MAIMUNA’S REQUIEM
Greetings Br. Kubara
I hope you are well. Have not heard or received any Nubiart in a while. Are you OK? I had a bereavement recently whose nature I am sure touches other Afrikans. As a writer you do know that grief can be expressed in what we write. Please help me put this out there where it stands a possibility of reaching others who have been affected similarly.
Thank you.
A grandmother’s requiem on the untimely passing of grandchildren aged 18 months and 8 years respectively.
Please allow me to have my say
I am a grandmother who has lost my grandchildren.
When the grandchildren are gunned down
Or the drones kill them, then they are acknowledged and properly mourned.
But when my grandchildren’s’ lives are untimely cut short due to treatable diseases
Nobody takes notice except the relatives, as though it does not matter to anyone else.
My grandchild was born with labored breathing
His mother mentioned to the doctors
They said it was a hole on the heart
That it would heal as the child grew.
Only it got worse.
The doctors said my grandchild needed a heart operation.
The equipment to operate was not in the country, doctors said.
Relatives and friends fundraised to pay hospital bills abroad
A sum of $15,000, for air travel, accommodation, and visa fees was required
From a people where statistics confirm they live on a dollar a day.
After many months, the dollars were raised, the child patient and its mother flown to India where the operation on the heart was performed.
My grandchild was 18 months when his breathing failed.
He needed a second heart surgery if he were to live.
This time, $12,000 was required to fly him to India with his mom,
And all previous requirements: visa fees, accommodation for his mom, hospital bills, surgery, drugs and travel.
While fundraising was going on, my grandchild passed away.
Now I ask you, could heart surgery have been done at home where all the support of relatives came from?
Since independence, has the country trained medical doctors with expertise to carry out heart surgery? Or from neighboring Kenya, South Africa, etc?
Was it in fact possible to buy critical equipment required to do the job with funds raised?
Was it possible traveling doctors for example Medicins Sans Frontieres, the Doctors without Borders could be facilitated (from funds raised) to come to the country and perform (perhaps with their equipment) not just on my grandson but other critical patients in this category? Such doctors have carried heroic operations across Afrika and beyond.
I pose all these questions to point out the fact that education was supposed to aid us to solve our problems specifically where matters of life and death are involved.
You hear ministers addressing such issues as imparting sex education in schools,
And then you learn that youth representatives are recruited at national level by governments
Simply to carry out UNFPA agenda as determined by funds obtained from Bill Gates Foundation, European Development Fund, Reproductive Rights movements and all such organizations which perceive non-European populations as a threat.
At higher institutions of learning in various countries, the absence in training models intended to impart students with inspiring material that illustrious sons of Afrika such as Cheikh Anta Diop, Ivan Van Sertima, Walter Rodney, Carter Woodson, Thairu Kihumbu, John Henrik Clarke to mention only a few, painstakingly researched for the purpose of empowering the Afrikan mind, is not debated as ferociously as lecturers’ increase in pay.
What action did the educated graduates take when faced with matter of life or death? Do those educated to speak European languages follow up on a pan-African e-network (IT) that was set up by India linking the fifty-three countries in 2008? The pan-African e-network (IT) committed to link to Indian universities and hospitals to facilitate the development of critical human capital – health and education, in May 2011, at the India-Africa Forum Summit in Addis Ababa.
The India embassy could have followed up on such critical matters which India saw fit to commit.
The embassy knows the numbers of visas they give out and for what purpose.
This required team work involving parents, medical doctors both within the country, and in India, embassy staff, so-called experts, government officials for example minister or permanent secretary and other personnel.
Granted the parents were overwhelmed – they had to provide care 24-hours a day, all seven days of the week and throughout the short life of these infants.
Granted too, every day, incidences like this happen everywhere in the world, in particular as a result of wars, for example Somalia, Gaza, Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq, in Syria etc.
This is where the Afrikan community comes in.
After all it takes a village to raise a child is an Afrikan instruction to the communities, a reminder of the value of every child.
In Britain, where the father of my departed grandchild went for further studies,
He tells me there is no shortage of places of worship, be it Christian faith, Islam, Sikh, Jewish or other.
He tells me the past 10 years he was studying, he and the community of Afrikans, have been raising funds to pay mortgage in order to have a ‘Ugandan’ mosque in Britain.
At the time my grandson passed away, the Ugandan (Muslim) community in Britain had realized Pound Sterling one hundred thousand towards the mosque.
Meanwhile, another Muslim community in Britain (Mauritius) was also fundraising to build yet another mosque also in Britain.
The Somali Muslim community was also fundraising to extend a mosque, as was the Pakistani community.
There is nothing wrong with the communities building places of worship where they have chosen to settle.
However, since slavery, followed by colonialism, Britain has been multicultural, where multitudes of cultures and religions have converged.
Previous communities, bar none, built places of worship or bought former churches which fell into disuse brought about by a decline in numbers of Christians.
I saw for myself in London, one comes across a mosque nearly every mile or even shorter distance.
Besides this, in spite of the abundance of mosques, 60 percent of them refuse women entry!
And further, it is permissible to worship anywhere clean, not necessarily in a mosque.
One cannot help but ask if recent Afrikan communities (from particular countries) who settled abroad have considered the better of two choices: increasing places of worship where more than enough already exist, or commit to aid with health care equipment that is badly needed for the benefit of those (including their relatives) they left on the continent.
A few months before the passing on of my grandson,
Another granddaughter aged eight was lost to the Afrikan community from a similar heart condition as narrated above.
At birth, her mom pointed out the infant’s unnatural breathing.
Doctors told her, a hole in the heart had not quite closed but it would with time.
My grandchild was sickly all her eight years.
The medical personnel changed the story during the long course of treatments, and settled for Sickle cells.
Every medication and herb was bought till the last two weeks,
The medical doctors diagnosed a hole in my grandchild’s heart.
It was too late to fundraise to go to India or wherever.
I have only mentioned the two grandchildren out of very, very many unmourned except by immediate family.
Who reach out to all by phone, email, seminars and gatherings;
As lamented this distraught father:
The sub aortic membrane that needs re-section is affecting the heart valves and the operation needs to be done urgently to avoid further damage.
And months later: At this point, a total of UShs. 7,397,000 or $2845 (including cash and pledges), about 24% of the total requirement has so far been raised in fund raising campaign so that the operation date can be set with Apollo Children’s Hospital, India.
Working towards traveling to India for the operation,
We appeal to you to join us in raising the required funds of $12,000.
