magazine of the philadelphia folklore project

Volume 17:1/2 summer/fall 2003 ISSN 1075-0029 special issue: women’s music project

●● WWomen’somen’s musicmusic projectproject ProfilesProfiles ofof locallocal womenwomen musicians musicians

●● CookingCooking upup aa messmess ofof agit-propagit-prop EricEric JoselynJoselyn

●● WeWe shallshall notnot bebe movedmoved LoisLois FernandezFernandez

●● TTotalotal praisepraise ShawnShawn SaundersSaunders

●● andand moremore Works in progress is the magazine of the Philadelphia Folklore Project,a 17- year-old urban folklife organization.We inside work with people and communities in the Philadelphia area to build critical folk cultural knowledge,respect the 3 From the editor complex folk and traditional arts of our region,and challenge practices that 4 About the women’s music project diminish these local grassroots arts and By Toni Shapiro-Phim humanities.To learn more,please visit our website at www.folkloreproject.org The drum was my introduction to my life: or call 215.468.7871 8 Nana Korantemaa Ayeboafo philadelphia folklore By Elizabeth Sayre project staff This is not a dress rehearsal: NANIKHA Editor/PFP Director: Debora Kodish 12 PFP Assoc.Director: Toni Shapiro-Phim Copy editor: Jane Barry 16 Knocking on the spirit door Designer: IFE designs + Associates By Omomola Iyabunmi Printing: Garrison Printers Printed on recycled paper philadelphia folklore project board Lois Fernandez Germaine Ingram Mogauwane Mahloele Steve Rowland Ellen Somekawa Deborah Wei,Co-chair Mary Yee,Co-chair Xu Juan we gratefully acknowledge support from: ● National Endowment for the Arts ● The Rockefeller Foundation ● The William Penn Foundation ● The Pew Charitable Trusts ● Pennsylvania Council on the Arts ● The Humanities-in-the Arts Inititative, administered by The Pennsylvania Humanities Council, and funded principally by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts ● Independence Foundation Cooking up a mess ● Pennsylvania Historical and Museum 18 Commission of agit-prop ● Dance Advance, a grant program funded by By Eric Joselyn The Pew Charitable Trusts and administered by Drexel University ● Philadelphia Music Project, a grant program 24 Walking on solid ground funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and By Shuyuan Li administered by the University of the Arts ● Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, a grant program funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts 28 We shall not be moved and administered by the University of the Arts Front cover: By Lois Fernandez ● The Puffin Foundation Omomola ● The Philadelphia Cultural Fund Iyabunmi and the Total praise: preserving the ● Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative, Women’s Sekere 30 a grant program funded by The Pew Ensemble at hymn-singing tradition Charitable Trusts and administered by Africamericas By Shawn P. Saunders Drexel University Festival. Photo: ● Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation Thomas B. Morton ● The Philadelphia Folksong Society ● The Shefa Fund 32 Está en mis venas: ● and individual Philadelphia Folklore Project Three Latina musicians members By Elizabeth Sayre thank you to all from the editor

his began as a special version of community music- American neighborhood. She issue about women making, and culture-making, in asks, "What is affordable and music, but the which they are active housing?" Assuredly not the government's mad participants. Sometimes, women $350,000 townhouses that are rush to war are fortunate: recognized and planned for her neighborhood, T intervened.World named as artists by other artists from which long-time residents events have been impossible to of stature. On her very first trip are nearly totally displaced. ignore, especially as so many to Africa, Nana Korantemaa Folk arts have often served artists among our circles have heard her name called out by a as vehicles for rendering direct experience of the real venerable healer— a woman community experience. The costs of war and violence, at she had never met before.The tendency is to imagine that home and abroad.These past experience was stunning and community is a synonym for months PFP friends, staff, board, opened a spiritual and musical ethnicity,line of descent, or and artists engaged in various life path for Nana.The three physical space. But many of us efforts to speak out against the young Latina musicians (including some of the women war on Iraq. (See our anti-war described here represent, in this issue) have complex and resolution on our website). similarly,new generations mixed lines of descent, are Now we offer this issue as a seeking ways to reclaim and long time dis-placed, but are reminder that folk and reimagine what tradition and united by our actions, our traditional arts are long-time culture can offer. collective sense of outrage at resources for struggle, as well as Li Shuyuan comes from a inequity,and by our desire to forceful evidences that there long line of Beijing opera artists. build a community based on have been, and continue to be, This tradition did not guarantee justice and equity.It is this other kinds of social that her life would be easy vision of a fundamentally just arrangements than those in (although she says little of her society towards which artist which we find ourselves here own hardships.) She has much and activist Eric Joselyn works. and now. to say about how she has come No less than any of the other to value the discipline and folk art traditions profiled here, • • • training that she gained from his is art in service of Some of the women's Beijing opera. She reminds us: community.When thousands of musical traditions described in there are no short cuts, in people wearing his "No Stadium these pages have served as learning a traditional art or in in Chinatown" t-shirts filled the explicit tools for naming and life. Few other women profiled streets in demonstrations advancing peoples' political in these pages were, like Ms. Li, against the city's plans a few struggles. NANIKHA founder born into an artistic lineage that years back, the vivid display Nia Bey Al-Rasul pieced together is clear and present for them. amplified the message.And the words of the “Nkosi Sikelei” This modest issue offers a even more: the community in the early 1980s, determined small sampling of women’s first- could see itself, its power and to sing the South African person accounts of how diverse its strength. national anthem so that others (and often minority) artistic The folk art traditions in the African American lineages have been sustained, described here have cultural community could hear the song threatened, and recovered in equity,community survival, and and understand the issues.The widely varied times and places. rights of expression at their group NANIKHA comes out of Here are reminders of how heart.That these issues are an impulse to stand with others, music can be more than a chronically overlooked and and to sing and be heard. commodity,and far more than underestimated, often pushed This impulse—indeed, this mere entertainment. For all of aside by more “pressing”matters right to a kind of meaningful these women, music and art (as is often the case with freedom of expression— is not have been fundamental lifelines. “women's issues”) should be no something that we all possess. surprise. But in these times, we Nor is it something that comes would do well to pay attention easily,for more reasons than • • • to the fate and state of both arts there is space here to discuss. In This issue is rounded out and people who (to borrow most cases, the stories that with two articles that remind us Eric’s words) make available follow chronicle ways that of ongoing struggles for equity such useable, inclusionary, women have seized and justice in Philadelphia. Lois accessible, and significant opportunities, dedicated Fernandez responds to alternatives. themselves to learning, speculators' plans to further committed themselves to a gentrify an historically African — Debora Kodish 3 About the program

✱ Women’s Music

pfp Project

by toni shapiro-phim

4 of her own role in maintaining a musical form with an important history and a fragile future, and having arrived at a critical juncture in that historical trajectory,would benefit from the individual, collaborative, and public aspects of such a project. We also looked at this as a program that would enrich Philadelphia’s cultural community through public performances and through the development of youth ensembles in musical forms that are for the most part unknown or unrecognized by the local public. Leendavy Koung plays a number of Cambodian musical instruments, including the khim (dulcimer), takhe (zither), roneat (xylophone), and others. She also performs different types of Cambodian traditional music—for weddings, folk and classical dance, ayaii (rhymed and improvised repartee singing), and

folk and popular songs. She Women’s Music comes from an extraordinary Project artists. musical family: surviving the Pol Other page: Nana Pot regime in Cambodia (under Korantemaa Ayeboafo, Leendavy whom close to a quarter of the Koung and Susan population perished), she and her Watts. This page: siblings carried the musical Leendavy Koung. instruments her father had crafted Photos: Thomas B. Morton, 2003 (and taught them to play) through the jungles on a dangerous journey across Cambodia’s border to refugee camps in Thailand. From there, they eventually made their way— instruments in hand— to Philadelphia. It is still somewhat uncommon for women The Philadelphia Folklore these community connections, to play certain of the instruments Project’s “Women’s Music Project” along with the specific artistic and kinds of music Leendavy is a first-time-ever initiative that traditions and these particular does; nonetheless she has been will draw to a close this summer. practitioners, that the Women’s performing since 1978, organizing For two years the Project has Music Project has supported youth programs since 1983, and focused on the art and artistry of through grant development and coordinating arts education three accomplished local programming. programs since 1993. Her musicians: Leendavy Koung, The Women’s Music Project communities extend from her Cambodian instumentalist and has aimed, since its beginning in South Philadelphia neighborhood singer; Susan Watts, klezmer 2001, to give three musicians where she has taught Cambodian trumpeter and vocalist; and Nana support for their creative work, a dance and music to young people Korantemaa Ayeboafo, who chance to preserve their musical in schools and community sites specializes in Akan percussion of traditions by developing youth for years, to the greater Ghana. Each of these women ensembles, and a platform for Philadelphia area in which she counts herself and her music as presenting their art to the public. has performed and organized part of multiple and often We started from the premise that festivals in honor of major overlapping communities. It is each of these artists, being aware [Continued on next page ➝] 5 women’s music project / continued from p. 5Sites of struggle /continued from p. 5

Cambodian holidays. She also maintains connections to her homeland, not only through a shared commitment with artists in Cambodia and around the world to preserving and developing Photos of Susan Cambodian arts, but through relief Watts and Nana work as well, associated, in Korantemaa Ayeboafo: Thomas particular, with a pediatric B. Morton, 2003 hospital. Susan Watts represents the youngest generation of an important klezmer dynasty that reaches back to the Jewish Ukraine of the 19th century, beginning with her great- grandfather— bandleader, composer, and cornet-player Joseph Hoffman. Hoffman’s handwritten music books contain his own arrangements of horas, Russian shers, polkas, mazurkas, Russian kamaratskies and kazatskies, a czardas, waltzes, freilachs, bulgars, and many other tunes named after the Russian and Polish towns with which the music was associated.The Hoffman family played for generations of Philadelphia-area Jewish weddings and parties, and their music became part of a distinctly Philadelphia klezmer repertoire. Susan is the sole living purveyor of the klezmer-style trumpet sounds that electrified Jewish American audiences for decades. She currently plays with her mother, the great klezmer drummer Elaine Hoffman Watts, in their Philadelphia-based group, the with accomplished drummers in Ghana in January of 2001, Twelve Tribes Yiddisheh Brass the context of religious and receiving the title of High Priest, Band. Linked to klezmer healing practices.As an the highest honor any female may communities the world over, Susan adolescent, Nana took formal obtain within the Akan spiritual frequently performs (as a lessons from artists in her North tradition. Her artistic and spiritual trumpeter and vocalist) with Philadelphia community who had circles overlap, reaching from the noted klezmer musicians in studied with well-known street on which she lives to the Europe and in the U.S.; she has drummers Baba Olatunji from Philadelphia African and African recorded and performed with Nigeria and Saka Acquaye from American drumming communities, Hankus Netsky,Mikveh, London’s Ghana. Experiences as a dancer to the religious world of the Akan Klezmer All-Star Brass Band, and and drummer with the Arthur Hall here and in Ghana.Through her others. She teaches at klezmer Dance Ensemble deepened her organization, Star Spirit, which she festivals and privately. knowledge of percussion. She has founded, she has coordinated the Nana Korantemaa Ayeboafo, worked professionally with such building of a clinic in Ghana. In founder (in 1975) of the Female respected African percussionists addition to performing in musical Percussion Ensemble, here in and dancers as Mongo Santamaria, ensembles and as a soloist, and to Philadelphia, is a drummer, dancer, Geoffrey Holder, Judith Jamison, participating in ceremonial events, singer, and composer who Carmen de Lavalah, and Alhaji Bai she teaches drumming and specializes in the Akan musical Konte.A founder of the first Akan accompanies dance troupes in the traditions of Ghana. She spent shrine here in Philadelphia, Nana Philadelphia area. seven years in Ghana, studying underwent traditional rites in 6 Nana’s classes in Akan of an “outdooring” ceremony held in Fairmount Park to acknowledge her status as Akan High Priest.And Leendavy performed at a recital in the Southwark School, where the Folklore Project holds Cambodian dance and painting residencies for students. This past March, the Philadelphia Folklore Project featured these women at a concert in honor of Women’s History Month. One audience member wrote in her evaluation of the program that she appreciated both the diversity of the music presented and “the intertwining of the cultures,” which she saw as “separate and yet somehow leaning on each other.A familiar melody; a similar phrase; a drum beat.”Even though each musical tradition (Cambodian, Jewish, Ghanaian) was performed as part of a discrete set by the individual artists and their ensembles, the concert brought out resonances that cut across the cultural divides.Their music spoke to the celebration of accomplished women, to the power of artistic lineages, and to the desire for peace. Our concert took place during the first weeks of war in Iraq. Several people on stage had immigrated to the U.S. because of wars in their homelands.And others have relatives serving in percussion are held in her home performed publicly.Our first the military in the Middle East. It in North Philadelphia. Most of her public Women’s Music Project was our wish to offer people a 10 students walk to the classes, or event involved Nana and her joyous afternoon of glorious music as comfort in a time of are accompanied by a parent. students performing as part of uncertainty and concern, as a way Several of the parents stay for the their neighborhood’s annual July of opening (and continuing) lessons, and are learning 4th block party,when the block dialogues, and as sheer fun. drumming alongside the youth. committee arranges to have the Leendavy’s Cambodian music street free from traffic, and The Women’s Music Project classes are held at her parents’ community members celebrate has harnessed the energy, home in South Philadelphia together. Nana and her students creativity,and artistry of three (where the instruments her father played a traditional drum prelude exceptional women in public made are housed), walking (in a 6/8 rhythm) and a rhumba to programs that we hope have pushed audiences to think distance from the homes of all of the cheers of about 75 of their critically and sensitively about her students. Susan Watts teaches neighbors. women and cultural expression, Jewish klezmer music in her Susan Watts and friends about community,and about Havertown home. Some of the played at the 2002 Philadelphia humanity.The women women’s students were featured, Fringe Festival, for which she themselves, individually and along with their teachers, in a designed a program based on collectively, through their music June concert. family stories. Nana’s percussion [Continued on page 43➝] Nana’s students have already composition was played as part 7 artist profile

