Editor's Note

The other carte blanche


Ever since we launched our magazine in the fall of 2004, we have been receiving email for what we fondly refer to as the “other” carte blanche.

It is clear that the messages aren’t for us; subject lines range from “Poor conditions at public hospital,” to “Scamming under our noses.” Some of the stories these email tell are tragic, others are expressions of frustration, a last ditch effort to get a company to behave by trying to get the attention of the local media.

It turns out that the other carte blanche is an investigative television program that broadcasts throughout Southern Africa. And while it can be annoying to have our inbox cluttered with someone else’s mail, over the years we have come to accept these messages and even treasure them. They are a window into another country, other cultures, and even other people’s lives.

So it seems fitting that as we approach our tenth anniversary, we run our own story from South Africa. Photographs from Silikile came to us via a chance meeting with writer and photographer Kendall Hunter, who told us the story of South African photojournalist Victor Matom and his school in Soweto. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to share these photos with you.

Also in this issue, are stories of food and family, eagles and Gods, other forms of life, drinking dads and aging sisters, bar fights and late night visits from the doctor, and an homage to our nation’s capital. In other words, we give you another issue of carte blanche.

On a practical note, we will be publishing three issues again this year, and have changed our publishing schedule accordingly to: Winter, Spring/Summer, and Fall. And although our calendars announce that Spring starts today, it still feels far too much like winter for many of us. So we offer you our Winter issue to keep you warm until the flowers bloom.