International Slavery Remembrance Day 23rd August 2020

August 17, 2020 oshunschild Collaborations, Performance, Singing and Spirituality 0

Rehearsing Olokun

Lockdown has been an interesting experience, for a choir director, it has thrown many balls in my court, challenging me on how to manage the remote singing experience. I was really quite surprised to receive requests and commissions during this time, and one of the commissions we received was to host the International Slavery Remembrance Day organised annually by the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.

My aim on accepting this commission was to focus on our song tradition in terms of resistance and connection in a deeply spiritual way. The Choir of course is a cultural expression of a living religion but we cannot forget, especially in these times, where the songs come from and why and how they survived. This coming weekend 21- 23rd we are happy to host this event. We hope that our songs for Egun will honour all that lost their lives as a direct result of the  horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, and resonate as they are broadcast over the river during the Emancipation Ceremony on the 23rd August 2020, led by Choir member Natalie Cooper.

Scroll to find Natalie reciting a beautiful prayer to Ancestors:

https://www.rmg.co.uk/see-do/exhibitions-events/london-lucumi-choir

Intro to the event.

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Be there on the day and take part in all events.

We invite you to get involved with us, on Friday as I teach a few sequences that we will be performing in a pre recorded concert for all of you to enjoy on the Sunday.  Here is all the information:

Workshop 21st August 2020 5.30 pm

Our pre recorded concert is launched at 3pm on Sunday 21st August 2020. Due to Covid 19 we had restrictions on Choir numbers and for safety reasons, the concert was pre-recorded and can be seen online in addition to onsite at Greenwich.

Background:

African Spirituality as Resistance and Revolution

Events leading up to the 23 August 1791 also included ceremonies and divination.

Vodun is documented as a significant context within which the revolution was enabled, despite the fact that the religion was completely prohibited.

Similarly in Cuba, Lucumi has been significant in terms of rebellion and autonomy.

Lucumi grew within the Cabildos, which were organised by the European Authorities. These Cabildos were organised according to ethnic background.

Cabildos allowed for the practise, organisation and survival of African traditions and it is clear that African Divination systems were used to plan strategies for rebellion.

Cabildo leaders such as Hermengildo Jáurequi (leader of Cabildo Lucumí) and Juan Nepomuceno Prieto (Captain of Cabildo Lucumí Oyó) were highly involved in planning and implementing insurrections in 1835. It has to be understood that divination and Spiritual expressions were very much part of everyday life.

Music 

The songs that we sing, are so much more than beautiful praise songs. They express a legacy and power. These songs belong to a living tradition that has been kept alive despite the Slave Trade, trauma, repression, and anti-religious philosophies such as Marxism in Cuba which effectively outlawed religious practices until the 1990s.

We are very proud to be presenting this important day this year.

Online Concert.   Songs of Fire and Water, featuring Choir members Aimee Spanswick, Liz Lassiter, Mish Aminoff, Sonia Kounasso, Jimena Pardo, Dan Greifer, Jennifer Parnasse and Bill Bland on percussion. Daniela De Armas singing lead and directing.

About oshunschild 24 Articles
I am a London based Iyalosha, ( Priest in the Lucumi tradition) crowned with Ochun; who is passionate about the arts I Grew up in London, mixed background, third generation musician. I went to study music in Cuba in 1986, since then I have done many things. I was one of the first Salsa Dance Teachers in London in 1989, before it became the sport of a million suburban housewives; formed Orchestra Salsa Y Ache in late 80's, toured and did many gigs for seven years; then formed Salsasonica which recorded with Buena Vista's Guajiro Mirabal. I have taught Cuban Music to children. I have also organised five musical trips to Cuba. I Have written about Latin Music, and I am passionate about singing and encouraging everyone to sing. I formally ran "singing for the terrified" at the Mary Ward Centre, in addition to a world music choir. I formed the London Lucumi Choir in 2006 which has performed all over the UK, in major theatres such as the Barbican, the Southbank and Union Chapel, Rich Mix, The British Museum and the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. In addition, we have performed at festivals such as La Linea and Bestival. We have performed on Radio and Television and have consistently been nominated in the Lukas awards, where we were second in our category in 2018 ( for contribution to Latin Music and Arts). I Have been a practitioner of Santeria, also known as Lucumi since 1986. Between the years 1991 and 2005 I received My Elekes, Warriors and Olokun. In 2005 I received my Ikofafun ( Ifa) and on February 9 2006 I became initiated as a Priestess of Ochun in Luyano, Havana. My Branch of the religion is La Pimienta. I was born from Obatala and Yemaya. My Iyatobi Oshainle passed this year and Omi Laibo is my Ojubona. I received Pinardo with Baba Funke and Omi Saide in Havana in July 2018. I run an active Ile (religious house/Orisha temple) In addition to running the Choir and guiding Godchildren in the Lucumi faith. I am also a diviner of the Dilogun. I enjoy spending time with my family. I have a passion for art and nature, good music, genealogy and travel. I enjoy writing, beading and embroidery, when I have the time! PS I also have adhd which predicts that I will decorate the entire house with different colours every few years!