on his tan, while I am trying my best to keep potential buyers away from us with sordid stories of haunted woods or old animal cemetery underneath our pool…it is working so far!

While the Swine flu is spreading fast, I am flying in a month to its actual birthplace. On the 28th of this month, my feet will for the first time caress Mexican soil where a plethora of new adventures await me: from tequila overdoses, shamanic initiation in holy mountains to my first step in the Lucha Libre (local wrestling with beastlike men wearing leather masks).

You will have the chance to read all about it in my monthly newsletters, as I am currently trying to buy a tiny computer (ASUS-like if you will) to focus more on my writings (go straight to the bottom of the newsletter to read how you can help me with this purchase).

Finally, here are the lastest news and creations of KORAKOR…covered with love as usual...

Poetically yours…

CONFERENCES TO COME : (more info to come very soon)

- On September 12th, in Flayosc (France, Var, 83), I will organize a mini conference on India during which I will talk about my first trip there (5 months cyclcing with 25 euros in hand) but also show my pictures and the short film ‘Korakor in India’. It will be a potluck type of meeting and the organization that will host the meeting requires a 2 euro insurance fee per person (I work for free !). If you want to come, there is a possibility to camp at my place

Starting at 7pm in Flayosc

- On September 19th, in Paris, join us for a night dedicated to India with a concert of traditional music (offered by ‘Soleils du monde’ ), a photo exhibition on fishermen from Kerala (photo by Georges Pagani who represents Regard’ailleurs) followed by stories from my own cycling trip in India + film.

- Between September 20 to 26th, I will be in Argentan (France, Orne, 61), where my sister will host a KORAKOR meeting at her place focusing on India and travels in general. If you are interested, please let us know as the seats are limited.

KORAKOR’S LATEST CREATIONS

- A couple from Sicily, Itlay called Un Duo recently came to visit and we shot two nice clips for their songs…discover very talented people who will take you to the heart of their artistic world. (you can also buy their CD to support their adventures)

THEIR RAP

THEIR LIFE ON THE ROAD

- Cecilie (Danemark) and I have finally shot a short clip for my latest song on the ukulele called ‘The Walt Disney Blues’ in which I make fun of fairy tales that always end well…

- A photo slideshow about Provence with the music of Shilo Andrews

- A new article in the box KORAKOR TRAVEL GUIDE dealing with India.

- A short clip to illustrate what is Indian MASALA PAN.

FRIENDS’ CREATIONS

- Georges Pagani and Nolwenn cycling from Roumania to Moldavia

- Gina has created a new vidéo to spread her love. This is a short clip of a longer project.

- Lisa Jaeggi has finally released her debut album. Don't miss the chance to get your own copy!

http://www.myspace.com/lisajaeggi

Send her an email to buy it, and tell her you are coming on my behalf. She might add some love in it! lisajaeggi@gmail.com

KORAKOR’S BOUTIK

- I am reminding you that my two books are available and that the money will be wisely spent on the road or to buy better equipement.

For more info, click on the box 'Publication' on the right of the website

SPONSOR KORAKOR

- I will soon put a special offer on ebay.com to find the lucky person who will become my sole sponsor for the next 6 months. The winner of the 10-day auction will receive a monthly package filled with love, my writings, hand-written letters, postcards, drawings, photos and basically all I will find along the way. All you have to do is to bid higher and win it, or if you can’t afford it, to simply spread the link and the concept to all the sites you know, mass email it, and so forth. I will soon let you know when the auction is on….Beware, only 10 days to bid !!!

Remember that I always take pleasure in reading your mails, your hand-written letters and that I always try to answer all your questions.

I am inviting you to take the time to send love to those you love, or simply like…

Keveen Gabet

KORAKOR TRAVEL GUIDE

2009-09-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of tips and advice I believe you should know before going to those destinations.

NB: All information given is very subjective and KORAKOR cannot be held responsible for the validity of its information.

- Albania
- India

YET TO COME...

- France
- Scotland
- Andorra
- Spain
- Portugal
- Ireland
- England
- Italy
- Montenegro
- Greece
- Bosnia and Hercegovina
- Croatia
- Senegal
- Morrocco
- USA
- Canada
- Peru
- Bolivia
- Cuba

My videos

2009-08-29T00:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of short films I have put on youtube. Click on the titles to watch the video on youtube and click back to come back to this list.

KORAKOR IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (2007-2008)

NB : This is KORAKOR’s first series so the first videos will be amateurish and will eventually get a better quality.

- ISLAND CLOSE TO ABU DHABI

- ETHIOPIAN COFFE IN ABU DHABI

- 4-WHEELER RALLYE IN THE DESERT

- MEETING WITH INDIAN IMMIGRANTS

- MECHOUI IN THE DESERT

- PRIVATE ZOO

- THE JOYS OF ARAB SHAVING

- MEETING CAMEL FARMERS IN RAS AL KHAIMA

- MEETING DJINNS

- EXPLORING HATTA

- EXPLORING FUJEIRAH

- SLIDESHOW ON THE UAE

KORAKOR IN THE SULTANAT OF OMAN (2008)

- EXPLORING THE SULTANAT OF OMAN

KORAKOR IN INDIA (2008)

- EXERPT OF THE SHORT FILM ‘Korakor in India’

- BABA’S SONG

- MAKING MASALA PAN

- PROMOTION OF MY BOOK ‘Korakor in India’

- SLIDESHOW ON INDIA

KORAKOR IN FRANCE (2007)

- EXPLORING NICE ON A MOPED

- FRENCH CREPES

- BUILDING AN IGLOO IN THE ALPS

- LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS

- SLIDESHOW ON PROVENCE
.

KORAKOR IN GREECE

- THE BAKER OF ZITSA

KORAKOR IN MONTENEGRO

- I LIVE FOR THOSE MOMENTS

KORAKOR TRIBUTE

- GINA

- YVAN

- KIMBERLY

- DANCE LIFE

- LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (SPEECH)

- I LIVE FOR THOSE MOMENTS

KORAKOR UKULELE

- HIDDEN IN A TOAD

- ELLE EST BELLE LA VIE

- FAREWELL MA BELLE

- THE WALT DISNEY BLUES

- DEKAF GIRL

- AUNT VI AND HER UKULELE (5-foot-two)

- AUNT VI AND HER UKULELE (the butcher boy)

- AUNT VI AND HER UKULELE (billy)

- WE LOVE LOVE LOVE

KORAKOR MUSIC

- SCHINZE

- SOUFYSOUFYANE

- MOLIMO

- UN DUO’S RAP

- IL DUO UN DUO

- L’HYMNE DES VOYAGEURS (FREESTYLE)

KORAKOR BOOK PROMOTION

- KORAKOR IN INDIA

- KAIKU : TRAVEL EPIPHANIES

.

India Travel Guide

2009-08-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

NB : I say « India » but I have only explored an infinite portion of this eclectic country. Therefore, the the word India is here misused as it cannot refer to the country as a whole but a simplified generalization.
The same applies to the word « the Indians ».

(click here to watch a slideshow on India)

- You cannot love India

- You cannot hate India

- You will alternatively love it and hate it

- You will often change your mind every 30 meters or seconds.

- India is somewhat inexplicable.

- The cliché ‘Sub Kuck Milega’ (‘everything is possible’ in Hindi) was created for a reason.

- Forget about the concept of space: India is a place where everything mixes with

everyone.

- Forget about the concept of time: minutes can last hours and hours can last seconds

- If someone tells you ‘we will see’, or ‘it should work’, be prepared for the negative

- The little wobbling ‘8’ they do with their head both means agreement and denial.

- If you want to see another India, head to the villages, far from bleached reality for

tourism purposes.

- Overpopulation makes the most trifling thing seem very vioent or brutal: buying a train

ticket or a snack is often a wrestling match with the crowd

(click here to see the effect of overpopulation)

- Indians do not speak with an accent…you do.

- Indian roads are an earthly hell.

- You don’t learn road rules, you live them and then improvise.

- Trust your drivers, they perfectly know the size of their vehicule.

(Click here to see what driving is like in India)

- You honk for no seemingly no reason, but if you don’t honk, pedestrians no longer see you

- India is loud. It is useless to get irritated by those noises or those people who piss you off

- Growing a mustache is a sine qua non condition for being a real man

- Indians love Eurpean tourists and will always ask to take a group picture

- There are no Indian tourists (nor European ones) in villages

- Originally, each village had a Darhamshala ( a palce for pilgrims to rest and get a free

meal). This tradition is long gone, but you could always try to revive it.

- It is impossible not to be invited for tea or a meal by local people

- Invite children to play and comb your hair

- The water you buy in bottles is not mineral water but purified water. It is therefore

preferable to find a solution to get your amount of minerals form another source. I personally

recommend drinking tap water (it can only make your stomach a stronger one)

- You don’t put your lips on bottles or glasses. You pour the liquid from a distance and try

to aim.

- Feet are a sensitive subject. Refrain from picking them in public, pointing them toward

others, touch anyone or anything with them or show your foot-writing skills (even though you

are great at it)

- If you touch a person with your lower body (foot, legs…), place your hands on the spot

and bring them back to your forehead or heart and kindly apologize.

- Indians have thousands of urban legends and customs that animate and rule their days

- If need be, they will create new ones or improvise.

- Nothing is absolute in India

- There is an organized chaos

- India is not dirty, your country is too clean

- Villages are much cleaner and healthier than cities

- Bombay / Mumbai has declared that Racketing fees could be deducted on annual taxes.

- India is the second largest Muslim country in the world after Indonesia

- Pakistan is their best / worst enemy. People who don’t like you might invite you to go to

Pakistan, meaning ‘go to hell’

- India will never forgive China for giving Pakistan the nuclear bomb

- In 2008, 4 Indians were amongst the 10 richest men on earth

- ¼ Indians live with less than ¼ dollar a day

- There are some 1.16 billion people in India, from which only 30% live in cities

- Hindus (82%), Muslims (12%), Christians (2%), Sikhs (2%)

- Untouchables are also known as Dalits or Harijans ‘children of God’

- In order to modernize the caste system, they enforced affirmative action in favor of the

Dalits

- They are about 250 million people considered in this caste (or out of caste)

- Even though many Indians affirm that they no longer believe in the caste system, you

might see that it often is an obsession.

