BLACK HISTORY MONTH OCTOBER 2014 Celebrating African, Caribbean and Black British Arts, Culture and History MAYOR’S WELCOME CONTENTS I am delighted to welcome you to Black History Month 2014. This October sees P.2 MAYOR’S WELCOME a rich and varied programme of events being delivered across Tower Hamlets to P.3 CONTENTS celebrate black culture and heritage and recognize the contributions made by the P.4 ARTICLE: community to British society both past How Black Soldiers Helped Britain and present. in The First World War. Audiences can see film screenings, both P.6 EVENTS documentary and fictional, amazing in date order theatre including dramatised pop-up books, and uplifting, live music from P.38 VENUES around the world. Several exhibitions tell a hundred stories through striking P.40 CALENDAR images relating to history, two world wars, by category identity, homeland and toys. And the unique Somali Week Festival is back to P.46 ARTICLE: offer the best of Somali arts and culture Maya Angelou 1928-2014 old and new through comedy, poetry, debate and more.

There are also a number of interactive sessions which have been programmed Lutfur Rahman specifically for Black History Month for Mayor of Tower Hamlets those of all ages and interests. You can get involved by taking a capoeira class, going to a book group or attending a www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/arts heritage and identity workshop. Young TowerHamletsEvents people can get crafty in all sorts of ways @thevents @towerhamletsnow including mosaic-making, banner making and cooking! Create, learn, engage and Front cover image: Maudy - Kalulushi, Zambia enjoy! © Gabriele Galimberti/INSTITUTE From 'Toy Stories' on display at V&A Museum of Childhood

This page: AFRICAN LOVE Stained Glass by Dione Ible, Qemamu Mosaics 2 3 HOW BLACK SOLDIERS HELPED BRITAIN IN THE FIRST MOTHER COUNTRY They travelled to the ‘Mother Country’ from WORLD WAR the Caribbean at their own expense to take part in the fight against the Germans. Their IN ACTION: West Indian troops stacking Walter Tull has become the most celebrated black support was needed, and they gave it. eight-inch shells at a dump on the Gordon Road, British soldier of the First World War. He enlisted Ypres, October 1917 © IWM (E(AUS) 2078) in December 1914, suffered shell shock, returned Soon after the war started, soldiers from Nigeria, to action in the battle of the Somme and was the Gold Coast, Sierra Leone, Gambia and other decorated with the 1914-15 star and other British African colonies were recruited. They helped to In 1915 a proposal for a separate West Indian By the end of the war the BWIR had lost 185 war and victory medals. defend the borders of their countries which contingent to aid the war effort was approved. soldiers (killed or died of wounds). adjoined German territories and later played an Consequently the British West Indies Regiment A further 1,071 died of illness and 697 Commissioned as an officer in 1917, Tull was important role in the campaigns to remove the (BWIR) was formed as a separate Black unit within were wounded. mentioned in dispatches for his ‘gallantry and Germans from Africa. Throughout the war, 60,000 the British Army. The first recruits sailed from In Seaford Cemetery there are more than 300 coolness’ at the battle of Piave in Italy in January Black South African and 120,000 other Africans Jamaica to Britain and arrived in October 1915 to Commonwealth War Graves and nineteen of the 1918, but two months later he was killed in No also served in uniformed Labour Units. train at a camp near Seaford on the Sussex coast. headstones display the crest of the BWIR. Man’s Land during the second battle of the Somme. No one could have been more loyal to his king and The 3rd battalion arrived in early 1916 in Plymouth Some of the Black servicemen made the ultimate With the centenary of the First World War from country than the Guyanese merchant seaman Lionel while other battalions sailed direct to Egypt, sacrifice but, with the passage of time, with the 2014 to 2018, there are many others who have Turpin. He was just 19 years old when he enlisted in arriving in Alexandria in March 1916. exception of Walter Tull, the contributions of black been overlooked in the history books and need to the British Army and was sent out with the No. 32 servicemen have been forgotten. It is hoped that the be acknowledged. British Expeditionary Force to the Western Front in SACRIFICE centenary of the First World War will change that. Europe. By the war’s end in November 1918, a total of After Britain joined the First World War on 4 August 15,204 black men, had served in the BWIR. Stephen Bourne’s Black Poppies – Britain’s Black 1914, Black recruits could be found in all branches He was in the battles of the Somme and his army Community and the Great War will be published of the armed forces. From 1914 Black Britons service ended in 1919 with two medals, two However, the Black soldiers of the BWIR were mostly by The History Press in August 2014. volunteered at recruitment centres and were joined gas-burnt lungs and a shell wound in his back. led by white officers and used as non-combatant by West Indian colonials. soldiers in Egypt, Mesopotamia and parts of Europe. Courtesy of www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk Lionel died in 1929 from the after-effects of For example, in July 1916 the BWIR’s 3rd and 4th war-time gassing. Lionel’s story is typical of many battalions were sent to France and Belgium to work Black colonials who came to the aid of the ‘Mother as ammunition carriers. Country’ during the First World War. The BWIR spent much of their time at labouring work, such as loading ammunition, laying telephone wires and digging trenches, but they were not permitted to fight as a battalion.

4 5 WHERE I BELONG PHOTOMONTH EAST LONDON

Wednesday 1 - Friday 31 October Wednesday 1 October - Sunday 30 November EVENTS Mon - Thu 9:00 - 21:00 Fri 9:00 – 18:00 Times vary IN DATE ORDER Sat 9:00 – 17:00 Sun 11:00 – 17:00 Various venues Idea Store Whitechapel

This exhibition brings together these TOY STORIES oral histories in both audio-visual and written form. They are contextualised with Until Sunday 14 December images from the THLHLA collections and Daily 10:00 - 17:45 portraits, by photographer Sarah Ainslie, V&A Museum of Childhood of the participants and the groups which facilitated the project-BYM Whitechapel Toy Stories is a series of children’s Women’s Centre, Zacchaeus Project and portraits exploring the role and function Black Women’s Health & Family Support. of toys in the lives of children around the globe. Consisting of 20 photographs Tower Hamlets Local History & Archives taken by Italian photographer Gabriele 020 7364 1738 Galimberti, the portraits reflect the www.ideastore.co.uk impact of the children’s backgrounds [email protected] and families on their choice of toys and highlight the universality of play. EVERYONE | FREE Autograph ABP – Bandele ‘Tex’ Ajetunmobi, Whitechapel 1950s