But alas! Funds were not forth-coming fast enough when finally the heart-wrenching one-line:
Imran passed away, burial took place yesterday 13th August 2013. Thanks for your support in trying to save his life.
These young souls, you have to agree
Could have been saved
If the Afrikan community wherever they live, join together our resources and expertise and prioritize critical needs, and take necessary action.
I pray for the sake of future grandchildren we sort out our affairs in order for them to live full, healthier lives.
Maimuna
OBITUARY
SANDRA ANGELA GEORGE (20 May 1957–19 Aug 2013). Photojournalist, artist, adult education tutor and community activist. Our sister Sandra George has passed away from multiple cancers in her liver, breast, bones and head. She came to live with our section of the family just before her eighth birthday after her mother returned to Jamaica during a mental health crisis. Having loved sketching and painting from her school days Sandra spent over three decades taking photographs that were used extensively in local papers in Scotland. She also taught photography and thousands of people in deprived areas, institutions and those who suffered from relationship abuse and mental health issues benefited greatly from her experience and commitment allowing them to express their trauma, regain self-esteem and find enjoyment and employment.
After studying Photography at Napier University Sandra worked as the photographer for the Wester Hailes Sentinel newspaper for six years. She then became an adult education tutor at the Tollcross Community Centre for 17 years from 1991–2008. During this time she obtained her BA in Fine Art at the Edinburgh College of Art and studied Community Education at the University of Edinburgh. She worked for nearly three years as a Community Education Worker at Creative Identities/Dance Base. She also served as a Board member at Craigmillar Community Arts for a year. In 2009 while working as the Youth Services Manager with Hunters Hall Housing Co-op in Edinburgh Sandra founded the Niddrie Community Youth Group which will remain as a legacy to her dedication.
Sandra was an inspiration to us during our late teenage years. Although we were already politically active and publishing anti-nuclear, anti-racist and anti-apartheid propaganda it was while we were staying with her that we developed a more in-depth understanding of the political and cultural dynamics and divisions present within the Afrikan community. It was there that we first got to read ‘The Black Book’, and discuss the writings of Frantz Fanon and Steve Biko and issues such as miseducation, enslavement and British racism at a level deeper than the usual sloganeering soundbites we had been used to up until then. From then we always tried to focus on solutions and what we are for as Afrikans rather than just complain about what we are against.
It was also Sandra who encouraged us to overlook our father’s shortcomings and take our first trip abroad to Jamaica with him which was both life-affirming and cultural awareness raising. On our first day our aunt took us to her work at Mona Campus, University of West Indies, and when we saw the admin department staffed entirely by Afrikans it confirmed our belief that Afrikans had the capability to run a university and generally organise their own affairs especially as this was at a time when most British universities tended to employ only one Afrikan in their admin departments and the few lecturers they did have were on temporary non-staff contracts. On our way home at Norman Manley Airport we got a sign that Sandra had given us sound advice to go to Jamaica when we saw Mutabaruka waiting for the flight up to Miami with his canvas bag with the ‘Check It!’ album cover on one side and ‘De System Is A Fraud’ on the other. We already had ‘Check It’ at home and we had his compilation album with Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze and others in our suitcase as a present for Sandra. She constantly encouraged people to express themselves culturally and artistically and in our case within six months of our return from Jamaica we had joined our first reggae band as singer, melodica player and percussionist.
Sandra leaves behind her son, Tyler, and many brothers and sisters. Tragically, her mother passed away in Jamaica in the preceding week.
FORTHCOMING NUBIART PROFILES
NUBIART: Focus on arts, business, education, health, political developments and the media.
SEP PROMOS
~ ‘MON PAYS’ - Vieux Farka Touré [Six Degrees Records – Out Now] ‘Mon Pays’ is French for ‘My Country’ and this latest album from Vieux Farka Toure is dominated by the recent Tuareg and Islamic rebellion in Mali and its aftermath. The threat to the population’s way of life and the curbing of music and Afrikan cultural expression was felt by many of the musicians and artists who had to leave the north of the country and relocate to the capital, Bamako, or go into exile. The central government has now reasserted its authority over much of the country with elections held recently which were accepted with only a few complaints.
The music is a powerful mix of Manding, desert and Arabic blues. Tracks like ‘Yer Gando’ and ‘Kele Magni’ directly reference the music ban warning of the dangers of foreign invaders robbing Mali of its heritage. Toure thus declares that his nation belongs to every citizen in it. Instrumentals like ‘Peace’ and our favourite, ‘Doni Doni’, feature Vieux linking up with Toumani Diabate’s son, Sidiki, on kora complementing Touré’s spectacular guitar work. Vieux pays tribute to his father, Ali Farka Touré, by covering his ‘Safare’. On the traditional song, ‘Diack So’, which pays tribute to the singer and guitarist who was destroyed by alcohol, Toure compares it to the music of the north being destroyed by the Islamists. Website: http://www.vieuxfarkatoure.com
NUBIART LIBRARY – SEP MEDIA
We will only review books we have read and DVDs we have seen and that are available at reasonable prices online or in shops or libraries. However, given the nature and current state of Afrikan publishing and film production there may be books and films on this list that are worth the extra effort to track down.
~ ‘CROSSBONES’ – Nuruddin Farah [Granta. ISBN: 978-1-84708-610-5]
“Fidno goes on. ‘I bet you were also taken in by reports in the international media of the blatant lie that someone found the body of a pirate, drowned after receiving his share, that washed ashore with one hundred and fifty-three thousand dollars in cash in his pocket. Ask yourself: what happened to the money? The author does not tell us that, does he? In the same article, there is the incredible story of five pirates drowning, reportedly carrying three million dollars: ransom from the Saudi oil tanker? Again, what has become of the money? In Somalia, there would be war between the residents of a town over a hundred dollars. Why not over one hundred and fifty-three thousand dollars or, better still, three million? Did you hear of any wars taking place because of money found on the body of a drowned pirate washed ashore?’” – ‘Crossbones’, Nuruddin Farah, p372-373.
The final part in Somali Nuruddin Farah’s latest trilogy - after ‘Links’ (2004) and ‘Knots’ (2007) - explores the most recent manifestations of life, exile and death in Somalia. It starts with Jeebleh returning to Mogadiscio for the first time in 12 years with his son-in-law, Malik, a journalist who has covered wars and chaos across Afrika, the Middle East and Indian sub-continent. Malik wants to get an insight into Al-Shabab, the people smuggling and piracy which has come to dominate coverage of Somalia. Another strand of the story is that Malik’s brother, Ahl, has gone to Puntland, considered the pirates’ heartland to search for his stepson, Taxliil, one of 20 youngsters who left Minneapolis in the US to fight for Al-Shabab. This is all set against the backdrop of an impending US-backed Ethiopian invasion.