- Many convert to Buddhism since it does not enforce the system

- Ambedkar is Dalits’ Ganhdi.

- Muslims don’t really like Hindus but try not to show it too much

- Hindus don’t really like Muslims but try not to show it too much

- If you are present during a Muslim / Hindu conflict, run as far as you can

- Women are the most fascinating element of India. Their endurance is an example for all

- They are the pillars of society but let the men believe in and enjoy their so-called

supremacy.

- 8 Indian women are purposely burned every hour, most women have to walk 5 to 10

kilometers to fetch water, and many suffer from urinary infections as they must wait till dusk to

relieve their bladders (as a group)

- Everything can be found in the streets. From facial massages to dentists

- Sweets might look great, but they remain a tasteless souvenir.

- Indians are incredibly clean people. They have an obsession with water and showers

- It is preferable to brush your teeth before eating anything in the morning

- TV is a new god

- Even in improvised tents, people will have a rusty TV set.

- If you don’t understand Indian films, it is absolutely normal.

- They don’t have studio recorded songs. Their hits all come from Bollywood films.

- It is not sufficient to know the songs, you have to act and dance them

- Westerners are sought to feature as under-paid actors

- Grotesque and kitsch is an art in the Indian film industry

- Love scenes are infantilized.

- Curry powder is a mixture of spices that every mother keeps preciously.

- Masala is a mixture of spices

- All in all, India is a masala: a mixture of random things that make the country a mine of

splendors.

- Tea is called ‘chai’ (pronounced ‘Tchai’)

- The word chai does not necessarily mean the sweet milky and spicy tea. It is just the only

one the tea maker will offer it.

- They can also make it with no sugar, no milk and no spices (ginger or cardamom), but

they will not really understand why you drink tea (it is the equivalent of eating pizza with no

cheese, no tomato sauce and no olive oil)

- Chai is served and drank extremely hot

- When people pour you tea with a saucer under your cup, you can pour some tea in the

saucer to let it cool down and then drink it from the saucer itself.

- Your left hand is dedicated to your genitals and natural needs

- Many gestures might look very rude and clumsy but they are not offending in their

culture

- Indians tend to stare at people

- Some Indian doctors are trying to cure AIDS with Ayurveda (natural medicinal science

based on the Vedas)

- Some elephants can swim more than 3km

- More than 3 million tourists visit India each year…but you will not see them in villages.

- Hinduism has more than 330 million divinities (basically, one for each state of being or

phenomenon)

- Indians love world records: longest finger nails (6.5 meters), longest non-stop crawling

(1,400km), standing on one foot (65h and 50 minutes), shaking 31,118 hands in 8h, belching 92

times per minute, chopping 964kg of vegetables in 130h, and so forth.

- The Taj Mahal is man’s greatest erection for a woman.

- Indians have a fantastic sense of humor and can be extremely sarcastic.

- Each Indian is a poet deep inside

- When people say 100 rupess only, it not not mean that it is cheap but that it is the exact

price.

- I’m inviting you to read poems from Kamala Das, Rabindranath Tagore and Sitakant

Mahapatra (amonst others), but also essays from Osho and Arundathi Roy.

AUGUST 2009

2009-08-06T12:09:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

So here I am in the middle of the hot summer of Provence, at the heart of my pine forest, where cicadas sing their restless songs of love and simplicity, and praise endless summers. Tourists have invaded our beaches, our streets but thank God not our villages. They want to do it all, from capturing everything on their camera to eating all the local dishes. However they tend to forget to take their precious time and come sit with us, the locals who would be very happy to treat them for a glass of refreshing Pastis (this local alcohol based anis drink).

A few backpackers have ventured in my forest to embrace what simplicity has to offer and see what a humble village looks like. The few lucky ones who come to stay in my trailer unknowingly sign up for some rock-climbing, skinny dipping in cold rivers and love card making that we then send across the globe.

Unfortunately, July hasn’t been the most creative month for KORAKOR. I seriously needed a break after those 5 intense teaching weeks in the UAE (no one should work more than 5 weeks a year…I have always known I was a bit different). But teaching those kids was another wonderful experiment and I now keep some precious friends /students in my heart…we write regularly and it is a way for me to invite them to see the world through another perspective.

So, now that I am back in my forest, I can finally take things slowly. My mornings are dedicated to emails and letters that I send to those who love and support KORAKOR while my afternoons go from napping to Pastis indulging (alone or with friends).

Please, enjoy this month’s newsletter.

NEW CREATIONS (click on the links and click on previous to come back to the newsletter)

- A short essay on Copyright

- A tribute to my Indian Baba

- Slideshow on Toronto and Québec

- Slideshow on Spain

- Slideshow on Peru

- The box for musicians who have contributed to KORAKOR is now ready for your enjoyment (and still in construction). Discover the songs you loved in the films…

CREATIONS OF KORAKOR’S FRIENDS

- Vies creates experimental videos and focuses his energy and love on cinema and healing people via natural paths. Discover his artistic universe and enjoy this sample….

- Ken’s blog is absolutely stunning. Filled with poetry and love. He recently paid me a visit while I was in the UAE (along with Maureen and Rachel) and made a short vidéo of it. He also wrote a great article last year about our meeting.

The article

The video

- Emrys has just obtained his skydiving licence and he is now inviting you to jump with him through this short clip….

- Explore Holstee’s Boombox (with a clear version of my song ‘Elle est Belle La Vie (number 14)). Enjoy their musical choices and the rest of their creative website.

ARTISTS TO DISCOVER

Music :

Jooooo et Milo came up with a nice song that Germain recorded and edited (you cna download the mp3 !!!)

Travel :

Fabrice Renucci is a rover, an incessant traveller and a remarkable filmmaker. He goes around the globe with his cute smile and his contagious laugh. His films are getting more and more professional and he will definitely become huge one day. Penetrate his artistic universe.

PROJECTS TO COME :

- The film ‘Love Walks on 4 Legs’ should be ready by mid September 2009 (Gina is coming back to help out)
- September: Conferences and photo exhibition in Paris.
- September 15th : Conference in Normandy (Argentan, Orne)
- Leaving for Mexico on September 28th from Paris.
- Creation of KORAKOR packages that you will be able to receive during the entire stroll.
- February 2010 : Series of conferences in Canada (Thunder Bay, Ontario) in favor of kids with cancer.
- April 2010 : Leaving for Nepal with Georges Pagani in order to shoot a documentary about a shamanic gathering.

SPREAD YOUR LOVE

From time to time I invite those who want to send their loving to a person who needs it. This time, you can send your love to Spain. Indeed, Silvia, this wonderful being whom I met during my cycling stroll is now needing support and love. She normally is filled with joy and love but she has been feeling down lately and I am sure that a simple card, a poem, a picture or a drawing can bring positivity to her life… If you want to help and send your love, here is her address. Thank you for spreading your love.(she speaks both Spanish and English…and maybe Kiswahili)

Silvia Roche
Calle Gavilla
N#1 2A
47014 Valladolid
Spain

I am sending you all my poetic love for the rest of August...

Korakorally yours,

Keveen

The 'right' use of Copyrights

2009-08-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

Copyright, protection and ownership…Damn it I hate those words. We are so deeply rooted in the ‘mine culture’….mine, mine, mine !!!!

Some people urge us to get our works copyrighted while others refuse to put their art out there until it is legally protected. By legally, they mean adding © behind a name.

Is it greed, selfishness or self promotion that pushes us to copyright everything we create?

The only reason I put a insignificant ‘copyright’ on my works is because I want to be held responsible for what I put out there. I want to get both the praise and the shit. But deep inside, I know I have no right to put a copyright on anything that comes out of my brain.

Why did I write this poem? How did I come up with this idea, this concept? Who owns what am I capturing on my digital artillery?

I owe it all to you, them, us…LIFE!

I wrote this poem for the girl who broke my heart, and she never put a copyright on her action and words.
I had an epiphany after talking to that drunk at the bar, and he never put a copyright on his jabbering and beautiful ugliness.
I filmed those kids embracing life, this bird dancing in the sky, nature at work, and they never put a copyright on their essence.
I photographed smiles that make you cry, eyes that speak of love, hands that touched heaven, and never have they put a copyright on their inherent beauty.

So I realize that all my creations, and by extension my entire self is based on people, things and natural phenomena that never had a copyright and allowed me to freely use what they had to offer.

I am only the extension of Life itself. My art shows glimpses of the copyright free universe.

I believe the only copyright that should ever been used is LIFE COPYRIGHT.

But because we live in a civilization that believes in owning things, ideas and concepts, I am strongly invited to use protections. My only answer to this frenetic urge is to put a symbolic Copyleft on what I create.

Anyone is invited to use my perspectives, adaptations and collections of Life, provided they give me the responsibility for what and how they are represented. It is my soul that has combined those elements, and therefore I only should be held responsible, blamed or loved for the way I angled the pieces of this great puzzle.

July 2009

July 2009 (UAE)

2009-07-09T02:58:00.000-07:00

I first would like to welcome all those who have joined KORAKOR this month, and a special thanks to Valerie and Virginie for their donations to the adventure…

You have a month to explore all that is in the newsletter, so don’t rush, and savor all the new KORAKOR creations…

NEW CREATIONS (click on the links to watch the videos):

- In the section KORAKOR MUSIC, I’m inviting you to discover or rediscover ScHinZe. The latter is presenting a song from his upcoming second album.

- I have posted a short excerpt of my latest film ‘Love Walks on 4 Legs’ that I hope will inspire you to love life and open your arms to unknown people.

- In Greece, we met MOLIMO, a Congolese band that busks in the streets of Athens. I am inviting you to discover them or if you have ever been to Athens, to see them again in this video clip.

- Photo slideshow on Jesus Christ (music by Shilo Andrews).

- Photo slideshow on Canada (music by Michael Benedetto).

- The ‘KORAKOR Practikal Travel Guide’ is finally starting (the picture illustrating this new box was made by Anais from France). The first article is about Albania.

- I have posted a poem I wrote for a writing club last December. The subject was ‘Sexual longings for men and women’. (Warning: the language is very vulgar)

I had sex with many of them…same same but different!

I slept with men who wanted to fuck, who wanted to empty their balls, who wanted to relax, who wanted to sweat, who did not want to masturbate, who wanted to feel, who wanted to imitate, who collected, repeated and exploited.

