EVENTS: New York City—Nuyorican Poets Cafe

Nuyorican Poets Cafe Logo

Welcome to the The Nuyorican Poets Cafe,
a cultural icon on New York's Lower East Side since 1973.

The Cafe is the most integrated place on the planet- Allen Ginsberg

The Nuyorican presents groundbreaking works of literature, music, theater, performance art, poetry slam, hip hop, visual art and champions established as well as rising artists from every background imaginable. To find out more about the Cafe, see our individual Program pages, check out our calendar and come on down to the biggest little stage on earth.

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Upcoming@theNuyorican

    Sun, October 31, 2010
    3:00 pm
    Buy Now

     

    The Afro-Cuban religion of Regla de Ocha aka Santeria is the engine that drives this tale taking place in Spanish Harlem during a hot Summer in 1993. Cardiac Nurse Negra Centron has a childhood secret which has stifled her growth and tormented her life. "A Wound In Time" has characters from diverse ethnic, social, cultural, religious, and sexually orientated groups and deals with the social issues that arise in diversity. "A Wound In Time" is political in that sense, and it is high drama in the sense of the Greek Tragedy. A talented cast of 9 will take you on a journey as a childhood secret is unraveled...
    Sun, October 31, 2010
    8:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Bobby Sanabria/New School Afro-Cuban Big Band

     

    Sanabria is a professor of music at the New School, and the students that make up the band are the next generation in the music scene.
    Mon, November 01, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    A Wound in Time

     

    The Afro-Cuban religion of Regla de Ocha aka Santeria is the engine that drives this tale taking place in Spanish Harlem during a hot Summer in 1993.
    Wed, November 03, 2010
    7:30 pm
    Tangana Comedy Wednesdays

     

    Hosted by Edgar Rivera
    Wed, November 03, 2010
    9:30 pm
    ALL THAT! Hip Hop, Poetry & Jazz

     

    An open jam session for hiphop, poetry and jazz. It brings together emcees, poets and musicians from diverse musical and racial backgrounds.
    Thu, November 04, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

     

    Classic blues tribute to legendary singers Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne. 24 songs: Stormy Weather, Sweet Georgia Brown, Taint Nobody’s Business, Good Ole Wagon, No One Man, etc. 70 mins. Post-performance talkback.
    Thu, November 04, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Thursday Night Latin Jazz

     

     

    Fri, November 05, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

     

    Classic blues tribute to legendary singers Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne. 24 songs: Stormy Weather, Sweet Georgia Brown, Taint Nobody’s Business, Good Ole Wagon, No One Man, etc. 70 mins. Post-performance talkback.
    Fri, November 05, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Friday Night Poetry Slam

     

    Hosted By Mahogany Brown
    Sat, November 06, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

     

    Classic blues tribute to legendary singers Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne. 24 songs: Stormy Weather, Sweet Georgia Brown, Taint Nobody’s Business, Good Ole Wagon, No One Man, etc. 70 mins. Post-performance talkback.
    Sat, November 06, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Rome Neal's Banana Puddin

     

    Featuring jazz vocalist Rome Neal and his trioFOLLOWED BY A JAZZ JAM AND OPEN MIC
    Sun, November 07, 2010
    3:00 pm
    Buy Now
    All-day pass for Amiri Baraka Events

     

    See all three events featuring the work of Amiri Baraka for only $20.
    Sun, November 07, 2010
    3:00 pm
    Buy Now
    The Election Machine Warehouse

     

    Amiri Baraka's The Election Machine Warehouse. $10.The Nuyorican Poets Cafe presents the Poetic Heritage Festival, a retrospective series of poetry, theater and music events during the fall and winter of 2010. the Poetic Heritage Festival celebrates the work of distinguished artists including Miguel Algarin, Ishmael Reed, Amiri Baraka, Sandra Maria Esteves, Ntozake Shange, who are closely associated with the creation and history of the cafe. This festival is made possible in part by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts' American Masterpieces Program.
    Sun, November 07, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Meeting Lillie

     

    Amiri Baraka's Meeting Lillie. $10.The Nuyorican Poets Cafe presents the Poetic Heritage Festival, a retrospective series of poetry, theater and music events during the fall and winter of 2010. the Poetic Heritage Festival celebrates the work of distinguished artists including Miguel Algarin, Ishmael Reed, Amiri Baraka, Sandra Maria Esteves, Ntozake Shange, who are closely associated with the creation and history of the cafe. This festival is made possible in part by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts' American Masterpieces Program.
    Sun, November 07, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Amiri & Amina Baraka & Band

     

    Live Music. $10.The Nuyorican Poets Cafe presents the Poetic Heritage Festival, a retrospective series of poetry, theater and music events during the fall and winter of 2010. the Poetic Heritage Festival celebrates the work of distinguished artists including Miguel Algarin, Ishmael Reed, Amiri Baraka, Sandra Maria Esteves, Ntozake Shange, who are closely associated with the creation and history of the cafe. This festival is made possible in part by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts' American Masterpieces Program.
    Mon, November 08, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Ntozake Shange

     

    Ntzoke Shange's new work. $12 online pre-sale$15 regular admission and$10 student tickets available at the door.Part of the Cafe's Poetic Heritage Festvial which is made possible in part by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces Program.
    Tue, November 09, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Moth Story Slam

     

    Theme of the month is "Secrets"
    Wed, November 10, 2010
    9:00 pm

     

    Hosted by Jive Poetic
    Wed, November 10, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now

     

    $12 online pre-sale$15 regular admission and$10 student tickets available at the door.Part of the Cafe's Poetic Heritage Festvial which is made possible in part by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces Program.
    Thu, November 11, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

     

    Classic blues tribute to legendary singers Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne. 24 songs: Stormy Weather, Sweet Georgia Brown, Taint Nobody’s Business, Good Ole Wagon, No One Man, etc. 70 mins. Post-performance talkback.
    Thu, November 11, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Thursday Night Latin Jazz

     

     

    Fri, November 12, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

     

    Classic blues tribute to legendary singers Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne. 24 songs: Stormy Weather, Sweet Georgia Brown, Taint Nobody’s Business, Good Ole Wagon, No One Man, etc. 70 mins. Post-performance talkback.
    Fri, November 12, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Friday Night Poetry Slam

     

    Hosted By Mahogany Brown
    Sat, November 13, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

     

    Classic blues tribute to legendary singers Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne. 24 songs: Stormy Weather, Sweet Georgia Brown, Taint Nobody’s Business, Good Ole Wagon, No One Man, etc. 70 mins. Post-performance talkback.
    Sat, November 13, 2010
    2:00 pm
    Buy Now

     

    Screening of “HER”A Film About Chasing Your DreamsBy Rebekah Frimpong 2-3pm @Nuyorican CaféSpecial Performances byDanie OceanMia RomanAnd Megan Rickman $8 “HER” is apart of the Project HER film program for mentoring young women.Visit www.filmprojecther.weebly.com for more information
    Sat, November 13, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Yerbabuena

     

    Bomba y Piena: Puerto Rican Roots Music
    Sat, November 13, 2010
    8:30 pm
    Buy Now

     