NanaNana KorantemaaKorantemaa 8 Ayeboafo TheThe

drumdrumwas my introduction to my life

from an interview recorded,transcribedand edited by Elizabeth Sayre

ana Korantemaa Ayeboafo was the first listen to rehearsals. Eventually, she found her way daughter in a family of nine. Born in to the dance classes at Arthur Hall’s Ile Ife Center. N Philadelphia in 1951, she grew up “being a The women there took her under their wings. ruffian— always hanging out with boys, and doing Evangeline Brown was her first dance teacher. things that boys do, like playing sports, and Carol Butcher, another member of Hall’s company, Nana Korantemaa climbing fences, and playing drums.” As a child, began to teach her African songs. She was invited Ayeboafo, 2003. Photo: Nana asked for music lessons, but her mother to go along with Hall’s company as a singer on a Thomas B. Morton functioned as a single parent and there was no concert tour. It was an “enriching and empowering money except for the bare necessities. Nana used experience” for her. The place became a second big oatmeal boxes and Crisco cans, making drums home, and she was hungry to soak up everything. out of anything in the house that made sound. In She was dancing, but she was always hanging the summer of 1968, she happened to discover a around the drummers. She credits Robert Artis for master drummer from Ghana, John Eshun, playing taking her on as a student. She describes what music in her neighborhood, there because he was happened in her own words. working with performer Arthur Hall. Nana was electrified by what she heard, and began to sit in to

I was dancing, and after the to play? I was like,“Yeah.”He said, my timing. He was the lead dance class the musicians, Farel “You serious?”I said,“Yeah.”He drummer of the company. Johnson, Robert Artis, George said,“Sit down, then.”So he’s the Some of the other musicians Cannon, James Corry,and Joseph one that was responsible for me worked with Ghanaian drummer Williams, would still be drumming playing.And he would say,“All Saka Acquaye, like Baba Crowder and working out different things right, I want to hear a 6/8.”After I and Sonny Morgan. Bobby Artis without the dancers. I would learned cabildo, I had to go from used to talk about all of these always still be there. So, Bobby 6/8 to 4/4 and back. He was the Artis said to me,“What, you want one that really helped me with [Continued on next page ➝] 9 nana /continued from p. 9

And you have to concentrate, and you have to practice. It’s not about showboating. It’s not a commercial thing, where you go out there and play on stuff, to let people know,‘Oh, yeah, I know rhythms.’It’s not about that, so forget that. I don’t want to hear you banging on stuff anymore. If you’re gonna play,you sit down and be serious, OK? And a drummer’s supposed to play every day.If you don’t play everyday,you’re mediocre.”That’s how he was. But he really loved drumming, and he just wanted you to play well. He always said, “If you’re going to play,you must put your heart into what you play. And once you learn the rhythms, that’s just the beginning.You have to have your tones.What’s your tone quality like? It has to have definition. An open tone has to be an open tone every time you hit the drum, not some of the time.” He then showed me the different styles of drumming, Haitian drumming, and what you hear in Ghana, and how you approach the djembe as opposed Nana Korantemaa Ayeboafo to the congas. Bobby Artis didn’t Photo: Thomas B. want me to play the maman Morton drum, the lead drum in Haitian vodou. He said,“If a lot of men are sitting down playing drums, you don’t play the maman.You let them play the bottom and you play something else.You don’t always have to drum. If you’re gonna play the bell, play it, really He said that you play your experience. It’s not so play it.And keep the time. Each much about the patterns, but you play your instrument is equally important. Don’t feel that you have to play a experience and when you play your experience, drum. Play a bell, just be in the then you can really put yourself into it. battery.And that’s good.” Also, he said that you play your experience. It’s not so much people. Bobby Crowder had his drummer, and so what?’”Bobby about the patterns, but you play own company,you know.They Artis is the person responsible for your experience, and when you said he was very strict with his my really knowing about African play your experience, then you musicians. In fact, they said, if I rhythms. can really put yourself into it. It is was in Bobby’s company I never I started on congas. Cabildo is important for drummers to play for dancers. He said,“If you’re would have been able to play the first rhythm that I learned playing for yourself, that’s one drums, because they wouldn’t let how to play,but I had to play it on the bell first, while Bobby played thing, but as soon as you start women play drums. So, Bobby it on the drum. He’s the one who playing for dancers, there’s a Artis used to say to me,“That’s would say,“Drumming is not whole other concept that you why you have to be good. Because physical. It’s a spiritual thing.You must have.This is the only real when they come around, I’m have to have your mind together. marriage in the world.”He said the 10 going to say,‘Yeah,that’s my only real marriage was the one between the drum and the dance. Bobby Artis, he was great.A really, really,great drummer. The drum was my introduction to my life, really.Because I didn’t know who I was. I was floating, not really knowing what I was going to do, where I was going. I had the kind of threats that a child in this kind of community probably has from her mother. “You’re not going to do all that. You’re going to have to do something meaningful in your life.”But what? I just knew I didn’t want to have a thousand kids. I didn’t want that.And seeing this guy jumping up and down with a drum between his legs, and these people singing in another language, with tights and stuff on. I didn’t even know what tights were! My first time to Baum’s to buy tights and leotards—I mean, that was an awakening.You know what I mean, because what did we have? From a very poor family in the neighborhood, what do you know about a dance supply store? And modern dance shoes—I’m wearing modern, I got ballet shoes, I got tap shoes! It was like my life just took a whole other turn. I went from this meager little pea, to this… I’m on concert stages all over the country.You What I learned in Ghana about women drummers know what I mean? C’mon! Then we were on TV,and we’re at was quite to the contrary of what I heard before Lincoln Center, and Kennedy I went. People in Ghana said, “. . .if you are Center, and you’re at all of these there at the drum, you’re supposed to places, and people stand up and give you a standing ovation. I’m be there.” standing on stage in this pose going,“OK, God, what’s this really babalawos responsible for Shango. Or, they would say,“You all about?”And the intensity that bringing the Lucumí religion from must be Shango.”So I went and the drummers and dancers Cuba. He’s dead now. found all this information about brought to those concerts was Once I went to Africa, that just Shango. I bought a big medallion phenomenal. It was just changed and took me on another of Shango. I had a Shango bracelet, transforming. So the drum really trip. But before that, I was happy I had a Shango anklet, I had gold gave me life, a life that I just to let my father’s Mayan or Latino earrings—I was Shango! I wore all couldn’t imagine, and this is face show.My Mom used to joke this red, it was crazy,because I was before Africa. and say,“Well,she’s part red Shango, c’mon! They said if I was a Back then I had all of Celia person.”Anyway,so, my playing lady drummer, I had to be Shango, Cruz’s records. I mean, after I got congas and singing Spanish songs, so you know,Shango was my out of the tour, I had all of Celia it was like I could let that out, I orisha and that was it, I was Cruz’s records, I had all the could rejoice with that part of Shango! Can’t you see I’m Shango? orishas, singing songs to the myself, because I really felt it.The I went all the way.And so, Carol orishas.Then I got initiated in drummers were saying I was took me to her padrino’s house Francisco “Pancho”Mora’s house. getting good.They said,“You play where she was already initiated, Carol Butcher took me there. well.”People used to call me ➝ “Pancho”Mora was one of the [Continued on page 38 ] 11 Nia Bey Al-Rasul, Nadirah Barba, Anita Barnes Cauthorn and Taliah Munir-Diouf

NANIKHA: this is not a dress rehearsal artist profile

ANIKHA is a 21-year-old musical ensemble of four African American women. Other things have come and gone in the lives of Nia Bey Al-Rasul, Nadirah Barba, Anita Barnes Cauthorn, Above: NANIKHA at and Taliah Munir-Diouf, but Africamericas Festival. Right: Nia after decades together, Bey Al-Rasul. these women are thoughtful and articulate Photos: Thomas B. about why the group has lasted and what it Morton N means. NANIKHA is an acronym that represents the names of the original members. From the very beginning, the group’s singing was political, spiritual, and sustaining. Motivated by a clear sense of the power of their own voices, a commitment to one another, a love for song, and an awareness of something bigger than themselves, NANIKHA members reflect in the excerpts that follow about the place of music (and sisterhood) in their lives.

12 Nia Bey Al-Rasul: How did we get can still feel his hand coming down getting up around five o’clock to started? We went to hear Sweet on my shoulder. I thought,“Why is do my household chores. I lived in Honey in the Rock at Temple he saying that to me? I can’t do no the Wilson Park projects. So, I University,probably about 1978, Sweet Honey in the Rock!”We all would open up my front door. I and the music was so good and so left the Temple hall with the Sweet would put on this album, and I inspiring, and in their singing they Honey sound in our ears. really liked it.“Well,what is this spoke to present-day issues.At that Four or more years passed and about?”I started reading, and “Oh, time they might have been doing the whole community was rallying wow, this is a prayer!”So I songs like “Stephen Biko”and around the apartheid issue.Brother wondered if I could learn how to “Seven Day Kiss.”When they Godfrey Sithole and others were sing it, and I started piecing out finished, our ears were just full of dealing with the responsibility of what it meant. I would go to the their sound, and we were like, keeping the community informed book- “So this is what they are “Where are they from? And they’re about apartheid.We did whatever saying!”I would say,“That’s clear.” going back to Washington? They’re was necessary-rallies and meetings, Eventually I was able to listen to it leaving us and we’re not going to and at one of the meetings they were and read and sing until I was able hear them sing whenever we want? selling an album called “Liberation.”I to sing the whole song. still have the album,and it had the I don’t think it is even fair! Oh, we Then I wanted to sing the just need to hear more of this!”A song “Nkosi Sikeleli Afrika.”I became Nkosi. But where could I sing? At friend of mine was walking behind curious about the song.The album this time, I worked at African me, Brother Komi Sankofa, and he came with a booklet,and it also had Cultural Arts Forum,ACAF—my put a big hand on my shoulder and the English translation.I started whole history is there. I was looked me right in my face and reading the words because I had singing this song for Rashie Abdul- said,“That’s right, Mama Nia.”It was some knowledge of Ki-Swahili vowel Samad there, and he said,“Nia, like, somebody put something on sounds. me.That’s what the feeling was. I Every morning, I was used to [ Continued on next page ➝ ] 13 nanikha /continued from p. 13