I had sex with many of them…same same but different!

But…

We enter to dance the trance

Fuck in vain to obtain

But…

We make love, fuck, hump, shag, copulate, fornicate, we name it…

But…

What do we seek?

But…

[----------------------------Timelessness---------------------------]

- You can read an article I wrote in 2007 about Lovebugs in Florida.

THE CREATIONS OF KORAKOR’S FRIENDS:

- Gina Solorzano has made a very touching video for KORAKOR.

- Dave and Michael from HOLSTEE have posted the second episode of their adventure.

- Kelly Schiller has posted a great ethnographic documentary about a tribe in Ecuador (27-minute long)

- Poem by Janet

DISCOVER KORAKOR’S FRIENDS :

Poetry :

Céline Rainoird has just created a blog on which she shares a fraction of her enchanting creative universe. (In French and Spanish only)

Photography:

Alexandre Michel has started his blog entitled ‘le photographe et les vignerons’ (the photographer and the vineyards) in which you will learn to love wine and its people through this talented photographer (in French only)

Music :

Jason has allowed KORAKOR to use his songs…here is an excerpt of his works and what I consider his best one so far.

Travel :

Caroline, whom I met during my cycling stroll through Portugal, has finally decided to take the road. She will walk back to Germany…starting in Portugal.

Writings :

Puneet Sahani, whom I also met during the same cycling stroll, never ceases to raise hell on the net. His provocative writings filled with sarcasm are delicious to whoever enjoys seeing the world through another perspective. Join his Facebook group to receive his fiery words.

KORAKOR’S GREAT DEALS :

· In each newsletter, I try to find good deals for your own benefit…This time, it will come from KORAKOR itself! In order to spread my message, I have started a little game on Facebook stating that whoever brings 12 friends to the Facebook group will receive one of my books or ‘Love Walks on 4 Legs’…entirely free!!!

You do not have a Facebook profile ? No worries, you can still benefit from this offer. Tell your friends to write your name and their email address in the ‘YOUR REACTIONS’ box on top of the page.

More info by clicking here.

· In September, Georges Pagani, Alexandre Sattler and myself will present our creations (films and photographs) for a festival on India that our organization Regard’ailleurs is hosting along with Soleils du Monde.

Thank you again for following KORAKOR, and sending me all your loving…

In order to thank you, i am constantly struggling to create better videos and bilingual so you can all enjoy them (and believe me, it takes a lot of time to do so…)

‘A true friend is someone who is there for you when he’s rather be anywhere else’ Len Wein

FREE KORAKOR CREATIONS

2009-06-30T03:57:00.000-07:00

Beloved friends, lovers and supporters of KORAKOR,

Here is the time for the concept to touch a larger amount of Homo-sapiens! KORAKOR is now entering, for a short period of time, a mass promotional phase before going back to its original purpose: sharing the love with and to individuals.

Last year, Mandy Richardson gave away our co-written book ‘ The Poet and The Butterfly’ to anyone who would bring 10 newcomers to her Facebook group ‘Diva’ (http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/group.php?gid=6606084763&ref=ts ). Last month, ScHinZe followed the move by offering his CD to anyone bringing 12 new members to his fan page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/pages/ScHinZe/9610641396?ref=ts ).
It is now my turn to offer one of my creations to whoever recruits 12 new people on my Facebook group KORAKOR.

You are invited to follow a few easy manipulations in order to receive, entirely free, one of my works : my collection of travel epiphanies ‘Kaiku’ (in French only), the book retracing my cycling stroll across India, or the latest travel documentary dealing with our walk from Greece to Nice:

1- Join the Facebook group KORAKOR (there is also a fan page but we are talking about the group on the following link)

2- Invite at least 12 Facebook friends to join the adventure.

3- Make sure they precise that you sent them to KORAKOR (there is a promotional box especially for that). Your full name suffices.

4- I will keep you posted when your 12 friends have joined and ask you what do you want to receive.

A FEW PRECISIONS:

- You can only win one KORAKOR creation, unless you manage to bring 50 people. In which case you will receive all of them (2 books plus the film)
- Newcomers can only give his/her vote to one person. Choose strategically!
- Being currently in the UAE (close to Abu Dhabi), you will have to wait until July 17th for your package to be sent from France.
- There will also be lots of love in your package…
- I’m adding a text at the end of this promotional offer so that the newcomers can learn what KORAKOR is about. Because although many wouldn’t mind signing in just to please you, some might want to know what is this whole KORAKOR thing about.

THE CREATIONS YOU CAN WIN:

- Click on this link to know more about the collection of travel epiphanies ‘KAIKU’. (the video is subtitled in English but the the book is written in French only)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJescyunJtU

- Click on this link to know more about the book retracing my cycling stroll through India entitled : ‘KORAKOR IN INDIA : a beard, a bicycle, 5 months, 25 euros and an urge to share’ (the video is subtitled in English but the book is only in French…soon to be translated)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eccO_1Ra3Y0

- Click on this link to watch a short excerpt of my new film ‘Love Walks on 4 Legs’ (about 50-minute long) taking you with us on our walk from Greece to France.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkiEc1rf4o0

Thanks again for all the love I receive and I promise to keep on spreading my love on all continents…

Korakorally yours,

Keveen Gabet

KORAKOR,
means to create a ‘body to body’ connection with life, the road, the others and one-self. It is diving at the heart of people, in order to plunge into a socio-cultural and human exchange. It is entering Man’s intimacy, his daily life, his fears and dreams. It is no longer having barriers to simply and fully embrace humanity.

KORAKOR,
is Keveen Gabet, a young French poet who goes around the world, following unbeaten paths to meet the others. He then shares his original encounters through poetry and prose, but as well through short films that invite his audience to discover those privileged moments.

KORAKOR,
is also about building human and artistic bridges. In order to do so, Keveen Gabet goes everywhere to give speeches about his love for life and art, while sharing his useful travel tips and incredible stories.

The bilingual website (French / English) www.korakor.fr has all the needed information to discover KORAKOR’s universe. The bountiful documentaries, pictures, stories, practical travel guides and even songs on the ukulele make this website a mine of precious information and entertainment.

You are more than invited to explore the human adventure, and to get in touch with Keveen Gabet who will be very happy to answer all your questions and to come to your place to present his works.

WWW.KORAKOR.FR kaikuart@gmail.com

The Lovebug's fable

2009-06-23T01:33:00.000-07:00

The lovebugs’ fable

One week a year, Florida is invaded by an army of lovebugs. They owe their name to their relentless love-making sessions…and the worst of it is that they deliberately do it, butt to butt on your shoulder, on your hair, your salad, basically any place that will allow their frivolities. It is a real plague for the local population when they come rolling through like a tsunami over Florida.

These amazing creatures seem to fear nothing as they want only to exist; they neither want to sting you, steal a your meat or lay eggs under your skin. Their sole goal and purpose in life is to love each other & insure their new generation’s coming; Only then can they peacefully embrace death.

Although they spread their message of universal love and sexual freedom, those little insects are hated by man. Fly-swatters go crazy, insecticides are sprayed insanely, and cars find a sadistic satisfaction in accumulating them on their bumpers. Perpetrated like an organized genocide, a numbed army of trucks fly down the highways, and become the executioners of the bugs’ love escapades. There must be an anchored inner frustration in each of us, as we can’t seem to allow them to love one another overtly and publicly. During that one week, lovebugs inevitably become the common enemy, and the Americans no longer think about their racial problems, the terrorists’ invasions or the final of ‘American Idol’. Lovebugs become their only obsession. From the cashier to the hair-dresser and even to the yearly family gathering, everyone talks about them. They all share their hatred and disgust for the intruders, those whom dare invade their personal space, and ruin their cars…because, what you must know is that lovebug juice / guts, remains are very acidic and will inevitably ruin your cars paint job!

I raise my fist and praise poetic justice: Love leaves marks wherever it goes!

Despite the compassion I feel for these love beings, I must come up with a poetico-symbolic conclusion that boosts my thirst of loneliness: By penetrating Mrs Lovebug, Mr Lovebug is condemned to a slow death. Mrs Lovebug being twice as big as he, she will lead the dance. ‘Wherever you go, I will’, reluctantly promised Mr Lovebug to his beloved. She therefore drags him everywhere, and the poor and chained is forced to walk backwards on her tracks. Moreover, while the love making session takes place, Mrs Lovebug slowly absorbs all she can from her partner, who dwindles consequently, before becoming a tiny body, exhausted, consumed, battered and condemned to an imminent death. One should not forget that it is the loving wife who chooses the itinerary, and that it is her fault if their embrace ends up on a gigantic and painful windshield, or under a swatter.

Mr Lovebug’s destiny and fate have been condemned because he blindly followed his love of a woman (women will justly call it feminine justice, but I am not referring to any specific gender: Mr Lovebug is not a gender, he is you, she, him, us). I would love to teach those boys how to detach themselves, cum faster and hit the road again, but I doubt they are ready nor willing to hear me out. They are persuaded that their union will make them happy and that they play an important role for the species’ survival. I can only invite them to turn their conditioned life into a miracle, an exception, and to celebrate themselves!

To finish, I simply want to share the moral of my fable: Even if love is a wonderful and all pervading feeling, one should not base it on a material relationship, in which omnipresence is the golden rule. Therefore, beloved Mr and Mrs Lovebugs, your union should not condemn you to follow each other both physically and emotionally…Learn to be light and fly alone, at least for a short period of time.