    1st Generation Cuban American Rock n Roll Review. Smiling Gums' music fuses the rock n roll and underground Afro-Cuban rhythm boiling out of Miami, Florida.
    Sun, November 14, 2010
    3:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Poetic Heritage Festival: Wesley Brown's Life During Wartime

     

    Life During Wartime. $10.The Nuyorican Poets Cafe presents the Poetic Heritage Festival, a retrospective series of poetry, theater and music events during the fall and winter of 2010. the Poetic Heritage Festival celebrates the work of distinguished artists including Miguel Algarin, Ishmael Reed, Amiri Baraka, Sandra Maria Esteves, Ntozake Shange, who are closely associated with the creation and history of the cafe. This festival is made possible in part by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts' American Masterpieces Program.
    Sun, November 14, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Artists of Indian Origins: "Our Land"

     

    Nuyorican Poets Cafe & Didi says... Let's Talk! invite you to another evening with Aritsts of Indian Origin presenting "Our Land." Come enjoy the reading of a brand new play by Uday Jhunjhunwala.
    Mon, November 15, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now

     

    $12 online pre-sale$15 regular admission and$10 student tickets available at the door.Part of the Cafe's Poetic Heritage Festvial which is made possible in part by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces Program.
    Tue, November 16, 2010
    8:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Electric Party Songs

     

    Work Center of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards Open Programpresents ELECTRIC PARTY SONGS(http://workcenterusaperformances.tumblr.com/)
    Wed, November 17, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now

     

    $12 online pre-sale$15 regular admission and$10 student tickets available at the door.Part of the Cafe's Poetic Heritage Festvial which is made possible in part by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces Program.
    Wed, November 17, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Wednesday Night Slam Open

     

    Hosted By Jive Poetic
    Thu, November 18, 2010
    6:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

     

    Classic blues tribute to legendary singers Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne. 24 songs: Stormy Weather, Sweet Georgia Brown, Taint Nobody’s Business, Good Ole Wagon, No One Man, etc. 70 mins. Post-performance talkback.
    Thu, November 18, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Thursday Night Latin Jazz

     

     

    Fri, November 19, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

     

    Classic blues tribute to legendary singers Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne. 24 songs: Stormy Weather, Sweet Georgia Brown, Taint Nobody’s Business, Good Ole Wagon, No One Man, etc. 70 mins. Post-performance talkback.
    Fri, November 19, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Friday Night Poetry Slam

     

    Hosed By Mahogany Brown
    Sat, November 20, 2010
    3:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

     

    Classic blues tribute to legendary singers Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Lena Horne. 24 songs: Stormy Weather, Sweet Georgia Brown, Taint Nobody’s Business, Good Ole Wagon, No One Man, etc. 70 mins. Post-performance talkback.
    Sat, November 20, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Poetic Heritage Festival: Ishmael Reed's The Plays

     

    Ishmael Reed's The Plays. $10.The Nuyorican Poets Cafe presents the Poetic Heritage Festival, a retrospective series of poetry, theater and music events during the fall and winter of 2010. the Poetic Heritage Festival celebrates the work of distinguished artists including Miguel Algarin, Ishmael Reed, Amiri Baraka, Sandra Maria Esteves, Ntozake Shange, who are closely associated with the creation and history of the cafe. This festival is made possible in part by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts' American Masterpieces Program.
    Sat, November 20, 2010
    10:00 pm
    WORDS Hip Hop & Poetry Showcase

     

    Hosted By Wiseguy and Gaston
    Sun, November 21, 2010
    3:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Poetic Heritage Festival: Symposium on the work of Ishmael Reed

     

    Symposium on the work of Ishmael Reed. $10.The Nuyorican Poets Cafe presents the Poetic Heritage Festival, a retrospective series of poetry, theater and music events during the fall and winter of 2010. the Poetic Heritage Festival celebrates the work of distinguished artists including Miguel Algarin, Ishmael Reed, Amiri Baraka, Sandra Maria Esteves, Ntozake Shange, who are closely associated with the creation and history of the cafe. This festival is made possible in part by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts' American Masterpieces Program.
    Sun, November 21, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Fresh Fruit Open Mic

     

    LGBT Giving Thanks – What better time of year to give thanks for being gay and all the gay people in our lives than Thanksgiving! Accepting 5 minute songs, comedy & Sketchs on being gay and thanking those that are gay in our lives. Contact: artisticdirector@freshfruitfest.com
    Mon, November 22, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Beyond Measure

     

    In two stories - one ancient and mythic/ one contemporary and personal - David Deblinger explores volatile and hilarious implications of the word “father,” via the Talmudic Story of the Pardes, which depicts four Jewish sages' varied journeys through a mystical garden. Deblinger creates a beautiful multi-media piece that interweaves an age-old tale with the personal story of a loved one’s illness, self-examination, renewal and transformation. The show features video footage of multigenerational New Yorkers, who look into the camera and say a few words to their fathers.
    Tue, November 23, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Mariposa presents Spit My Soul, Goya's Album Release Event

     

    Hosted by Dawn SpeaksDJ Peter KangFeaturing Goya Robles, Sandra Maria Esteves, Mariposa, Soulful Jones, Nyraine Hip Hop with a touch of Poetry and Soul, this SPIT MY SOUL event is filled with passionate performances by visionaries in their craft. A diverse and intergenerational group of artists celebrate the debut album of one of their own, up and comoing artist, Goya Robles. All artists performing have a special connection to Goya and the legacy of the Hip Hop, spoken word and Nuyorican poetry movement in New York City. This night promises inspiration, creativity and love...all the makings of a legendary evening.
    Tue, November 23, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Beyond Measure

     

    In two stories - one ancient and mythic/one contemporary and personal - David Deblinger explores volatile and hilarious implications of the word “father,” via the Talmudic Story of the Pardes, which depicts four Jewish sages' varied journeys through a mystical garden. Deblinger creates a beautiful multi-media piece that interweaves an age-old tale with the personal story of a loved one’s illness, self-examination, renewal and transformation. The show features video footage of multigenerational New Yorkers, who look into the camera and say a few words to their fathers.
    Wed, November 24, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Wednesday Night Slam Open

     

    Hosted By Jive Poetic
    Wed, November 24, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Beyond Measure

     

    In two stories - one ancient and mythic/one contemporary and personal - David Deblinger explores volatile and hilarious implications of the word “father,” via the Talmudic Story of the Pardes, which depicts four Jewish sages' varied journeys through a mystical garden. Deblinger creates a beautiful multi-media piece that interweaves an age-old tale with the personal story of a loved one’s illness, self-examination, renewal and transformation. The show features video footage of multigenerational New Yorkers, who look into the camera and say a few words to their fathers.
    Fri, November 26, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Friday Night Poetry Slam

     

    Hosted By Mahogany Brown
    Fri, November 26, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Homeless in Homeland

     

    A one woman show, written and performed by poet, dancer, and actor Saria Idana. Directed by Shyamala Moorty. A talk back with the performer to follow.
    Sat, November 27, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Verses

     

    Hosted by Helena D. Lewis Featuring Phoenix, Bekah, Elijah Brown, Brother Earl, Ceez Liive
    Sat, November 27, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Homeless in Homeland

     