The plot takes in the double and triple crosses that reverberate from the local market to the political players and the offices of the international insurance companies who, contrary to what people may think, appear to be as much the beneficiaries of the instability. Although the story is classed as fiction it seems very close to the truth and Nuruddin Farah’s meticulous research and source material is given at the end of the book. He describes his purpose for writing as an attempt ‘to keep my country alive by writing about it’. As we prepared to write this review even Medecins sans Frontieres – who tend to go into ‘disaster zones’ – announced they were pulling all their staff out of Somalia as they still consider it too dangerous. It comes close on the heels of Barclays Bank announcing it would no longer cover the operations of the Dahabshiil money transfer service which has been an essential lifeline in a country which has not had a properly constituted government whose writ covers all the territory for over two decades. This will be a blow to the government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, which has been trying to build on the improving security in the capital in the last two years. There are still 18,000 African Union troops in the country supporting his administration.
~ OPERATION BLACK VOTE CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF DR MARTIN LUTHER KING’S ‘I HAVE A DREAM’ SPEECH. With Reverend Jesse Jackson who was also a friend and colleague of the assassinated Dr King,
- ‘Making the Dream a Reality’. On Wed 4 Sep at the Library of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands.
- An Afternoon with Reverend Jesse Jackson. On Thurs 5 Sep at Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Tottenham, London, N15.
- ‘MLK50 ‘I have a dream’ celebration’. On Fri 6 Sep at the US Embassy, Grosvenor Sq, London, SW1.
All events are ticketed and by invite only. Contact: Francine Fernandes, Deputy Director, Operation Black Vote. Tel: 020 8983 5426. Twitter:@OpBlackVote
~ AFRICA CENTRE
- ‘Africa Talks: Getting Into Film’. On Mon 2 Sep at 6.30pm. Adm: Free. Panel discussion with Joseph Adesunloye the founder of Screening Africa and Dreamcoat Productions, Nadia Denton, a former director of bfm International Film Festival, who works actively in exhibition, marketing and distribution and Saeed Taji Farouky, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and founder of Tourist With A Typewriter. These progressive thinkers and doers in contemporary film discuss and give practical solutions to getting into film production.
- ‘Africa Talks: Young Innovators’. On Thurs 5 Sep at 6.30pm. Adm: Free. Students in their teens talk about what 21st century Afrika means to them and opportunities they identify. Young entrepreneur Dami Olatuyi is a young entrepreneur who has set up website www.mygeria.co.uk that promotes Nigeria and connects young people to careers and culture; Sholape Jegede is a 19-year-old Finance student who is exploring new methods in Afrikan mobile technology development. Hosted by Lwazi Sibanda.
- Africa Talks: Uche Nwokedi. On Fri 6 Sep at 6.30pm. Adm: Free. Uche Nwokedi SAN co-founded the Playhouse Initiative for Youth Development and is one of the leading commercial lawyers in Nigeria. He has written and produced “Kakadu the Musical”, critically-acclaimed as the first complete musical theatre production in Nigeria.
- ‘Africa Talks: Social Fabric’. On Sat 7 Sep at 1–3pm. Adm: Free. Chris Spring, the artist and British Museum curator of the Afrikan collections, and acclaimed photographer, designer and gallery/salon owner Hassan Hajjaj also the creator of innovative collective The Third Line talk about textiles, fashion and contemporary art from Afrika. Followed by journalist and author Hannah Pool, curator of talks at the Southbank centre and author of book ‘My Fathers’ Daughter’, who explores the issue that if Afrikan fashion is cool at present, what does this really mean for Afrikan curators, creators and designers?
- Family Day: film, music, spoken word and comedy. On Sun 8 Sep 11.30am-11pm. Adm: All dayer ticket - £15 (includes evening concert) or individually priced
11.30am–1pm (doors 11am) ‘Workshop: Rhythm, Dance, Drumming & Voice’. Enjoy yourselves creating music the Afrikan family way in an intergenerational workshop led by Mosi Conde, a musician from Guinea-Conakry’s leading griot family and the nephew of Mory Kante. Developed in association with Outerglobe. £10 (15 places available at £5 on a first-come-first-served basis)
12pm. Film Screening: ‘Africa United’. An extraordinary story of three Rwandan children who walk 3,000 miles through 7 countries to the football World Cup in South Africa. Along the way they gather a team of brilliant and broken characters who help them negotiate through dangerous, bizarre, and often hilarious situations. Adm: Free.
2pm. ‘Music and Spoken Word - Waxing Lyrical’. In association with Onit PR a showcase of lyricism and song from three of London’s creative music gems: FLOetic Lara, an accomplished singer and spoken word artist; Leké, a 23-year-old Mobo award-winning singer-songwriter; and Ayo-Delé, a singer and actress. Plus comedy by Prince Abdi and a kora performance by Guinea-Conakry master musician Mosi Conde. Adm: £5.
5pm–11pm. ‘Club Night: Mama Africa’. As the newest Afrobeat experience to take London by storm, Mama Africa features DJs: Oya Bun, Alaku Rebels, Bogossy, J.P.Kairo and KMT (host) and returns to the Africa Centre with another club night. Adm: £5
6pm. ‘Africa Talks: Soweto Kinch’. As one of the leading young jazz musicians in the UK and the creator of new album and multi-platform project The Legend of Mike Smith, Soweto Kinch shares insights on a life in music and the value of music education. Adm; Free.
7pm. ‘Africa Talks: Prince Abdi’. Prince Abdi presents a spoken word talk on his comedy career. As a leading comedian of Somali origin who has appeared on Comedy Central and Show Me The Funny, expect some comical interventions. Adm: Free.
8pm–11pm. Soweto Kinch and Yomi Bashiru and Naija Grooves in concert. With heavy duty rhythms and music gliding and sliding from jazz, rap, hip-hop and funk to afrobeat, fuji and juju. Adm: £10.
- ‘Africa Talks: Interventions’. On Mon 9 Sep at 6–6.30pm. Adm: Free. As the Convenor for Young People’s Programmes at Tate Modern and Tate Britain, Mark Miller will talk about delivering cultural productions, and share insights on digital platforms and ways in which young people can have authentic interventions and engagement within galleries and public spaces.