NANIKHA from the “early days,” at a March on Washington, and in an early perfor- mance photo. there are more than enough to sing it until apartheid ends.”So vendors’ situation, the schools’ Photos used with places to sing.”I was doing lappa that is how it actually began. situation, and just anything that permission. and gele demonstrations for ACAF, And that was the first song for came about that was occuring in and I knew a lot of different NANIKHA. I took the song to the community to make our lives places from vending. I said, Khandi because I was excited better, to make our community’s “Rashie is right. I’ll learn the song about being able to sing it in the lives better.We functioned within and then I’ll figure out where I language.The English didn’t come the whole Nguzo Sabo, within the can sing it.” until later. But to sing it in the Black value system. I worked as a The first time I sang “Nkosi” language was the most important community worker.And I was was at a community center at thing to do.And Khandi said, involved as a young parent.And 25th and Lehigh, a place where “That is really a pretty song.”So my mother also worked with we had all different types of she invited me over to her house. Roxanne Jones in the beginning affairs and meetings. I was telling “Teach me,”she said. Sometimes I of organizing welfare rights. So one of the brothers there that I couldn’t go over to her house and we were able to bring a lot of had learned the South African we would do it over the phone things to the community and to national anthem and I wanted to because we both had children. By gain a lot of self-empowerment. sing it, to open one of their any means necessary! The And the music fit right into that. programs.An opportunity telephone—you could just use it. Because we had started this presented itself and I sang. I did And then she began to harmonize singing relationship, Nadirah and not sing publicly before that, but I the song with me.Then further Khandi and I began to come and had no fear because I was used to on down the line, our children meet at each other’s houses. being in front of audiences doing were at the same school, and Nadirah had a car, so she would demonstrations. Nadirah’s son became a student pick us up.At Khandi’s house we I became close to this song there.After school, we would get decided to organize ourselves and because politically I understood together and sing a few bars, and to organize into a singing that there were many of us who Nadirah asked what we were ensemble.We were sisters coming wanted to do something.We had doing. She was like,“Oh, yeah?” from different denominations, and no money: the most we could do And I was like,“Yeah!”And we we said that we should be able to was rally and make everybody in knew Nadirah sang, and she express ourselves through song. the community conscious.We would listen to us, and eventually We would only sing message could not pack up and go to she began to harmonize.And I music.We decided that we were South Africa.The one thing that was like,“Look y’all, we can do going to do it a cappella because occurred to me is that we could this at different places.” it was the first form and that way make a joyful noise unto the Lord. We all supported the we wouldn’t have to worry about I thought,“We have to sing the community’s political needs: the getting musicians. 14 ‘Nkosi’ and we have to continue whole Mumia situation, the We only had three songs and we were asked to come to always with us, and they knew all collecting African American dolls, Delaware to sing the “Nkosi.”The the songs, and we never had to and I said,“I wish I had something photographer who took our worry real hard about a babysitter, to collect.”Barbara said,“Well,you picture there really did us a favor. which took some of the stress out sing. Collect music. Do you know Hence the history and of it. why Marian Anderson sang at the documentation of NANIKHA In the beginning, we wanted Lincoln Memorial? Find out why!” began. women to understand that if you So Barbara inspired me.And at that There were three of us now, set your mind to doing something, time the main library had a music and I was still dealing with the with organization and unity you room with turntables, and I would Sweet Honey sound.We realized can get it done. Longevity is one of go in and listen to albums and that we did not have that really the things that we planned for read the back covers, and learn high voice.Anita was singing, and from the start. the history of these women. I Nadirah and Khandi and I heard Anita Barnes Cauthorn: I was primarily started “Brown her. So we listened to her and I singing jazz with a band, and we Songbirds”in 1985 for my said,“That’s the voice up there on were rehearsing for a program at children. I just wanted them to the stage.”So that’s how we found Harambee Institute. Nia heard me have some history about their Anita. Unfortunately,Khandi left and she came over and said,“We music. Philadelphia about five years into need to add that voice.”So they I think people really need to NANIKHA.We had to give her up, felt they needed me to do a part. know that there is a continuous which was not easy.But she did NANIKHA has been the circle of our music.All of our leave us with the art of sekere completion for me for the last 18 music starts with our African playing and she helped us to years— to be able to do my history.The music is continuous. develop our tongues for singing cultural music and to combine Young people think they are songs in African languages. that with my religion has been a doing something new,but there is We’ve been together for 21 real joy.I sing jazz. I also sing with nothing new.It has changed, but it years.And we were mothers.We the church choir at Vine Memorial all circles around. I think it is took our children to all of our where I am a soloist. really important that we teach this performances. If we couldn’t take On my own I’ve developed a through the music. our children, then we didn’t go. presentation,“Brown Songbirds,” I have been singing since I was We weren’t equipped for which is a musical historical five years old and music has been babysitters, so if we went to a review of African American female a lifesaver. I look at my life, and performance, our children would jazz and blues singers from the music has always been a high for sit in the front row and maybe early 1900s up to the 1940s. I have me.Whatever it was—if I was once or twice, we would say to about a dozen women that I angry,upset, or depressed, I would the audience,“Give us a moment.” feature, such as Ma Rainey,Bessie just sing to make myself feel And we gained a reputation for Smith, Billie Holiday and others. I better.The work I do disciplining our children from the lecture about these women, their professionally is emotionally stage.The community was very contributions to African American draining.Without the music, I helpful to us, because they found music, and their unity with each would probably have burned out humor in it, and I think they other. My best friend Barbara by now.For me, it has been the respected us. Our children were Whiteman got me started. She was therapist.When I went back to school, I didn’t sing, and I literally felt empty,and I told myself I would never do that again. I make sure I have my Tuesday nights for choir rehearsal and Friday nights for NANIKHA. I don’t think you can do any kind of healing without your culture and spirituality.I think they are the two most important aspects that people need in their lives, to grow.If you can grab onto your own individual culture and the arts included, it can be an anchor for you. I teach that and preach that to women that I counsel, and I live that. I know that I couldn’t have survived [Continued on page 40 ➝] 15 artist profile

16 omomola iyabunmi knocking on the spirit door

I didn’t have any idea that I you play religious music, you’re African Science in New York, would be playing any instrument! knocking on the spirit door inten- which dealt with history, philoso- I was guided towards the music, tionally, making things move with phy, religion, art, dance, herbolo- and when I saw the sekere, I fell the music. gy, and music. I studied with him in love with it. It was in the 70s for some years, going back and and it was about regaining your forth to New York. At the same culture. I was happy to embrace time, I continued to work with Kulu my own. I was happy to regain my Mele, and I played with them for tradition. I just fell in love with it. some years. Bobby Crowder would When I learned how to play the give me lessons on the side, as sekere, then I realized how deep the would Peache Jarman. We’d prac- music was, how it made me feel, tice together. I was developing. You and I realized I had to learn more. I It’s hard to play with whoever you can so you had go deeper. It came to me and can develop. then I embraced it. express— I was asked by Kofi Asante to Playing the sekere has taken participate in the Africamericas me to so many places, it’s really when some- Festival and train 15 women to something. I started when I was in thing play sekere. Actually, I trained 10 my early twenties. My first experi- women to participate in the ence with the sekere was while has been parade. After the parade was over, visiting Harlem, New York, in there were different events going 1969. I went to stay with a friend taken from you, on and one man asked if we did who gave me a tour of the city. other types of functions. He asked Opposite page: Somehow, we got to 119th and just what it us to come to Atlantic City and Omomola Iyabunmi. play for a festival I went back and Photo: Thomas 7th Avenue at the Yoruba B. Morton Marketplace, and we stopped at a feels like … picked out five women who were window that had men and strong players. I developed a pro- women wearing African clothing. gram and that was our first gig. It was the Yoruba Temple. So I Currently, The Women’s Sekere was excited— it was the sixties When I was living in New York Ensemble is four women including and we were coming into the City, I met a man named Leonard myself. We get most of our book- knowledge of ourselves as Gibbs, a friend of a friend of ings by word of mouth. We do a Africans. I went inside, talked with mine, and a musician from gig, someone sees us and asks for Philadelphia. We were talking our card. people, and they invited me back about the music and the Yoruba Over all these years, there has to attend a service. It was there tradition. When I came back to been a resurgence of African that I heard a woman and man Philadelphia, I looked him up. He identity and pride in the African play the sekere. I fell in love with was my first teacher. He played American community—we’ve the instrument and the religion. I with a lot of people; they called been able to find and rebuild our found an ethnic group to identify him Doc Gibbs. Then I met Bobby culture. As a result, a lot of wed- with—the Yoruba people of Crowder. His group is Kulu Mele. I dings are done traditionally now, Nigeria. I’m a feeling person. The told him I wanted to go further in and we serve our community by Yoruba community felt right. The my studies. I began studies with performing at these ceremonies. music took me into the music of Bobby Crowder. I still played wih We also play at rites of passage my people; it was a whole other Gibbs, but his schedule got busy. ceremonies, which celebrate the experience: learning the signifi- At the same time, Baba Ishangi transition from one stage of life to cance of the music, where the Razak, was giving classes at Arthur another. I’m so happy to be a part music can take you when you Hall, so I started studying there of that, getting our stuff back. play, the things that you get in with him. He had an Institute of touch with when you play. When [Continued on page 42 ➝] 17 Cooking up a mess of agit-prop by eric joselyn artist profile olding conversations with social forces is what I figure artists/cultural workers should be about.H Once you find yourself ask- ing,”Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?” there isn’t much choice but to get busy, talking with people and taking part in the movements and struggles that seek to fundamentally reorder this soci- ety. Hey, alienation is this society’s middle name. Their art and propagan- da serve to bolster their rule. I’d like mine to undermine it.

As an artist I’ve watched pert near every sphere of cultural activity get commodified for profit and saturated with the dominant ideology. Most all the citizenry has been iced out of meaningful forms of cultural participation, while dollars and creative energy are monopolized for creating truly spectacular beer videos and music com- mercials.

18 With all this and more stuck in my craw, I’ve tried to counter this sorry state in some different ways: • making propaganda that bolsters the struggles that can overturn the social order that created this stinking situation in the first place • pursuing inclusionary or participatory artistic practice to counter a narrow “who should do art” doctrine • making art that is cheap and/or free, useable, and accessible

In trying to relate myself and my work to peo- ples and struggles, I at times make art straight up “about” issues, but what stokes me up is to make artifacts that fit the hands of our move- ments. More good looking stuff for our side!

You’ll not find me saying this is a small feat or that I’ve got it figured out, but that’s the thinking that’s led to sharing these selected works and words.

Why xerox-ready art? Opposite page: Choice t-shirt and placard design, I truly love making crafty-object stuff but I can’t reprinted over help but compare the circulation figures for U.S. thousands of Today vs. the dozen-plus beds covered with my times: an attempt to cast the debate quilts. The one artist-one product-one consumer in broader terms. equation is just too tight a cycle. So I’ve set about creating and distributing ready-to-copy This page, above: sets of prints and reprintable images for just Placards to aid dry-wall workers about anyone in motion, oh-so-easy images in San Diego with words for reproduction and distribution. seeking to win union recognition. Sometimes sets are solicited by folks I know Below: Safe bet bad cops’ll keep who are involved in organizing. Other times I me in business cook up and ship out items without a prompt. for awhile. All images used with artist’s In 1993, the U.S. was gearing up for Gulf War I — permission. defense of fiefdom and da-monarchy. Organizing was pretty tough and our scattered movements had weak analysis, no NLF to root for, and pre- cious few good looking graphics! In a frustrated frenzy, I cranked out a set of handbills and such and started mailing them out. The war and the sanctions went on, but my work was well received and was put to real use by people struggling state- side. Local organizations, little left papers, national liberal press, even two different papers in Johan- nesburg ran some of my stuff. It felt like a real con- tribution—a direct, functional art seen by more than just the folks at our local rallies. This led me to a larger-scale project in response to the Colum- bus/European invasion of the Americas. Later, I produced a graphic pack in the aftermath of the L.A. Rebellion, Clinton’s macho bombing of Sudan, Afghanistan, and Iraq, as well as the latest imperialist blood stomp on the desert.

[ Continued on next page ➝ ] 19 cooking up agit-prop /continued from p. 19

Show time

I’ve had opportunities to plan and/or participate in a whole mess of different street theater and/or politi- cal pageants designed to poke a stick in the eye of the rulers.

Most always these events are scruffy, held together by shoelaces and duct-tape. I confess a proclivity for cute motifs (dancing pizza slices) or a nice populist spoof (Green Backs and Spam), but this cultural work crosses over easily from propaganda to becoming a club to beat on the heads of our adver- saries. Poeple have long suffered under evil leaders, but they aren’t as willing to endure the rule of those held in ridicule. That’s where goofy costumes come into play.

There’s a lot for me to love about political spectacle: a collective process, shoddy costumes, cardboard props held together with string, crass appropria- tions of cereal jingles. All this is right up my aesthet- ic alley and I think it works—we can elbow our way in between near-ubiquitous ads and the state-spon- sored quietude.