V&A Museum of Childhood Exhibitions and events exploring the 020 8983 5200 Courtesy of Harper Collins, part of the Collins Big Cat series. diversity of contemporary photography in www.museumofchildhood.org.uk SOLDIERS OF WAR galleries & venues across East London. museumchildhood Dan Lyndon speaks about his book ‘Walter @museumchildhood Tull: Footballer, Soldier, Hero’, written for Wednesday 1 - Friday 31 October Alternative Arts young readers. Walter Tull was a British Mon - Thu 9:00 - 21:00 Fri 9:00 – 18:00 020 7375 0441 EVERYONE | FREE footballer and soldier who was born in Sat 9:00 – 17:00 Sun 10:00 – 16:00 [email protected] 1888 and died in 1918. He was also the Idea Store Bow www.photomonth.org first black officer to lead white British soldiers in battle. He was brought up in A memorial exhibition of black soldiers EVERYONE | FREE WRITING ON WAR: a National Children’s Home orphanage in during WW1 and WW2. Bethnal Green. CATEGORY KEY : ‘WALTER TULL: FOOTBALLER, Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores 020 7364 4332 Dance, Drama & Music SOLDIER, HERO’ 020 8980 3902 [email protected] Film [email protected] www.ideastore.co.uk Heritage Saturday 27 September www.ideastore.co.uk Literature, Storytelling & Spoken Words 14:00 EVERYONE| FREE Cookery Bethnal Green Library FAMILIES AND CHILDREN | FREE Current Affairs

6 7 CAPOEIRA FOR ADULTS WILTON’S SPOKEN POP-UP FLASHBACK Wednesday 1 October WORD GROUP Saturday 4 October 19:00 – 21:00 11:00 & 14:00 Brady Arts Centre Friday 3 October Half Moon Theatre 11:30 - 13:00 Capoeira is a Brazilian art which fuses Wilton’s Music Hall martial arts with dance, music and acrobatics. It’s a fabulous way to be fit, A selection of celebrated Black authors flexible and strong whilst having FUN. has been chosen for Wilton’s Spoken Word Group. A short story and a poem Brazil Arte are read aloud to the group with a drink 07894 716833 and a biscuit. The group discusses [email protected] what they have heard in a friendly www.brazilarte.org and relaxed atmosphere. Some of the FEED YOUR TALENT authors and poets chosen are Maya Everyone | £10 per class Angelou,Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Thursday 2 October ER Braithwaite. 16:00 – 18:00 Brady Arts Centre Wilton’s Music Hall TRIBUTE TO MAYA ANGELOU 020 3468 5670 Young people can cook and eat a [email protected] Sebastian’s memories aren’t like Thursday 2 October delicious 3 course meal each Thursday www.wiltons.org.uk everyone else’s. He remembers troll 18:45 - 20:15 evening and learn about healthy wiltonsmusichall kings and mermaid queens, deep sea Idea Store Chrisp Street eating, home economics and culinary diving super heroes and city smashing independence. October will celebrate Young Adults and Adults | FREE dinosaurs. You’re invited to enter a world To mark National Poetry Day and Black Black History Month by focussing on of beautiful, thought-provoking poetry History Month, we commemorate the cuisines from the diasporic countries with CATEGORY KEY : with incredible pop-up books of every life, spirit and achievements of poet and Caribbean and Brazilian flavours among Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions imaginable shape and size from writer Maya Angelou, who died earlier others. There is also the opportunity to Dance, Drama & Music CBeebies star Joseph Coelho. this year. Featuring live readings and stay on at the Brady Centre for the House Film recordings of her work, this will also be an of Talent Youth Arts sessions from 6-9pm. Heritage Half Moon Theatre opportunity for participants to share and Literature, Storytelling & Spoken Words 020 7709 8900 explore ways in which this amazing and Tower Hamlets Council’s ‘A’ Team Arts Cookery www.halfmoon.org.uk influential figure has inspired them. Free 020 7364 79011 Current Affairs halfmoontheatre refreshments provided. www.towerhamlets.go.uk/arts @HalfMoonTheatre [email protected] Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores Ages 6+ | £6 020 7364 1506 13-19 yrs who live/study in To wer Hamlets | FREE [email protected] please book in advance www.ideastore.co.uk Everyone | FREE

8 9 Two creative workshops for young people © Rudy Loewe HERE WE ARE: BLACK (but all welcome) led by local black artists. Using the collections of THLHA HISTORY IN TOWER HAMLETS we will make artwork inspired by the lives of black people in the area. The outputs CREATIVE WORKSHOPS from both sessions will be contributed to the archives. Saturday 4 October 11:00 - 16:00 Tell Me a Story: A mini-zine workshop with Tower Hamlets Local History Library Rudy Loewe (11:00 - 13:00) & Archives During this workshop we will create mini-zines* - using drawing, writing and collage – to document the true stories of local Black history. You can work from your own experience or use the THLHA material to explore the lives and history of Black people from the borough. *A zine is a self-published magazine.

Documenting Tower Hamlets residents past and present: an Expanded Portraiture workshop with Evan Ifekoya (14:00 - 16:00)

Tell your story and the story of those that inspire you through collage and portraiture. We will use maps of the local area to create mixed media self and expanded portraits that document local residents past or present that mean something to us. Or why not find an inspiring figure from the archival material on display?

Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives 020 7364 1290 www.ideastore.co.uk/local-history [email protected] Everyone | FREE

10 11 FILM: YOUNG SOUL REBELS ART CLUB SILENT CRIES AND WWI: EMPIRE UNTOLD Saturday 4 October Sunday 5 October STAND UP COMEDY Monday 6 - Saturday 11 October 14:00 – 16:00 14:15 - 15:00 Mon-Fri 10:30 - 21:00 Idea Store Bow Idea Store Chrisp Street Sunday 5 October Sat 11:30 - 22:00 18:15 - 21:00 The Crêpe Shop and Art Café Our weekly art sessions for children are Rich Mix an opportunity to express yourself and get your work displayed! October is dedicated The evening begins with Silent Cries: a to Black History Month and this Sunday short reading performance exploring the provides the opportunity to make a Black connections between the experiences of History Month banner Indian indentured labourers and African slaves in the West Indies - led by artist Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores Rez Kabir. At 7pm a lighter touch is 020 7364 1506 provided with a stand up comedy show [email protected] by special guests, several comedians and © Evan Ifekoya www.ideastore.co.uk Crew (Best Male Comedians).

A film by Isaac Julien. In the long hot Ages 6-12 | FREE Muhammad Ahmedullah summer of 1977, London prepared for 07914 119282 the Silver Jubilee celebrations to the [email protected] sounds of the burgeoning punk, soul www.bricklanecircle.org and funk scenes. AFRICAN ART CLUB Everyone | FREE Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores Sunday 5 October 020 7364 4332 14:15 [email protected] Idea Store Bow www.ideastore.co.uk CAPOEIRA FOR ADULTS Special art clubs every Sunday in October 18 + | FREE exploring African art and techniques. Monday 6 October Image courtesy of Whitechapel Mission. Revd. Thomas Jackson 19:00 – 21:00 of the Working Lad’s Institute, Whitechapel, with members of CATEGORY KEY : Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores Brady Arts Centre the British West Indies Regiment. Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions 020 7364 4332 Dance, Drama & Music [email protected] Every Monday and Wednesday throughout A photographic exhibition exploring the Film www.ideastore.co.uk the month – see Wednesday 1 October for social history and role of colonial troops Heritage details. and volunteers in the Great War. Literature, Storytelling & Spoken Words Ages 7-12 | FREE Cookery Under 8s must be accompanied by an adult Penstroke Publishing Current Affairs 07914 276560 www.penstrokepublishing.com [email protected] @PenstrokeP Everyone | FREE 12 13 GIRLS’ BOOK CLUB CAPOEIRA FOR ADULTS