May 2007

NB: Pictures are not mine. For illustration purpose only (taken on the internet)

JUNE 2009 (Greece - France)

2009-05-29T04:45:00.000-07:00

NEWS

- There is a CBOX on the site in which you can freely leave your messages without subscribing to anything (no need to insert your email)
- Public showing of my film KORAKOR IN INDIA on June 23rd in Draguignan
- Gina went back to NYC with a plethora of images in her heart (she missed her original flight as she can’t read a plane ticket…)
- Finally back from the stroll ‘ Greece-France’
- More than a month spent wandering in the Balkans
- A grand total of 63 rides while hitch-hiking back home.
- Favorite country: Albania
- I made bread with a greek baker (Kostas) in the mountains of northern Greece. (An episode of KORAKOR will retrace the experience)
- Slept on the most beautiful beaches in the world
- Almost died 5 times while riding with drunk drivers (on Raki)
- Drank more Raki than actually ate in the whole trip
- Gina survived and her American smile opened many unexpected doors
- Slept at Montenegro’s Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Was paid 50 bucks to play one ukulele song
- Drank a pint of beer with a roasted sausage bathing in (Albania)
- Were offered a night in a hotel
- Got bitten by a toothless snake
- Those who most looked like criminals were the most generous and nicest ones
- Crossed 3 borders in one day (Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia)
- Bosnia received us with wide opened arms
- Croatia is not a hitch-hiker’s heaven
- Slept by the canals of Venice, Italy.
- Got a boat ride in Venice, and spend a great moment singing and drinking with the fishermen
- Stayed 4 nights in heaven with a very influent Russian man
- I became his official personal guide and will take him to India in October 2009
- He kindly offered me to use his many villas around the globe to finish writing my upcoming books
- I will go back to Abu Dhabi from June 11th to July 16th in order to have a reconciliation with my bank account
- I will spend most of my summer in my French pine forest, writing my books and finishing my films.
- You are welcome to visit for a few days (rock-climbing, hiking and long naps will be part of the program) But it is crucial to plan it a bit as I am a restless person and might hit the road again.
- I will create my own humourous mini-guide books (same type as what I wrote on Greece)
- More and more people are joining KORAKOR thanks to all of you who spread the message (especially people like Cecile (Danemark), Devi (France), Vies (Singapour), Elio (Brazil) and Correy (USA))
- Georges Pagani wrote 2 songs especially for KORAKOR (in French)
- Sophie is currently working on the final logo

PROJECTS TO COME

- Film on India on DVD
- Film on the stroll ‘Greece to France’ on youtube
- Dokumentary on Céline Rainoird and her art
- Dokumentary on Kostas, the baker from Zitsa, Grèce
- Old film on a trip to Quebec with taylor
- September 2009, mini and first KORAKOR festival (in my forest)
- 3 new songs on the ukulele on youtube (2 of them in French)
- Series of short videos about travel tips
- Starting in July 2009, you will have the opportunity to receive the KORAKOR PAKAGE at home (travel stories, postcards, pictures and many other things from the visited countries). It will work by subscription / sponsoring in order to allow me to stay on the road and fully exploit KORAKOR)

DISCOVER KORAKOR’S FRIENDS

ART

Jenna is a young Canadian artist who shares her works and ideas on Deviant Art. Explore her universe.

TRAVEL

My friend Trent and his partner Nicole are currently cycling from London to Melbourne (Australia). They invite you to join them for a few kilometers, a cup of tea and most importantly to understand their environmental challenge : if they can ride around the world, you can ride to work. (they will stop by my place this week)

MUSIC

Shilo Andrews is a stunning musician I met during an open mic in Brooklyn (same one I met Lisa Jaeggi). He has accepted to let me use his songs for KORAKOR. I am strongly inviting you to explore his musical universe and let yourself fall in love with his voice and lyrics.

THE GOOD DEALS KORAKOR

ScHinZe, the first official musician for KORAKOR is now offering his CD for free ! Here is how you get your free CD : 1. Become a fan on Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/ScHinZe/9610641396?sid=81b9ab744c0385bda493e511ffe7444a&ref=search ), 2. Invite at least 12 of your friends to join his fan page 3. Tell them to leave a message saying that you brought them there 4. Make sure they do, send him your postal address 5. Wait patiently that Mr. Postman brings you your package. Hurry as there are only 100 CDs to be offered ! NB : Only 1 CD per person even if you invited 330 buddies, but remember that each of your friend can do the same thing…be smart…

HOW TO HELP KORAKOR ?

If you want to help the adventure KORAKOR, here is what you can do :

- Invite your friends to KORAKOR on facebook
- Spread the website everywhere you can http://www.korakor.fr/ and especially to those wanting to travel and to love the world.
- Buy my books or steal them for your friends.
- Offer me nice drawings (thanks Anais) and do not hesitate to use your creativity for KORAKOR (Someone is currently working on a animated clip)
- Publish your favorite videos on Facebook or on your other personal sites
- Send me your pretty friends
- Send emails to your friends who work on the radio or in local newspapers so that they hear of this website.
- Organise KORAKOR conferences for which I will gladly come (for free) to talk about my trips, travelling in general, spreading your love or simply play a few tunes on the ukulele (Jennifer is currently trying to organize a series of conferences in Canada)
- Lastly, come drink tea with me, and invite your friends to embrace life (and yourself) fully and insanely.

Thank you for supporting KORAKOR and sending me all your loving…it means so much !

May 2009 (Greece)

2009-05-01T02:43:00.000-07:00

Kalimera to all,

We have been wadering in Greece for a few weeks now and this is what we learned:

- Places to take your breath away

- 19 people have offered rides so far

- Hitch-hiking is not easy unless you are lucky that some Albanian drive by

-Toilets hardly ever lock

-You cannot throw toilet paper in the bowl, so I hereby apologize for intoxicating my hosts and other clients in bars

-Most of our language comes from Greek

-A cup of coffee can kill you: ranging from 3 to 8 dollars!!!

- Greeks use French words, such as croissant et baguette

-Greece is an expensive country

-We mostly feed on 2-euro gyros and veggies dipped in Tzaziki

- Greeks drink 'frappe' all day long (sort of large ice coffee with a nice foam on top)

- Ouzo has become my best friend (Anis based alcoholic drink)

- Easter is celebrated a week after ours and is a much bigger event than Christmas

- Greeks dont understand the concept of vegetarianism

- The first word you learn is 'malaka' (equivalent of wanker / jerk)

- The infamous crisis is a good ally to find deserted houses in construction. Especially good to stay dry during evening showers

- The local beer is called Mythos (3 bucks a pint). It is therefore healthier for your wallet to drink alcohol

- Smoking is still permitted in public places. The law should be enforced this summer

- Greeks dont really care about laws

- it is possible to meet an Australian person who offers you coffee and hands you 100 euros for your trip (thanks Jim)

- Women wear black clothes until they end their mourning period. Some never end it.

- Men play with prayer beads all day long

- Orgies are still part of the local customs

- They call Greek coffee what we call Turkish coffee

- There seems to be an everlasting frustration with the Turks

- There are 1,400 islands in Greece and only 227 of them are inhabited

- You learn a new definition of the color blue. A wonder for the eyes

- Albanians cross the border illegally through the mountains

- 4/5 of the country is made of mountains

- The national basketball team ranks 4th in the world

- Feta is made of sheep milk

- Clarinette players are almost worshipped and throw massive concerts in villages

Hoping that these images and the pseudo-guide will make you smile...

We are entering Albania tomorrow

Korakorally yours,

Keveen

April 2009

2009-04-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to KORAKOR and enjoy April’s newsletter,

Here is for you the latest news:

VIDEOS :

- KORAKOR PHOTO is this new series in which I invite you to discover a place through some of my pictures, while enjoying and discovering a new artist that I truly adore.

- PARIS
- LONDON
- INDIA
- UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

- Along with Georges Pagani, we faced part of the French Alps and their freezing nights (spent in an igloo) as well as their hot days (spent frolicking in the powder). A new episode of KORAKOR that ends in funny tragedy.

- I have finally created a one-minute trailer underlying the essence of KORAKOR. Feel free to send it to your Facebook and youtube friends, colleagues and teachers so that they too can explore the series.

- I luckily bumped into an old friend called SoufySoufyane whom I hadn’t seen in years. A great person who is sharing his works with KORAKOR. Discover a song filled with truth that has fully seduced me.

PROJECTS :

- Gina is finally here and we are ready to head to Milano to catch our one way flight to Greece on the 15th. The stroll will then take us to the heart of locals following our encounters. We will come back to Nice by the road, walking so as to be intimate with fields and hitching so as to be intimate with people. Unfortunately, because we lack time, we will have to be back in Nice by May 27th…unless I entice her enough to change her ticket…

- The organization KORAKOR will not see life (just yet), but instead I have joined Georges and Alexandre’s organization called Regard’Ailleurs. This organization focuses on promoting cultures around the world through quality images and passionate stories.

Click here to discover REGARD’AILLEURS

- The series on India might be done by this summer but I’m still desperate for more original songs…boost your friends to contribute !

- My books in French are slowly dwindling but are still very cumbersome in my tiny trailer…Invite your francophone friends to purchase their own copy.

- I am flying to Mexico City on September 27th, and will then slowly walk for months at the heart of people to bring you the best of what this continent has to offer. No return date yet, as I will be going from man to man and village to village…and might very well fall in love with them.

DISCOVER KORAKOR’S TALENTED FRIENDS :

As usual, I invite you to discover new talented artists who have helped and contributed to KORAKOR.

Music :

- Soufy Soufyane is musician, clown, humanist and a talented bard. His songs will soon feature on my next KORAKOR series and I strongly invite you to plunge into his musical realm.

- « Opposite of Blue » is a Canadian band for whom I melted. How can you not fall in love with Christen’s voice.

- Germain spends his nights in his home made studio, writing and covering songs that he then puts on youtube. Discover a new French talent. (He has also helped recording my last song called Couchsurfing).

- Kali Azzura is an Australian splendor. She is exploding on youtube and her originals and covers have fascinated me. She has also allowed me to use her song for the series…Let yourself fall in love with such a beautiful voice and being…

Travels :

- Marine is currently touring the world from vineyard to vineyard. She is sharing her trip on her blog with love and humility. (Drinking can permanently injure your health…)

- Julie is a French poet who shares her poems, pictures and stories on her animated blog…a wave of love on which to surf.

I sincerely wanted to thank you all for your support, letters, presents, packages and visits…

KORAKOR would not mean the same without you…

‘You are my gasoline when you let me in’

Korakorally yours,

Keveen

ALL THE NEWSLETTERS

2009-03-30T03:40:00.000-07:00

To receive the monthly newsletter for free, please send an email to kaikuart@gmail.com

Click on links to read the previous newsletters

- February 2010

- January 2010

- December 2009

- November 2009

- October 2009

- September 2009

- August 2009

- July 2009

- June 2009

- May 2009

- April 2009

- March 2009

- January 2009

- December 2008

- October 2008

- September 2008

- August 2008

- July 2008

-

March 2009

2009-03-03T05:30:00.000-08:00

NB: After clicking on links, click 'back' to read the rest of the newsletter

UPCOMING PROJECTS

- KORAKOR is on the verge of becoming a registered organization for which you will be able to become an active or passive member as well as receive 3 mini-journals a year (to start with). The organization will follow the core philosophy of KORAKOR and focus on sharing our thirst for new horizons while celebrating life, multiculturalism and art in all its interpretations.