    A one woman show, written and performed by poet, dancer, and actor Saria Idana. Directed by Shyamala Moorty. A talk back with the performer to follow.
    Sun, November 28, 2010
    3:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Homeless in Homeland

     

    A one woman show, written and performed by poet, dancer, and actor Saria Idana. Directed by Shyamala Moorty. A talk back with the performer to follow.
    Mon, November 29, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Applause Book Party

     

     

    Tue, November 30, 2010
    7:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Poetic Heritage Festival: Tribute to Miguel Algarin - In His Words

     

    Tribute to Miguel Algarin - In his words. $10.The Nuyorican Poets Cafe presents the Poetic Heritage Festival, a retrospective series of poetry, theater and music events during the fall and winter of 2010. the Poetic Heritage Festival celebrates the work of distinguished artists including Miguel Algarin, Ishmael Reed, Amiri Baraka, Sandra Maria Esteves, Ntozake Shange, who are closely associated with the creation and history of the cafe. This festival is made possible in part by the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts' American Masterpieces Program.
    Wed, December 01, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Wednesday Night Slam Open

     

    Hosted By Jive Poetic
    Thu, December 02, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Thursday Night Latin Jazz

     

     

    Fri, December 03, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Friday Night Poetry Slam

     

    Hosted By Mahogany Brown
    Mon, December 06, 2010
    6:00 pm
    Buy Now

     

    No Charge!! The top poets from the NY Knicks Open Poetry Audition compete to advance to the semifinals in the Knicks Poetry Slam. Come support the hottest teen poets in NYC as they compete for a chance to win over $450,000 in grants and scholarships, and the opportunity to perform on Broadway. For more information visit www.urbanwordnyc.org or www.knickspoetryslam.com
    Wed, December 08, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Wednesday Night Slam Open

     

    Hosted By Jive Poetic
    Thu, December 09, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Thursday Night Latin Jazz

     

     

    Fri, December 10, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Friday Night Poetry Slam

     

    Hosted By Mahogany Brown
    Sat, December 11, 2010
    3:00 pm

     

    No charge!!! The top poets from the Knicks Poetry Slam Preliminaries compete to advance to the Finals of the NY Knicks Poetry Slam on February 24th at the New Amsterdam Theater. Come support the hottest teen poets in NYC as they compete for a chance to win over $450,000 in grants and scholarships, and the opportunity to perform on Broadway. For more information visit www.urbanwordnyc.org or www.knickspoetryslam.com
    Wed, December 15, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Wednesday Night Slam Open

     

     

    Thu, December 16, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Buy Now
    Thursday Night Latin Jazz

     

     

    Fri, December 17, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Friday Night Poetry Slam

     

    Hosted By Mahogany Brown
    Wed, December 22, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Wednesday Night Slam Open

     

    Hosted By Jive Poetic
    Thu, December 23, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Thursday Night Latin Jazz

     

     

    Fri, December 24, 2010
    8:00 pm
    Got No Tree Holiday Slam

     

    Hosted by Vanessa Hidary
    Wed, December 29, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Wednesday Night Slam Open

     

    Hosted By Jive Poetic
    Thu, December 30, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Thursday Night Latin Jazz

     

     

    Fri, December 31, 2010
    9:00 pm
    Buy Now
    New Year's Eve YERBABUENA

     

     

    Fri, December 31, 2010
    10:00 pm
    Friday Night Poetry Slam

     

     

    INFO: Zheng He’s Star Fleet « curiosity killed the eccentric yoruba

    Zheng He’s Star Fleet
    October 7, 2010, 4:49 pm
    Filed under: Africa, BlAsian Relations, China in Africa, History, Travel

    In 1414 a Chinese fleet heralded by the Muslim Grand Eunuch of the Three Treasures, Zheng He (also known as Cheng Ho) sailed into the western Indian Ocean for the fourth time since his journey to the East began in 1405. In previously, that is between 1405 and 1414, Zheng He and his ships had reached the ports of Indonesia, south-west India and Ceylon. However, the trip in 1414 was special because the fleet was advancing into more distant regions beyond South Asia and the Arabian Gulf and in the process, covering a larger total of water than any seafaring people had before.

    Zheng He is frequently referred to as the Chinese Columbus and today he has become the personification of maritime endeavour for China. I am personally not fond of this comparison between Zheng He and Columbus, no way Zheng He was much cooler they shouldn’t even be compared. They are not on the same level in terms of their maritime adventures. Really to me calling Zheng He the Chinese Columbus actually dims his shine.

    Three-quarters of a century before Columbus crossed the Atlantic, Zheng He had begun his journey with the kind of resources at his disposal that make Columbus look like an amateur. While Columbus had only 3 ships for his voyage, Zheng He had 62 galleons. We can’t also forget that Chinese ships from those days were usually equipped with multiple decks, they were so huge that they could not sail on low waters necessitating the need to change ships when travelling to places with shallow waters.

    Zheng He's ship compared to Colombus'

    With that size in mind you can only imagine just how many people were travelling with Zheng He. His crew included translators and interpreters and quite a few of them were Muslim due to the fact that they knew they would be travelling to lands with sizeable Muslim populations thus, mullahs and other Chinese Muslims such as Ma Huan were part of Zheng He’s crew.

    The map again (click to enlarge)

    At that time, wealthy coastal East African towns had increased their importation of Chinese wares such as porcelain as the usual supply of pottery from the Middle East was unsettled by the 13th century Mongol invasion of the Middle East. By the 14th century porcelain from China was used in almost every important coastal settlement and were slowly edging Islamic goods out of the market.

    Zheng He’s 4th expedition was not destined to sail to the African coast in 1414. Originally it was headed for the Gulf. The interest in Africa was a matter of pure chance and was due to some of Zheng He’s crew discovering a giraffe in Bengal.

    While taking a break in India, one of Zheng He’s junior eunuchs took a unit to Bengal where he was surprised and fascinated by a giraffe that was recently brought to the Bengali kingdom by envoys from Malindi. There was a lot of excitement because the giraffe was taken for a unicorn by the ancient Chinese. Zheng He’s crew was able to persuade the Bengali king to part with his animal and it was shipped off to the Chinese emperor as a present from Bengal. They also managed to persuade the Malindi envoys to go back home for a second giraffe which they would ferry to a suitable rendezvous point somewhere on the Gulf or the coast of India before the giraffe would be brought to one of the ships of Zheng He’s fleet dedicated only to animals. Thus by October 1415, a giraffe arrived in Peking with Malindi ambassadors beside it.

    Qing dynasty copy by Chen Zhang of a Ming dynasty silk scroll painting by Shen Du titled Tribute giraffe from Bengal

    It is also possible that Zheng He may have also met a party of merchants from Mogadishu around the time he collected the ambassadors from Malindi and the giraffe. He invited these merchants to organize a mission to Peking. These envoys, now from Mogadishu were finally able to make it to China a year after in 1416 and arrived at the Chinese court bringing with them a deputation from Brava, a state to the south of Mogadishu.

    As during 1416, Zheng He had returned from his latest round of voyages and was China, he was instructed to escort these men from Mogadishu and Brava back to their home and to bestow rewards on their rulers. This would be the first formal visit backed by the Chinese government to Africa and this happened 450 years before the first Chinese envoys reached Europe.