Tuesday 7 October Wednesday 8 October 16:00 - 17:00 19:00 – 21:00 Idea Store Chrisp Street Brady Arts Centre

Come and join our weekly book club for Every Monday and Wednesday throughout girls, where you can join other members the month – see Wednesday 1 October for to enjoy reading and related activities. details. This session is dedicated to Black History Month and will be an opportunity to explore the work of various black children’s authors. FILM: KILLER OF SHEEP

Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores Wednesday 8 October 020 7364 1506 18:00 – 20:00 [email protected] Idea Store Bow Image courtesy of Rich Mix www.ideastore.co.uk Feature drama from African-American Ages 6-12 | FREE director Charles Burnett. Stan (Henry G FEED YOUR TALENT DOBET GNAHORÉ Sanders) is a gentle dreamer whose job at a slaughterhouse is starting to take a Thursday 9 October - NA DRÊ DANCE TOUR toll on his psyche. On top of the pressures 16:00 – 18:00 NUMBI of his work, he’s also beset by financial Brady Arts Centre Friday 10 October problems. Despite these trials, he still 20:00 Tuesday 7 October manages to find respite and solace in Culinary youth arts project which happens Rich Mix- Main Space 19:30 life’s simpler pleasures. Tower Hamlets every Thursday throughout the month. Rich Mix – Main Space Libraries and ldea Stores See Thursday 2 October for details. Yaram Arts & Chanya Culture Promotions NUMBI is back with a night of Afro-fu- in association with African Night Fever turism, featuring a line-up of some of our 020 7364 4332 present Grammy award winner and Radio most loved NUMBI resident artists and [email protected] 3 World Music Award nominee, Dobet very special guests: expect future rhythm www.ideastore.co.uk WILTON’S SPOKEN Gnahoré- Na Drê Dance Tour, from Ivory music to keep you moving - hot African Coast, accompanied by her band and vibrations, and gorgeous spoken word. Rated 15 | FREE WORD GROUP contemporary African dancers as part of her 2014 UK Tour. Kinsi Abdulleh Friday 10 October [email protected] 11:30 - 13:00 07723 015654 (Naomi) Numbiarts Wilton’s Music Hall www.dobetgnahore.com @numbiarts dobetgnahore Every Friday throughout the month. See @naomiforward @africanfever Everyone | £5 Friday 3 October for details. Young adults and Adults | £12 adv / £15 door

14 15 Afro-beat, highlife legend Ebo Taylor STYLE PORTRAITS 2 will grace the stage at Rich Mix to AFRICAN ART CLUB BLACK LITERATURE HERITAGE deliver a show of epic proportions. The Saturday 11 October ‘James Brown of Ghana’ will be setting Sunday 12 October Tuesday 14 October 12:00 – 16:00 this intimate venue alight with powerful 14:15 14:00 – 15:30 Brady Arts Centre rhythms that will ensure not one person is Idea Store Bow Idea Store Chrisp Street Participants may attend one or both of the days. standing still! What do your clothes say about you? This Take part in this event to share an project explores African and Asian cloth- 07791 492504 Special art clubs for kids every Sunday appreciation of black authors and poets ing styles. Identity can be forged through www.ebotaylor-loveanddeath.com/info.php throughout the month. See Sunday 5 as we read a short story and poetry the influences and reinterpreting of tradi- pages/Ebo-Taylor October for details. together and discuss the texts and themes tions, colours and patterns. Participants as we go along. Expand your knowledge will have a studio portrait taken which Young adults and Adults | £12 and enjoyment of black culture and will result in an exhibition alongside their Watch any two CASA 2014 Rich Mix shows for history whilst having free refreshments as personal statement. only £18 BOYS’ BOOK CLUB well.

Tower Hamlets Council’s ‘A’ Team Arts Monday 13 October Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores 020 7364 79011/08 16:00 - 17:00 020 7364 1506 www.towerhamlets.go.uk/arts ART CLUB Idea Store Chrisp Street [email protected] [email protected] www.ideastore.co.uk Sunday 12 October Come and join our weekly book club for 14-16 yrs who live or study in To wer Hamlets | FREE 14:15 - 15:00 boys, where you can join other members 16+ | FREE Idea Store Chrisp Street to enjoy reading and related activities. This session is dedicated to Black History Our weekly art sessions for children are Month, exploring different aspects of an opportunity to express yourself and get black culture, history and creativity. CAPOEIRA FOR ADULTS EBO TAYLOR LIVE your work displayed! October is dedicated to Black History Month and this Sunday Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores Wednesday 15 October Saturday 11 & SUNDAY 12 October provides the opportunity to make a Black 020 7364 1506 19:00 – 21:00 20:00 History Month banner. [email protected] Brady Arts Centre Rich Mix- Main Space www.ideastore.co.uk Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores 020 7364 1506 Ages 6-12 | FREE [email protected] www.ideastore.co.uk

Ages 6-12 | FREE CAPOEIRA FOR ADULTS

Monday 13 October 19:00 – 21:00 Brady Arts Centre Photo: Gemma Macleannan

Image courtesy of Rich Mix Every Monday and Wednesday throughout Every Monday and Wednesday throughout the month – see Wednesday 1 October for the month – see Wednesday 1 October for details. details. 16 17 Spoken word workshop 17:45 – 18:45 ‘FREE’ BY DAVID LANE A workshop with award-winning spoken word artist, Azfa Awad, helping young Performances: Wednesday 15 – Saturday 18 people learn how to tell their own stories October through the medium of spoken word. Wed-Thu 16:30 & 19:00 Fri 13:30 & 16:30 w Sat 15:00 & 19:00 Half Moon Theatre Workshops and discussions - Saturday 18 October 020 7709 8900 13:45 – 18:45 www.halfmoon.org.uk Half Moon Theatre halfmoontheatre @HalfMoonTheatre A hard-hitting story of two teenagers, brought together through the dynamic Ages 13+ | Performances £6, w orkshops FREE discipline of free-running. When the practice of free-running starts to cage them in, they form an obsessive relationship with one another, their city THE SOMALI EAST END and the sport they know is pushing them to the limits of what is safe Wednesday 15 October – Sunday 2 November There will be a series of FREE events Mon-Thurs 9:00 - 21:00 Fri 9:00 - 18:00 for young people to accompany the two Sat 9:00 - 17:00 Sun 10:00 – 16:00 Saturday performances. One of the stories Idea Store Chrisp Street explores forced marriage and migration and through these workshops, Half Moon This exhibition examines the history of is working closely with the council’s the Somali community in Tower Hamlets. Violence Against Women and Girls Produced by Idea Stores in partnership (VAWG) team to tackle these issues. with KAYD Somali Arts Culture, the exhibition draws on oral histories of Scriptwriting workshop 13:45 – 14:45 influential and inspirational residents as This rapid-write workshop parallels well as the collections of Tower Hamlets the energy and drive of FREE, led by Local History Library and Archives. playwright David Lane who will help participants create character relationships Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores and imaginative theatrical worlds in just 020 7364 1506 one hour. Suitable for ages 13 – 18. [email protected] Using the play as a starting point, this is www.ideastore.co.uk a perfect opportunity learn the craft of playwriting. Everyone | FREE

Panel discussion 16:30 – 17:30 Forced migration of young women and girls: creating characters in Theatre for Young Audiences, overturning stereotypes and helping combat violence.