I figure what we need is a lot more of us strapping giant maps of Iraq to our heads and creating a pub- lic space with something to say. Why I teach

I figure art can be a tool in the hands of youth, and, gosh, they sure could use some tools about now!

Kommercial Kulture 4 Kids is so sick and empty and the social reality in the city so grim that we’ll end up mired in depression unless we’re willing to see them an untrained army or unrehearsed chorus. The young take to just about any outlet of expres- sion or channel for meaningful participation.

My best experiences are projects designed to engage people of all art “skill” levels in a process of social critique.

I spent many summers working with teens on a non-violence mural project. Ya know, most of the good stuff said about doing murals with youth is true: they’re big, they promote group process and cooperation, the people like ‘em, and they represent physical transformation of community space. Just about anything that gives kids a voice and helps them process the crap dropped on them every day is a positive step but the challenge of turning these first steps into real social power remains.

20 Opposite page: A “work report” on 1993 my counter-Colum- bus work.

This page: Kind of like some real and bloody Star Warz, this Iraq attack has been run in a trilogy: Bush the First and Gulf War I, Slow death sanc- tions (with Clinton chucking cruise missles at Bagh- dad), and our latest blood stomp. Efforts from 1993, 1998 and 2003.

5 small images: Mini-placards we put together when University of Penn- sylvania put a weapons design center in the heart of campus.

1998

been there, still doing that 2003

➝ [ Continued on next page ] 21 cooking up agit-prop /continued from p. 21

I live and teach art in Olney.

I’ve lived in the declining (declined) industrial center of Philadelphia for the past 16 years. The arc of my political work in PA stretches from curbsides to campus to communities to class- rooms and to lamp posts.

My life is not dedicated to perfecting my art but to turning this society over. I’ve pulled this stuff together in the hope of giving others encourage- ment and ideas for developing and deploying propaganda with effect.

22 This page, photos of the artist’s work in action: These street signs were posted throughout West Philadelphia, and for a while, “Ban everyone from the military:” The Queer Liberation movements of the late motorists had some rules they could use. 1980s and into the 90s set a new standard for dynamic and creative action that Next page: Los Angeles 1992: Seemed some kind of analysis might be helpful in made many of us want to contribute. the swamp of TV-Mega-News Company coverage. Hamlet, North Carolina: When “Toxins R Us:” When the university decided to take big Department of Defense money greed took four peoples’ lives, their co-workers toured the north in an orga- dollars to build a research plant, it was time for jump-suited technicians to cart nizing drive. I offered up a whole set of ads, t-shirts, buttons and posters. fuming carts laden with toxins to help illustrate the future. “No racism. Stop Anti-Asian violence:” Why not give our ideas the force of law.

23 Li Shuyuan: artist profile

24 Walking on solid groundground

When you learn Beijing depends on your self- On my mother’s side, my Shuyuan Li performing Opera, you learn how to motivation. grandfather and my the role of Lin Chong’s “walk on solid ground.”You So this applies to real life. grandmother and my aunts wife. Photo courtesy of Wdon’t take shortcuts.You’re Especially for raising were all Beijing opera artist. down to earth.As a person children.You cannot let them performers. One uncle taught you need to do things step take short cuts.The easy way in an opera school in Taiwan. by step-one step makes one is not the right way.It’s like Another was a famous footprint.You cannot just building a foundation. If your television host. always think of taking short foundation isn’t any good, On my father’s side four cuts or finding an easy way. you cannot make a good generations are all Beijing Art is a real thing. It takes building.And if you don’t opera performers.They are work and commitment. have a foundation in opera, also considered Li Yuan Shi To learn opera, you have there are a very limited Jia. to be able to endure number of things you can do My father was a very hardship, to “eat bitterness.” when you perform. famous Beijing opera artist. You must be diligent, work In the Beijing opera He used to have his own hard, and have endurance. It’s community,my family is school, and he invited many not like you just finish going considered to be “Li Yuan Shi teachers there. In his to class and that’s it! You Jia,”opera artists going back lifetime, he taught over 500 have to continue to work, many generations, descended students. Senior students in study,and practice.You have from performers of the the school changed their to have self-discipline.A Ming Dynasty.Many,many, acting name to Ming. New teacher can teach you, but if members of my family students changed their you want to become a continue in opera, in successful performer, success many different places. [Continued on next page ➝] 25 Walking on solid ground /continued from p. 25

middle name to Chun.Anyone studied only the very basic skills, basic skills.Another teacher came who studied with my father could so my parents didn’t really need to to the house to train me in be identified as his student by teach me.A university professor singing, to train my voice.Another their stage names.After the would not teach a kindergartner! teacher worked on my voice tone. students graduated, they formed a My father hired a martial arts I also trained my voice by

To learn opera, you have to be able to endure hardship, to “eat bitterness.” You must be diligent, work hard, and have endurance.

performing arts troupe called Ming Chun Shi. (My mother also taught, but she didn’t have many students.All of her students were women because they were studying the female roles.) Since we were little, we were influenced by opera. My father’s students all came to my house to study.So I saw how they trained. I watched how my uncle trained his students. One of the most famous Beijing Opera performers, Du Jin Fang, was one of my uncle’s students. I always stood on the side and watched. Later on, he also taught me. Sometimes, I followed my parents to their performances. You can see, we trained from the time we were very little.You just

This page: Shuyuan live in that kind of environment. Li as The Flower When I was little, I didn’t want Princess (Princess to study opera. I wanted to be a Bai Hua). Opposite page: As Princess doctor. But because of the Yang Gui Fei in "The environment in my family, Drunken Beauty.” sometimes they needed my help Photos from artist’s to perform small roles. One time collection used with permission. they needed a little girl for a special role. So I went to perform and I went on the stage and I got on the train to go here and there to perform, and I felt it was a lot of fun. Just because of that, I slowly teacher to teach me, but he always following the sound of the jinghu, started to learn Beijing Opera. But came to observe and to make sure called the Chinese fiddle, a main my character is such that once I that the teacher was teaching me instrument in opera.All of this start learning something, I want to correctly.My father would critique training was after school. do my best.Also, my family is one what I did. My mother did the There are four aspects to of the best in Beijing opera, so I same thing. She hired teachers for studying Beijing Opera: singing, felt like I needed to study. me and observed on the side, recitation of monologues, acting My parents were very busy and making sure I was taught and movement, and martial arts. had to perform all the time, so correctly.My teachers worked This is different from a musical or they never had time to teach me with me on different things. I had a play or a dance performance. In directly.Also, in the beginning, I physical training: how to stretch a dance, you mainly just dance. In 26 my legs, kick, use weapons-all the a play,you mainly just talk. But in and started to tour and perform. I training, you weren’t allowed to go Beijing Opera, you need to know used to get up at six o’clock and to the bathroom.This was a way to all those things.When I was start by doing voice exercises. If train yourself. Let’s say,you need to young, I had to undergo basic you wanted to do better, you just perform for two or three hours. training: stretching, kicking, got up earlier! Other students got You can’t just stop and go to the

“Si” means teacher and “fu” means father. Sifu is really like a parent. Whatever Sifu says, you listen.

bathroom in the middle! So that was how they trained us. Now,I still remember that time because inside the school there were too many students studying. So my teachers asked me to go out to the courtyard to train. Even if it was snowing really heavily,the teacher would clear a path in the snow to an area for me to go and exercise. At the time I was learning, teachers weren’t really beating students. But my father’s generation got beaten all the time. My teachers were very strict.They didn’t hit, but they pushed us and handled us very roughly.My parents didn’t really care how strict the teachers were.They just would tell me to go and practice. Students always respected their teachers, one hundred percent, all the time.Whatever the teacher said, the students had to do it.The word “Sifu”(master) doesn’t really mean just “teacher.”“Si”means teacher, and “fu”means father. Sifu is really like a parent.Whatever sifu says, you listen. If sifu says you’re wrong, you don’t talk back. When the teacher taught, you tumbling, and work with martial up at seven o’clock but I got up at stood up and listened.You weren’t arts weapons like staffs and six. And I trained by myself.After even allowed to sit down.You had swords.You need to learn how to the voice training, I did physical to be very,very,respectful to your walk , move your hands, use your training until noon. teacher.The good thing about this eyes, hold your body,and how to During the time I was in the kind of teaching is that you learn put all those things together. troupe, we didn’t have a breakfast the importance of respecting your After you have the foundation, you hour.You studied voice training, elders. Even now,there are some find a teacher who can teach you then you did physical training, and sifus who are older and I still how to act. then you had lunch.You had no respect them so much.You always After I turned twelve, I started breakfast. Nothing to eat or drink keep that sifu and student formal training. I joined a troupe the whole morning. During the relationship. My father, when he ➝ [Continued on page 41 ] 27 By Lois Fernandez wars ✱ We shall not

space ho is the city’s enhancing the culture of our neighborhood, and described it, blight plan for? city, and to cultural and the historic seventh ward, in his What do people community preservation through ground-breaking book,“The mean by our annual festival and other Philadelphia Negro.”Ironically, economic year-round programs. Our festival African Americans remaining in development? draws 300,000 people and this historic community have How committed pumps 2 million dollars into the become the invisible people.And is the city’s economy annually.We have Dubois’ insights, rather than W Philadelphia a history of community activism being studied or valued, are Inquirer to encouraging real and responsibility: we have ignored. It was DuBois who dialogue about the kind of responded to gangs and urban observed that “the problem of neighborhoods we want? The violence, offered summer the 20th century is the problem recent experience of ODUNDE, programs, convened anti- of the color line.”DuBois saw the Inc. in our south central city violence efforts, and worked connections between race, class neighborhood raises questions. with schools and community and exploitation. For long- “Growing pains plague an effort groups over the years in efforts standing residents of our south to spruce up the city,”trumpets to stabilize and sustain our central Philadelphia the Inquirer headline for the neighborhood. In 1977, we first neighborhood, $350,000 houses article “Blight plan snags Gray’s worked for affordable housing in (such as that proposed for our Ferry Initiative” (January 10, our community.The three lots street by speculator Rick Sparks) 2003).These terms make it clear next to our current building had simply do not count as from the start that there will be long been vacant and were “affordable.”Here at ODUNDE, no serious consideration of what declared unsafe and dangerous we believe that it is both fiscally gentrification means to long- several years ago. ODUNDE took and socially irresponsible to term city residents, ordinary the initiative, pushing allow outside developers with working people, and members of Councilwoman Anna Verna to deep pockets to determine the an historic African American have the city demolish these shape of our community and our community.Too often,“sprucing threats to public safety. future. up” means removing people of We plan to build senior The generation who grew up color.And the so-called Gray’s housing on Gray’s Ferry Avenue and lived in south central Ferry “initiative” is merely one next to our current building Philadelphia were in many cases recent speculator’s plan to make because we know that our the first African Americans to a profit with no regard to the senior citizens are in need and challenge and break the color needs of long-time residents. cannot afford to remain in the line.They were in many cases What is the future of south very neighborhood they the first generation of central Philadelphia? Is our maintained when no one else homeowners: people who neighborhood, one of the city’s wanted to live here.We plan to bought their homes for a lifetime most historic African American build a cultural and historical and in the hopes of passing neighborhoods, to be sold to the center devoted to W.E.B. DuBois these homes on to their highest bidder? What here because we know that our children. Our neighborhood has commitment to affordable community’s historic African drawn strength and character housing and to long-term American past is being gentrified from the commitment of such community stability and history out of existence, and because we people who have chosen to stay are we, as a city, willing to believe that Dr. DuBois’ work in the face of whatever came. make? For 28 years, ODUNDE should be remembered, now Pricing older residents out of has been involved in our more than ever. neighborhoods disrespects their neighborhood.We have About 100 years ago, Dr. investment, denies that their life maintained a commitment to Dubois lived in our experiences are vital to our 28 bbee mmoovveedd