    From information limited to written Chinese records, for most of the time, Zheng He and his crew were in the northern end of the East African coast. They visited Mogadishu, Brava and even a settlement called Zhubu which is thought to have lain near the Juba River near the Kenyan border. They entered into relations with ‘Sumalier’ (different Somali nomads from the hinterland). However, this may not account for the full extent of Zheng He’s activity in East Africa.

    There are several suggestions that some ships may have gone southwards. A nautical chart generally agreed to have been used by navigators from Zheng He’s crew in either the 6th or 7th voyage shows a long strip of the African coastline scattered with place names. While some of these names are ambiguous others are transcribed from local languages while others can be identified easily. Some of the places mentioned include Mombasa, the Mafia Island off southern Tanzania and the Quitangonha Island off northern Tanzania.

    In 1459, a Venetian by the name of Fra Mauro prepared a map for the Portuguese court. This map contained a footnote based on information supplied by an unidentified traveller about a ship from the Indies which in 1420 sailed 2000 miles to the west and south-west of capes Sofala, in Mozambique and Diab in Madagascar before terrible weather drove it back causing the crew to land in Madagascar.

    It is entirely possible that a squadron of Zheng He’s crew tempted by the chance of exploration edged past the southern tip of Africa and moved into the south Atlantic. After all, it has also been suggested that Zheng He’s fleet reached the Americas!

     

    A large silk copy of the old Chinese map which accurately depicts South Africa

    Image source: Cape Slavery Heritage

     

    Written records of the voyages give us a glimpse of how life was in 15th century East African towns. Fei Xin a man who had been drafted into military service unwillingly and had travelled with Zheng He’s fleet but not as far as East Africa. Fei Xin spoke with other Chinese shipmates who did travel that far and in his memoir described the Somali coast as they saw it. There were houses of “heaped up stones” with “kitchens’, lavatories and reception rooms all on the upper floors”[1]. The place had barren fields and few crops but very deep wells, the community made its living catching fish. While the men of Brava wore short jackets and a hanging cloth around their waists, the women wore gold earrings.

    While small settlements are described as pure and simple, other metropolitan, prosperous and more socially complex cities like Mogadishu were hostile with unruly customs.

    *

    It has been suggested that to the Chinese, the fact that the African coastal states were welcoming and accommodating was equivalent to them paying the Ming emperor homage that they owed him as sovereign of the world. An interesting question would be; how did the Africans view the Chinese who arrived on their shores. A single Chinese squadron had about 10 or 12 Treasure Ships which were packed with thousands of heavily armed and exotic-looking (to the Africans) men.

    The language barrier was quite complicated as a double translation was required, first from Chinese to Arabic then to Swahili or Somali depending on which part of the East African coasts they were on. Still communication did take place and we know how hospitable the Africans were.

    *

    There seems to always be this need to compare Zheng He and his fleet to the Europeans who arrived on African shores about 70 years after them. Of course there is the usual reiteration that the Chinese were peaceful, non-aggressive travellers not interested in colonising as opposed to Europeans regardless of the fact that the Chinese travellers travelled in thousands and were heavily armed. Zheng He’s voyage on behalf of the Chinese empire is still called upon today in modern Sino-African relations to show that the Chinese government has no intention of “neo-colonising” the African continent.

    It has been argued that all the Chinese sought then was an expression of symbolic acquiescence to the Chinese view of the world in which China was the most important empire in the world and the Chinese emperor was the ultimate sovereign which other countries had to bow down to. Apparently the Chinese were accepted by the Africans because they “treated a weak and strange people with courtesy and restraint”. Obviously I do not agree with this! I wonder why it has become accepted that for any country to have come in contact with Africa in the past, colonialism or colonial intent must have been involved in one way or the other. Needless to say I do not agree with this steady comparison of European and Chinese actions in 15th century Africa. No, I do not accept European worldview as a default so I honestly do not care.

    The craziest thing I’ve heard is that “the impoverished Europeans of the early Renaissance preyed on Africa because they approached it on something like equal terms” while apparently “the Chinese would never have concerned themselves with African beliefs because the Africans, like all non-Chinese were barbarians and extensive contact with barbarians was neither desirable or necessary”. I still do not understand this kind of reasoning. The conclusion seemed to be that Zheng He and his captains were looking down on the Africans from a very elevated position that they would never have thought of disrupting the flow of African life by imposing cultures on them. I do not know whether to be offended or not.

    [1]Sorry I can never resist the urge to point to more proof that Africans were never so “primitive” that they could not build multi-storey houses.

    What I read
    Snow Philip (1988), The Star Raft: China’s Encounter with Africa

    _________________

    ABOUT

    I am a woman in my early 20s who recently realised that she was not as strange as she thought (or was made to believe) she was. I am all of the following and many more; one of the many Yoruba people of West Africa; a Muslimah; a proud lover of all things Korean pop related (I am mildly obsessed); a voracious reader with a penchant for ebooks and speculative fiction; a history geek (in particular African history and herstories); a fan of Hello Kitty and Pucca; a pampered child (what Nigerians will call ‘aje butter’); multi-lingual; a ‘global beats’ enthusiast, a feminist, a writer with dreams of getting published in the near future; a post-graduate degree holder (graduated January 2010 and still cannot really believe it even though it is just a MA)…

    A normal day for me involves fueling my addiction to the internet, reading three books at a time, listening to the latest K-pop tunes while worshipping 2PMSuJu and Brown Eyed Girls (I occasionally listen to songs from other parts of the world too ^.^), brushing up my Japanese, French, Chinese and Yoruba while resisting the urge to pick up Korean, researching my latest interests and doing things good Nigerians girls do such as housework and avoiding the marriage talk from every single adult (working outside starts in the near future). I am currently getting adjusted to life in Abuja after spending several years studying abroad in the United Kingdom which means loads of exploration round Abuja town!

    CONTACT ME!

    If you ever want to send me an email, contact me at eccentricyoruba@gmail.com

    via eccentricyoruba.wordpress.com

     

    VIDEO: AfroLatino Roots Are Deep and Powerful > Black Educator

    AfroLatino Roots Are Deep and Powerful
    This TV documentary should be watched and discussed thruout Black America and the Diaspora- especially in our schools. It is an important contribution to countering the deeply held racist myths of African and African Descendant inferiority and invisibility within the Americas.

     

    [This is the official trailer of the Documentary series AFROLATINOS. This documentary is scheduled to air in late 2011. It will educate on the African Diaspora in Latin America and celebrate the AfroLatino culture.]

     

     

    Afrolatinos “The Untaught Story” is a documentary television series independently produced by Creador Pictures, LLC. The program will illustrate history and celebrate the rich culture of people in Latin America of African descent. From the story of how and when slaves came to Central and South America to identity issues that still exist in the Hispanic community today. 

     

    There are an estimated 200 million Afro-descendants in Latin America but the majority of them do not have political or economic power. This documentary takes you on a journey to meet Afrolatinos throughout Spanish and Portuguese speaking nations and an exploration and appreciation of their culture. It will also teach the uninformed and hopefully initiate social change throughout Latin America.

