Spice World Redux

None other than Tom "Danger" Haythornthwaite himself sends in a photograph taken on the very afternoon of the events discussed in my earlier post about the connection between wars in the Horn of Africa and English girl bands.



Tom says: "It's a pickup truck full of gesticulating Eritreans. They are either cheering the downing of the Ethiopian MiG or reacting in distress to Ginger Spice's departure." It was a very confusing day for all involved.

(If you'd like to see more, he has a riveting collection of his photographs from all over the world at http://www.haythornthwaite.net/; the Souvenirs section is particularly recommended.)

Speaking of downed Ethiopian MiGs, Eritrean anti-aircraft gunners did, in fact, bring down one of the attacking planes just outside of town. A huge procession of Asmarinos headed out to watch and collect trophies, then came back into town in a caravan of pickups (as pictured above) brandishing burned-out airplane parts. The streets were packed with a cheering mob, and white-shawled women were leaning out of bus windows, ululating. Unfortunately, at the same time I was trying to swim upstream against this river of war sentiment to reach the music school where I taught.