18 19 FEED YOUR TALENT WILTON’S SPOKEN Thursday 16 October WORD GROUP 16:00 – 18:00 Brady Arts Centre Friday 17 October 11:30 - 13:00 Culinary youth arts project which happens Wilton’s Music Hall every Thursday throughout the month. See Thursday 2 October for details. Every Friday throughout the month. See Friday 3 October for details. TUNDE’S FILM SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: Thursday 16 October 18:00 – 20:00 LAUNCH EVENT - IMAGINATIVE Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives HORIZONS (English-Somali) Contemporary Art Boot Camp, 2012 Whitechapel Gallery Trapped by circumstance and lack of Friday 17 October opportunity, Stepney youth Tunde Ikoli 18:00 – 22:00 Somali-British London poet laureate and and his friends wrote and starred in this Oxford House her poetry has been translated in a range IMAGINING THE EAST END 1973 film which fictionalised their desire of languages. The event will close with to escape from the gritty East End of the Drawing inspiration from their artistic, vocalist Nuur Dallah. WORKSHOP early 1970s. Cast members and director academic and activist work, Professor Maggie Pinhorn will be in conversation Said Samatar, Professor Hussein Abdilahi Kayd Somali Arts & Culture Saturday 18 October after the film which is screened to tie in Bulhan, Ijiaba Suban Scego and Warsan 07903 712949 12:00 – 15:00 with the library’s current exhibition of Shire will launch the 2014 festival. [email protected] Whitechapel Gallery paintings and prints by local activist and Collectively they will reflect on the theme www.kayd.org artist Dan Jones. of the imagination in relation to their own Coinciding with Photomonth this work, personal and collective struggles Everyone workshop looks at how cultural identity Tower Hamlets Local History & Archives and future hopes and aspirations. To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD has been documented and shaped by 020 7364 1290 Samatar, who was raised in a nomadic photography. Work with photographers www.ideastore.co.uk/local-history environment until the age of 16, is now CATEGORY KEY : Heather McDonugh and Rod Morris and [email protected] a prominent scholar and academic in Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions learn practical tips for taking great street the field of African Studies. Bulhan is a Dance, Drama & Music portraits. Young Adults and Adults | FREE leading figure in Somali academia; aside Film from his extensive publication record he Heritage Whitechapel Gallery is the director of Hargeysa University and Literature, Storytelling & Spoken Words 020 7539 3363 the founder of the Academy for Peace and Cookery www.whitechapelgallery.org/education/youth Development. Suban Scego will discuss Current Affairs @duchampandsons the role of female Somali writers in Europe, Warsan Shire is the first female Ages 15 – 20 only | FREE booking required 20 21 [email protected] STYLE PORTRAITS 2 www.kayd.org

Saturday 18 October 5-10YRS 12:00 – 16:00 To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD Brady Arts Centre

Participants may attend one or both of the days. SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: What do your clothes say about you? This project explores African and Asian SOMALI POETRY - PAST, PRESENT clothing styles. Identity can be forged through the influences and reinterpreting AND FUTURE (Somali) of traditions, colours and patterns. Participants will have a studio portrait Saturday 18 October taken which will result in an exhibition 18:00 - 22:00 alongside their personal statement. Oxford House

Tower Hamlets Council’s ‘A’ Team Arts Poetry is an ideal medium for articulating Open CASA Community Show © Alex Brenner 020 7364 79011/08 creative ideas and affecting change both www.towerhamlets.go.uk/arts socially and politically. Historically, many [email protected] Somali political figures were also poets, OPEN CASA COMMUNITY DAY ART CLUB and poets such as Hardaawi often exert 14-16 yrs who live or study in To wer Hamlets | FREE more influence in society than politicians. Sunday 19 October Sunday 19 October This session will explore the connections 12:00 – 18:00 14:15 - 15:00 between poetry and the imagination Rich Mix Idea Store Chrisp Street through recitals and dicussions with SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: Hadraawi, Mustaffa Sheikh Elmi and CASA Latin American Theatre Festival Our weekly art sessions for children are Bashir Goth. These more established partners with MWALIMU EXPRESS to an opportunity to express yourself and get CREATIVE PLAY (English) poets will be joined by young emerging celebrate Afro-Latin heritage with a day your work displayed! October is dedicated London-based poets such as Weedhsame, of workshops, music, dance, food and to Black History Month and this Sunday Saturday 18 October Abdurahman Abes, Asha Luul and more culminating with the Open CASA provides the opportunity to draw your 15:00 - 18:00 Abdullahi Ahmed Ahda. The event will Community Theatre Show – a brand new favourite black personality. Oxford House be chaired bu Martin Orwin, an expert play created and acted by members of on Somali Poetry and lecturer at SOAS, the Latin American community living in Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores Join us for a fun, interactive activity University of London. London. 020 7364 1506 session for accompanied 5-10 year olds. [email protected] Saynab Dahir, a Somali storyteller and Kayd Somali Arts & Culture CASA Latin American Theatre Festival www.ideastore.co.uk entertainer will lead the activities which 07903 712949 020 3302 0660 will include face painting, arts and crafts, [email protected] www.casafestival.org.uk Ages 6-12 | FREE clowns and more! www.kayd.org CASALatinAmericanTheatreFestival @casafestival Kayd Somali Arts & Culture Everyone 07903 712949 To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD Everyone | FREE

22 23 Kayd Somali Arts & Culture AFRICAN ART CLUB 07903 712949 SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: [email protected] Sunday 19 October www.kayd.org ANGLO-SOMALI SOCIETY YEARLY DJIBOUTI SPECIAL: CONVERSATION 14:15 Idea Store Bow Everyone ANNUAL GATHERING AND WITH ABDULLAH HAJI AND AMINA To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD Special art clubs for kids every Sunday PRESENTATION (English) FARAH (Somali) throughout the month. See Sunday 5 October for details. Monday 20 October Monday 20 October BLACK HISTORY EXHIBTION 18:00 - 20:00 20:00 - 22:00 Oxford House Oxford House Monday 20 October - Friday 31 October SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: 10:00 - 16:00 The Anglo-Somali Society is a non- THCH Head Office profit making international society whose COMEDY FROM THE HORN (Somali) objective is to foster friendship and understanding between Somalis and the Sunday 19 October English speaking world, and to develop 18:00 - 22:00 cultural and social relations between Oxford House them. The Society returns to SWF this year to explore the relation between the Comedy is not an established art form UK Somali Community and the law. in the Somali regions; over two decades Speakers will include Dr Eleni Palazidou of war and the growth of religious and and Abdi Abby. Abdullah Haji is an arts broadcaster cultural conservatism have further on Djibouti TV, art critic, journalist, curbed its development. Soran and Kayd Somali Arts & Culture writer and poet. Amina Farah is an Jowan are two emerging comedians from 07903 712949 iconic Somali singer, well known for her Somaliland who have in recent years Display of arts, craft, books and [email protected] fantastic vocals and highly popular music. drawn a large following across the horn information to celebrate Black History www.kayd.org Together they will take to the stage to and the diaspora. Their comedy sketches Month. discuss recent developments in Djibouti are entertaining while offering perceptive Everyone culture, art and music. They will be critiques of political, economic and social Tower Hamlets Community Housing To confirm pricing,please contact KAYD joined by UK-based Djobouti artists such issues affecting the region. This event 020 7780 3070 / 020 7780 3076 as Abdurahman Hanante and many more. will feature their work alongside that of [email protected] London-based stand-up comedian Prince [email protected] Kayd Somali Arts & Culture Abdi, the only Somali-British comedian @THCH_Ltd CAPOEIRA FOR ADULTS 07903 712949 who has performed on BBC, Comedy www.thch.org.uk [email protected] Central and ITV. The night will conclude Monday 20 October www.kayd.org with the music of Farhia Fiska and Nimco Everyone | FREE 19:00 – 21:00 Yasim. Brady Arts Centre Everyone To confirm pricing,please contact KAYD Every Monday and Wednesday throughout the month – see Wednesday 1 October for details.