    The documentary series will begin with the slave trade in the early 1500’s and touch on the Cimarron (Palenque) communities, as well as cover the controversial theory of the African presence in ancient America. The programs quest is to better understand the religious connections and distinctions between the Catholic Church and religious practices such as Yoruba and Voodoo. We learn about these religious and sacred ceremonies through dance and music. The drum is a very significant instrument used in Latin music today but do many people know its history? The documentary will have a segment on Afro-Latin gastronomy, which will show the many dishes with African influence as seen in Latino every day life.

    Today, there still exists communities where African dialects were mixed with Spanish language found in places like San Basilio de Palenque and we’ve discovered a dictionary of Spanish words of African origin. Identity will be a special segment that affects millions of black Latinos worldwide.  Of all the issues that are affecting their way of life the main issue is the exclusion of a community of people based on the color of their skin.  We interview people from the U.S to Argentina about issues such as image (this idea of good hair, bad hair), interracial marriages, racism, oppression, exploitation and Afrolatinos consciousness plus much more.

    One of the most important chapters in the documentary is the social issues segment as it is directly affecting ALL Afrolatinos communities. Our producers not only document the problems but also live and experience it firsthand. Consistent in most of the countries visited was the lack of local government support; from corruption to discrimination Afrolatinos endear many tribulations. We hope this documentary will empower its Afro brothers and sisters and encourage people to help one family at a time, give voice to the invisible, create awareness, start a dialogue and promote change.

    Please keep logging on to this website (www.afrolatinos.tv) to find out airdates and local listing for broadcasting.

     

     

     

     

     

    HAITI: Cholera spreading, affecting election campaigns in Haiti - Haiti - MiamiHerald.com

    Cholera spreading, affecting election campaigns in Haiti

       Presidential candidate Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly led thousands of supporters on foot in a carnival-like atmosphere through the mud Friday from downtown Port-au-Prince to Fontamara community, several miles south, as the public campaigning officially kicked off in Haiti. Martelly is among 19 vying for the presidency.
    Presidential candidate Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly led thousands of supporters on foot in a carnival-like atmosphere through the mud Friday from downtown Port-au-Prince to Fontamara community, several miles south, as the public campaigning officially kicked off in Haiti. Martelly is among 19 vying for the presidency.
    JACQUELINE CHARLES/MIAMI HERALD STAFF

    jcharles@MiamiHerald.com

     

    First presidential hopeful Michel `Sweet Micky' Martelly asked for a dayslong campaign truce. Then, opponent Jude Célestin announced that he was temporarily suspending all radio and TV ads, and called on his opponents to follow.

    Now, Leslie Voltaire is asking to postpone the Nov. 28 election.

    A deadly outbreak of cholera in an already earthquake-wracked Haiti has become one more complication in a nation still grappling with the effects of the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake that left an estimated 300,000 Haitians dead and at least 1.5 million Haitians living underneath tents and tarps.

    As campaign jingles continue to play on local radios and three presidential candidates taped a televised debate Wednesday morning, Haiti health officials reported that after days of successfully containing the epidemic to the rural valley where it first broke last week, cholera had finally spread.

    Officials said 174 cases had been confirmed in the city of Arcahia, a small rural village 20 miles north of Port-au-Prince. There were also suspected cases in nearby Cabaret, and they were investigating reports in Cité Soleil, a slum in the capital not far from the main international airport.

    The waterborne bacterial infection had killed 303 Haitians, including five in Arcahia, and hospitalized 4,722 Haitians, the government said late Wednesday.

    ``It's encroaching, and we are taking measures,'' said Dr. Ariel Henry, the chief of cabinet for the Ministry of Health. ``We are training people on the ground to give out oral rehydration salts. We are putting in place cholera treatment centers. We are also doing a big effort all over the country with 50,000 people. We are training them, and we are preparing to deploy them.''

    The health ministry has not asked for a delay of the vote, but it has asked candidates to refrain from holding rallies in cholera-affected communities. For some like Voltaire, an urban planner who is among the 19 presidential candidates seeking to replace President René Préval, that is not good enough.

    ``The vote should happen when the World Health Organization says it is contained, or when the [Provisional Electoral Council] says this election will not use rallies,'' Voltaire said.

    So far, neither the WHO, which is working alongside Haitian health officials to contain the epidemic, nor the electoral council charged with putting on the elections has called for a postponement out of public health concerns.

    Gaillot Dorsinvil, president of the council, told The Miami Herald the fate of the elections is up to the government, and as far as the council was concern, the vote was moving ahead as scheduled.

    That message was reiterated Wednesday in Washington when the diplomat leading a joint Organization of American States/Caribbean Community observation mission reported that ``the electoral process is progressing steadily toward 28 November.''

    ``The political environment is more reassuring with the increasing participation of parties, political platforms and candidates who initially intended to boycott the elections,'' said Colin Granderson, who is also the assistant secretary general of CARICOM.

    Still, Granderson conceded that the evolution of the cholera outbreak and its potential impact on the process remain a concern.

    Célestin, who participated in the televised debate Wednesday in which the question of cholera was raised but not possible postponement of the elections, said he's not seeking a delay.

    Rather, he believes that Haitians should not have their attentions divided while the government and international humanitarian community scale up a massive prevention and public education campaign, alerting Haitians on how they can save themselves from a disease that kills within hours when not treated in time.

    ``The population should not have to listen to campaign jingles while people are dying,'' said Célestin, tapped by Préval to succeed him. ``To see candidates put posters in a hospital in Mirebalais where people are dying, it's sad.''

    Martelly also complained about how some candidates are trying to politicize the epidemic to their benefit, wearing campaign T-shirts and vehicles as they visit the sick. He's disappointed, he said, that his request has fallen on deaf ears.

    ``We need to start working together even though we may be different candidates,'' he said. ``At the end of the day, Haiti must be the priority.''

    Not everyone favors a pause. Lawyer Jean-Henry Céant, who debated Célestin, said the elections should continue as planned. Sen. Youri Latortue, whose coalition is supporting longtime opposition leader Mirlande Manigat, also wants to see the schedule maintain. Manigat had a slight lead over Célestin in a recent poll.

    ``We are entering into this election under difficult circumstances, but we cannot leave the country without a government,'' said Latortue, who on Tuesday summoned the health minister to a session to get a report on the government's efforts. ``We have a lot of problems to resolve. We already do not have any money. Each time you postpone the date that is money.''

    Observers say even if no decision is taken on the election, how the government handles the outbreak could influence the outcome of the vote in what is emerging as a competitive race. Though Célestin is neck-and-neck with Manigat in the most recent poll, he is trailing in a number of quake-battered cities, including the capital where observers say he's being hurt by the government's often-criticized handling of the quake response.

    ``If the management of the outbreak is not well-handled, it may jeopardize the government's image or any one associated with the actual management and government,'' said Gregory Brandt, president of the Haiti-French Chamber of Commerce.

    Rosny Desroche said he doesn't see how the government can escape unscathed.

    "People are suffering. Either way, the government will be held responsible,'' he said.

    But Reginald Boulos, the chairman of the Economic Forum of the Private Sector, which commissioned the poll, said cholera could also be a chance for the Préval government to redeem itself.