- ‘Pulling Focus: African film and culture in context’. On Mon 9 Sep at 6.30pm–7.15pm. Adm: Free. June Giovanni, a film curator, archivist and leading international consultant in Afrikan and Afrikan diaspora cinema and Gaylene Gould, a curator of African diaspora film who has worked at the BFI, Black Audio Film Collective and Africa at the Pictures Festival talk about their experiences of promoting Afrikan cinema and culture over a 30-year history.
All events at the Africa Centre, 38 King St, London, WC2. Web: africacentre.org.uk
~ BLACK HISTORY STUDIES PRESENT
- ‘Domestic Violence in the Black Community’. On Wed 4 Sep at 7-9pm at the PCS Headquarters, 160 Falcon Road, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 2LN. Adm: Free. While other problems such the education attainment gap, stop and search, gun and knife crime, death in police custody, mental health in Black communities are often the topic of discussion and activism, domestic violence is rarely discussed. It should be. Relationship abuse can happen to anyone. It involves more than physical violence. And both men and women are affected.
- ‘Robert Mugabe: Villain Or Hero?’. On Mon 9 Sep at 7-9.30pm at the PCS Headquarters, 160 Falcon Road, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 2LN. Adm: Free. In his directorial debut, Roy Agyemang explores the reality behind the headlines about Zimbabwean politics and the economy in a feature-length documentary. With unprecedented access to Mugabe and his entourage and drawing on a wealth of news footage this personal, highly accessible and often amusing film raises wider issues about the relationship between Afrikan leaders and the West in the fight for Afrikan minerals and land. There will be a Q&A after the screening with Executive Director Neville Hendricks.
- ‘Strange Fruit’. On Fri 13 Sep at 7-9pm at the Marcus Garvey Library, Tottenham Green Centre, 1 Philip Lane, Tottenham, London, N15 4JA. Adm: Free. ‘Strange Fruit’ (2002) is the first documentary exploring the history and legacy of the Billie Holiday classic. The song’s evolution brings viewers face-to-face with the terror of lynching even as it spotlights the courage and heroism of those who fought for racial justice when to do so was to risk ostracism and death. It examines the history of lynching, and the interplay of race, labour and the left, and popular culture as forces that would give rise to the Civil Rights Movement. Winner! 2004 American Library Association Notable Video Award.
- ‘Themba: A Boy Called Hope (12)’ With ‘Safeguarding Your Child Session’. On Sat 14 Sep at 6-9pm at the Marcus Garvey Library, Tottenham Green Centre, 1 Philip Lane, Tottenham, London, N15 4JA. Adm: Free. Filmed on location against the stunning rural landscapes of the Eastern Cape, Themba tells the story of a local boy who triumphs against adversity and proves that with talent and determination dreams can come true. Themba depicts the triumph of the human spirit and how belief in oneself and ones talent is tantamount to never giving up. Empress Jai will lead the discussion on how to effectively protect and safeguard children from harm.
- ‘The Black Market & Film Festival’. On Sat 21 Sep at 12-9pm at Platanos College, Clapham Road, Stockwell, London, SW9 0AL. With stalls, seminars and film screenings.
For all events. Tel / Fax: 020 8881 0660. Mobile: 07951 234 233. E-mail: info@blackhistorystudies.com
~ THE AUSAR AUSET SOCIETY GI GONG CLASSES. Every Monday at 7.30–9pmat Hazel Road Community Centre, Hazel Road, Kensal Green, London, NW10 5PP. Adm: £5 per class. Tel: 07951- 252-427. E-mail: Tauinetwork.europe@gmail.com
~ MOJANA MYSTIC AND ASTROLOGY OF THE SOUL PRESENTS A DAY OF SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT. Speakers: Sister Mojana (Spiritual Advisor & Tarot Reader) on her spiritual journey and walking her true path; Bro Israel on Astrology and its effects on our lives; Bro Eli Anderson (The Healing Story Teller and Drummer); Bro Noel Ouristorian on Universal Law (Common Law) vs. Statute Law; Sister Abbaanah (Spiritual Goddess) on Spirituality using Divine Energy toenrich your life; Sister Rosanna (Spiritual Healer) on Spiritual & Metaphysics of Pregnancy and Child birth; and Sister Angie (AG Associates) on the importance of visiting the Motherland. Tarot Card readings and Astrology readings by Sis Mojana, Bro Israel and Sis Carmelita. On Sat 14 Sep at 2.30-9pm at Clapham Park Resource Centre, 1 Headlam Road, King’s Avenue, Clapham, London, SW4 8LT. Adm:£7 (Adv) / £10 (OTD) / U-12 – Free. Tel: Mojana - 07958 244 813. Israel – 07943 669 879.
~ GLOBAL FUSION MUSIC AND ARTS PRESENTS A CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE. Headlined by Kadija Sesay. Plus a great line up of musicians and poets from Ghana, Tanzania, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Antigua, Nigeria and Greenwich. On Thurs 19 Sep at 7.30-10pm at Charlton House, Charlton Road, London, SE7 8RE. Tel: 020 8858 9497. Web: www.wegottickets.com
~ ‘ORIGINS OF THE AFRO COMB: 6,000 YEARS OF CULTURE, POLITICS AND IDENTITY’. Exhibition of combs from pre-dynastic Egypt to the present day with full programme of seminars, gallery talks and film screenings. Until 28 Sep (MAA) and 3 Nov (FWM) at Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DZ. Tel; 01223 333 516. E-mail: admin@maa.cam.ac.uk Web: maa.cam.ac.uk and Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Crescent, Cambridge, CB3 1RB. Tel: 01223 332 900. E-mail: fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk Web: www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
~ ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH PRESENT YINKA SHONIBARE MBE AT GREENWICH. The series of works include a new site-specific commission and sculptures never before seen in the UK. The works respond to the historic surroundings of the Queen’s House, National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory Greenwich, while also exploring themes of Britishness, trade and empire, commemoration and national identity, which are central to both Shonibare’s work and the Museum’s collections. There will be works referencing the life and death of Admiral Lord Nelson including The Fake Death Pictures series, Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle, Wind Sculpture and Cheeky Little Astronomer, The exhibition will be supported by a full programme of events including curator’s tours, talks and debates. From Wed 18 Sep–23 Feb 2014 at 10am-5pm at National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House and Royal Observatory Greenwich, Romney Road, Greenwich, London, SE10. Adm: Free (except Flamsteed House at the Royal Observatory). Tel: 020 8312 6565. Web: www.rmg.co.uk
Contact: Kubara Zamani, Afrikan Quest International, PO Box 35165, London, SE5 8WU. Tel: 07811 494 969. E-mail: afrikanquest@hotmail.com Web: www.southwark.tv/quest/aqhome.asp
External Links
Afrikan Quest International
Greetings Br. Kubara
I hope you are well. Have not heard or received any Nubiart in a while. Are you OK? I had a bereavement recently whose nature I am sure touches other Afrikans. As a writer you do know that grief can be expressed in what we write. Please help me put this out there where it stands a possibility of reaching others who have been affected similarly.