Lois Fernandez at ODUNDE, c. 1980s, with mem- bers of Kulu Mele African American dance ensemble. Photo: Thomas B. Morton

future, and drives away the very alternative to the politics of about ODUNDE, visit people whose long-time profit and greed. www.odunde.org. connections to this specific PFP’s website local community history and This essay, written with (www.folkloreproject.org) culture give our neighborhood Debora Kodish and printed contains additional vitality, distinctiveness, and as an op-ed piece to the information about ODUNDE integrity. Philadelphia Inquirer on (including an earlier essay on The gentrification occurring January 17, 2003, responded to the same theme), and about in our neighborhood would negative and incomplete PFP’s “Space Wars” efforts be no surprise to DuBois, who coverage of ODUNDE’s plans tracking batttles over public clearly articulated how to develop property as a space, and preserving institutional and structural cultural center.ODUNDE, a culturally diverse and vital racism work to destroy our 28-year-old community-based community sites. communities. If we really want organization, founded by Ms. to think of ourselves as a city of Fernandez, organizes the neighborhoods, or as a city with longest-running African history, we need to begin by American cultural festival in preserving the cultural, the city, held the second historical and economic Sunday of June annually. diversity that makes the city ODUNDE has been vital. ODUNDE stands ready to fighting gentrification in its respond with affordable senior historically African American housing and a historical and neighborhood for more than a cultural center that provide an generation. For more 29 By Shawn P. Saunders Total Praise: Preserving the

essay Hymn-Singing Tradition in African American Sacred Music

I came to be familiar with the with, but the passion and based.Tindley hymns are an Festival of Hymns choir because of exuberance of the performance important part of the African my family.My grandmother was an surpassed anything I had heard American religious music alto in the choir before she before in church or in concert. tradition, which also includes suffered a brief illness last year. My When Harrilese Durant Miles, traditional and arranged spirituals mother has been a soprano in the the choir director, takes her as well as contemporary African choir since its founding.As a position in front of the choir, I am American gospel music. result, I see very little of her on struck by the power of her The African American tradition Saturday afternoons during the conducting. In front of more than of performing sacred music in rehearsal season.Add to this the 80 singers and musicians concert began with the Fisk requisite trips she and I take to representing more than 40 Jubilee Singers of the late 19th department stores in search of churches from around the region, century.As with most music concert-length black skirts or she commands attention from traditions,African American sacred white blouses that can withstand both the choir and the audience. music is constantly evolving. the heat of a church lacking air- She is virtually inseparable from Hence, the traditional hymns of conditioning in the middle of July. the music as she uses her body to composers such as Tindley have To be honest, almost every convey which direction the music been replaced by the works of member of the Festival of Hymns should take. By the end of the Kirk Franklin and Donnie choir (and the instrumental afternoon, whether she is McClurkin. Members of the Hymn ensemble that accompanies it) is a conducting a rehearsal or a Fest Choir do not discount the part of the extended family that concert, Ms. Miles is exhausted by value of contemporary gospel; raised and continues to support her efforts. Indeed, singers, rather they seek to preserve a and encourage me. Several of the musicians, and audience often take place for hymn singing in the singers were my Sunday School time to regain composure during Black Church. teachers.The director of the drama the benediction. Harrilese Miles brings an guild to which I belonged sings The Festival of Hymns (or extensive background in religious soprano. One of my acolyte Hymn Fest) Choir is dedicated to music to her role as founder (in instructors serves as pianist.And the preservation of hymn singing 1991) and director of the Hymn my algebra teacher accompanies in African American churches. Fest Choir. She was trained at the the choir on trumpet. So it seems Under Ms. Miles leadership, this Julliard School of Music and quite natural to contemplate the choir has been in existence for 12 Temple University,and has studied role of this choir and how it years.The Festival of Hymns choir church music, specializing in interprets, preserves, and is particularly significant because Hymnology.She continues her celebrates hymns in the African of the role of the hymn singing voice training under the tutelage American choral tradition and tradition in Philadelphia’s African of Dr. Phillip Y.Cho, head of the then to relate it to the importance American religious history.For Voice and Opera Department of of sacred music to the African example, Charles A.Tindley (1851- Temple University.She has American community of greater 1933) was pastor of what was performed in concerts throughout Philadelphia. then the Bainbridge Street Church the United States as well as The first time I attended a (later named Tindley Temple) in England, Germany,Japan, and the Festival of Hymns concert, I did South Philadelphia from 1902 Bahamas. She is also the Branch not know what to expect. I knew until his death. He wrote nearly 50 Director Emeritus of the Mary the music would not be the hymns, including “We’ll Louise Curtis branch of Settlement contemporary gospel I sang in Understand It Better By and By” Music School.According to Mrs. college. I imagined that the music and “When the Storms of Life Are Miles,“Hymns within the Christian would have more in common with Raging, Stand By Me.”He also Church are first and foremost an the hymns of my Methodist wrote “I’ll Overcome Someday,” act of worship.They direct upbringing. In fact, the hymns upon which the Civil Rights attention to what God has done. were the same ones I grew up anthem “We Shall Overcome”was The Festival of Hymns Choir 30 strives for the capacity to express concert season takes place during of the song.And though I know I Harrilese Durant Miles wonder,thanksgiving, and the summer months, beginning will never hit those notes, at those and the Hymn Fest adoration.” with an annual concert held at moments I am transported, briefly, Choir (left and right). Tindley Temple Unlike most African American Janes Memorial United Methodist and envision myself as part of the (center). Photos: religious concert choirs in the Church the third Sunday in May. music. Shawn P. Saunders, Philadelphia area, the Festival of For those who are unable to 2003 Hymns Choir is specifically attend a concert this summer, the dedicated to the performance of choir has produced three hymns. By choosing to focus on a recordings:“Lift Every Voice and particular style of sacred singing, Sing,”“Holy Ground,”and “Diadem.” Harrilese Miles and the Hymn Fest However, those who have Choir (re) inforce the range of attended Hymn Fest concerts forms African American religious remain adamant that the true music possess.At the same time, experience of the Hymn Fest choir the choir is able to create a unique is only gained by attending a live concert atmosphere that is both performance. formal and intimate. For example, My mother will probably say the instrumental ensemble may that I was reluctant to attend my include timpani, trumpets, and first Hymn Fest concert. Because reed instruments more often hymn singing has always been a associated with Western classical part of our church services, I failed music. However, Mrs. Miles may to appreciate the art of hymn also select hymns such as “It Is performance.Through the years, Well With My Soul”(Phillip P.Bliss) though, I have grown to that were or are favorites of understand how commitment and current or deceased choir dedication can transform language members.Thus, the choir and music. I am most moved by establishes a unique balance the choir’s performance of “Total between old and new,formal and Praise,”written by Richard informal. Smallwood. In fact, I often close The Festival of Hymns Choir my eyes and imagine myself able rehearses weekly throughout the to sing the higher notes the winter and spring.The choir’s descant singers reach at the end

31 Three Latina musicians look to their roots for inspiration artist profiles Julia Moreno Giovana Guevera

by Elizabeth Sayre

32 “Está en mis venas” (It’s in my veins): As Philadelphia’s enissa Santí

V Latino communities grow, the already diverse “Latin music” scene here will become even more varied. Most people hear the words “Latin music” and think Spanish caribbean dance music. . . .

[Continued on next page ➝ ] 33 Latinas /continued from p. 33

he field is actually and remake pop musics, the use in her work.Venissa performs much broader. If we sphere becomes wide indeed. jazz, Latin jazz, Latin dance music, expand “Latin”to Giovana Guevara, Julia Moreno, and Cuban folkloric music with a “Latin American,”it and Venissa Santí have made variety of local groups, and is a would then include impressive personal investments voice teacher at AMLA (la European-inspired in their own music-making.Two of Asociación de Músicos Latino classical music these Latina musicians were Americanos) in North composed in Latin America; immersed in recordings of Philadelphia. Tfolk/oral traditions of indigenous, American popular music growing Giovana Guevera: African, European,Asian, or mixed- up, two were trained in classical I was born in the city of Colón origin people; popular dance music performance from an early on the Caribbean coast of the musics representing centuries of age, two hold university music Republic of Panama in 1975.The cultural mixtures; Latin American degrees, and all three write and first things that come to mind are re-workings of pop musics like perform music in the Philadelphia the palm trees, the smell of the jazz, rock, reggae, and hip-hop— area. Each works in musical ocean and the breeze. It’s a very small city—it only has 16 streets. and hundreds of other genres.The environments where women products of particular histories of musicians must prove their My mother was always very migration that in some cases date involved in religion. She always competence beyond any doubt back to the 18th and 19th sang her religious songs in the and either present a desirable centuries, Latino communities and house. My father was entirely the appearance or struggle against the individuals in Philadelphia are opposite. He loved parties, actively engaged in music-making pressure to do so. Each grew up dancing, and all that. He always that runs the gamut from “folk” with Latin folk and popular music listened to Panamanian traditional music to “art”music to “pop”music in her environment, but did not music, which is very danceable. and everything in between.1 really come to value or understand So, I listened to both things In many Latin American those musics until adulthood; each growing up. I have a big family.We communities, music is is still developing her were 10 children, and I’m the experienced as essential and understanding. All three identify youngest. I have one brother who necessary.Music is a required deeply with and are inspired by has always played trombone. He’s ingredient of social events and life traditional musics of their (or their now a pilot. I’m very proud of him passages; in a visceral way,music parents’) home countries.And because he plays in a band in connects people to community perhaps most importantly,all three Colón. It’s a band of firemen, very and history.Yet,people who play educate young people and non- well known, an old tradition.They and dance to traditional music are Latino audiences about Latin parade in the streets playing their also listening to, are affected by, music traditions. instruments. My brother has been and in some cases are actively re- Giovana Guevara is a singer, doing that his whole life. shaping mainstream music. Folk pianist, and composer from I started with piano when I was and traditional artists in urban Panama who has been in eight years old, with classical contexts are inevitably affected by Philadelphia since 1999. She music; I took lessons until I was and interact with their teaches piano at the Meridee 15. People in my mother’s church surroundings, and Latin musicians Winters School, and works with were always asking me to play the are no exception. Folk and her husband, Josh Robinson,Alex piano, so playing there was like traditional arts also influence and Shaw (percussion and vocals), and practicing until I decided to go to refresh mainstream art forms, as Adrienne Hall (dance) in a university,and I started playing artists look for fresh and program that brings Latin music to more seriously.When I was at ‘authentic’ sources for new senior centers and schools. She university,I played the trombone, material (although this enterprise also appears with local groups the baritone horn, and the French often presents political and ethical singing and playing Latin jazz and horn for four years. I went to dilemmas).2 Folk/traditional arts Cuban folklore. Julia Moreno, a university in Medellín, Colombia, are not isolated from their saxophonist, flutist, singer, and and graduated in music education. surroundings, and they can inspire songwriter, has her own band There was a lot of emphasis on artists and musicians removed called “Aguafuego.”Her parents are classical music.Also we studied from the “folk”sphere by class, by from Peru and Ecuador. Julia Colombian folklore, drums, songs. generation, or by a history of reworks South American music, After graduating I came to the migration.Traditional musics are and many other styles, in U.S. I had a dream, and the dream powerful and sounds travel. If we compositions communicating told me I had to come to this extend the study of folk/traditional about social issues.Venissa Santí country.I didn’t understand it, but musicians to include the places returned to Cuba to re-connect there was a force inside me that and people they influence and the with family and study Cuban was so strong that I had to follow ways in which their makers reflect folkloric and popular music for it. My parents thought I was crazy. 34 I called to Philadelphia because thing. But here—it’s nice to day to the place where they do it. my best friend in Panama, her express it because a lot of people There’s a lot to it…it’s very sister was living here. I called her, don’t know how people live in profound. I definitely want to go and she said,“Come to other countries. back to Panama to study the music Philadelphia.” ere I feel strange, in more. I feel very uninformed, Just being in the musical spite of the fact that because I feel the music, but I environment here has made me I’m doing Latin don’t really know it. I don’t know grow. It has made me much more music. In a lot of exactly what the drums play or aware of what I can do, and of places where I’ve how many there are. I grew up how much further I could go. I played, people are with a lot of the songs, and they’re have begun to explore other just sitting down. inside me. I’m very eager to musical styles.They’re new but They don’t move at all…and Latin become a person who transmits Hmusic has so much energy and they have a lot in common with information, who communicates my culture, too. Latin music has life. In comparison with Panama or the fact of being from Panama, of Colombia, where people go crazy; something that I’ll always identify being a musician, of being Latina. I they feel it, they live it, they with, whether it’s from Cuba or want to be a source of express it differently.I still can’t 3 information. Puerto Rico. I’ll always identify get used to this difference, with it because it’s the closest to because that’s how I experience Julia Moreno: home. It’s closer than American it, too. It’s in my veins, and the My Mom is from Ecuador. Her music, it appeals to my roots. mode of expression here is very father was a journalist, a writer, a The environment here makes different. I feel this very strongly. poet, a free spirit, free-thinking you into a perfectionist. In Here, folkloric music is used to guy.He started his own newspaper everything, you have to push teach other people about where in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He was a yourself, in the music, with the you come from. I go to schools to very forward-thinking man, not technology.So I’m going to follow teach children about different quite with the system, had his own this to see where it goes. I don’t cultural roots. It’s a beautiful independent ideas.That extended want my whole life to be this way. experience, because music is to all the children, especially my I don’t know if I will ever be meant to unify people, whatever Mom. She writes poetry,and she satisfied that I’m a good musician. their race, sex, or language. So, this has a beautiful voice. I can But I think I’m going to get a good is exactly what we do. In some remember she would sing to us experience out of it. places we have to start our when we would go to sleep.All Recently,I started writing program with classical music.We her songs were ballads from the can’t start with the full-out Latin music. It’s strange, because it never ‘30s,‘40s,‘50s, just gorgeous Latin American folklore.We have to occurred to me before, but I American music. My father is disseminate little by little in order started writing and that’s what I to express who we are. I’ve had Peruvian. His father was a want to do. I want to record my some very different experiences. mathematical genius. He was an songs. I write about past Some people have never heard it, engineer. He invented things and experiences, things in the present but it fascinates them, and they was also a mover and shaker. He that I observe, and not just what love the life and the energy of it. had the first movie projector in happens to me, but what happens I’ve also had experiences where Peru. He would go from town to to a lot of women. I have also it’s completely the opposite, town, set up in the plaza, and they written more poetic songs that where people are closed, and they would show movies from don’t have any literal meaning. cover their ears.We hope to create everywhere in the world, from Ideas come to me almost different feelings in people. India to Latin America to Mexico constantly.Some of the songs are Panama is a different world. to North American films. My Dad very folkloric in style. Panamanian, There are Panamanian artists that would fix the film when it broke. I because that’s what I identify with everybody inside the country also have an interest in most. I would like to be able to do knows, a lot of traditional music documentary-making and them with traditional drumming, and folkloric music.There’s like all multimedia and images and what but in a more modern way.The these little towns—it’s amazing, images tell about a person’s life. lyrics are about things that happen they have all these competitions, Which I think has a very strong tie in the Panamanian countryside, and there’s something called La to music.As a songwriter, I like to the way country people see Saloma.We call people from the depict a feeling, a story,an image, things, how city people treat interior of the country “cholos.”So and tell a story of political or them, that kind of thing. Or about all the cholos go, and it’s an social justice, or events, through the kind of work they do, and why improvised music. One begins my music.All those experiences of they go to the city,and all those singing about the other, it’s like a growing up in a family that’s very things that I’ve observed.There, battle, and the other one responds. strongly political and rebellious, people see it as normal.There’s no It’s great and they show it on TV.I rebellious politics, thinkers and reason to talk about it, it’s a daily would love to go personally one [Continued on next page ➝ ] 35 Latinas /continued from p. 35

