| BRIDGING A GAP Building a Bond Between Africa and the African Diaspora |
About ten years ago, they had a vision to build a cultural arts center in Liberia and have seen that vision into fruition. Now they are
looking forward to building temporary homes at the culture center for guests, particularly of African descent, with the purpose of
experiencing Africa…experiencing their roots.
Aya, a pleasant woman with a strong and vast knowledge of African culture, started her career as a professional dancer in 2003,
working with the African-American Dance Ensemble, where she met the Shabu family. Later, she accepted their offer for an artist
position in Ejembe Fire!, then moved into an administrative position as Managing Director of their company, The Magic of African
Rhythms. The Magic of African Rhythms tours various schools, community centers, churches and festivals, performing African
dance, drums and song. Their first mission is to improve the perception of Africa and its arts through the quality of the
performances. The second mission is to revitalize the negative self images corroding through the minds of at-risk youth and students
in alternative schools. Aya states that, “Alternative students are not conventional learners” and must learn how to appreciate their
worth through a different means of teaching.
Ways to improve the perception of Africa and their self image is by really exposing Africa, teaching students how their ancestors
created melodic sounds through creative and impressive instruments. In addition to drums, for which Africans are known for, Aya
points out that there are, “koras, which is the ancestor to the harp and the balans, which is the ancestor to the piano and the
maimba.” She further explains that “both melodic instruments are also griot instruments.” Griot instruments, I later learned, are used
as part of the art of storytelling.
The introduction of the instruments, the dance performances and the exposure to African culture to students allows them to build
their bridge, their connection, with Africa. This bridge helps them develop strong, positive images of where they come from and who
they are. The measurement of the company success, as Aya points, out, “is shown by the tons of thank you cards we receive about
what [students and teachers] learned and what they appreciate from the performances.” She concludes that, “(and we are glad) that
we were able to expose (students and teachers) to something (different).”
The idea of the bridge then brought us to discuss the second annual fund-raising event, “Taking it to the Bridge! II Tribute and
Silent Auction”, sponsored by Shabutaso, which literally translates to the ‘house of Shabu’, which is the 501c3, non-profit
organization of The Magic of African Rhythms. The non-profit’s purpose is to fulfill the second part of the Shabu family vision of
building guest houses at the cultural arts center in Gbanka, Liberia for a 10-14 day experience. Through community support, they
plan to raise $30,000, the cost of each home.
The event will be held at the Healing with CAARE, located at 214 Broadway , downtown Durham on April 18, 2010; 3-7pm.
Hosted by Dasan Ahanu, a poet and member of the Bull City Slam Team, this event is sure to entice the appetite with delectable
African staple, move to the rhythm with performances from The Healing Form and Elikem (African dance and drum companies) and
present lasting experiences with work from artists.
This event promises to be joyous and enlightening! Last year, audiences walked across the 20 foot long bridge as soon as they
entered the building. Artists and performances from African and those of African Diaspora decorated the bridge with themes that
reminded audiences of the journey of African ancestors. On the other side of the bridge, audiences walked into the beauty of Africa!
This event, “Taking It To The Bridge!,” was taken from the Shabu book, Kpawo (pronounced ‘pow’, which means ‘the bridge’),
The Bridge: Finding Your Ancestral Connection in Africa” Kpawo is an inspirational book about going home and strengthening a
bond with African roots. The book encourages travels from African to America, thus creating a bridge, a bond, between the two
worlds. The bridge is also symbolic of sharing culturally continentally and giving tribute to building more bridges.
The book is also a workbook that encourages readers to slow down, so that they can become in rhythm with the African
community. It explains that staying in the country part of Liberia, versus the city, is one of the keys to the culture life center… and
unlike the city, which has become more commercialized, the country is more indicative of the way African ancestors lived (slowing
life down and relishing in the positive of quietness).
The nominees for this year’s event are people who have found their bridge and are helping others to find their bridge. They are
Thomasi McDonald, a beat reporter for The News and Observer; Dr. Lawrence Clark, a NCSU professor who has a cultural retreat
center in Virginia; Noni Davis, owner of St. Cyr Academy in Durham; Jomo Goodson, a long standing community leader committed
to African liberation and Bruce Bridges, owner of The Know Bookstore in Durham and author of Recapturing the African Mind.