Thank you.
A grandmother’s requiem on the untimely passing of grandchildren aged 18 months and 8 years respectively.
Please allow me to have my say
I am a grandmother who has lost my grandchildren.
When the grandchildren are gunned down
Or the drones kill them, then they are acknowledged and properly mourned.
But when my grandchildren’s’ lives are untimely cut short due to treatable diseases
Nobody takes notice except the relatives, as though it does not matter to anyone else.
My grandchild was born with labored breathing
His mother mentioned to the doctors
They said it was a hole on the heart
That it would heal as the child grew.
Only it got worse.
The doctors said my grandchild needed a heart operation.
The equipment to operate was not in the country, doctors said.
Relatives and friends fundraised to pay hospital bills abroad
A sum of $15,000, for air travel, accommodation, and visa fees was required
From a people where statistics confirm they live on a dollar a day.
After many months, the dollars were raised, the child patient and its mother flown to India where the operation on the heart was performed.
My grandchild was 18 months when his breathing failed.
He needed a second heart surgery if he were to live.
This time, $12,000 was required to fly him to India with his mom,
And all previous requirements: visa fees, accommodation for his mom, hospital bills, surgery, drugs and travel.
While fundraising was going on, my grandchild passed away.
Now I ask you, could heart surgery have been done at home where all the support of relatives came from?
Since independence, has the country trained medical doctors with expertise to carry out heart surgery? Or from neighboring Kenya, South Africa, etc?
Was it in fact possible to buy critical equipment required to do the job with funds raised?
Was it possible traveling doctors for example Medicins Sans Frontieres, the Doctors without Borders could be facilitated (from funds raised) to come to the country and perform (perhaps with their equipment) not just on my grandson but other critical patients in this category? Such doctors have carried heroic operations across Afrika and beyond.
I pose all these questions to point out the fact that education was supposed to aid us to solve our problems specifically where matters of life and death are involved.
You hear ministers addressing such issues as imparting sex education in schools,
And then you learn that youth representatives are recruited at national level by governments
Simply to carry out UNFPA agenda as determined by funds obtained from Bill Gates Foundation, European Development Fund, Reproductive Rights movements and all such organizations which perceive non-European populations as a threat.
At higher institutions of learning in various countries, the absence in training models intended to impart students with inspiring material that illustrious sons of Afrika such as Cheikh Anta Diop, Ivan Van Sertima, Walter Rodney, Carter Woodson, Thairu Kihumbu, John Henrik Clarke to mention only a few, painstakingly researched for the purpose of empowering the Afrikan mind, is not debated as ferociously as lecturers’ increase in pay.
What action did the educated graduates take when faced with matter of life or death? Do those educated to speak European languages follow up on a pan-African e-network (IT) that was set up by India linking the fifty-three countries in 2008? The pan-African e-network (IT) committed to link to Indian universities and hospitals to facilitate the development of critical human capital – health and education, in May 2011, at the India-Africa Forum Summit in Addis Ababa.
The India embassy could have followed up on such critical matters which India saw fit to commit.
The embassy knows the numbers of visas they give out and for what purpose.
This required team work involving parents, medical doctors both within the country, and in India, embassy staff, so-called experts, government officials for example minister or permanent secretary and other personnel.
Granted the parents were overwhelmed – they had to provide care 24-hours a day, all seven days of the week and throughout the short life of these infants.
Granted too, every day, incidences like this happen everywhere in the world, in particular as a result of wars, for example Somalia, Gaza, Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq, in Syria etc.
This is where the Afrikan community comes in.
After all it takes a village to raise a child is an Afrikan instruction to the communities, a reminder of the value of every child.
In Britain, where the father of my departed grandchild went for further studies,
He tells me there is no shortage of places of worship, be it Christian faith, Islam, Sikh, Jewish or other.
He tells me the past 10 years he was studying, he and the community of Afrikans, have been raising funds to pay mortgage in order to have a ‘Ugandan’ mosque in Britain.
At the time my grandson passed away, the Ugandan (Muslim) community in Britain had realized Pound Sterling one hundred thousand towards the mosque.
Meanwhile, another Muslim community in Britain (Mauritius) was also fundraising to build yet another mosque also in Britain.
The Somali Muslim community was also fundraising to extend a mosque, as was the Pakistani community.
There is nothing wrong with the communities building places of worship where they have chosen to settle.
However, since slavery, followed by colonialism, Britain has been multicultural, where multitudes of cultures and religions have converged.
Previous communities, bar none, built places of worship or bought former churches which fell into disuse brought about by a decline in numbers of Christians.
I saw for myself in London, one comes across a mosque nearly every mile or even shorter distance.
Besides this, in spite of the abundance of mosques, 60 percent of them refuse women entry!
And further, it is permissible to worship anywhere clean, not necessarily in a mosque.
One cannot help but ask if recent Afrikan communities (from particular countries) who settled abroad have considered the better of two choices: increasing places of worship where more than enough already exist, or commit to aid with health care equipment that is badly needed for the benefit of those (including their relatives) they left on the continent.
A few months before the passing on of my grandson,
Another granddaughter aged eight was lost to the Afrikan community from a similar heart condition as narrated above.
At birth, her mom pointed out the infant’s unnatural breathing.
Doctors told her, a hole in the heart had not quite closed but it would with time.
My grandchild was sickly all her eight years.
The medical personnel changed the story during the long course of treatments, and settled for Sickle cells.
Every medication and herb was bought till the last two weeks,
The medical doctors diagnosed a hole in my grandchild’s heart.
It was too late to fundraise to go to India or wherever.
I have only mentioned the two grandchildren out of very, very many unmourned except by immediate family.
Who reach out to all by phone, email, seminars and gatherings;
As lamented this distraught father:
The sub aortic membrane that needs re-section is affecting the heart valves and the operation needs to be done urgently to avoid further damage.
And months later: At this point, a total of UShs. 7,397,000 or $2845 (including cash and pledges), about 24% of the total requirement has so far been raised in fund raising campaign so that the operation date can be set with Apollo Children’s Hospital, India.
Working towards traveling to India for the operation,
We appeal to you to join us in raising the required funds of $12,000.
But alas! Funds were not forth-coming fast enough when finally the heart-wrenching one-line:
Imran passed away, burial took place yesterday 13th August 2013. Thanks for your support in trying to save his life.