poets and a love of music—all of around; I looked around me and I in those days no one ever that has kind of culminated in saw my face in other people’s recognized that officially.There’s who I am now. faces, and I didn’t feel like I stuck definitely an underlying racism I feel like playing the flute was out in a crowd.That, here I was, there that I think now Peru is always something I wanted to do. this is where my blood’s from. In coming to terms with. But I think There were free classes at a public ‘96-’97 I went back to Peru with Peru is also loving the fact that school across the street from my parents. One night we ended this is Peruvian music in addition where we lived, and I just loved it. up in this area of Lima called to the Andean tradition.4 Andean music has a lot of flute, Barranco, which is an old part of We were there for the Festival quena, the wood flute. I think it’s Lima, really beautiful, old wood del Carmen, which is in honor of the element of the voice, the houses all painted differently.It’s the Virgin Mary.There’s a breath, and the life that you can now like the artists’ colony,the procession, and the children come hear in each note. Later, at school musicians’ hang-out. So we went to out and sing.The rhythms and the my flute teacher invited me to join a nightclub called El Ekeko, and melodies are Afro-Peruvian. the orchestra.That was one of the there was a band playing.And Amador turns out to be one of the most important experiences in my most of the band was one family, most important practitioners of musical upbringing because it and the patriarch of the family is Afro-Peruvian culture, and all the gave me an understanding of Amador Ballumbrosio. He was, at kids in the town come to their arrangement, voicing, different that time, still singing, fronting the house, and learn the violin from timbres, and different sounds of band.At one point that night he him.They just learn it by ear, so the instruments. It’s an incredible came off stage and started dancing they have great memories and teacher of rhythm.To understand the zapateo, which is almost like a great ear training.Twenty kids when different voices are coming tap dance.The upper body playing these violins in a in, and tempo changes, and movements are very balletic.And procession in the town, and then melodies—you have to really pay then the foot movements kids four, five years old, playing the attention. themselves are intricate cajón like professionals.5 Amador I guess around 11th grade I rhythmical patterns.The zapateo is had a stroke a couple years ago, so started fooling with dissonant a contest; it’s who can create the he’s lost a lot of his ability to sing sounds, which fascinated me. Out most interesting, varied rhythm or to dance and to lead the family of the blue I heard some with their feet, and still be in time. in that way.Some of his eldest Thelonious Monk.And it just Amador has about 10 sons and sons have taken over. People go floored me.There was a whole daughters. People get in a line, hang out there, wanting to do one world of music I didn’t know and each person takes a turn, and thing, and end up getting involved. anything about! My first song had tries to outdo the other. It was an My love for music and interest a lot of dissonance. In college I incredible evening of seeing all in culture are the foundation for started meeting a lot of musicians. the personal styles coming out of my latest musical project, my I got my radio license, and started this dance, and the textures, and band,“Aguafuego.”My songs deal hanging out at the radio station at the African rhythms that are in the with political and social justice.As the University of Delaware, my music, combined with the I get older I feel that my time has first semester. I went to a party Peruvian guitar. to be spent wisely in music. It has one night, which became a So this music immediately to have some weight and some transforming moment in music for touched me, and I knew that I had meaning. I want to be able to give me.There were four guitar players, to go back with gear, and I wanted it to my children so that they have and there were three other flute to do a documentary,and a connection to it. So, themes are players there. I’d never played interview this family.And get their about future generations, about with another flute player outside story,the history of this music, and the impermanence of who we are, of orchestra, in an improv kind of preserve it.Two years ago, I got but yet we leave permanent marks situation.And we played till the laid off from my job. I said,“All on the world. I’m attempting to sun came up, all the musicians. right. I have money right now.It’s write more in Spanish. It gives me The flute players especially loved now or never.”So we went to a chance to express that part of the jam. I thought,“Wow,this is Peru,and we went to a town my voice, and sentiment, and what I really want to do.” called Chincha, the cradle of Afro- melodies that became part of who I went to Peru for the first time Peruvian culture. Susana Baca is I was as a child.The next CD will when I graduated from high one of the most well-known have three songs that I’m writing school. It was my first time practitioners.Also, Eva Ayllón, this in Spanish.Also, we perform some meeting most of my family,which incredible singer in Lima. Chabuca traditional Latin American music. was incredible. It was the first Grande is from the ‘50s,‘40s,‘30s, a Mostly we play clubs at this point. time that I felt like I fit in well-known Peruvian singer. I feel like there’s a certain mission, somewhere. I remember one time Elements of African influence can to have that thought conveyed to when we were just walking be felt in the songs, even though [Continued on next page ➝ ] 36 people who may not necessarily and a professor of art in Cuba. He teenage years in Ithaca. give those ideas much time and designed José Marti's tomb in I didn’t know about energy.So, if I’m able to, even for a Santiago. He has monuments all Philadelphia’s ethnic diversity few minutes, have someone think over Cuba and in Florida.When until after I finished college at about those words, I feel like that’s my Dad’s family came to the University of the Arts.There a good effort to create more States, he got a job at a factory that wasn’t much of a Latino presence. thought and dialogue and manufactured decorative objects, I didn’t really get into the Latin conversation. and he continued his work on the community until I started at I think generally women side. My parents’ families struggled AMLA. Growing up, I would be musicians are expected to portray to "make it”in the U.S. My mom's mad that I wasn’t fluent in a certain image.And if you’re not father had heart disease, and he Spanish, and I would be burning doing that on stage, then you’re left his compositions, his dreams, up about how my parents didn’t not considered rock star quality. I for me. I'm very lucky to have really continue that with us also think a lot of times male them in my possession. I feel that because they were divorced. Even musicians have a certain concept my parents are a really great then, when I was claiming,“I’m a of what makes a musician, and inspiration to me; both are very Cuban-American,”which I always they have to be able to spit out successful in their work.They’re did, I still had no idea I would go certain theory as they’re talking. very supportive of my going to to Cuba. It was like some distant, Even though I was classically Cuba, even though they both feel far-off dreamland, never to be trained, and I have knowledge of like they were exiled. touched, never go there.Although theory,I know it in a very intuitive Every time we would visit my I spent a lot of time in Miami, way. I can hear a melody or grandfather, he would ask us to visiting my family,I was not harmony and immediately sing it sing.We would always say,“No, we influenced by the strong opinions back to you.There’s a perception don’t know any songs.”He would there. If I had grown up there, I that I’m not at the same level as a trick us and say,“You don't know would probably not appreciate male musician who’s talking about ‘Jingle Bells?’” So we would sing the culture as much as I do, the theory,who may not be able “Jingle Bells,”or whatever,and because it would have seemed to even hear the harmony. enjoy it. He would close his eyes commonplace. Understanding and skill level can tight, and conduct us with his At school we would say,“Let’s do be expressed in different ways. hands. He was so full of music that a Latin tune.”And it was always in You have the intellectual everything would make him cry— bossa nova or samba feel.6 That was approach, the intuitive approach, he was so emotionally deprived what Latin was—from a jazz the expressive approach.There are from not having it in his life. perspective.I kind of overlooked different types of musicians. So, I My Dad had a bunch of that music until later.Then,AMLA feel that to be respected, it’s records. I would play records, hosted Ban Rra Rra,a Cuban defined in a very constricted, and sing, and do intense, folkloric group.7 There’s been closed way. I’m not like that, so I choreographed shows in the living periods of time in my life where I rebel against it. room. I danced my own style of have these ground-shaking,oh-my- Venissa Santí: salsa, and my Dad would put it on, God,what-the-heck-am-I-doing-in- I was born in Ithaca,NY,in 1978. and we would always have my-life moments,and that was one Both my parents are Cuban.My parties, and professors from of them—when I saw them. I had Mom was from Havana and my Dad Cornell and other Latino friends never seen rumba before.I had was born in Santiago.They came to coming over.And everybody heard of it,but I thought it was the States in ’61,with their families, would speak Spanish, loud.We more like the big band rhumba and when they were 12 and 11 years would go on trips, and go to mambo,and it was all jumbled.But old,shortly after the Revolution.My friends’ houses, and the kids when I saw them they were grandfathers were artists.Jacobo would all be playing together, dancing guaguancó and they were Ros Capablanca,my Mom’s father, from Chile or Argentina or Cuba, dancing the whole vacunao and I was a composer,nephew of the mostly.In Ithaca there was a got the sexual meaning right away.8 Cuban chess champion José Raúl Puerto Rican couple we were And I was noticing how uninhibited Capablanca.He was a sensitive,kind friends with, and they would and physical they were,and how of vulnerable man.When he came always have parties and dancing. human they were.That music,the he didn't try to get work as an My Mom always cooked the food. culture,and the people really blew accountant,his profession in Cuba. But my parents got divorced when me away.They were beautiful.When He didn't speak English;he found I was nine, so it kind of broke up I went,that’s what I really wanted to work at a movie theater,among the whole environment. My study.Mostly I did folkloric music on several other jobs,and my uncle, brother and I lived my Mom.We my first two trips. who was 17 at the time,worked, would visit my Dad, and we still I’ve been going to Cuba every also. did all that social stuff, parties, year for three years. I’m investing visiting. I spent my childhood and My Dad's Dad was a sculptor ➝ [Continued on page 43 ] 37 nana /continued from p. 11