24 25 SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: CAPOEIRA FOR ADULTS SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL:

CREATIVE DIALOGUE: SOMALI WOMEN’S EVENING: ART OF THE Wednesday 22 October REMEMBERING ABDI GOUHAD 19:00 – 21:00 TRANSLATED WORKS POSSIBLE (English - In partnership Brady Arts Centre (English-Somali)

(Somali-English - In partnership with with the Royal African Society) Every Monday and Wednesday throughout Thursday 23 October the month – see Wednesday 1 October for 18:00 - 20:00 Poetry Translation Centre) Wednesday 22 October details. Oxford House 18:00 – 22:00 Tuesday 21 October Oxford House Abdi Gouhad is a renowned Somali 18:00 - 22:00 actor, and the first black actor to train Oxford House Four prominent Somali-European female FEED YOUR TALENT at the LAMDA. He has worked with a artists and intellectuals will take part number of theatre companies and cultural In recent years, SWF has worked in in what promises to be an inspiring and Thursday 23 October development organisations as both an partnership with the Poetry Translation stimulating event. Nadifa Mohamed, 16:00 – 18:00 actor and founder member and his high Centre to translate a range of Somali Christina Farah, Ijiaba Scego and Nuura Brady Arts Centre profile resumé includes roles at the Royal poetry and literature into English to Farah will draw on their literary work to National Theatre and English National introduce it to wider audiences. Following reflect on the connections between art, Opera as well as on screen as cast by the success of previous years and the activism and the imagination. These such revered directors as Mike Hodges in ensuing publications, this session will pioneering young women will be asked to “I’ll Sleep when I’m Dead” and Stephen showcase these joint projects focusing present their work and discuss how their Frears’ “Dirty Pretty Things”. Sadly he on the work of writers from both cultures adopted countries as well as their Somali passed away in January this year and including Hadraawi, Bill Herbert, origins have shaped their work and visions this evening session is dedicated to his Weedshame and Martin Orwin; Asha for the future. Chaired by Muna Hersi work and the profound influence it had Luul and Claire Pollard. Throughout who has recently completed a PhD at on second-generation British-Somali the evening scholars will discuss the the Centre for Gender Studies at SOAS. actors for whom he help pave the way. importance of translation and the Other invited guest speakers include the A number of industry professionals will influences of Somali poetry. Puntland Women’s Writers Association. come together to discuss the place of young black actors in British Theatre in Kayd Somali Arts & Culture Kayd Somali Arts & Culture Culinary youth arts project which happens the wake of his extraordinary career. 07903 712949 07903 712949 every Thursday throughout the month. [email protected] [email protected] See Thursday 2 October for details. Kayd Somali Arts & Culture www.kayd.org www.kayd.org 07903 712949 CATEGORY KEY : [email protected] Everyone Everyone Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions www.kayd.org To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD Dance, Drama & Music Film Everyone Heritage To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD Literature, Storytelling & Spoken Words Cookery Current Affairs

26 27 SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: WILTON’S SPOKEN POSSIBILITIES: YOUTH ACTIVISM, WORD GROUP

ACADEMIA AND THE ARTS (English) Friday 24 October 11:30 - 13:00 Thursday 23 October Wilton’s Music Hall 20:00 - 22:00 Oxford House Every Friday throughout the month. See Friday 3 October for details. A screening of the documentary film “Through the Fire’ will be followed by a Q&A session with the director, Eunice Lau and Ilwad Elman, one of the three SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: exceptional Somali women who are featured in the film for their efforts to MUSIC NIGHT (Somali-English) rebuild a shattered nation during two decades of civil strife. This session also Friday 24 October includes a panel discussion chaired by 18:00 - 22:00 Image courtesy of Rich Mix Laura Hammond with key players on Oxford House the social and cultural scene such as architect Rashid Ali, human rights activist Amina Farah and Maryam Mursal are When Daljit Nagra was a boy, his relatives Ilwad Elman, British-Somali singer/ two iconic Somali singers who will share THE RETOLD RAMAYANA told him stories of Rama’s quest to songwriter Aar Maanta and educationalist a stage for this event dedicated solely rescue his wife Sita from her abduction Ahmed Ali. to Somali music. The evening will also Thursday 23 October by Raavana, Lord of the Underworld. feature the work of traditional lute players 19:30 Now an award winning poet, he brings Kayd Somali Arts & Culture Said Hussein and Hudaydi, and young Rich Mix - Main Space his version of Rama’s tale to the stage: 07903 712949 London-based Somali vocalists such as wonderful words embellished with a touch [email protected] Ikran Arale and Farhia Fiska. of theatre. www.kayd.org Kayd Somali Arts & Culture Rich Mix Everyone 07903 712949 07768 012645 (Julia) To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD [email protected] www.jaybird.org.uk www.kayd.org Jaybird Live Literature @jaybirdlivelit CATEGORY KEY : Everyone Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD Everyone | £9, £7 concessions Dance, Drama & Music Film Heritage Literature, Storytelling & Spoken Words Cookery Current Affairs

28 29 SATURDAY SOUP AFRICAN MASKS AND Friday 24 October MASQUERADES 19:30 pm Brady Arts Centre Saturday 25 October 11:00 – 17:00 Idea Store Watney Market

image: Danielle Cargill, Saturday Soup

A dramatic triptych exploring, themes of black food and London lives. Historically food has played a pivotal role in how black people articulate themselves culturally, socially and nationally. Off The Photo: Gemma Macleannan Wall Players present three stimulating and dynamic pieces that open a debate around food, culture, identity and the Festa do tambor is a celebration of black Londoner. Followed by a talk and FESTA DO TAMBOR Afro Brazilian culture through music Q&A. Off The Wall Players image: Cesar Perez, Dogon Mask and dance. Celebrating rhythms and - PARTY OF DRUMS movement through a series of workshops 07939 461010 ‘African Masks and Masquerades’ is an during the day and live performances [email protected] event during which we will invite families Saturday 25 October and live music in the evening. It will and communities in Tower Hamlets to 12:00 – 23:00 also showcase local artisans in a cultural Everyone | £8/£5 concessions embrace Africa from an artistic and Brady Arts Centre market. cultural perspective. Join us for a full day CATEGORY KEY : of African masks, myths, art and dance! Brazil Arte Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions 07894 716833 Dance, Drama & Music Lon-art [email protected] Film 07446 612 107 www.brazilarte.org Heritage [email protected] Literature, Storytelling & Spoken Words www.lon-art.org Everyone | £5 entrance (under 16s free) Cookery lonartorg Current Affairs @lonartorg Everyone | FREE