These young souls, you have to agree
Could have been saved
If the Afrikan community wherever they live, join together our resources and expertise and prioritize critical needs, and take necessary action.
I pray for the sake of future grandchildren we sort out our affairs in order for them to live full, healthier lives.
Maimuna
OBITUARY
SANDRA ANGELA GEORGE (20 May 1957–19 Aug 2013). Photojournalist, artist, adult education tutor and community activist. Our sister Sandra George has passed away from multiple cancers in her liver, breast, bones and head. She came to live with our section of the family just before her eighth birthday after her mother returned to Jamaica during a mental health crisis. Having loved sketching and painting from her school days Sandra spent over three decades taking photographs that were used extensively in local papers in Scotland. She also taught photography and thousands of people in deprived areas, institutions and those who suffered from relationship abuse and mental health issues benefited greatly from her experience and commitment allowing them to express their trauma, regain self-esteem and find enjoyment and employment.
After studying Photography at Napier University Sandra worked as the photographer for the Wester Hailes Sentinel newspaper for six years. She then became an adult education tutor at the Tollcross Community Centre for 17 years from 1991–2008. During this time she obtained her BA in Fine Art at the Edinburgh College of Art and studied Community Education at the University of Edinburgh. She worked for nearly three years as a Community Education Worker at Creative Identities/Dance Base. She also served as a Board member at Craigmillar Community Arts for a year. In 2009 while working as the Youth Services Manager with Hunters Hall Housing Co-op in Edinburgh Sandra founded the Niddrie Community Youth Group which will remain as a legacy to her dedication.
Sandra was an inspiration to us during our late teenage years. Although we were already politically active and publishing anti-nuclear, anti-racist and anti-apartheid propaganda it was while we were staying with her that we developed a more in-depth understanding of the political and cultural dynamics and divisions present within the Afrikan community. It was there that we first got to read ‘The Black Book’, and discuss the writings of Frantz Fanon and Steve Biko and issues such as miseducation, enslavement and British racism at a level deeper than the usual sloganeering soundbites we had been used to up until then. From then we always tried to focus on solutions and what we are for as Afrikans rather than just complain about what we are against.
It was also Sandra who encouraged us to overlook our father’s shortcomings and take our first trip abroad to Jamaica with him which was both life-affirming and cultural awareness raising. On our first day our aunt took us to her work at Mona Campus, University of West Indies, and when we saw the admin department staffed entirely by Afrikans it confirmed our belief that Afrikans had the capability to run a university and generally organise their own affairs especially as this was at a time when most British universities tended to employ only one Afrikan in their admin departments and the few lecturers they did have were on temporary non-staff contracts. On our way home at Norman Manley Airport we got a sign that Sandra had given us sound advice to go to Jamaica when we saw Mutabaruka waiting for the flight up to Miami with his canvas bag with the ‘Check It!’ album cover on one side and ‘De System Is A Fraud’ on the other. We already had ‘Check It’ at home and we had his compilation album with Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze and others in our suitcase as a present for Sandra. She constantly encouraged people to express themselves culturally and artistically and in our case within six months of our return from Jamaica we had joined our first reggae band as singer, melodica player and percussionist.
Sandra leaves behind her son, Tyler, and many brothers and sisters. Tragically, her mother passed away in Jamaica in the preceding week.
FORTHCOMING NUBIART PROFILES
NUBIART: Focus on arts, business, education, health, political developments and the media.
SEP PROMOS
~ ‘MON PAYS’ - Vieux Farka Touré [Six Degrees Records – Out Now] ‘Mon Pays’ is French for ‘My Country’ and this latest album from Vieux Farka Toure is dominated by the recent Tuareg and Islamic rebellion in Mali and its aftermath. The threat to the population’s way of life and the curbing of music and Afrikan cultural expression was felt by many of the musicians and artists who had to leave the north of the country and relocate to the capital, Bamako, or go into exile. The central government has now reasserted its authority over much of the country with elections held recently which were accepted with only a few complaints.
The music is a powerful mix of Manding, desert and Arabic blues. Tracks like ‘Yer Gando’ and ‘Kele Magni’ directly reference the music ban warning of the dangers of foreign invaders robbing Mali of its heritage. Toure thus declares that his nation belongs to every citizen in it. Instrumentals like ‘Peace’ and our favourite, ‘Doni Doni’, feature Vieux linking up with Toumani Diabate’s son, Sidiki, on kora complementing Touré’s spectacular guitar work. Vieux pays tribute to his father, Ali Farka Touré, by covering his ‘Safare’. On the traditional song, ‘Diack So’, which pays tribute to the singer and guitarist who was destroyed by alcohol, Toure compares it to the music of the north being destroyed by the Islamists. Website: http://www.vieuxfarkatoure.com
NUBIART LIBRARY – SEP MEDIA
We will only review books we have read and DVDs we have seen and that are available at reasonable prices online or in shops or libraries. However, given the nature and current state of Afrikan publishing and film production there may be books and films on this list that are worth the extra effort to track down.
~ ‘CROSSBONES’ – Nuruddin Farah [Granta. ISBN: 978-1-84708-610-5]
“Fidno goes on. ‘I bet you were also taken in by reports in the international media of the blatant lie that someone found the body of a pirate, drowned after receiving his share, that washed ashore with one hundred and fifty-three thousand dollars in cash in his pocket. Ask yourself: what happened to the money? The author does not tell us that, does he? In the same article, there is the incredible story of five pirates drowning, reportedly carrying three million dollars: ransom from the Saudi oil tanker? Again, what has become of the money? In Somalia, there would be war between the residents of a town over a hundred dollars. Why not over one hundred and fifty-three thousand dollars or, better still, three million? Did you hear of any wars taking place because of money found on the body of a drowned pirate washed ashore?’” – ‘Crossbones’, Nuruddin Farah, p372-373.
The final part in Somali Nuruddin Farah’s latest trilogy - after ‘Links’ (2004) and ‘Knots’ (2007) - explores the most recent manifestations of life, exile and death in Somalia. It starts with Jeebleh returning to Mogadiscio for the first time in 12 years with his son-in-law, Malik, a journalist who has covered wars and chaos across Afrika, the Middle East and Indian sub-continent. Malik wants to get an insight into Al-Shabab, the people smuggling and piracy which has come to dominate coverage of Somalia. Another strand of the story is that Malik’s brother, Ahl, has gone to Puntland, considered the pirates’ heartland to search for his stepson, Taxliil, one of 20 youngsters who left Minneapolis in the US to fight for Al-Shabab. This is all set against the backdrop of an impending US-backed Ethiopian invasion.