    ``The earthquake was a negative for the government because they didn't react appropriately,'' he said. ``It could turn out to be a positive thing if they manage it well; if they show leadership, and compassion in the people. Or it can be a downfall for them if again there is lack of coordination and waste of money, and people are dying.''

     

     

    VIDEO: Trailer – “A Man’s Story” (This Is Ozwald Boateng) > Shadow And Act

    Trailer – “A Man’s Story” (This Is Ozwald Boateng)

    Check out this 4 1/2-minute preview of A Man’s Story – the Ozwald Boateng documentary that I initially profiled last month on this blog. If you missed that post, click HERE to read it and catch up on all the specifics, so that I don’t have to rehash.

    The film will make its worldwide debut later this month, the 20th of October, at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. After that? Who knows. But it should play in a few stateside film festivals.

    I’m interested enough, and will definitely check it out if it comes my way.

    Watch the preview below in which you’ll notice appearances from some of black Hollywood’s male stars:

    VIDEO: Tribes on Vimeo

    Tribes Episode 1
    <p>Tribes Episode 1 from mtv staying alive on Vimeo.</p>
    Brand New Drama from our MTV Staying Alive Ignite campaign, Tribes is being released on 1st December 2009.

    Set in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Directed by the one they call the Guru, Ras Kassa Tribes aims to challenge the sexual behaviors of young people in Trinidad.
    Tribes Episode 2
    <p>Tribes Episode 2 from mtv staying alive on Vimeo.</p>
    Tribes Episode 3
    <p>Tribes Episode 3 from mtv staying alive on Vimeo.</p>

     

    PUB: Ascent Aspirations Anthology http://www.ascentaspirations.ca/201015watching.jpg

    Ascent Aspirations Publishing

    Ascent Aspirations Spring 2011 Anthology

    We have decided to create one anthology a year in the spring and for this year we have massaged the theme and are open to your best and most exciting work within our guidelines. We still like the theme of work and social issues related to work and daily life. After all no matter what we are doing in life, work is definitely involved. So you can bend and twist your material to fit the theme. In other words interpret the theme very broadly and come at it from whatever direction you wish.

    Poems or prose can be widely viewed in terms of work; we all work in some fashion, even the animals and plants in their own way so that opens it up to nature. Lovers work at being and staying in love. The theme doesn't have to deal with the traditional nine to five.

    Poetry/Flash Fiction Contest

    Spring 2011 Work

    Contest closing date extended to November 10th, 2010 (Cover Art Tentative)

    The anthology (ISBN) will be published by the end of February 2011. Email

     

    The publication will be a perfect-bound book (ISBN rather than ISSN) with a glossy art designed cover.

    First Prize for Poetry - $100 (CND) & 1 copy of the anthology

    First Prize for Flash Fiction - $100 (CND) & 1 copy of the anthology

    Second Prize for Poetry - $50 (CND) & 1 copy of the anthology

    Second Prize for Flash Fiction - $50 (CND) & 1 copy of the anthology

    Third Prize for Poetry - $25 (CND) & 1 copy of the anthology

    Third Prize for Flash Fiction - $25 (CND) & 1 copy of the anthology


    Plus 6 - $10 (CND) honourable mention awards with 1 copy of the anthology

    Plus all additional contributors in the collection will receive one copy of the anthology.

    The goal is for the contest to generate the costs for publishing the anthology. If the entry fees and sales of the anthology exceed the costs, then the additional money will be used to fund future print anthologies with prize money being more widely distributed among all the authors who appear in the anthology.

    Rules & Guidelines:

    The anthology will contain poetry and flash fiction.  

    Poems and flash fiction can be published elsewhere as long as the author holds the copyright or unpublished and not sent elsewhere. Submit your poem(s)/flash fiction with a brief bio by e-mail to ascentaspirations@shaw.ca.

    In the subject heading say Spring 2011 Work Anthology.

    By mail with your contest fee include a cover page with the poem(s)/flash fiction title(s) and the first line beside each title, your name, address, phone number and e-mail. IN ADDITION ALSO INCLUDE EACH POEM/FLASH FICTION ON A SEPARATE PAGE WITHOUT YOUR NAME. We will be using the printed copies of your poems for judging and the electronic copies sent by email for the designing of the book pages should you be included in the anthology.

     Maximum length of each poem is 60 lines and spaces between the stanzas count as lines. The maximum length for flash fiction is 800 words.

    Contest fee: $5 for one poem or 3 poems for $10. $10 for each piece of flash fiction. You can send as many poems/flash fiction pieces as you wish.

    Send your entry information, and POEMS/FLASH FICTION with payment to:

    either David Fraser, or Ascent Aspirations Publishing

    1560 Arbutus Drive

    Nanoose Bay, BC

    V9P 9C8

    Please do not send a SASE as in the past, as we will be publishing the winners' list on the web and will notify everyone.

    All submissions will remain the copyright of the author.

    *Additional copies of the perfect-bound anthology will be available at time of publication.

    Retail Prices without shipping costs $16.95 CND/16.95 US

     The prices of additional copies including shipping and handling are as follows:

    In Canada and USA ($19.95 CND and 22.95 US)

    To Other International Destinations ($24.95 US)

    Advanced Ordering of the Spring 2011 Issue can be done by email.

    Pricing at this point is an estimate based on current postal rates and may be subject to slight changes without notice when advanced ordering is announced.

    Help make the Spring 2011 Anthology a successful not-for–profit venture.

    Ascent Aspirations Magazine original Logo

    Ascent Aspirations Publishing

     

     

     

     

    PUB: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN WOMEN’S POETRY > WEALTH OF IDEAS

    CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN WOMEN’S POETRY

    Across the continent as well as in the African Diaspora, African women are well known for their word craft. Over the centuries, African women have accomplished difficult feats using a capacity for words that is only surpassed by their ability for physical labor. This project on Contemporary African Women’s Poetry is looking for submission of poems written by African women from all works of life. We are looking for: (A) poetry about contemporary African life and experience on the continent; (B) poetry about life in the African Diaspora.

    Poems may focus on any of the following: the work life, motherhood, wifehood, children, the state and nation, war, Africa’s wealth or lack thereof, poverty, HIV-AIDS, prison, freedom, celebration, grief, happiness, border crossings, marriage, birth, the environment, loss, love, trans-nationalism, migration, gender, race, class, and any other topics or issues that interest African women globally.
    Unpublished poems are preferred. The original poems can also be in any African language if the poet will provide a translation into English. If the original is accepted, it will be published alongside the translation. If a translator is used, the author should indicate how credit should be acknowledged. Maximum number of submissions per person is three (3) poems.

    For consideration, submissions should reach us before or on December 31, 2010.
    Please send submissions by email to: Anthonia Kalu (kalu.5@osu.edu); Folabo Ajayi-Soyinka (omofola@ku.edu); Juliana Nfah-Abbenyi (jmphd@ncsu.edu)

    For submissions via snail mail, please mail your submissions to:
    Anthonia Kalu, PhD
    Professor
    Department of African American and African Studies
    486 University Hall 230 North Oval Mall
    The Ohio State University
    Columbus, OH 43210-1319

    Folabo Ajayi-Soyinka, PhD
    213 Bailey Hall,
    1440 Jayhawk Blvd.,
    University of Kansas,
    Lawrence, KS 66045.