- I am currently in the heart of my forest (Provence, south of France) where I am working on my first DVD retracing my second trip in India as well as other eclectic short creations. (send me your original songs now if you want to feature in it)

- I lost the quality footage of Aunt Vi and her ukulele that was on my external harddrive (it crashed) I strongly advise you to make extra safeguards of your files....I lost her heritage (if you don’t know Aunt Vi yet, click here)

- Robert Huneault is still working on my CD that will combine my songs on the ukulele as well as other musical creations with fellow artists (Jo, Germain, Milo, Yann, ScHinZe…)

- KORAKOR stickers are still in the process of being made. I already have a first design but am still looking for the magic hand of an artist and a graphic designer to finalize the product. (If you want to help, please read the ‘How to help?’ section further down)

- Gina Solorzano is coming to visit on April, 2nd and we are then planning to take a one way flight to Greece and walk, hitch and pedal back to France. (Back around end of May).

- In September 2009, I might very well head to South and Central America to shoot a long series of KORAKOR documentaries.

SOME KORAKOR FRIENDS TO DISCOVER

Music:

- Marvin Parks is a fast growing musician from NYC where he evolves in the jazz scene and continues to rise. No doubt he will soon be famous on the international jazz scene, at least I heartily wish him.

- Lisa Jaeggi is a splendid artist from Brooklyn whom I was very lucky to meet during an open mic. She has warmly agreed to lend her songs to KORAKOR. A soulful and enchanting voice to discover. (I personally am a big fan)

- ILTOR (Robert Huneault being the lead singer as well as one of the first people to help KORAKOR) is this Canadian band that has also agreed to let me use their songs for KORAKOR. Their first album is coming out soon.

Become a fan on their Facebook page.

Writings:

- Joan (Canada) shares her peculiar world and boiling thoughts through her humoristic and poetic writings.

- (IN FRENCH) Alicia Montplaisir (Quebec) shares her beautiful epiphanies and her short stories on her blog that will transport you to the brain of a singer/poet struggling to survive the long Canadian winter.

Paintings :

- Cyril Le Goff (France) lets paint take life on his canvas filled with love. A great talent to discover over a cup of tea

Photography :

- Nils Orth (USA) is currently based in NYC where he is working on bewitching, yet tourmenting, portraits as well as compositions that make your pupils go mad.

Others :

- David and Michael have created an organization (HOLSTEE) to allow small producters from developing countries to finance their projects. To do so, they are selling awesomely stylized t-shirts (with very handy side pockets) which will allow them to create interest-free loans. Have a look at their great project.

KORAKOR NEWS

- The blog has been revamped to ease your nagivation. You can now find on your right, the main themes on which you should click to know more.

- My last song on the ukulele called ‘Dekaf Girl’ can be watched by clicking here

- KORAKOR videos on youtube have been partly translated and ordered by themes to help you stick to your favorite themes : KORAKOR VOYAGE, KORAKOR UKULELE, KORAKOR TRIBUTE and…KORAKOR PHOTO to come.

- Watch Georges Pagani's video about our sacred retreat (we are heading there next week)

- You can watch my one-minute submission for the best job in the world. I haven't been selected by the way.

- I have finally bought the domain http://www.korakor.fr/ which will be easier to spread and remember when you tell your friends about it. (Formatted by Emrys with temporary joke from him)

- To know where I am or where will I be in the near future, you can click on the label ‘WHERE IS KEVEEN ?’ on your right and try to meet me or join me for tea.

- I have started going to different schools to talk about KORAKOR and share my passion for travelling and poetry. You can also have me share it with you, your friends, your colleagues, your institution or your family. Click here for more info

HOW TO HELP KORAKOR?

- Talk about the website and the concept, put your favorite videos on your profiles Facebook, Myspace, Orkut…

- I am looking for a graphic designer who could help me realise the sticker as well as an artist who could perfect my drawings

- I am constantly looking for original music for my films, so if you are willing to let me use your songs, or know people who might, send me your mp3/wma files or put me in touch with the right people.

- I am looking for a cartoonist to help me create simple comic strips that will illustrate the ‘Kestion/Answer’ section. Click here to read what it is

- Organize a KORAKOR meeting around your place, at home or in your institution, and I will come show my films, photos, tell you fun stories, play some songs and talk answer whatever questions you might have.

- Send me your love and support by emails, letters that I will turn into organic fuel. It really means a lot to me and boosts me to live life even more intensely.

Here is a sample of what people have already done for KORAKOR

Brian Christin tattoed KORAKOR on his calf

Eva made me a KORAKOR hat

Sarah Jutzi made me a KORAKOR bracelet

OTHERS

- KORAKOR Fan club on Facebook

- The Spread Your Love site if you want to help us spread love around the world.

- Send me your poems so I can add them on the poetry section and that people may enjoy your own writings.

A warm thank you for reading and encouraging KORAKOR. If there is anything I can do for you (promotion, letter, song…), do not hesitate to tell me and I will do my best to answer your call.

Korakorally yours

Keveen Gabet

Keveen coming to your place

2009-03-03T05:28:00.000-08:00

If you enjoy the concept KORAKOR and that you would like to share your passion for mankind and for life, I will be happy to come to your place, school or meeting and talk about my concept, while entertaining you with my ukulele, my poems, my videos, my photographs, my smile and my beard.

The main objective is to share my enthusiasm for unconditional love and to celebrate life. I will therefore come anywhere you want me to for a weekend or more (according to my availabilities and strolls).

You will then have to gather enough money to pay for my transportation (bus, train, plane…), arrange a place to sleep (couch, bed or tent), make sure I stay hydrated (tea, coffee, red wine, dark rum) and keep my stomach filled (preferably vegetarian food).

I will then be glad to share with you and your friends some of my trips and adventures at the heart of people, while answering all your questions, demands and suggestions.

For more information, please contact me personally on

kaikuart@gmail.com

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:

- February 2010. Thunder Bay, Canada (invited by Jennifer). Series of speeches to an organization taking care of kids with cancer.

PREVIOUS CONFERENCES:

- September 12th, 2009. Flayosc, France (Var). Conference about India

- September 19th, Paris. Conference about India, traditional indian music concert and photo exhibition on Kerala fishermen.

- September 23rd, Argentan, Normandy (Orne). Conference about India and KORAKOR

2008, ABU DHABI, UAE

- April, 2009. Albania, Ksamil Primary and secundary school

- February, 2009, St Etienne de Tinee High-School, France

Dekaf Girl

2009-02-28T15:46:00.000-08:00

Click here to watch the music video

I don't have enough fingers
To point at all the pretty girls
All day long in the street
They all end up in my sleep

All special, all beautiful
All shiny, all colorful

CHORUS:
I don't want no dekaf girl,
I'd rather stay Mr Single
It's full flavor going up my brain,
Or I will pour you down the drain
Giving me hlaf your love
Is like offering me only one glove
I don't want no dekaf girl....

I tried them all extra large or small
Coz a book lover doesn't judge the cover
Some fit me more than other
I even borrowed my brother's
I never seem to be satisfied
I'm a Jekyll without Mr Hyde

I will love you, I will care for you
I will write a poem that says je t'aime

My mom is still waiting for the good news
That one day I will find my muse
She for whom I will give my heart
She who knows love doesnt hurt
So I checked almost everywhere
To make sure she wans't there

In the plains of Mongolia, the mangroves of Florida, the waves of Australia, the dunes of Sahara, the snow of Canada, the jungles of Africa, the temples of Utah, the ashrams of India, the maffia or Russia, the reggae club of Jamaica, the Canyon of Nevada, the coconut of Sri Lanka, the plantations of Cuba, the canal of Panama, even one made in China....

keveengabet copyleft 2009

Loyal to my Mezcal

2009-02-01T07:51:00.000-08:00

Loyal to my Mezcal

I heard stories of la vida mexicana

Of their passion for tequila

& señor Pancho Villa

I watched old ladies drink with peace

Emptying their glass in bliss

& heading out for a piss

I read the Mayas and the Aztecs were bold

Fighting for their kingdom of gold

& their mysteries untold

I thought I learned all of Mexico in class

Until I tried Mezcal Pierde Almas

& realised I was an ass

O ye drops of divine nature

It is such a sweet torture

To not have you in hand

When the sun leaves the land

14-10-09

farewell my Belle

2009-01-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

(CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO)

FAREWELL MA BELLE

Mother dear, do not fear I will not die in pain
Mother dear, don't shed a tearI will not die in vain
The doctors say i can't be cured, All is left is hope
The preacher say to pray the lordSo i don't go to hell

I honored each day, since you gave me life
Fell in love so many times, i could have had a wife
I owe it all to you, my beautiful mother
I owe it all to you, so don't cry anymore

I was lucky not to get sick, while having so much sex
I had so much fun with my stick, never used latex
As if I could read AIDS, on someone else's face

I seen more than I could ever hope, but never had enough
I lived the life of 20 men, loved to play it rough
Now my time has come, i'm no longer afraid
Now my time has come, my body needs the trade

I used more lives than a cat, i played the fool with death
My mind and body tell me that, i need to cacth my breath
It's time to bid farewell, and in peace forever dwell

I'm sorry that i end up, departing before you
I would like to cheer you up, but sadly it is true
A mother should never have to, bury her own womb
A mother should never have to, water the flowers of his tomb

I'm heading to another realm, where children no longer cry
A place i made myself, where throats are never dry
A haven here on earth, where even nettles have a try

.

Elle est Belle la Vie

2009-01-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

(CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO)

ELLE EST BELLE LA VIE

it's not a road trip
it's not a bad trip
it's a freaking stroll
so let it roll
if you say life is a bitch
I'll throw you in a ditch
life ain't cruel
that's my rule
it's how you angle it, dont blame it, dog damn it

CHORUS
but the most beautiful
is you people
you are my gasoline
when you let me in
elle est belle la vie
oh oui je vous le dis
aucun homme sur terre ne saurait me faire taire

you dont know where you're at
you dont know where to start
all you need to do is jump in your shoes
head to the left
or head to the right
it aint matter
you'll be alright
it's how you handle it, i swear it, just hit it

be an alchemist
not a damn pessimist
turn your shitty wife
into a beautiful life
you say it sucks with no money
I say I rule with poetry
try to simplify and let love testify
it's how you design it,if you screw it, just re-do it

.