The plot takes in the double and triple crosses that reverberate from the local market to the political players and the offices of the international insurance companies who, contrary to what people may think, appear to be as much the beneficiaries of the instability. Although the story is classed as fiction it seems very close to the truth and Nuruddin Farah’s meticulous research and source material is given at the end of the book. He describes his purpose for writing as an attempt ‘to keep my country alive by writing about it’. As we prepared to write this review even Medecins sans Frontieres – who tend to go into ‘disaster zones’ – announced they were pulling all their staff out of Somalia as they still consider it too dangerous. It comes close on the heels of Barclays Bank announcing it would no longer cover the operations of the Dahabshiil money transfer service which has been an essential lifeline in a country which has not had a properly constituted government whose writ covers all the territory for over two decades. This will be a blow to the government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, which has been trying to build on the improving security in the capital in the last two years. There are still 18,000 African Union troops in the country supporting his administration.
Nubiart Diary
~ OPERATION BLACK VOTE CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF DR MARTIN LUTHER KING’S ‘I HAVE A DREAM’ SPEECH. With Reverend Jesse Jackson who was also a friend and colleague of the assassinated Dr King, - ‘Making the Dream a Reality’. On Wed 4 Sep at the Library of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands.
- An Afternoon with Reverend Jesse Jackson. On Thurs 5 Sep at Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Tottenham, London, N15.
- ‘MLK50 ‘I have a dream’ celebration’. On Fri 6 Sep at the US Embassy, Grosvenor Sq, London, SW1.
All events are ticketed and by invite only. Contact: Francine Fernandes, Deputy Director, Operation Black Vote. Tel: 020 8983 5426. Twitter:@OpBlackVote
~ AFRICA CENTRE
- ‘Africa Talks: Getting Into Film’. On Mon 2 Sep at 6.30pm. Adm: Free. Panel discussion with Joseph Adesunloye the founder of Screening Africa and Dreamcoat Productions, Nadia Denton, a former director of bfm International Film Festival, who works actively in exhibition, marketing and distribution and Saeed Taji Farouky, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and founder of Tourist With A Typewriter. These progressive thinkers and doers in contemporary film discuss and give practical solutions to getting into film production.
- ‘Africa Talks: Young Innovators’. On Thurs 5 Sep at 6.30pm. Adm: Free. Students in their teens talk about what 21st century Afrika means to them and opportunities they identify. Young entrepreneur Dami Olatuyi is a young entrepreneur who has set up website www.mygeria.co.uk that promotes Nigeria and connects young people to careers and culture; Sholape Jegede is a 19-year-old Finance student who is exploring new methods in Afrikan mobile technology development. Hosted by Lwazi Sibanda.
- Africa Talks: Uche Nwokedi. On Fri 6 Sep at 6.30pm. Adm: Free. Uche Nwokedi SAN co-founded the Playhouse Initiative for Youth Development and is one of the leading commercial lawyers in Nigeria. He has written and produced “Kakadu the Musical”, critically-acclaimed as the first complete musical theatre production in Nigeria.
- ‘Africa Talks: Social Fabric’. On Sat 7 Sep at 1–3pm. Adm: Free. Chris Spring, the artist and British Museum curator of the Afrikan collections, and acclaimed photographer, designer and gallery/salon owner Hassan Hajjaj also the creator of innovative collective The Third Line talk about textiles, fashion and contemporary art from Afrika. Followed by journalist and author Hannah Pool, curator of talks at the Southbank centre and author of book ‘My Fathers’ Daughter’, who explores the issue that if Afrikan fashion is cool at present, what does this really mean for Afrikan curators, creators and designers?
- Family Day: film, music, spoken word and comedy. On Sun 8 Sep 11.30am-11pm. Adm: All dayer ticket - £15 (includes evening concert) or individually priced
11.30am–1pm (doors 11am) ‘Workshop: Rhythm, Dance, Drumming & Voice’. Enjoy yourselves creating music the Afrikan family way in an intergenerational workshop led by Mosi Conde, a musician from Guinea-Conakry’s leading griot family and the nephew of Mory Kante. Developed in association with Outerglobe. £10 (15 places available at £5 on a first-come-first-served basis)
12pm. Film Screening: ‘Africa United’. An extraordinary story of three Rwandan children who walk 3,000 miles through 7 countries to the football World Cup in South Africa. Along the way they gather a team of brilliant and broken characters who help them negotiate through dangerous, bizarre, and often hilarious situations. Adm: Free.
2pm. ‘Music and Spoken Word - Waxing Lyrical’. In association with Onit PR a showcase of lyricism and song from three of London’s creative music gems: FLOetic Lara, an accomplished singer and spoken word artist; Leké, a 23-year-old Mobo award-winning singer-songwriter; and Ayo-Delé, a singer and actress. Plus comedy by Prince Abdi and a kora performance by Guinea-Conakry master musician Mosi Conde. Adm: £5.
5pm–11pm. ‘Club Night: Mama Africa’. As the newest Afrobeat experience to take London by storm, Mama Africa features DJs: Oya Bun, Alaku Rebels, Bogossy, J.P.Kairo and KMT (host) and returns to the Africa Centre with another club night. Adm: £5
6pm. ‘Africa Talks: Soweto Kinch’. As one of the leading young jazz musicians in the UK and the creator of new album and multi-platform project The Legend of Mike Smith, Soweto Kinch shares insights on a life in music and the value of music education. Adm; Free.
7pm. ‘Africa Talks: Prince Abdi’. Prince Abdi presents a spoken word talk on his comedy career. As a leading comedian of Somali origin who has appeared on Comedy Central and Show Me The Funny, expect some comical interventions. Adm: Free.
8pm–11pm. Soweto Kinch and Yomi Bashiru and Naija Grooves in concert. With heavy duty rhythms and music gliding and sliding from jazz, rap, hip-hop and funk to afrobeat, fuji and juju. Adm: £10.
- ‘Africa Talks: Interventions’. On Mon 9 Sep at 6–6.30pm. Adm: Free. As the Convenor for Young People’s Programmes at Tate Modern and Tate Britain, Mark Miller will talk about delivering cultural productions, and share insights on digital platforms and ways in which young people can have authentic interventions and engagement within galleries and public spaces.
