This is Akim Camara

This is Akim Camara.

In this video Akim is three years old. Let’s put his age in perspective:

• Mozart began piano lessons at age four.
• Musical prodigy Midori picked up her first violin at age four.
• Akim Camara was only two when he got his first violin lesson. Today he’s five years old, the youngest student at the Music College of Hanns Eisler.

(Akim is “almost potty trained” for this
concert)

Akim, who lives in Germany with his African father and German mother, auditioned for music teacher Birgit Thiele in 2003 with his plastic toy violin. He was still communicating in baby talk, but he was able to self-teach on all of the orchestral instruments. Thiele taught Akim twice a week and that December Akim, still only two, played at a school Christmas concert in his diapers and carrying a pacifier.
Akim
Camara’s name is interesting. His father is from Nigeria, which is in
Northwest Africa. The Camara surname is supposedly Portugese, but the
surname was common in North Africa, especially in Mali, about 200 years
before it was introduced to Portugal, so . . . well, so there. Mali is
right next to Nigeria. Camara means “teacher” in one of 200+ African
languages, probably

Bamanakan.
Then there’s the name Akim, a name that appears to have roots in Africa,
Israel and Arabia. Akim is a girl’s name in Africa, the name of a veryfat and beautiful woman from Nigerian folklore. The Hebrew Akim is a boy’s name meaning “Established by God.” The Muslim Akim means “wise man” or “intelligent.” Akim is a very rare first name but a very common surname.

It is most unlikely that Akim’s parents named him after a beautiful and fat Nigerian woman, and the odds of Akim’s father being Jewish is, well, almost zero. Since both Mali and Nigeria are about 95% Muslim it is likely that Akim’s father is a Muslim who immigrated to Germany, and that Akim Camara’s name means “Wise Teacher.” This translation makes the best sense. I think is really neat, because Germans (most Europeans, actually) come across as none too happy with the influx of Muslim immigrants of African and Arab descent, declaring them a threat to the “German/Norwegian/whatever way of life,” the same way certain people in the U.S. feel about Mexicans crossing the Southwest border. That Akim Camara is making headlines around the world should make immigrant-haters around the world STFU already. Immigration ALWAYS turns out to be a blessing over the long term. I mean, just look at this kid: Is he cute or WHAT?

Akim is now five years old. He will be a guest of André Rieu and The Johann Strauss Orchestra at En Shallah (God willing). By then perhaps he’ll be six? Six is still
cute folks, so if he’s ever in your area don’t miss him. You’ll want to be able to say that you saw the Maestro play when he was just a kid!