Hidden in a Toad

2009-01-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

(CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO)

HIDDEN IN A TOAD

I left her on a Monday morning
I made the bed and I gave her the ring
I took my bag and I walked the dog
I cleaned my cup and I walked in the fog
Coz all I want is to be happy and free
With no worries and singing under a tree

chorus
I just want to be on the road
A charmant prince hidden in a toad
Embracing life, tickling death
Loving it, not catching my breath

I had no path, I had no goal
A ukulele and an empty bowl
I opened my arms and pulled up a smile
To spread my love mile after mile
Coz all I want is a bottle of wine
A starry sky and seeing whats mine

Ive been around Mother Earth
Ive seen the glory and Ive given birth
Fell in love with the doveLearn to trust everything above
Coz all I want is to go round and round
Finding my way and kissing the ground
And when Ill no longer be on the road
Ready to stop and get a home
Ill get some rest in my nest
Ill be her man yes Ill be the best
Coz all I wanted was to take my time
With no one waiting when I busted my rime

.

December - January 2009

2009-01-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

(to skip all the bullcrap and go straight to the new writings, scroll to the bottom of this newsletter)

I could not tell my secret to anyone, so I remained quiet for a while and eventually managed to sit around my mother’s Christmas tree on the 25th…in Florida. So here I am, taking a short break in the USA, juggling between a very warm and humid Florida, a snow-ridden NYC and a very loving Philadelphia where I spend some quality time with my grandfather and his sister Aunt Vi playing old ukulele hits. I am currently working on a documentary that will retrace Aunt Vi’s inspiring life along with her majestic artistic life.

This newsletter has two objectives:

1- Make an original covenant with you for 2009
2- Announce the new KORAKOR creations

1) THE KORAKOR KOVENANT

By now, you probably have received everyone’s best wishes, filled with love, good fortune and good news. I am not very good at that, so I decided to make a sort of covenant with anyone willing to. A humanistic game if you will. (I remind you that KORAKOR is not reserved for a few elite friends and that anyone who receives and reads this newsletter is invited to play…we do not discriminate)

I am therefore giving you a short list of small missions that everyone can accomplish, and that you will have all year to clear. You can in turn dare me to do things, or to ask me favors.

MY MISSIONS :

Print this list and stick it on your wall or place it in your wallet. Tick them after accomplishing them.

- Write a letter or card (at least 10) to say thank you to people who inspire you, make you feel good or brought you positive elements in your life (former teacher, artist, neighbour, waiter…)

- Get back in touch with long lost friends (with facebook.com for instance or other specialized websites)

- Invite a stranger, or partially stranger, for a cup of coffee.

- Inviter un inconnu, ou peu connu, pour un café

- Leave a message in one of your favorite books and leave the book where someone might find it (some books can change your life)

- Pick up hitchhikers and help them as much as you can (even bearded one…especially them)

- Accept a weird invitation or date

- Write a poem and offer it to a stranger in bus, school or street

- Take the time to help people (for instance, if someone asks you for directions and you have time, accompany him/her)

- Make a list of 10 very important things to do this year and make sure you at least do 5 of them.

In exchange, you can ask me almost anything and I will try my best to do it.
Here is a sample of what people have asked me so far. (I will put them all under THE KORAKOR KOVENANT on my website.

- Anais : Write me a letter
- Gina : Let’s live together
- Pedro : I left a good scooter in Germany. Go get it and shoot a KORAKOR with it. Honor it and spread your love on it.
- Cécile : Come see me in Denmark
- Chad : Send my blank journal to everyone you know and ask them to leave a message in it, and eventually send it back to me when it’s full
- My mother : shave your beard
- Georges : Let’s walk across the Alps, you and me, full autonomy when the snow reaches its peak.

So basically, in the next few months, and after having walked across the Alps, I will head to Germany get the scooter, bring Gina with me who will shave my beard, and drive it to Denmark to find my very good friend Cecile, while passing the journal to people I meet. As for Anais, she received her letter few weeks ago!

I am now waiting for your suggestions and invitation. I sincerely hope you will put your heart to find original missions…

(Don’t forget that KORAKOR is my job (an unpaid one !) and that I fully depends on my artistic skills, and your support. So if you know someone with a couple bucks to spare…Im a life busker and my hat can be virtual via paypal or checks….)

2) KORAKOR NEWS

HOME CONFERENCES:

- ScHinZe, useless to present him anymore (the music you hear in most KORAKOR films) has launched a great and original concept: ‘Home Concert’. It is a very simple principle:
Gather a few friends and acquaintances, raise enough money for my transportation, a good bottle of red wine (or dark rum), a good vegetarian meal (preferably) and liters of tea and coffee, an ok sofa or a tent, and I will come to you, talk about KORAKOR, my previous trips and the upcoming ones, my travel philosophy, play the ukulele, show you pictures and spread my love your side.
Do not hesitate to make me cross oceans…I’m open to any location, even Afghanistan!

VIDEOS :

- In 2009, I should be releasing my first home made DVD gathering many short films about India as well as a myriad of other material (all in English and French to please everyone). I will keep you posted and publish a few excerpts on youtube.

- The documentary retracing Aunt Vi’s incredible life and her artistic genius should also be released this year. If you don’t know Aunt Vi yet, I strongly advise you to watch this short video and let yourself fall in love with her.

WRITINGS :

- I still have to get rid of my remaining books on travel insights (KAIKU), as well as the one retracing my 5-months cycling trip around India with only 30 dollars in the pocket (only in French unfortunately…still working on translation) Click here for more information

- I am currently working on a mini newspaper KORAKOR in which you will be able to read many of my own writings (poetry, travel stories and reflections on life) but many others’ as I will insert whatever you send me. Feel free to contribute and become a fellow writer. I will also try to put pictures, drawings and anything linked to art. The final result will be a monthly newspaper that you will receive at home, in your mail box. We will function with subscriptions that will allow us to cover the printing and shipping cost (plus a few cups of coffee). If you are interested, please send me an email saying so, as I could not start it if I don’t have at least 15 potential subscribers (or writers…). I would not want to waste all my energy for something that will not be read.

THE KORAKOR ASSOCIATION

- I have finally realised that it was stupid to fight with administrations ! The KORAKOR concept cannot work if it does not have a legal structure recognized by an official government (would have created my own country if I could). This is why, upon returning to France, I will find a good book and spend hours queuing in front of offices to gather the required papers to start the KORAKOR association. A huge step forward in order to be able to spread the message and give speeches in schools and cultural centers. So anyone will be warmly invited to join us (March 2009).

- The association will promote travelling wisely, insanely, discovering a multicultural world, embracing humanity, drinking tea and coffee, and basically anything that is linked to art. But most importantly, it will be an association for those who love life unconditionally…or want to.

TO BE CONTINUED…

The new writings :

Private concert at the American immigration office

May angels go back to heaven!

2009-01-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

(click here to read it in French)

May angels go back to heaven!
May they stop strutting with their beautiful celestial wings, spread wide open under our eyes, for the mere pleasure to be looked at, adored, prayed and venerated…

If the all-white angels are really celestial, may they therefore stop bragging in our terrestrial realm. May they stay at the Lord’s right and may they listen to our tears while pitying us.

Angels have manipulated us. Here we are, poor earthlings, trying in vain to identify them amongst the plethora of human faces that surround us.

A human being, and the most simple of them, gives us an anonymous hand without expecting anything in return, and we find ourselves – alas – talking about angels.

Why such pessimism towards mankind? Why such categorization of human nature?
Why man, in his most splendid humility, could not also be humanistic, giving, generous and angelical?

We hastily attribute divine dimensions to the most common trivialities. “It is a miracle!” will shout some, seeing a man helping a stranger, when it is only a simple man offering his hand to his neighbor.
Human nature has become something of the divine. Helpfulness, charity, compassion and unconditional love became saintly virtues and seemingly religious values.

It saddens me. I stand up and refuse it. I contest those apocalyptic truths. I fight man’s downfall. I openly attack this fatalism and raise my middle finger to this slow passive suicide.

I swallowed more kilometers that any prophet, my feet walked the soils of a few continents, my eyes saw people of every color, my skin burned under the African sun and froze in the Canadian winter.

I sat in their homes, I drank in their glasses, I ate in their plates, I mumbled their prayers, I listened to their sorrows and joys, their passions and secrets, envies and desires. I saw their tears, their laughs and their pains. I saw man in all its splendor, in all its terror. I hugged religious people, alcoholics, angelical ones and demonical ones…I took man in my arms and listened to him. It is him who taught me to listen to the world.

I drank in his name, in the name of life and love.
I prayed for life, peace and health.
I cried for love, pain and pleasure.

I am myself, him, her, them and us.
I am all of us and you are me.
You made me as I made you.

My smile changed you, yours inspired me.
My help gave you wings, yours made me fly higher.
I get high on mankind.
Man from the city or the woods…
Man in a suit or at the bar…
Man with wrinkles or piercings…

May we stop losing faith in ourselves. May we stop blaming what’s above. We are conscious agents of our change.

May the angels go back to heaven!

May they stop depriving us of our humanity…

Let’s be perfectly what we are…and proudly at that.

Private concert at the American immigration office

2009-01-05T11:29:00.000-08:00

After a short stay in my French forest, the burning desire to find something to do over Christmas and New Year’s eve was so intense that I had to fly to NYC to honor a promise. Once again, the emotional man in all his splendor. Man’s quest for love, crossing oceans for the one he thinks he loves or at least would like to. The muse he believes he could love until his last day.

It was a long flight towards the USA to get back to the beautiful Gina. This Latin jewel I met while bumming around India (I had already mentioned her in a text if you want to know more about her).

The USA, this great insane country, excess aficionado and fond of whatever, wherever and however. This country I adore and for whom I have dedicated 5 years of my academic carrier. This country where my mother was born and that has welcomed my Italian ancestors who came with a dream in mind. This huge country that has recently made a large (yet hesitant) step forward.