    Juliana Makuchi Nfah-Abbenyi, PhD
    Professor
    Department of English
    212 Tompkins Hall
    North Carolina State University
    Raleigh, NC 27695-8105

    PUB: Write a Radioplay and submit your entry to Win the BBC International Playwriting Competition! | Bella Naija

    Write a Radioplay and submit your entry to Win the BBC International Playwriting Competition!

    Posted on Friday, October 29th, 2010 at 4:45 PM

    By Gbenga Awomodu

    Erin Browne of the United States and Efo Kodjo Mawugbe from Ghana were 2010's winners

    Have you heard? The BBC wants your drama! The BBC World Service has launched a global search for two of the world’s best new radioplays with the International Playwriting Competition. Two lucky writers will win the opportunity to have their plays broadcast on the World Service. Here’s a fantastic opportunity for you to write a 60 minute play for radio and win cash prize as well as global recognition for your work.

     

    What it’s all about.
    The biennial International Radio Playwriting Competition is run by the BBC World Service and the British Council and is now in its twelfth year.

    It is a competition for anyone resident outside Britain, to write a 60-minute radio drama for up to six characters.

    There are two categories: one for writers with English as their first language and one for writers with English as their second language.

    The two winners travel to London and see their play made into a full radio production, which will then be broadcast on the BBC World Service. They will also each receive a £2,500 prize and there are also prizes for the runners-up.

    The play must be in English, unpublished and must not have been previously produced in any medium. Whether you’re experienced, new, or somewhere in between, the BBC wants to hear from you.

    Just check the Rules and How to Enter sections to find out more about sending your play.

    And the winners get….
    Once again, there are two first prizes: for the best play by a writer with English as their first language and for the best play by a writer with English as their second language.

    These two winners will each receive £2500 and a trip to London to see their play being recorded for broadcast on BBC World Service in the World Drama slot.

    •£2500 sterling for the overall winning playwright of the best play written with English as a first language and a trip to London to see the play being recorded and to attend a prize-giving evening.
    •£2500 sterling for the overall winning playwright of the best play written with English as a second language and a trip to London to see the play being recorded and to attend a prizegiving evening.
    •A prize of a digital or short wave radio for the best radio play to be written from each of the following geographical areas: The Americas; Europe; Africa and the Middle East; South Asia; Russia and the Caucasus; Asia and Pacific.
    •BBC goodie bags for all writers whose plays reach the judges’ final shortlist.

    Deadline: 31 March 2011.

    Eligibility: Entry is only open to anyone who is over the age of 16 as at 31 March 2011 who is not normally a resident of the UK.

    Follow the link below for more tips and details. Get your pen and keyboard and start writing already!
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specialreports/radioplay_2008.shtml

    Source: BBC World Service

    Rules

    These are the rules and terms and conditions for entering the BBC World Service International Playwriting competition. Please ensure that you read and understand them as failure to follow will result in your entry not being considered.

    1. Entry is only open to anyone who is over the age of 16 as at 31 March 2011 who is not normally a resident of the UK. This may include anyone living/working in the UK on a temporary basis (up to 12 months) at the time of entering the competition. Professional and previously published writers are eligible to enter, but this is not a requirement of entry.

    2. Entrants must not be BBC or British Council employees and their close relatives or any person connected to the competition. Proof of age, identity and eligibility may be requested.

    3. Entrants should write a radio play of approximately 60 minutes in length on any subject of their choice. Adaptations of novels are not eligible.

    4. Plays entered must not have been professionally produced in any medium (an informal play-reading is acceptable; a play-reading with a professional director and in front of a non-paying audience is acceptable, but a performance involving payment to actors and/or a paying audience is not).

    5. Plays entered in the competition must not, at the time they are submitted, have been offered for publication, performance or broadcast in any other form or medium to any other person or company. Nor can they, at the time of entry or during the course of the competition, have been entered for any other competition. The winning playwrights will be deemed to have entered into an undertaking not to accept offers for their entries from other broadcasters or publishers before December 2011.

    6. All scripts submitted must be a minimum of 50 pages of A4 paper (or equivalent) and a maximum of 75 pages (note, a rough guide is a minute per page; please read and time your play before you send it). The play should have a maximum of six central characters (there may be up to three small "doubling" characters too, who don’t have more than a few lines each). Your play must be accompanied by a short synopsis which outlines the complete story of the play. This must be no more than 400 words.

    7. There are two categories for entry. One is for entrants who speak English as a first language and the other is for entrants with English as a second language.

    The BBC may require proof of eligibility for the selected category before announcing a winner.

    8. The play must be written substantially or entirely in English. Unfortunately, we do not have the facility to offer a translation service. Entries that have been translated must acknowledge this fact by giving a credit to the translator or translators. Entries that have been translated will be entered in the English as a first language category.

    9. The competition opens on 16 October 2010 and closes on 31 March 2011.

    Entries must be received in London by midnight GMT on 31 March 2011. Entries received after this time will not be considered.

    10. Entries must be submitted either:

    • by post to the following address: Rm 823B, South East Wing, BBC Bush House, Strand, London WC2B 4PH

    OR

    11. All entries must be accompanied by a completed copy of the entry form attached to this leaflet or which can be downloaded at: www.bbcworldservice.com/radioplay.

    >

    12. Entrants can enter individually or as part of a group. If entering as a group, all entrants must meet the entry requirements and be eligible for the same category. No member should have also entered individually. Please note, the prize only includes payment for one airfare per category.

    13. In the case of an entry by two or more writers, the BBC will need written or email confirmation from each writer involved that they are prepared to take a share of the prize money and are prepared to receive those funds from a nominee who will be one of the writers, as the prize money will be paid to one individual only. The nominee will be selected by the writers and it will be his or her responsibility to distribute these funds to the other writers and the organisers can take no responsibility for that aspect.

    14. Only one entry per person is permitted including any group entries. If you submit more than one entry, only the first entry received will be considered. Please do not submit plays you have entered before.

    15. All entries must be the original work of the entrant and must not infringe the rights of any other party. The BBC accepts no liability if entrants ignore these rules and entrants agree to fully indemnify the BBC against any claims by any third party arising from any breach of these rules.

    16. Entries must not contain defamatory, obscene, offensive or any other unsuitable material. Entries must be suitable to be broadcast by the BBC to audiences of all ages.

    17. Entrants retain the copyright in their entries but grant to the BBC a non-exclusive licence to broadcast their entry across all media, as well as use it on any online platforms.

    18. The prize for the winning entry in each category will consist of £2,500 sterling and a trip to London (airfare and accommodation for one person) to see the winning play being recorded for broadcast on the BBC World Service and attend a prizegiving event. Where the winner is under 18, the prize will also include airfare and accommodation for an accompanying adult. The prize is as stated and cannot be deferred or transferred. There will be no cash alternatives.

    19. As with any new play, the BBC may require further drafts and revisions of the winning plays. Winners must be willing and able to undertake redrafting and revision work in conjunction with the BBC. This work is likely to take place between August and September 2011 and the winning entrants will need to keep time free, and remain contactable, to achieve this. This work will be completed with the winning entrant using email or the most suitable method available. We reserve the right to revoke a play’s prize winning status if this work is not completed.