and they really opened arms to to go with his group. I went as the up and go and greet her. me, especially when he found out lead singer, and a lead female I didn’t want the woman to I could sing, and we would sing! dancer. touch me. Because she exuded So, they scheduled me for a It was 1974.When we went to this kind of energy.I couldn’t look reading, and I got a reading— I Larteh, that was it.That was it.That at her, I wouldn’t look at her: I had wasn’t Shango. Is she this orisha? was the powerful person that to greet her, and I wouldn’t look at Is it that orisha? No.Yemayá. He came out in my reading. Larteh is her.We went and sat down, and I said,“Ahhh!”Because he too was about 35 miles from the capital, was sitting there, and still today,I Yemayá. But I was so happy Accra. It’s up the mountain. It’s an can’t remember whether I dreamt because I didn’t like those cigars, I old town, but it was developed. this, I read this, or somebody told really didn’t. But it went with the There’s literally a church for me that I would meet a very act. So I was happy that I wasn’t almost every Christian powerful person, and it was a Shango. denomination you could think of: woman. So, this person, I knew it But by then I had an altar to Holiness, Presbyterian,Anglican, was her.This was not the reading Oshun in my house, an altar to Catholic, plus there’s one of the that I had from Pancho, but I Shango, I was buying the double oldest sanctuaries of spiritual and knew this was the woman, but I axe, everything.That’s all I played, psychic healing on the continent can’t remember whether I read Spanish music, orishas’ music, there at the top of the mountain. that as a child or what. But, in any everything, because it just had the When we arrived in Accra, we all event, that time she wanted us to feeling, and there were drums all got off the plane in African perform, but we didn’t have our the time, and I could play drums, clothing.We were home, we were costumes and instruments.We just and I had my own set of drums psyched up! All these kids—we went on a visit, we didn’t know now,and it was like,“I’ve arrived.” were psyched up to the hilt! I that we would be expected to Then I got my guerreros and my was 22 or 23 years old. dance. So she called her priests elekes, and in fact had started Arrangements had been made and drummers, and they drummed saving money because they said, for us to stay at the girls’ school, and danced for us. Later Arthur “You need to make ocha to and there was a big air- asked for a rain check so that we Yemayá.”And so I met some of the conditioned bus there to take us could come back and perform old santeros to Yemayá, little short to the school. So, it was like a there. So, at that time she took us ladies from Cuba, and I mean, oh welcoming. One of the important into her divining room and made my,we used to go there, and they places to visit was the Ghana prayers for us. She told each would start singing. I would be Psychic and Traditional Healing person what family their soul trembling, it was so beautiful! Institute at Larteh.What’s belonged to.That’s when I I had always wanted to go to customary there is that they received the name “Korantema,” Africa. I had a little bit of savings. I would send a messenger ahead to “Crown of the Ancestors”and had to go to Africa, there was no inform people that we were heard that I came from a family of way I could pass it up.And so, my coming. So they had contacted the healers, and that I had a mission padrino divined for me, and said, high priest to let her know that that she would tell me more about “OK, when you go to Africa, you’re we were coming,When we at another time. Because that going to meet a very powerful reached Larteh and started to go information had to be given priest there, and they will initiate in the house, someone shouted, privately.I didn’t care what it you. But if you make priesthood “Ago, Nana reboo!”which means was— I wanted to get out of there, we will not recognize it, “Listen up, Nana is coming.” So I there, get back on the bus and go because it’s not our order. But see this black umbrella twirling, home! Ooh! It was the scariest you’re going to meet this very you know,before I see her.And thing. powerful person, and you’re going when I saw the woman, Nana So we went back, maybe a to be very much a part of that, but Oparebea, that was it. My body week or so later, with our drums it’s very far.”So, he really gave me went into gyrations and I didn’t and instruments.We had this information, but he was also trying know what was going on.Then performance, and she had to get me not to go, in a way, someone asked me,“What is organized all of these chiefs, and because they wanted to train me wrong with you?”And I said,“I everybody was there.We did as the person who sings in the don’t know!”But I was weak! So African dances all the way up to bembes.They wanted to train me they said,“It’s all right, it’s all right, modern dance. I had a solo in the to be one of those singers. calm down, calm down.”So we get Haitian dance. So I had on my Because if I would start singing in in the house, and there was an scarf, I had on my bandana, I had a place, somebody would get area for us to sit down.We sat scarves in my hand, and I had on a possessed. But there was no way down, they gave us water, big skirt.When my solo started, I stopping me from going to Africa performed the customs, and asked stepped out and did these turns— that time. It wasn’t Arthur’s first our mission.Then we all had to get that was it. I went into possession. opportunity to go, but he wanted They say I was speaking Twi, the 38 language that people speak in help people spiritually,and to help was from Philadelphia,“PA.”So that Larteh, and that it was one of their with the suffering in my helped.And the word really went deities. Meanwhile, the company community.I was told that the around. I had people come to me finished the concert; there was obosom wouldn’t leave me. I had at Larteh and say,“You know what? one dance after that. I don’t know the option of studying at Larteh to I heard about you, and I had to anything about that.When I did learn the ways of the obosom or I meet you.”So, I mean, the drums come to myself, the woman is could pay a fee to have the old changed my life totally. sitting on her stool like this. I’m on lady appease the entity,but there What I learned from that my knees with my head in her lap. was no guarantee that it wouldn’t pantheon and order of spirituality So, I’m looking at her, and she come back. She said,“It’s not going is that the drum is the core of the doesn’t speak English, and she’s to leave you, but we can appease it spirit realm for healing—to this asking her secretary,who’s to allow you to do whatever you house. Everything comes from the standing there, to ask me did I see think you want to do.”So, I said, drum. My mother hollered and it.“Did I see what?” And I just “OK, well, give me a chance to screamed, but she couldn’t stop wanted to get away from the think about it.”Then there was a me. Even though there were times woman because her energy was priest in training who had been a when I would drum at Ile Ife in too intense for me; I started schoolteacher before the obosom the studio, and I would have men shaking. But I couldn’t. My legs caught her. She actually was an come in and roll their eyes and wouldn’t hold me. I went to get interpreter for me.When the old stand in front of me, and grit on up, and they said,“No, no, no, no, lady left the room, she said,“You me, nobody ever really tried to take it easy.” So, I said,“Look, I just know what? That lady doesn’t stop me.The drummers who have to get away from this offer to train novices anymore, so played always encouraged me.The woman.”They led me in the room if she’s going to train you, you drummers who could play,they with the rest of the dance better accept the opportunity.”At said,“Go ahead and play! Great! company.When they finished the that time I didn’t know that Nana Sounds good to me!”That’s what concert and were packing up, they Oparebea was seventy-something. they were concerned with. So it said,“Oooh! You didn’t tell us you That was 1974, so she was 74. But was fascinating to know that the could do that.”I said,“Come on, I thought she was in her fifties, rhythms that I had learned here as come on, y’all.”They said,“Nana, something like that. I had no idea part of the dance company,that you were speaking their language, she was that old because of how you find in Cuba, that you find in you sounded just like them.”I said, she moved and how she looked. Brazil, are the same, and it “No, no, no, no.” They said,“Well, Maggie, the priest in training, said transcends. Like the 6/8, it the lady was talking to you, and to me,“If you know what I know, transcends these geographical you were talking to her.”And so, you better jump at this.” boundaries, and it’s like the same after that, we had lunch, and then The dance company had an personage.And I think that, she instructed one of her priests itinerary,and we literally moving into this realm of healing, to tell me to come back, and she performed all over the country.My it’s really important to have that would give me some other allegiance was to the company, understanding or experience, that information. and making sure that I was there. I there is a core, there is a root.To After we left there, every time I think we had a weekend off, and be able to allow others to have a would get close to drums, the that weekend is when I went back connection with that sort of entity would come back again. If I to Nana Oparebea at Larteh. I activated healing process. I’m heard “Da boom boom boom!”— decided that I would study with grateful.What I learned in Ghana forget it. Forget it. So Arthur and her. I didn’t have any money to about women drummers was them, they were so sick of me. I appease anything—and I didn’t quite to the contrary of what I was couldn’t get myself together.They know what was going to happen. told before I went. People in were putting Florida water on me So, there, women didn’t Ghana said,“No, you’ll find women and everything, trying to get me generally play the drums, but there drummers.You won’t find a lot of together. Because I still had to sing wasn’t a taboo. I mean, it wasn’t women drummers, but when you a leading part. that they couldn’t.While I was find a women drummer, she’s So, I decided then that I should there, when the drummers saw good, and they have a very go back to talk to the old woman, that I wanted to play,they would significant purpose in this whole Nana Oparebea, because I had to say,“Oh, play this.”“Oh, great, play spiral of spiritual energy.So, don’t come home and face my mother, this.”They liked it.And, in fact, worry about it. If you’re there at who was going to say,“Now what whenever there was a festival or the drum, you’re supposed to be are you into?”It was then that I visitors, the old lady would call me there, and when you’re called to learned that I had a calling, and and say,“Go on and play for us.” I be there, you’re supposed to be that this obosom had called me, played, and they liked the idea that there.”It’s a blessing and an honor. that I was from a line of healers, I could play.And in the Twi and I was to use what I knew to language,“pa”means “very good.”I 39 nanikha /continued from p. 15