Shabutaso offered a few free events to get audiences in the mood for the African experience with performances by Balankora (the
combination of the words balan and kora, words discovered earlier in this article) at The Know Bookstore (March 12th) and The
Nightlight in Chapel Hill (March 17th). Both performances were held in the evening. There are more performances scheduled.
A silent auction will allow bidders to purchase items, such as a week stay in the luxurious lodging at the Legacy Villa in Barbados!
The winner can take up to seven people on this trip.
Aya concludes that “every journey is different based upon their connection with Africa...some might be missing that connection,
for others there may be a connection.” History has proven that the experience of the slave trade allowed African descendents to
disperse to various places in the world, but the existence of the bridge confirms a longing for the beauty of Africa that brings people
together.
For me, this interview has educated and excited me about Africa, my bridge to my ancestral roots. By the time this interview was
over, I learned about the various African instruments, the need for my bridge, while encouraging others to find their bridge and
learning about various African performers. But most importantly, I had connected with my African roots and was proud to call
myself an African American and a product of the African Diaspora.
For more information, go to the website: www.kpawo.com.
April Mial is a writer, producer, director and president of Lilac Films (www.lilacfilms.com). She is the author of “Out on a Limb… and Still Standing”, an
inspirational book about her journey of becoming a respected filmmaker. This book can be purchased at Amazon.com or BarnesNoble.com. She can also be
emailed at amial@lilacfilms.com.
PREVIOUS NEXT
looking forward to building temporary homes at the culture center for guests, particularly of African descent, with the purpose of
experiencing Africa…experiencing their roots.
Aya, a pleasant woman with a strong and vast knowledge of African culture, started her career as a professional dancer in 2003,
working with the African-American Dance Ensemble, where she met the Shabu family. Later, she accepted their offer for an artist
position in Ejembe Fire!, then moved into an administrative position as Managing Director of their company, The Magic of African
Rhythms. The Magic of African Rhythms tours various schools, community centers, churches and festivals, performing African
dance, drums and song. Their first mission is to improve the perception of Africa and its arts through the quality of the
performances. The second mission is to revitalize the negative self images corroding through the minds of at-risk youth and students
in alternative schools. Aya states that, “Alternative students are not conventional learners” and must learn how to appreciate their
worth through a different means of teaching.
Ways to improve the perception of Africa and their self image is by really exposing Africa, teaching students how their ancestors
created melodic sounds through creative and impressive instruments. In addition to drums, for which Africans are known for, Aya
points out that there are, “koras, which is the ancestor to the harp and the balans, which is the ancestor to the piano and the
maimba.” She further explains that “both melodic instruments are also griot instruments.” Griot instruments, I later learned, are used
as part of the art of storytelling.
The introduction of the instruments, the dance performances and the exposure to African culture to students allows them to build
their bridge, their connection, with Africa. This bridge helps them develop strong, positive images of where they come from and who
they are. The measurement of the company success, as Aya points, out, “is shown by the tons of thank you cards we receive about
what [students and teachers] learned and what they appreciate from the performances.” She concludes that, “(and we are glad) that
we were able to expose (students and teachers) to something (different).”
The idea of the bridge then brought us to discuss the second annual fund-raising event, “Taking it to the Bridge! II Tribute and
Silent Auction”, sponsored by Shabutaso, which literally translates to the ‘house of Shabu’, which is the 501c3, non-profit
organization of The Magic of African Rhythms. The non-profit’s purpose is to fulfill the second part of the Shabu family vision of
building guest houses at the cultural arts center in Gbanka, Liberia for a 10-14 day experience. Through community support, they
plan to raise $30,000, the cost of each home.
The event will be held at the Healing with CAARE, located at 214 Broadway , downtown Durham on April 18, 2010; 3-7pm.
Hosted by Dasan Ahanu, a poet and member of the Bull City Slam Team, this event is sure to entice the appetite with delectable
African staple, move to the rhythm with performances from The Healing Form and Elikem (African dance and drum companies) and
present lasting experiences with work from artists.