But the USA remains a country with which I still have trouble to agree when it comes to entering its soil. My last stroll on the land of ‘The Melting Pot’ plunged me into an epic flirt with the customs. Back then (2005 to be more precise), I was supposed to meet my buddy J. in Las Vegas to live, our own style, one of the most respectful debauchery of my life. A softer version of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas if you will. However, while my sidekick was patiently waiting for me at the airport not knowing why the passenger Keveen Gabet was absent, I was wandering the streets of Vancouver, looking for a shelter for the night after being pitilessly denied the access to the plane. An archaic passport and a non-francophone American accent pushed the stubborn customs officer to apply a beautiful red stamp on my document.

In short, instead of walking hand in hand with my soul brother, I was aimlessly erring, frozen to the bone, half drunk and striking spontaneous conversations with China Town’s junkies. 3 days, an angelic help from a stranger and a few pragmatic lies later, I was sitting Bailey’s in hand at a Black Jack table in Vegas. I obviously focused more on the waitresses’ heavenly cleavages than on my opponents’ treacherous eyes.

Two years later, going through the American customs remains a fantastic opportunity for me to play Russian roulette with the green or red stamp. Many a friends tried to convince me to shave my bushy beard or at least to weed it. Alas, despite my Arab-stamps ridden passport, my half Christ-like, half new Taliban recruit look and my heavy audio-visual gears, it was not for those reasons that I was almost denied my entrance.

A few yards after passing the immigration booth, a woman suffering from severe water retention painfully ran after me urging me to follow her. She politely, yet firmly, invited me to enter the immigration office. People asked me to sit as I stared and was stared at by 5 guards in uniform. They alternatively looked at me and at the computer on which the problem appeared. Once again, I was the problem.

After more than half an hour of intense debate and small talks a la Keveen, they tell me that I am identified as a person who tried to bring (illegally) chemical products on US soil. I then learn that the Canada-USA customs officers needed to respect their quotas of alleged terrorist threats, and ‘accidentally’ put me on the lucky list. A simple mistake that could have sent me straight to Cuba (full pension).

I answered as well as I could to their incessant questions and told them that a beautiful girl might be worried not to see me coming out of the gate. They could not care less and insisted that my luggage should be thoroughly searched. They were pretty surprised to find such a large quantity of condoms (the chemical warfare threat seems inexistent), video gears and a weird looking guitar/my ukulele. A young officer, wearing the cutest pink gloves I have ever seen, is having fun checking my camera and seeing my last pictures (my good friend Jo and I showing our genitals on a drunken night). He then wonders why my guitar is so small and finds a piece of paper with some secret information on it. I tell him the whole story about this gorgeous Italian girl who slipped it in adding her phone number (cf my ukulele songs on youtube). He then takes a pair of pliers and after calling me stupid gives me the precious piece of paper. I smile and try to put it in my back pocket but this time he insists that I am a real idiot, telling me that if my girlfriend finds the phone number I will surely spend the worse hour of my life.

He strongly invites me to destroy it and agrees that a fair payment for his help is a song on the ukulele. I am now throwing a mini concert to 6 customs officers, belting my songs in the name of love. Music has soothed the tension and I leave their office under a warm round of applause. However, the young officer is now curious to see what Gina looks like and therefore walks me to the gate. The airport is as empty as a Western film and I am slightly disappointed of my loneliness.

It took me two hours to exit this administrative nightmare and another long hour before I could sit by Gina, red wine in hand, and trying my best to tell her what I did during those last 5 months.

November / December's Newsletter

2008-12-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

I am finally back in my small caravan in the heart of my beautiful forest in the south of France. As I was expecting, it seems that I have only left for a short stroll and that I actually never left my haven. A long dream so intensely lived that your sheets are wet and your body aching , as if you really had cycled all those kilometers.

I am waking up this morning, with my everlasting smile on my face, a much bigger beard, a few extra centimeters of hair and fatless legs.

My daily routine has been transformed into a sort of slow motion film compared to the quasi nerve and heart breaking succession of encounters, ideas and epiphanies I accumulated on this stroll.

If I named this adventure a ‘stroll’, it is obviously to allow myself the freedom to - by necessity or sheer whim - stop cycling, head back, stay much longer with someone I met, and not most importantly not to put any ideological barrier to my existential and human quest.

Short break to write, share what I have experienced, and talk about all those people who made a make a difference in the world, my world. Those beings who touch me, impress me, and give the strength and desire to go farther both physically and intimately.

It is also the occasion for Wawawiwa (my faithful bike), after 3000km on the road, 14 punctures and multiple minors accidents to have a break, to rest its metal bones, change its rolling system and put some oil in every joint…to sum it up, it’s time for me to thank it for having taken me as far and having been so faithful. Time for me as well to put the bottle down and keep the fiery liquid from my organism. Alcohol has indeed never left my blood since the departure and I could easily have been arrested many times for drinking under its influence. But it is the very liquid that has opened shepherds’ doors, women’s arms et pedestrians’ sympathy. It is also alcohol that has turned my liver into a dried raisin while transforming my heart into a sponge filled with love. The same alcohol that I should thank for having brought me joy during long nights and stimulated my creative energy.

So here I am, with 6 new songs written on the ukulele (the small Hawaiian guitar I’m always carrying). Songs written both in French and English in which I deliver my life philosophy, my altruistic side and my unbeatable faith in Mankind, this 2-legged thing for whom, and through whom, I travel and live extensively. 6 songs that I composed in barely 2 months, getting my inspiration from life, and its unfathomable diversity.

6 songs that I am currently putting in video format (only a few privileged have had the chance to hear them before) and which I hope will move you as much as they moved me.
CLICK ON THE LINKS AT THE END OF THE NEWSLETTER TO WATCH THEM

This stroll does not end here and now! This stroll only has a beginning…it shall not have an end per se. By (my) definition, a stroll is an endless story, a novel that ends with death (and even more). Therefore, as soon as my legs and my soul are begging me to hit the road again, and as soon as I have had the leisure to write a few stories and share my epiphanies, I will very slowly head out, probably eastward, but necessarily towards my quest.

KORAKOR is about to take a decisive turn and enter a new dimension. An even more intimate and personal one. Less small talk and more art and reflections.

I sincerely hope many of you will follow me for the next thousands of kilometers.

I couldn’t live such a life without you.
“You are my gasoline, when you let me in” (from ‘Elle est belle la vie’ on ukulele)

All my loving

Korakorally yours,

Keveen

A FEW IMPORTANT FACTS:

Christmas and New Year’s celebrations are crawling to you, and ready to strike the jugular of your hungry wallets. Sucking it until the last coin. Your poor wallets are already terrorized by the menacing crisis. You are probably asking yourself how to please all your beloved ones with stupefying presents? I sure do not have a miracle solution for you, but here are a few hints that could help you a bit. (please, hear my sarcasm and sense of humor)

1) Offer my 2 books to your francophone friends (remember that your children will eventually learn French at school.) ‘Korakor en Inde’ which relates my 5-months cycling trip at the heart of India with 25€ in my pocket, and ‘Kaiku’, a collection of short thoughts on life, love, sex (PG13), alcohol and religion. 2 marvelous books, cheap, impossible to get on the capitalist market (if it’s of any consolation) and thoroughly pleasing two people at the same time: the one who gets the book and myself as it will help me stay on the road and not get a real job (I only get 2€ per copy sold)

2) Write poems, make original cards, and dig in your creative mind to celebrate love with your beloved ones (you can inspire yourself from my book ‘Kaiku’…)

3) Get for free, Mandy Richardson’s latest book (35 $ in the stores) CHECK FARTHER DOWN

4) Cook a splendid vegetarian Christmas meal!

5) And many more I guess…

CONCERNING THE BOOKS

- The book about the cycling trip in India ‘Korakor en Inde’ is (only) 6 € and I am also putting ‘Kaiku’ for the same price (10 € in normal bookstores). Each book requires a 2 € shipping fee (1,87 € to be precise), but exceptionally for Xmas, I am offering you part of the shipping fee (my wallet is already crying).

Therefore,

Korakor en Inde + Kaiku = 13 € only (offer included for USA and Canada!!!)

OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!

Ps: hurry up as I will no longer be able to send you the books after December 15th (retreating to my secret haven)
Pps: Being also broke, buying my books will save me from near starvation…

To know more about the books, please watch their respective promotion video (click on links):

KORAKOR EN INDE

KAIKU

Click here to read an excerpt of ‘Korakor en Inde’ (in English)

Click here to read a sample of ‘Kaiku’ (in French)

Mandy richardson, the beautiful canadian writer who has recently published her last book called ‘The Poet and the Butterfly’ (we co-wrote it by the way), is kindly offering 5 books to KORAKOR (35$ each in stores). If you want to be amongst the lucky five, send her a personal email. You will only have to pay the shipping fee and she will even write you a fantastic love notes inside.
Haste to your keyboards fellows.

herhappyhighness@gmail.com

To know more about this book, explore her website and read the comments readers made.

http://thepoetandthebutterfly.blogspot.com/

MY SONGS ON THE UKULELE

- As you already know, my ukulele videos are now available on youtube. Many more will come within the next 2 months. I am hereby inviting you to help , support and love me in 4 clicks
· ‘subscribe’ to my channel (one click)
· rate it (one more click)
· Add it on your facebook page (one more click, just underneath the window)
· Leave comments (one last click put few extra letters)

- Elle est belle la vie

- Hidden in a Toad
Feel free to watch my older works as well…

The short films retracing the first part of the cycling stroll will soon be available on youtube as well, and eventually in a DVD.

Stay tune to KORAKOR…

‘I might die on the road, but I will die if I am not on the road’
Me

2008-09-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

July 18th, 2008

2008-07-18T03:13:00.000-07:00

I am only 15 days from leaving India and I do not long for that day although my near future is very promising and filled with wonders. Indeed, I will hardly have time to enjoy my native Provence (south of France) that I will have to rush to the southernmost village of Spain (Tarifa) and launch my cycling stroll. This upcoming stroll has been my horizon for the past year.

So here is what’s new for July:

1) I am in Varanasi, the holy city where Hindus come to be burned.

2) Article on a stroll to the Machu Piccu in Peru (2004)

3) Article on a stroll to the source of the Ganges River.