- ‘Pulling Focus: African film and culture in context’. On Mon 9 Sep at 6.30pm–7.15pm. Adm: Free. June Giovanni, a film curator, archivist and leading international consultant in Afrikan and Afrikan diaspora cinema and Gaylene Gould, a curator of African diaspora film who has worked at the BFI, Black Audio Film Collective and Africa at the Pictures Festival talk about their experiences of promoting Afrikan cinema and culture over a 30-year history.
All events at the Africa Centre, 38 King St, London, WC2. Web: africacentre.org.uk
~ BLACK HISTORY STUDIES PRESENT
- ‘Domestic Violence in the Black Community’. On Wed 4 Sep at 7-9pm at the PCS Headquarters, 160 Falcon Road, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 2LN. Adm: Free. While other problems such the education attainment gap, stop and search, gun and knife crime, death in police custody, mental health in Black communities are often the topic of discussion and activism, domestic violence is rarely discussed. It should be. Relationship abuse can happen to anyone. It involves more than physical violence. And both men and women are affected.
- ‘Robert Mugabe: Villain Or Hero?’. On Mon 9 Sep at 7-9.30pm at the PCS Headquarters, 160 Falcon Road, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 2LN. Adm: Free. In his directorial debut, Roy Agyemang explores the reality behind the headlines about Zimbabwean politics and the economy in a feature-length documentary. With unprecedented access to Mugabe and his entourage and drawing on a wealth of news footage this personal, highly accessible and often amusing film raises wider issues about the relationship between Afrikan leaders and the West in the fight for Afrikan minerals and land. There will be a Q&A after the screening with Executive Director Neville Hendricks.
- ‘Strange Fruit’. On Fri 13 Sep at 7-9pm at the Marcus Garvey Library, Tottenham Green Centre, 1 Philip Lane, Tottenham, London, N15 4JA. Adm: Free. ‘Strange Fruit’ (2002) is the first documentary exploring the history and legacy of the Billie Holiday classic. The song’s evolution brings viewers face-to-face with the terror of lynching even as it spotlights the courage and heroism of those who fought for racial justice when to do so was to risk ostracism and death. It examines the history of lynching, and the interplay of race, labour and the left, and popular culture as forces that would give rise to the Civil Rights Movement. Winner! 2004 American Library Association Notable Video Award.
- ‘Themba: A Boy Called Hope (12)’ With ‘Safeguarding Your Child Session’. On Sat 14 Sep at 6-9pm at the Marcus Garvey Library, Tottenham Green Centre, 1 Philip Lane, Tottenham, London, N15 4JA. Adm: Free. Filmed on location against the stunning rural landscapes of the Eastern Cape, Themba tells the story of a local boy who triumphs against adversity and proves that with talent and determination dreams can come true. Themba depicts the triumph of the human spirit and how belief in oneself and ones talent is tantamount to never giving up. Empress Jai will lead the discussion on how to effectively protect and safeguard children from harm.
- ‘The Black Market & Film Festival’. On Sat 21 Sep at 12-9pm at Platanos College, Clapham Road, Stockwell, London, SW9 0AL. With stalls, seminars and film screenings.
For all events. Tel / Fax: 020 8881 0660. Mobile: 07951 234 233. E-mail: info@blackhistorystudies.com
~ THE AUSAR AUSET SOCIETY GI GONG CLASSES. Every Monday at 7.30–9pmat Hazel Road Community Centre, Hazel Road, Kensal Green, London, NW10 5PP. Adm: £5 per class. Tel: 07951- 252-427. E-mail: Tauinetwork.europe@gmail.com
~ MOJANA MYSTIC AND ASTROLOGY OF THE SOUL PRESENTS A DAY OF SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT. Speakers: Sister Mojana (Spiritual Advisor & Tarot Reader) on her spiritual journey and walking her true path; Bro Israel on Astrology and its effects on our lives; Bro Eli Anderson (The Healing Story Teller and Drummer); Bro Noel Ouristorian on Universal Law (Common Law) vs. Statute Law; Sister Abbaanah (Spiritual Goddess) on Spirituality using Divine Energy toenrich your life; Sister Rosanna (Spiritual Healer) on Spiritual & Metaphysics of Pregnancy and Child birth; and Sister Angie (AG Associates) on the importance of visiting the Motherland. Tarot Card readings and Astrology readings by Sis Mojana, Bro Israel and Sis Carmelita. On Sat 14 Sep at 2.30-9pm at Clapham Park Resource Centre, 1 Headlam Road, King’s Avenue, Clapham, London, SW4 8LT. Adm:£7 (Adv) / £10 (OTD) / U-12 – Free. Tel: Mojana - 07958 244 813. Israel – 07943 669 879.
~ GLOBAL FUSION MUSIC AND ARTS PRESENTS A CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE. Headlined by Kadija Sesay. Plus a great line up of musicians and poets from Ghana, Tanzania, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Antigua, Nigeria and Greenwich. On Thurs 19 Sep at 7.30-10pm at Charlton House, Charlton Road, London, SE7 8RE. Tel: 020 8858 9497. Web: www.wegottickets.com
~ ‘ORIGINS OF THE AFRO COMB: 6,000 YEARS OF CULTURE, POLITICS AND IDENTITY’. Exhibition of combs from pre-dynastic Egypt to the present day with full programme of seminars, gallery talks and film screenings. Until 28 Sep (MAA) and 3 Nov (FWM) at Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DZ. Tel; 01223 333 516. E-mail: admin@maa.cam.ac.uk Web: maa.cam.ac.uk and Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Crescent, Cambridge, CB3 1RB. Tel: 01223 332 900. E-mail: fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk Web: www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
~ ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH PRESENT YINKA SHONIBARE MBE AT GREENWICH. The series of works include a new site-specific commission and sculptures never before seen in the UK. The works respond to the historic surroundings of the Queen’s House, National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory Greenwich, while also exploring themes of Britishness, trade and empire, commemoration and national identity, which are central to both Shonibare’s work and the Museum’s collections. There will be works referencing the life and death of Admiral Lord Nelson including The Fake Death Pictures series, Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle, Wind Sculpture and Cheeky Little Astronomer, The exhibition will be supported by a full programme of events including curator’s tours, talks and debates. From Wed 18 Sep–23 Feb 2014 at 10am-5pm at National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House and Royal Observatory Greenwich, Romney Road, Greenwich, London, SE10. Adm: Free (except Flamsteed House at the Royal Observatory). Tel: 020 8312 6565. Web: www.rmg.co.uk
Contact: Kubara Zamani, Afrikan Quest International, PO Box 35165, London, SE5 8WU. Tel: 07811 494 969. E-mail: afrikanquest@hotmail.com Web: www.southwark.tv/quest/aqhome.asp
Afrikan Quest International
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