without it. available. If there is an emergency: where NANIKHA’s history begins To me, it has been important handle it. NANIKHA keeps me with me. Music has always been for NANIKHA to come together balanced and sane. important to me. It was something from different religious In NANIKHA, we all have the no-one could take away from me. backgrounds and sing our godlike same message we want to bring. I believe that women should songs. It doesn’t matter what We want our music to touch have something of their own that name we call our creator.We people, to have a healing effect, they don’t allow anyone to take. I know the creator brought us and to connect people to used to sing while doing my together, and that there may be something positive. I want people clients’ hair and they would say, differences in our religious beliefs to say,“That song really helped “You should sing! You should sing! but we connect spiritually.I think me.”(And we have been told that.) You should sing!”That’s what I that is the glue that always held us Because we have chosen to be decided to do professionally.I together as NANIKHA.We always true to the arts and not become have always sung. Music has pray before every performance-we commercial, our rewards have not always been a part of my life. just happen to use different always been monetary.Learning The high points of singing with names.That’s very important, and about traditional African music is NANIKHA have to do with it should be stressed, especially important to us.We do our best to camaraderie.The fact of us now.People can be of different be correct in terms of our working through things and just religious beliefs and still have a presentation and pronunciation. being sisters together is a real joy.I deep and unified spiritual Our philosophical position is that have a lot of respect and connection with one another. we care about the universe, admiration for my fellow sisters. Taliah Munir-Diouf: I came into people, and Africa.We deal with I’m just extremely grateful. I just NANIKHA by association. I was things from a holistic approach. think it is a wonderful thing. singing with Al-Jaamium, an a We stand for truth, love, and NANIKHA is wonderful! cappella ensemble, and peace. performing at a lot of the same In my travels around NANIKHA can be reached at places as NANIKHA, and we just Philadelphia, people ask if PO Box 28879, Philadelphia, PA became friends.We admired each NANIKHA is still together.We 19151. 215.474.8251, others’ sound and we did a couple haven’t performed very much in [email protected], songs together. One of the the last few years.There was a or [email protected] members of NANIKHA was time when we received a lot of leaving and she asked that I take press and we were very busy. Acknowledgements her place.There the story begins. Nevertheless, we have been a solid We give all praise to the creator of Since then, it has been a mainstay in the community, heaven and earth.We would like wonderful collaboration of helping to promote people’s to give a special asante aana sisterhood. programs and efforts, and doing (thank you very much) to the NANIKHA has been, and is, a fundraisers and benefits. People following: Khandi, Omomola fulfilling learning experience that need to know that we are still Iyabunmi,Alfie Pollitt, Kofi Asante, has helped me learn about myself together, continuing our vocal Lois Fernandez, Baba Robert as a woman. I’m the youngest in training, working with master Crowder, Owen (Fiidla) Brown, Jr., the group! NANIKHA has taught artists, and continuing to grow. Nana Korantemaa Ayeboafo, me to be an individual and have a NANIKHA is looking to do some Philadelphia Folklore Project, point of view; however, I’ve had to great things. Music has taught us: African American Entertainment learn to put aside personal Go for it.This is not a dress Network (AAEN) and the late Jerry perspective for the greater good. rehearsal! Reed and Ricardo (Jalong) Martin. NANIKHA is about what is best for Nadirah Barba: My relationship the group, not the individual. with Nia started in 1982 at the As far back as I can remember, Center of Work and Knowledge. I I’ve always performed—whether was a former background singer it was my family’s Saturday night for Billy Paul. My musical talent shows or dancing in a background consists of studies at recital. My singing career got Settlement Music School and started when I wrote a song for Al- Community College, where I Jaamium. I was told to come to received an Associate Degree in rehearsal. Immediately,I was asked Music. I met Nia and she said, to join the group. It will be 24 “Allah gave you a gift and you years, off and on, with Al-Jaamium. should use it.”She asked me to Singing with NANIKHA is the one teach her some of the scales and thing I do for me. My family knows the vocal exercises I was learning that Friday night, I am not in school and I agreed. So that’s 40 Walking on solid ground /continued from p. 27 was very old and very famous, also to see him, so they cleared him and part of Beijing Opera tradition, but had a teacher.Whenever my father we were sent to Tibet for nineteen they were written then, in the went out to perform, when he months. 1960s.The Eight Model Plays were came back, he always brought a Wu Lan Fu, a vice-chair of the repeated over and over again for present and went to visit his sifu. Communist Party,Inner Mongolia, over ten years. Everybody still Whenever they took pictures, he really liked my father’s knows how to sing those plays. always put his sifu in the center of performances and he ordered us all Even little kids. Everywhere you the picture.What he did also set an to come from Tibet to Inner went, here, there, at home, in the example for me. I do the same Mongolia in 1963. My whole movies-everywhere they were thing to the senior performers and family—the whole clan , the whole playing the same thing.Actually, teachers. I respect them. opera troupe of over 80 people— there are lots of good things about After lunch, I remember we we all went, including musicians, the plays.This kind of opera is a started to learn acting, how to sing performers, costume makers, and type of reform opera.Artistically, and the stories behind the plays. make-up artists.We stayed in Inner they combine Chinese and Western We also had time set aside to work Mongolia for sixteen or seventeen music and musically,they are very on learning how to use the staffs. years.We weren’t allowed to return good.The government had a At night, we would follow the to Beijing.We were told that Inner special group of people to write whole troupe to the performances. Mongolia needed us.After 1978 this kind of music. But normally, Sometimes, if my father needed a and the end of the Cultural they are all credited to Jiang Qing, girl in a role, I would do that role. Revolution we were finally allowed Mao Tse Tung’s wife. Even up until We were trained to go out on the to leave. But more than half of our now,they are still very valuable. stage so we wouldn’t be nervous. troupe is still in Inner Mongolia. My My husband is an opera We came back to eat a little and uncle and my older brother all performer, from Nanjing. He came then went back to sleep after stayed there, and they passed away to Inner Mongolia and we got eleven o’clock. there. married when I was 28, but then Usually there were five years of Life was not as good in Inner he returned to Nanjing and we training.And as you performed, you Mongolia as it was in Beijing, but it were separated for two years. In were also training. Myself, I didn’t was still okay.There wasn’t much 1978, I went to Nanjing joined the stop training until I retired. flour or rice.The food wasn’t really Nanjing Beijing Opera Company After I was twelve I stopped what we were used to. If my family until I retired. My husband was also going to regular school and just had been in Beijing during the part of this company. trained in opera. I had a teacher Cultural Revolution, it would have I came here on a tourist visa to who taught reading and writing for been worse.We would have been visit my sister. I went to a party and about an hour each day.I had that in serious trouble. During the I sang some opera. I didn’t know class until I was sixteen.A teacher Cultural Revolution, we were people here would still like opera in the company usually taught considered counter-revolutionary so much! After they heard theater theory a few times a week. forces, capable of strong influence me singing, they wanted to learn. But it had nothing to do with because of our artistic skill and So slowly,gradually,the regular academic school. I didn’t background. . .During the Cultural Philadelphia Chinese Opera study math or science. I studied Revolution, our traditional Society (PCOS) started to develop. literature related to the operas. costumes were all confiscated. More and more people started to Once I joined the opera When we knew they were going to get involved. company when I was twelve. I take the costumes anyway,we cut a I never thought I could have an became a professional. I was lot of them up and just used them opera troupe in the United States. I performing on stage after that. In for different things, to wrap things, feel so pleased. In the beginning, 1962, I was fifteen and we went to and things like that. people here could only sing the Tibet.The opera troupes in Beijing We lived in the provincial Eight Model Operas. Because of were asked to support the remote capital in Inner Mongolia, but we their age, they didn’t know border areas because there were always were sent out to remote anything else.After they became no Beijing Opera troupes there. At areas, grasslands, to perform.These members of PCOS, they slowly that time, the Dalai Lama had just shows were a form of support for began to learn the traditional roles. left Tibet.Whoever was sent to the local rural people and for the The main two professional Beijing Tibet had to be politically checked soldiers at the border. I play female Opera performers in the troupe are out and have a clear background. heroines. My specialty is the role of myself and Teacher Zhenguo Liu, a My father was considered a White Snake, and Mu Gui Yin, a jinghu master from Beijing. Some counter-revolutionary because he heroine. My mother also performed new young people who were also was a Beijing Opera artist. But similar kinds of roles. But in Inner professional opera artists in China because my father was such a high Mongolia during the Cultural have also arrived and are working level performer, many high-ranking Revolution, we only performed the with us, including my nephew,Li people in the government wanted Eight Model Plays.These are also Continued on following page ➝ 41 Omomola /continued from p. 17

We’ve been without it. A lot of seeds out with a hanger and a feels like, getting that feeling of things I want to get back and then knife. Then I use sandpaper to getting it back and reintroducing share with the community. It’s smooth the mouth of the gourd it. It is important to me to reintro- also important to expose our cul- and the inside. Then it’s ready. You duce the African American com- ture to other ethnic groups who can put some oil—palm oil—on munity to the richness from which appreciate African culture. the outside. Let it sit for a couple we came. Music is tied to our cul- I got my first sekere in New of days, then you can start string- ture and is used to celebrate dif- York. I wanted to make another ing it. Some people put ferent events in the community. one, but I didn’t know how to polyurethane or shellac on the Women played powerful roles in string it. A friend of mine knitted, outside, but I found it makes the African societies. Because we were so I took the sekere to her and she gourd slippery and shellac cracks bought over here enslaved, a lot helped me figure out how the from the beads hitting it. The of tradition was lost, music espe- stringing and beading should go. I gourd itself has its own spirit; cially. The men here just wanted get the gourds from California. everything has its own spirit. It women to dance. The men told us They’re already dried out. wants to do its own thing but you that women did not play drums. California gourds are fabulous. want to be in control. I’ve taught Well, some believed it, and there They have lovely tones, good the women in the group how to were some whose spirit just didn’t shapes, and they’re strong. Each make their own. go for that. gourd has a melody that comes I am an African woman born in out of itself. If you have four or America, a product of slavery. My From interviews recorded and five gourds, each one has a note, culture was stripped and forbid- edited by Elizabeth Sayre a tone. den. We were denied our culture. and Cathy Harris After I receive the gourd, I To get it back is great. It’s hard to scrub the skin with Brillo and cut express—when something has the top off. I clean the meat and been taken from you, just what it

Walking on solid ground /continued from p. 41

Xin. didn’t continue. Not only was the people like this kind of short-cut I really hope I can organize a training of performers culture is because they don’t need strong, professional program of a discontinued. Even the audience to “eat bitterness.”They can see very traditional Chinese opera was discontinued during this results in a very short time. But with all the elements: singing, period. Now,it’s difficult to Beijing Opera requires a long recitation, acting and fighting. I reconnect the tradition. Chinese period of time.You can only have want to do a good program with a Opera also has been diffused by achievements a very little bit at a good story.I really hope that we modern culture. I don’t know if time.There is a saying in Chinese can make Beijing opera accepted the younger generations will still Opera,“Three minutes on the by the American public.That’s my accept Chinese opera. So it’s stage requires three years of hard real hope. I want to let Americans difficult to say what the future work off stage.” know about the real Chinese developments will be. But this I have never regretted learning opera culture and tradition. But tradition must continue—it must opera. Many times, when I feel the main problem is financial. be preserved. I do believe that upset or unhappy,I go and Now,I work in a dental lab five Beijing Opera will exist forever. I practice singing, and then I feel days a week.Whenever I need to don’t know what the development happy again. I am in my 50s, but perform, I have to take a leave will look like. I don’t know if my health is still good because of without pay.In China, when I opera will ever be as popular as it the training I had when I was performed, I got paid enough to was in the old days. It is difficult young.The smallest return, live on. But here, if I don’t do my for young people here in this ignoring everything else, is having job, I won’t make money and I country to learn opera.You need good health. won’t be able to perform. I want to cultivate it. Even now in China, to stay here to make some they try and teach young children Interviewed and recorded by contribution. in school. Debbie Wei, translated by Ming The question about the future Modern American culture for Chau of Beijing Opera is something young people is a short cut that’s been discussed for a long culture. If you want to be a good time.After the Cultural Revolution, opera performer, there’s no way there was a gap—a missing period you can take a short cut.There are of time.There was a broken too many things you have to learn generation where the tradition in opera.The reason why young 42 Latinas /continued from p. 37 in studying in Cuba. I feel an and traditional instruments. Many of many jazz players know bossa and urgency to go now because I think these musicians were killed or exiled samba as “Latin beats,”largely due to it’ll probably really change if following the U.S.-backed military the mutual contact and influence something happens there. It’s coup in Chile in 1973. among Brazilian musicians and already really changed. Every time American jazz players in the 1960s. I go, it’s more commercial. I am 3 Cuban and Puerto Rican music are focusing on recording projects, in a sense the baseline popular Latin 7 The group Ban Rra Rra specializes working on some arrangements; music styles in the Northeast U.S.In in folkloric music from Oriente one of them is the long-awaited coming years, they may be ousted by province in eastern Cuba, where homage to my grandfather. I used Dominican and Mexican music, there is a good deal of to want to be a big star… it’s a however. Haitian/French influence due to really silly thing to focus on, migration immediately following the because there’s a special process, 4 Andean traditional music, from Haitian Revolution in 1804. which you have to go through in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and other solitude, to make music and to be areas along the mountain chain, is 8 The vacunao is a movement in an artist. usually a fusion of indigenous music guaguancó, which is an Afro-Cuban (frequently, flutes and drums) with street dance danced by a man and a Spanish-derived stringed woman, that depicts courtship, or Notes instruments. Andean music is well- “the rooster and the hen,”as many known among world music people say.The literal meaning is 1 Victor Vasquez’s archival research enthusiasts (partly due to its “vaccination” and the movement is a shows that Philadelphia had a appropriation by nueva canción quick jab with the pelvis, the hand, significant Puerto Rican population artists), while Afro-Peruvian music is or the foot made by the male dancer. and economic connections with gaining international attention since The woman, in response, has to Puerto Rico dating back to the 19th the 1990s (partly due to the racial cover up or deflect the vacunao in and even the late 18th centuries politics mentioned by Julia). order stay in the dance. “Rhumba” is (Ph.D. diss., Temple University, 2002). an Americanized ballroom dance, At the turn of the 20th century, 5 The cajón is a wooden box with a largely unrelated to Cuban rumba. “Spanish” populations in sound hole that is used as a hand Philadelphia were mainly Puerto drum in Afro-Peruvian music. Rican, Cuban, Mexican, and Spanish. Cajones are also used in Afro-Cuban The picture has become much larger folkloric music, but the style of the and more complicated since the box is different. Many people are 1980s, with many recent arrivals unaware that the cajón in Spanish from the Dominican Republic, flamenco music actually originated Colombia, and Central America. in Peru, something many Peruvians are fiercely proud of—an example of 2 One very important Latin the former colony having influence American appropriation of folk on the former imperial center. styles was the nueva canción movement of the 1950s through the 6 Bossa nova and samba are 1970s, when progressive/socialist Brazilian genres that are quite musicians in Chile (and other distinct from Cuban and Puerto countries) composed songs using folk Rican-derived dance music, and yet

women’s music project / continued from p. 5Sites of struggle /continued from p. 5 and other endeavors, have of Philadelphia’s musical scene; modeled ways-of-being that and as members of this huge inspire and enlighten in these inter-related world. complex and difficult times. Another audience member at Though they are of diverse the March 30th concert left this backgrounds and practice music message for us:“What happened of very different traditions, their at the concert is the peace and individual lives overlap and the kind of wonderful new intertwine as members of a world I strive for in my daily broader community of creative, life.”May real peace prevail. determined women; as members 43 supporters supporters new pfp video: Look forward and carry on the past: stories from philadelphia’s chinatown

e’re pleased W to announce “Look forward and carry on the past: stories from Chinatown,” our new half- hour documentary about Philadelphia’s Chinatown, illustrating the strength and complexity of this neighbor- hood. Touching on community efforts to stop a stadium from being built in the neighborhood (one of many fights over land grabs and “development”), and on other occa- sions when the community comes together (including Mid- Autumn Festival and New Year), the documentary attends to the everyday interactions, relationships, and labor—so often overlooked—that build and defend endangered com- munities. Directed by Debbie Wei, Barry Dornfeld, and Debora Kodish

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