4) ScHinZe, this French musician who contributed to the soundtrack of the KORAKOR series has finally released his cd. Have a look at his website and hear what he does. (only French though (but good anyways))

5) I am pleased to announce that my little brother Brian (and by little I mean only age wise), has finally bought his ticket and will meet me in Portugal by mid October to cycle for 2 months.

6) The documentary / humane film KORAKOR IN INDIA is progressing. I am very pleased with much footage. Probably ready by the end of August. (I will send you trailer).

7) News of some buddies and buddiesettes:
- Georges Pagani (that I eventually met 5h in India after having travelled 5 days non-stop for him) is finally back home in his beloved France and we are planning to walk, in full autonomy and in the heart of winter, part of the Alps when I reach Nice with my bicycle.
- Mandy Richardson is about to publish her latest book ‘The Poet and the Butterfly’, dealing with our special encounter.
- Peter Wall is about to ride a moped all across Europe.

8) For my new film, I need your precious help. Could you please answer one simple question mentioning whether you have already visited India or not (there is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ answer).

What is India?

9) For those who can read French or simply love books, the book retracing my cycle trip in India (5 months with 25 euros in my pocket) will be available, through me only, when I return to France. You can find excerpts on my site. PRICE: 6 euros + shipping (and if it’s too expensive, steal it!)

Thanks again for your support, loving words and commentaries. They are the fuel of those strolls. Once again, do not hesitate to forward my newsletter or website to your friends.

Stroll along the Ganges River

2008-07-18T03:12:00.000-07:00

NB: To the author, a ‘stroll’ implies necessarily an extensive use of the body, a strong dose of adrenaline, boldness and misadventures.

NB2: Shall I remind you that the documentary entitled ‘Korakor in India’ will take you to the heart of those strolls.

As I sit by the holy river named the Ganga, I wonder why should it be more holy to the non-Hindu than the Seine or the Mississippi rivers? I could not yet answer that question although, for many years, my body and cultural thirst ached to explore the river around which a myriad of myths, cultural phenomena and cults were taking place.

Once again, my birthday was the occasion to destroy old prejudices. I ‘unfortunately’ left a day late (I nurtured the idea of combining the geographical birth of the Ganga with my own) towards the source of the majestic river. At midnight sharp, Gina, a delicious Latino mixture of El Salvador and Cuba enters my room with a Kinder Bueno chocolate bar (at least its India equivalent) served on a platter of biscuits, with a few matches on top serving as candles. It is just the two of us in front of my improvised sulphur-smelling birthday cake. The greatest present of all. We celebrate together my first step into my second quarter of century and I happily realised that so far, no grey hair has made an intrusion on my mane. Before Surya’s (the Sun god) first rays, I jump in a rickshaw that will eventually dump me in a crowded jeep. The vehicle flies into the Uttaranchal forest and drops me 6h later in Uttarkashi. 6h of being shaken like a cocktail, drooled on by exhausted Indians, my birthday cake threatening me to make a U-turn and of surviving from a pilot who defies both gravity and Murphy laws. We slalom long hours between oil tankers, monkeys, cows, flocks of goats, imprudent children and pot holes the size of craters.

6h trying to persuade myself that I do not like to be transported and that I get more satisfaction from pushing the limits of my body than having my bum hammered on rolling plank. The jeep’s final stop is my most desired wish during the trip, and when I finally step out of my nightmarish ride, I still have to struggle in the administrative labyrinth to obtain my permit. Essential indeed if one wants to have the ‘right’ (privilege?) to go to the geographical source of the Ganges, in Shiva’s (the great lord of the Hindu pantheon) glacier. However, it is the peak period for Delhi’s pilgrims and although they deliver 150 passes daily, I am doomed to wait for another 5 days before getting my authorization. Needless to describe all the tricks I used to try to obtain mine illegally.

Shiva and I had already had a powerful exchange during my first cycling stroll in India. He had tested most of my physical and emotional limits, my patience and my humility. Here he is again, playing with my nerves and throwing me in the midst of interesting obstacles.

I heartily accept his challenge as the alcoholic would raise his glass one last time in front of the disease killing him. I am only 140km of mountain roads from the source. So it will be my boldness and audacity (and a spoonful of luck) that will take me there. I hardly have started my long walk that I see a large truck filled with ripe bananas and moustached Indians. I do not waste a minute and jump in the loaded truck under their bewildered eyes. They obviously start throwing me tons of questions (Indian style for those who know what I mean) as I sit amongst them. 30km in their company will suffice me to understand the main goal of such a pilgrimage, its pragmatic functions in the life of a Hindu and learn a few tribal like chants that I will sing throughout the trip. I skilfully enjoy their company at the first pilgrim camp where we spend the night juggling between Shivaite prayers, ganja/marijuana smoking sessions (I regret being a non smoker sometimes) and frenetic dances with strident local music. Then, along with my new 6 friends, we walked down to the Ganges that finally starts showing more splendour and strength. It is on its left bank (we are heading north) that we deliver the last puja (prayer) of the day, drink some of its holy water and bathe in it. I immerse myself in a long monologue with Shiva and beg him to grant me the same freedom I had when I was travelling penniless and with the strength of my body on those south Indian village paths. The miracle with this god is that he always grants my prayers on time. I had hardly returned to the camp that I realised my bag pack (constituted of 1 T-shirt, 1 pair of pants and 1 pair of socks) is alighted of all my ‘fortune’. My last 150 euros have miraculously disappeared under the crowd’s eyes (NB: smoking hash can alter your perception). My passport, credit card and video camera have nevertheless remained faithful to me. Shiva knows what is essential to me and what is only superficial. My new friends are flabbergasted, mad and ashamed of such an act. They are definitely more affected than I am. They spontaneously organise a humble charity that I abort on the spot. I try my best to tell them that my main desire is to be alone with Shiva, nature and simplicity. ‘Om nama Shiva!’, ‘Bom, bom, bombolle!’ are shouted in the air as a faithful servant of Jesus would shout ‘Amen’.

I leave at dawn the next morning, with a French smile on my face and my little yellow back pack and off I am to follow the brownish water road. I have not even walked 6km that an oil tanker stops by my side as the side door opens with an irritating squeak. The invitation could not be any clearer. I jump on the opportunity and let myself doze off by the monotonous 10km/h cruising speed of those everlasting machines. After a 6h-journey mixing the adrenalines of a bullfighter, an equilibrist and a contortionist, I get off to walk the remaining 16km that separate me from Gangotri (the last village before the ascent). Although the village is only a few kilometres from the glacier, without this stupid permit, I am condemned to stay (I could sneak in at night but it’s the rainy season and I have no tent). Nevertheless, I see and feel more miraculous things and love in those 16km than in the last month. For instance, I bumped into a small old bearded man, with cute dreadlocks (Bob Marley’s weird hair for those who did not know) on his head and who spends most of his days making crafty windmills (with recycled matters found on the road) that he then places along the small streams. I guess the principle must be the same as the Buddhist prayers. We exchange a few vain words sharply contrasting with our rich smiles. He tries to mime me, like in a treasure hunt, the exact location of his cave so I can join him later for tea. It is his realm, his haven and I promise to come back the next day as night is coming near and I still have to improvise a free place to stay.

In Gangotri, I am offered a bed and a warm meal in an ashram (cult centre for pious people), and I use the last rays of Surya to randomly meet old men plunged into their everlasting mantras. I end my day at the foot of the powerful waterfall, where the Ganga unleashes its fury, to deliver a few extra prayers and thank yous. After a short night, I fill in my flask of Holy River like all the orange clad pilgrims. The latter start their walking journey here, and after having made the necessary pujas and ancestral rituals, they will then walk bare feet or with ‘made in China’ plastic sandals to New Delhi (some 650km away). They carry their bottles as pregnant women would carry their milk-filled breasts, and will eventually pour the precious liquid in their temple back home. As for me, I neither have a temple nor a final destination, but a simple idea in mind. Along the sinuous road, I meet many parties of pilgrims forming long orange caterpillars amidst the luxuriant green pine forest. The contrast feeds the soul of my empty stomach and gives me the will to go on. Shiva knew it, the splendour of what I see is priceless and even a diamond mine could not buy such a precious experience.

As promised, I long to see my little saddhu again (ascetic man devoted to the gods), and manage to find his cave where we celebrate a puja together followed by a home/cave made coffee. He is a beautiful wrinkled little man with a smile to bring joy back to a man wanting to die. He proudly shows me his artistic portfolio disseminated all over the forest and introduces me to his every invention. We love each other with no linguistics. A gesture and a slight movement of the head say more than a dictionary. I sourly bid him farewell as I would easily have enjoyed his company much longer, selfishly keeping him for myself in his smoky cave, while listening to him live.

I walked 22km on my own, with an empty stomach, improvising my own mantras and fully enjoying the present moment with Shiva and the Ganga when a car stopped by my side. An Indian woman with more gold than the local jeweller opens the window and invites me to hop in. I happily accept but soon realise that this luxury does not satisfy nor feed my soul. I am indeed no longer enjoying life. I am passive again. But how can I tell her that I no longer want to benefit from her kindness? Once again, I beg Shiva to help me out of this situation and once again he answers my call immediately. A massive landslide is blocking the road and although the cars keep honking (jeez I hate honks), the huge boulders will not roll away. It is the perfect opportunity for me to thank my host and get back to my mini ‘pilgrimage’. I manage to walk across the 6 landslides, but put myself in great danger as I am quickly surrounded by falling boulders that could easily turn me into chapattis (wheat based crepes served at each meal). I put a blind trust in Shiva. I walk straight while working on my vocal chords and praising the blue lord. I walk the next 19km under an antediluvian rain while turning my feet into lifeless soaked limbs. I finally reach the first camp where all my money got stolen / taken by the divine power, swallow a warm cup of tea and a banana and keep on walking. Luckily enough, a bus that waited 7h in front of the landslide has decided to go back and picks me up, free of charge, for the remaining 30km. I have a more than empty stomach, a more than drenched body, a soothed soul and not a single cramp in my calves despite the walk. I managed to live 3 days with less than a dollar. Fate made Marta, a Spanish friend be in town and come to my financial rescue for my return to Rishikesh. In the jeep, I feel terribly guilty seeing fellow pilgrims (the real ones) struggling in their venture to join the capital.

As of now, I am metaphorically ending my Indian journey where most Indians wish to end their life journey: Varanasi, the Hindu crematorium on the bank of the Ganges.