30 31 SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: ART CLUB

LITERATURE AND POETRY (Somali) Sunday 26 October 14:15 - 15:00 Saturday 25 October Idea Store Chrisp Street 18:00 - 22:00 Oxford House Our weekly art sessions for children are an opportunity to express yourself and get This session is dedicated to providing your work displayed! October is dedicated Somali writers and poets with a platform to Black History Month and this Sunday to present new work, discuss influences provides the opportunity to make a Black and interact with one another. Guests History Month collage. include Professor Bulhan and renowned poet Hadraawi who will recite some of Tower Hamlets Libraries and ldea Stores his work alongside many other emerging 020 7364 1506 and established literary figures. It will [email protected] be hosted by prominent scholar, writer, www.ideastore.co.uk activist and editor of the Ponte Invisible Red Sea Press Jama Musse Jama, and Ages 6-12 | FREE books will be available to purchase. Image courtesy of Rich Mix

Kayd Somali Arts & Culture 07903 712 949 AFRICAN ART CLUB The London International Arts Festival [email protected] LONDON INTERNATIONAL (LIAF), curated by violinist/composer www.kayd.org Sunday 26 October Jyotsna Srikanth, is produced by Dhruv 14:15 ARTS FESTIVAL Arts, which was established in London in Everyone Idea Store Bow 2004 to promote the traditional arts of To confirm pricing,please contact KAYD Sunday 26 October South Asian music, dance, storytelling Special art clubs for kids every Sunday 15:00 and visuals. throughout the month. See Sunday 5 Rich Mix - Main Space October for details. and Venue 2 Jyotsna Srikanth [email protected] CATEGORY KEY : www.liaf.co.uk Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions DhruvaLIAF Dance, Drama & Music Film Everyone Heritage Literature, Storytelling & Spoken Words workshop: £10 full / £6 concessions Cookery Current Affairs gig: £20 full / £13 concessions

32 33 MAYA ANGELOU SOMALI WEEK FESTIVAL: FILM SCREENING: WHERE I BELONG: & THE CRUEL TRUTH CLOSING NIGHT (Somali-English) HARLEM USA PRESENTATION

Sunday 26 October Sunday 26 October Monday 27 October Tuesday 28 October 15:00 18:00 - 22:00 18:30 – 20:30 13:00 – 14:00 Pinter Studio (Queen Mary University) Oxford House Idea Store Whitechapel Idea Store Whitechapel

The Rokeya Project presents extracts from The culmination of SWF will see visiting A feature documentary that records the Inspired by oral histories recently their next production “The Cruel Truth” artists including musicians, comedians, death of the mecca of black American collected by THLHLA which record Black paying tribute to the warrior for equality, poets and more return for a final night of culture. The story of gentrification and Asian women’s lives (see related tolerance and peace - Maya Angelou. entertainment alongside London based and dispossession, aggravated by the exhibition), young people age 7 to 16 The performance will be followed by artists. These incude Abdi Omar,and Aar historical legacy of race in America. By years will be encouraged to capture interactive workshops in Dance and Maanta, the voice of the new generation writer and film-maker Eric Schachter. autobiographies of their older relatives in Theatre, where everyone can participate of Somali musicians in the UK who will a session of intergenerational storytelling. and explore the messages of Maya perform with his band. Tower Hamlets Libraries and Idea Stores Bring a mobile phone and an older Angelou through creativity. 020 7364 1738 relative! Kayd Somali Arts & Culture [email protected] The Rokeya Project 07903 712949 www.ideastore.co.uk Tower Hamlets Local History & Archives 07946 341018 [email protected] 020 7364 1738 [email protected] www.kayd.org Adults only (over 18) | FREE www.ideastore.co.uk www.rokeya.co.uk [email protected] @rokeyaproject @Showm1 Everyone To confirm pricing, please contact KAYD Everyone | FREE Everyone | FREE CAPOEIRA FOR ADULTS

CATEGORY KEY : Monday 27 October Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions LONDON E123 19:00 – 21:00 Dance, Drama & Music Brady Arts Centre Film Monday 27 October Heritage 14:30 – 15:00 Literature, Storytelling & Spoken Words Idea Store Whitechapel Cookery Current Affairs A short film on life in Tower Hamlets by writer and film-maker Eric Schachter.

Tower Hamlets Libraries and Idea Stores 020 7364 1738 [email protected] www.ideastore.co.uk Photo: Gemma Macleannan

Everyone | FREE Every Monday and Wednesday throughout the month – see Wednesday 1 October for details. 34 35 THE ART OF WELL BEING WILTON’S SPOKEN Wednesday 29 October WORD GROUP 16:00 – 21:00 Oxford House Friday 31 October 11.30 - 13:00 This event will explore ideas of how art- Wilton’s Music Hall based and heritage performances and activities can benefit mental wellbeing. Every Friday throughout the month. See It will focus on people with experience of Friday 3 October for details. mental health problems from African and Caribbean communities. THACMHO WORMFOOD - NUBIYAN 020 7426 5389 | 07745 392 318 [email protected] Friday 31 October www.safh.org.uk 21:00 Rich Mix - Main Space Everyone | FREE

CAPOEIRA FOR ADULTS

Wednesday 29 October 19:00 – 21:00 Brady Arts Centre Wormfood presents the official album launch of 12 piece future soul/ afrobeat/ Every Monday and Wednesday throughout dub pioneers Nubiyan Twist. “A beautiful AFRICA GREEN Stained Glass by Dione Ible, Qemamu Mosaics the month – see Wednesday 1 October for blend of groovy dub with uplifting horns details. and soulful female vocals” The Guardian. Plus support from 30 piece samba/ Come along and learn the ancient art of dnb street band Carnival Collective, MOSAIC ART mosaic craft with artist Dionne Ible. A rock reggae renegades Solko, and craft session for children of all ages. FEED YOUR TALENT Nottingham’s Sounddhism DJs spinning Wednesday 29 October soul, funk, disco and house. 13:00 - 15:30 Qemamu Mosaics in conjunction with Tower Thursday 30 October Idea Store Whitechapel Hamlets Libraries and Idea Stores 16:00 – 18:00 André Marmot 020 7364 1738 Brady Arts Centre 020 7613 7498 [email protected] [email protected] www.ideastore.co.uk Culinary youth arts project which happens www.richmix.org every Thursday throughout the month. Families and children (under 13) | FREE See Thursday 2 October for details. Young Adults and Adults | £10 \ £8 concessions