This event promises to be joyous and enlightening! Last year, audiences walked across the 20 foot long bridge as soon as they
entered the building. Artists and performances from African and those of African Diaspora decorated the bridge with themes that
reminded audiences of the journey of African ancestors. On the other side of the bridge, audiences walked into the beauty of Africa!
This event, “Taking It To The Bridge!,” was taken from the Shabu book, Kpawo (pronounced ‘pow’, which means ‘the bridge’),
The Bridge: Finding Your Ancestral Connection in Africa” Kpawo is an inspirational book about going home and strengthening a
bond with African roots. The book encourages travels from African to America, thus creating a bridge, a bond, between the two
worlds. The bridge is also symbolic of sharing culturally continentally and giving tribute to building more bridges.
The book is also a workbook that encourages readers to slow down, so that they can become in rhythm with the African
community. It explains that staying in the country part of Liberia, versus the city, is one of the keys to the culture life center… and
unlike the city, which has become more commercialized, the country is more indicative of the way African ancestors lived (slowing
life down and relishing in the positive of quietness).
The nominees for this year’s event are people who have found their bridge and are helping others to find their bridge. They are
Thomasi McDonald, a beat reporter for The News and Observer; Dr. Lawrence Clark, a NCSU professor who has a cultural retreat
center in Virginia; Noni Davis, owner of St. Cyr Academy in Durham; Jomo Goodson, a long standing community leader committed
to African liberation and Bruce Bridges, owner of The Know Bookstore in Durham and author of Recapturing the African Mind.
Shabutaso offered a few free events to get audiences in the mood for the African experience with performances by Balankora (the
combination of the words balan and kora, words discovered earlier in this article) at The Know Bookstore (March 12th) and The
Nightlight in Chapel Hill (March 17th). Both performances were held in the evening. There are more performances scheduled.
A silent auction will allow bidders to purchase items, such as a week stay in the luxurious lodging at the Legacy Villa in Barbados!
The winner can take up to seven people on this trip.
Aya concludes that “every journey is different based upon their connection with Africa...some might be missing that connection,
for others there may be a connection.” History has proven that the experience of the slave trade allowed African descendents to
disperse to various places in the world, but the existence of the bridge confirms a longing for the beauty of Africa that brings people
together.
For me, this interview has educated and excited me about Africa, my bridge to my ancestral roots. By the time this interview was
over, I learned about the various African instruments, the need for my bridge, while encouraging others to find their bridge and
learning about various African performers. But most importantly, I had connected with my African roots and was proud to call
myself an African American and a product of the African Diaspora.
For more information, go to the website: www.kpawo.com.
April Mial is a writer, producer, director and president of Lilac Films (www.lilacfilms.com). She is the author of “Out on a Limb… and Still Standing”, an
inspirational book about her journey of becoming a respected filmmaker. This book can be purchased at Amazon.com or BarnesNoble.com. She can also be
emailed at amial@lilacfilms.com.
PREVIOUS NEXT
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By April Mial
Contributing Writer
RALEIGH, NC - In my interview with Aya,
the Managing Director of The Magic of
African Rhythms, I discovered my bridge,
after discovering the bridge. The bridge, I
soon learned, was the relationship between
Africa and the African Diaspora, which in my
case, was almost non-existent.
I felt ashamed, as I asked for help in
spelling African names and various cities, to
even the clarification of various cultures in
Africa. But Aya assured me that I was not
alone in my journey, and that was the reason
the Shabu family, an African family, has been
instrumental in bridging the gap between
Africa and African Diaspora.
Contributing Writer
RALEIGH, NC - In my interview with Aya,
the Managing Director of The Magic of
African Rhythms, I discovered my bridge,
after discovering the bridge. The bridge, I
soon learned, was the relationship between
Africa and the African Diaspora, which in my
case, was almost non-existent.
I felt ashamed, as I asked for help in
spelling African names and various cities, to
even the clarification of various cultures in
Africa. But Aya assured me that I was not
alone in my journey, and that was the reason
the Shabu family, an African family, has been
instrumental in bridging the gap between
Africa and African Diaspora.