36 37 DLR: Limehouse Oxford House Tower Hamlets Local History Local buses: 115, 15, D3, 135 Derbyshire Street Library and Archives London E2 6HG 277 Bancroft Road VENUES Idea Store Bow 020 7739 9001 London E1 4DQ 1 Gladstone Place www.oxfordhouse.org.uk www.ideastore.co.uk Bethnal Green Library Roman Road [email protected] [email protected] Cambridge Heath Road London Full disabled access Full disabled access London E2 0HL 020 7364 4332 Tube: Bethnal Green Tube: Stepney Green 020 8980 3902 www.ideastore.co.uk Local buses: D8, D6, 388 Local buses: 25, 205 www.ideastore.co.uk [email protected] [email protected] Full disabled access Pinter Studio Whitechapel Gallery Full disabled access Tube: Bow Road Queen Mary University 77 – 82 Whitechapel High Street Tube: Bethnal Green Local buses: 8 Arts One Building E1 7QX Local buses: D3, 25, 254, 8 Mile End Road 020 7522 7888 Idea Store Chrisp Street London E1 4NS www.whitechapelgallery.org Brady Arts Centre 1 Vesey Path 07946 341 018 [email protected] 192 – 196 Hanbury Street East India Dock Road www.rokeya.co.uk Full disabled access London E1 5HU London E14 6BT [email protected] Tube: Aldgate East 020 7364 7900 020 7364 4332 Full disabled access Local buses: 25, 205, 254, N205, N253 www.towerhamletsarts.org.uk www.ideastore.co.uk Tube: Mile End [email protected] [email protected] Local buses: 25, 205, 339 Wilton’s Music Hall Full disabled access Full disabled access 1 Graces Alley Tube: Whitechapel DLR: All Saints. Rich Mix E1 8JB Local buses: D3, 25, 254, 106, 205 Local buses: 15, 115, D6, D8 35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road 020 7702 2789 London E1 6LA www.wiltons.org.uk The Crêpe Shop and Art Café Idea Store Watney Market 020 7613 7498 Full disabled access 103 Fieldgate Street 260 Commercial Road www.richmix.org.uk Tube: Aldgate East Tower Hill, Tower Hill Whitechapel E1 1JU London E1 2FB [email protected] Over Ground: Shadwell 020 3719 5685 020 7364 4332 Full disabled access Local buses: D3, 115, RV1, 100, 79, 42, 25, www.crepeshop.co.uk www.ideastore.co.uk Tube: Liverpool Street, Old Street, 205, 254 [email protected] [email protected] Bethnal Green, Aldgate East Restricted access. No lift. Narrow stairs. Not Full disabled access Local buses: 8, 388 V&A Museum of Childhood suitable for wheelchairs, etc. DLR: Shadwell Cambridge Heath Road Tube: Whitechapel Local buses: 135, D3, 100, 339 Tower Hamlets London E2 9PA Local buses: 25, 205, 254 Community Housing 020 8983 5200 Idea Store Whitechapel 285 Commercial Road www.museumofchildhood.org.uk Half Moon Young People’s Theatre 321 Whitechapel Road Stepney E1 2PS Full disabled access 43 White Horse Road London E1 1BU 0207 780 3070 Tube: Bethnal Green London E1 0ND 020 7364 4332 www.thch.org.uk Local buses: D6, 106, 254, 309, 388 020 7709 8900 www.ideastore.co.uk [email protected] www.halfmoon.org.uk [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Full disabled access Full disabled access Full disabled access Tube: Whitechapel DLR or Overground station: Shadwell Local buses: 25, 106, 205, 254 Local buses - D3,15,115,135 & 339

38 39 EVENT DATE AGE PAGE

African Masks And Masquerades Sat 25 Oct Everyone p30 CALENDAR Art Club Sun 26 Oct Ages 6-12 p32 EVENT DATE AGE PAGE African Art Club Sun 26 Oct Ages 7-12 p32

Arts, Crafts & Exhibitions Mosaic Art Wed 29 Oct Under 13 p36

Toy Stories Until Sun 14 Dec Everyone p6 The Art Of Well Being Wed 29 Oct Everyone p37

Where I Belong Wed 1 – Fri 31 Oct Everyone p7 HERITAGE Soldiers Of War Wed 1 – Fri 31 Oct Everyone p7 Writing On War: ‘Walter Tull: Sat 27 Sept Families p6 Photomonth East London Wed 1 Oct - Sun 30 Nov Everyone p7 Footballer, Soldier, Hero’ And Children

Art Club Sun 5 Oct Ages 6-12 p12 Here We Are: Creative Sat 4 Oct Everyone p10 Workshops African Art Club Sun 5 Oct Ages 7-12 p12 Where I Belong: Presentation Tue 28 Oct Everyone p35 WW1: Empire Untold Mon 6 - Sat 11 Oct Everyone p13

Style Portraits 2 Sat 11 Oct Ages 14-16 p16 Dance, Drama And Music

Art Club Sun 12 Oct Ages 6-12 p16 Capoeira For Adults Wed 1 Oct Everyone p8

African Art Club Sun 12 Oct Ages 7-12 p17 Pop-Up Flashback Sat 4 Oct Ages 6+ p9

The Somali East End Wed 15 Oct - Sun 2 Nov Everyone p19 Capoeira For Adults Mon 6 Oct Everyone p13

Imagining The East End Sat 18 Oct Ages 15-20 p21 Numbi Tue 7 Oct Everyone p14 Workshop Capoeira For Adults Wed 8 Oct Everyone p14 Style Portraits 2 Sat 18 Oct Ages 14-16 p22 Dobet Gnahoré - Na Drê Dance Fri 10 Oct Young Adults p15 SWF: Creative Play Sat 18 Oct Ages 5-10 p22 Tour And Adults

Art Club Sun 19 Oct Ages 6-12 p23 Ebo Taylor Live Sat 11 Oct Young Adults p16 And Adults African Art Club Sun 19 Oct Ages 7-12 p24 Capoeira For Adults Mon 13 Oct Everyone p17 Black History Exhibtion Mon 20 Oct - Fri 31 Oct Everyone p24 Capoeira For Adults Wed 15 Oct Everyone p17 40 41 EVENT DATE AGE PAGE EVENT DATE AGE PAGE

‘Free’ By David Lane Wed 15 – Sat 18 Oct Ages 13+ p19 Performances COOKERY

Workshops And Discussions Sat 18 Oct Ages 13+ p19 Feed Your Talent Thu 2 Oct 13-19 Yrs p8

Open Casa Community Day Sat 18 Oct Everyone P23 Feed Your Talent Thu 9 Oct 13-19 Yrs p15

SWF: Djibouti Special: Sun 19 Oct Everyone P25 Feed Your Talent Thu 16 Oct 13-19 Yrs p20 Conversation With Abdullah Haji And Amina Farah Feed Your Talent Thu 23 Oct 13-19 Yrs p27

Capoeira For Adults Mon 20 Oct Everyone P25 Feed Your Talent Thu 30 Oct 13-19 Yrs p37

Capoeira For Adults Wed 22 Oct Everyone P27 Literature SWF: Remembering Abdi Thu 23 Oct Everyone P27 Gouhad (English-Somali) Tribute To Maya Angelou Thu 2 Oct Everyone P8

SWF: Music Night (Somali- Fri 24 Oct Everyone P29 Wilton’s Spoken Fri 3 Oct Young Adults P9 English) Word Group And Adults

Saturday Soup Fri 24 Oct Everyone P30 Silent Cries And Stand Up Sun 5 Oct Everyone P13 Comedy Festa Do Tambor Sat 25 Oct Everyone P31 Party Of Drums Girls’ Book Club Tue 7 Oct Ages 6-12 p14

London International Arts Sun 26 Oct Everyone P33 Wilton’s Spoken Word Group Fri 10 Oct Young Adults P15 Festival And Adults

Maya Angelou & The Cruel Sun 26 Oct Everyone P34 Boys’ Book Club Mon 13 Oct Ages 6-12 P17 Truth Black Literature Heritage Tue 14 Oct 16+ P17 Capoeira For Adults Mon 27 Oct Everyone P35 Wilton’s Spoken Word Group Fri 17 Oct Young Adults P20 Capoeira For Adults Wed 29 Oct Everyone P37 And Adults

Wormfood- Nubiyan Fri 31 Oct Young Adults P37 SWF: Launch Event Fri 17 Oct Everyone P20 And Adults Imaginative Horizons

SWF: Somali Poetry Past, Sat 18 Oct Everyone P22 Present And Future

SWF: Comedy From The Horn Sun 19 Oct Everyone P24 42 43 EVENT DATE AGE PAGE

SWF: Creative Dialogue: Somali Wed 22 Oct Everyone p26 Translated Works (Somali-English)

SWF: Women’s Evening: Thu 22 Oct Everyone p26 Art Of The Possible

The Retold Ramayana Wed 23 Oct Everyone p28

Wilton’s Spoken Word Group Fri 24 Oct Young Adults p29 And Adults

SWF: Literature And Poetry Sat 25 Oct Everyone p32

SWF: Closing Night (Somali- Sun 26 Oct Everyone p34 English) Bamana puppet, inspired in the Malian theatre, as made Wilton’s Spoken Word Group Fri 31 Oct Young Adults p37 by children in the Masks and Masquerades workshops. And Adults Image courtesy of Lon-art.

Tower Hamlets Council cannot take responsibility for any of the events mentioned in this brochure FILM or for any incidents that may take place. Please take care of all personal belongings. It is advisable to contact the venue before you leave to check disabled access. Young Soul Rebels Sat 4 Oct 18+ p12 Brochure information correct at the time of going to press. For further information on transport links go to: www.tfl.gov.uk or call 020 7222 1234 Killer Of Sheep Wed 8 Oct Rated 15 p14 This brochure has been produced by Tower Hamlets Council’s Arts, Parks and Events Team with funding Tunde’s Film Thu 16 Oct Young Adults p20 from One Tower Hamlets. And Adults

London E123 Mon 27 Oct Everyone p34 LOG ON FOR WHAT’S ON! FEED BACK! To download a PDF version of this programme We would love to hear your views about Black History Harlem USA Mon 27 Oct Rated 18 p35 and find full online listings for Black History Month events and would be grateful if you could Month as well as a range of other arts based take a few minutes to fill out a short survey. events and activities across the borough, go to: CURRENT AFFAIRS www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/arts Either scan us on your smartphone or log on to: SWF: Anglo-Somali Society Yearly Mon 20 Oct Everyone p25 You can also follow us on twitter @thevents and www.towerhamletsarts.gov.uk/arts Annual Gathering And Presentation @towerhamletsnow, become a friend of ours on (Festivals and Events / Black History Month) Facebook and check out upcoming programmes SWF: Possibilities: Youth Activism, Thu 23 Oct Everyone p29 such as the Season of Bangla Drama in November: Please email [email protected] if you Academia And The Arts (English) facebook.com/TowerHamletsEvents have any queries or would like to be added to our mailing list to facebook.com/season.bangladrama receive future updates about ways to get involved with Black History Month. 44 Charismatic and passionate, warm and wise, angry and protested inequality,” she later told the formidable without being forbidding, Maya Angelou, BBC when she recalled her time with Martin Luther who has died aged 86, was a unique role model who King and Malcolm X. “But until the Civil Rights recorded and celebrated the experience of being movement came along there was no clear way to black in the United States. oppose the inequities.”

She is often called a Renaissance woman It was around this time that her friend, the writer not least because she was a celebrated poet, James Baldwin, helped persuade her to write her memoirist, novelist, educator, dramatist, first volume of autobiography, the book that would producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, become I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings which and civil rights activist. was published in 1970 to international acclaim and enormous popular success. The list of her published As a teenager she discovered a love for the arts verse, non-fiction, and fiction now includes more and won a scholarship to study dance and drama than 30 bestselling titles. at San Francisco’s Labor School. At 14 she dropped out of school and subsequently became San Her writing flourished to incorporate screenplays, Francisco’s first female cable car conductor. and her involvement in film and television grew to encompass composing scores, narration, acting, At the age of 16 she gave birth to her only child and and directing. Onscreen highlights include Alex as a young single mother, she worked as a waitress Haley’s Roots (1977) and John Singleton’s Poetic Maya and cook but in time, her passion for the performing Justice (1993) and in 1996, she directed her first arts took over and took her career in new directions, feature film, Down in the Delta. touring Europe with a production of the opera Porgy and Bess in 1954 and 1955, studying dance with Maya Angelou has served on two presidential Angelou Martha Graham and going on to dance on television, committees, been awarded the Presidential Medal recording her first album in 1957 and acting in the of Arts in 2000 and the Lincoln Medal in 2008, historic Off-Broadway production of Jean Genet’s and has received 3 Grammy Awards. She recited The Blacks. While in New York she also wrote and her poem “On the Pulse of the Morning” at the 1928 - 2014 performed Cabaret for Freedom. inauguration of President Clinton in 1993, for which occasion it was composed. In the early 1960s she lived in both Egypt and Ghana, worked as a lecturer and journalist, Having received over 50 honorary degrees, she was mastered several languages including French, Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Spanish, Italian, Arabic and the West African Forest University and is now widely known as Dr language Fanti, and met the black activist Malcolm Maya Angelou. X. She returned to the United States in 1965 to help him build his new Organization of African American Of all her achievements, perhaps the most Unity, but he was killed shortly afterwards, and the impressive was her own character. Life, she organisation was dissolved. believed, was to be lived. “The excitement is not just to survive,” she once said, “but to thrive, Soon after X’s assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King, and to thrive with some passion, some Jr. asked Angelou to serve as Northern Coordinator compassion, some humour and some style.” for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, though his subsequent assassination in 1968, left Few could quarrel with the breadth of her erudition her devastated. “I along with a number of young and her achievement, her profound influence and © Chester Higgins Jr/chesterhiggins.com people at the time had been disenchanted, and felt her highly deserved renown. 47 298008