    20. The BBC will reserve the right to make minor cuts, changes and edits to the winners' final draft scripts.

    21. Subject to a satisfactory recording being made, the winning plays will be broadcast on BBC World Service in November 2011. Winners will first be required to enter into a contract with the BBC on the standard terms and conditions applicable for broadcast of BBC Radio Drama. No fee will be payable other than the £2500 sterling offered as prize money for one broadcast cycle and the BBC's standard package of rights under that contract. If repeated on the World Service, a sum of £1250 will be payable for the first repeat cycle and thereafter the BBC will have certain broadcasting and other rights all in accordance with the contract.

    Terms and Conditions

    These Terms and Conditions supplement the competition Rules above and are deemed to be integral to these.

    1. The BBC's code of conduct for competitions applies to this competition. You can read more about it here: clickBBC Competitions Policy.

    2. Entries received before the opening date or after the closing date will not be considered.

    3. Entries will not be returned so please remember to keep a copy. Unsuccessful entrants will not be contacted and no feedback on any entry will be provided.

    4. The BBC will only ever use personal details for the purposes of administering this competition. Please see the clickBBC's Privacy Policy.

    5. By entering the competition, entrants warrant that they have legal capacity to enter the competition and agree to be bound by the competition Rules and these Terms and Conditions.

    6. Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

    Plays will be selected for their originality and imagination, use of good dialogue, a compelling story with a believable plot, characters and structure, use of the medium of radio and how practical the play would be for the BBC to produce.

    7. Entries will be judged through the following process:

    Scripts will be read by a team of readers and a long shortlist drawn up. This will then be cut to a maximum of 16 scripts (8 first language and 8 second language) and these scripts sent to a panel of judges, who meet for a day to discuss the shortlist and decide upon the winners, using their judgement of the criteria above.

    8. The names of the short listed entrants and the titles of their plays will be posted on the competition website in August 2011. Following the final judges' meeting, the winners' names and the titles of their plays will be posted on the website by end September 2011. You can access the competition website by visitingclickwww.bbcworldservice.com/competitions orclickwww.bbcworldservice.com/radioplay and selecting International Playwriting Competition 2011 from the options listed there.

    9. The winner will be contacted by a member of the BBC production team during July 2011. If the winner cannot be contacted after reasonable attempts have been made to do so, the BBC reserves the right to offer the prize to the next best entry.

    10. It is planned that the two overall winning plays will be recorded in October 2011 and the playwrights invited to attend the production and a prize-giving event in London.

    11. The BBC may wish to seek from the runners-up certain additional rights in their plays for educational/development purposes which may include, but not be limited to, permission to record scenes of the play to be available online at bbc.co.uk and possibly for broadcast. Entrants agree that the right for the BBC to record and possibly broadcast/use scenes from their play online in this way will be available to the BBC in principle, subject to negotiation of appropriate terms for the exact use in question at the time

    12. The BBC and British Council may consider arranging for the publication of a book containing some of the plays entered in the Competition. To make this possible, writers should retain their publishing copyright until 31 December 2011.

    13. The names of each entrant whose entry is broadcast or used on-line will be made public. Entrants must agree to take part in any post-competition publicity if required.

    14. The BBC's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Unsuccessful entrants will not be contacted.

    15. The BBC and the British Council reserve the right to disqualify any entry which breaches any of these Terms and Conditions or to withhold or withdraw a prize if they consider it necessary or if, in their opinion, entries do not reach the required standard.

    16. The BBC reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions or cancel this competition at any stage, if deemed necessary in its opinion, and if circumstances arise outside its control. In this event, a notice will be posted on the clickwww.bbcworldservice.com/radioplaywebsite.

    17. The BBC, its sub-contractors, subsidiaries and/or agencies cannot accept any responsibility whatsoever for any technical failure or malfunction or any other problem with any server, Internet access, system, the post or otherwise which may result in any entry being lost or not properly registered or recorded. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt.

    18. These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

     

     

     

     

    INTERVIEW: Remembering Fela, an interview with Carlos Moore | 3rd World Consciousness, 1st World Efficiency

    Remembering Fela, an interview with Carlos Moore

    Carlos Moore and Lindsey Barrett, Abuja, October 2010

    This interview (between myself and Carlos Moore) appeared in the Guardian (Nigeria) a couple of weeks ago. I can’t find it online anywhere, so I’ve republished it below. It seems a fitting way to wish Carlos well as he leaves Nigeria today. Might I recommend you listen to this as you read it.

    “Fela Anikulapo Kuti was James Brown, Huey Newton, Rick James, Bob Marley, Duke Ellington and ODB all rolled up in one black African fist.”  Mos Def’s summary of Fela almost captures it, save to say that temporally speaking, Fela is still here.  His legacy grows more powerful by the day.  The Broadway musical funded by Jay-Z has brought a crossover audience to Broadway in unprecedented numbers.  Bands like Antibalas keep the Afrobeat flag waving in the breeze, while both Femi and Seun lead the genre in new directions.  Meanwhile, the long-rumoured biopic is finally underway, with a script written by Biyi Bandele and Chewetel Ejiofor cast as the lead.  By the time the film is out, Fela should be on a par with Bob Marley in terms of global recognition.

    It’s fitting that the authorised biography of Africa’s musical genius, Fela: This Bitch of a Life, is finally being republished after 28 years. The reader is invited to the living room of Felaʼs iconoclastic mind, discovering from the inside the key turning points in his life – his childhood in Abeokuta and the forceful influence of his parents, especially his mother; student life in England; his coming to black consciousness in America (and his encounters with Funk and some of the key players in African-American musical and political culture); his return to Nigeria and setting up the Shrine and Kalakuta Republic and his increasingly painful struggles with the authorities in Nigeria in the 1970s and 1980s. Reading about Fela brings to life post-Independence African history in all its turbulence and drama. The book also includes interviews with some of Felaʼs wives, allowing the reader to get an intimate perspective on Fela as a husband and as a lover.

    To celebrate the publication, the author and close friend of Fela’s, Dr Carlos Moore, will be touring Nigeria this October.  Born in Cuba in 1942, Dr Moore is an ethnologist and political scientist. He has two doctorates from the University of Paris.   His life-long interest in African, Latin American and Caribbean politics and culture resulted in various posts at universities worldwide and many academic studies on race and ethnicity. From 1970 to 1983, Moore worked as political analyst for Agence France-Presse and the Weekly Jeune Afrique. He was was a research assistant to the Senegalese scholar and scientist, Cheikh Anta Diop (from 1975 to 1980). In 1987, he convened the “First International Conference on Negritude,” at Florida International University (FIU), in Miami, in homage of Aimé Cesaire. Dr Moore resides permanently in Brazil with his family and divides his time between lectures in the US and his life-long research on race relations in Latin America.  With just a few weeks left to his visit, I caught up with Dr Moore by email, and took the opportunity to ask him a few questions.

    What is your fondest memory of Fela?

    CM: Fela and I interacted for a decade, therefore it is hard to decide which of the moments we shared was the most significant to me. I have many beautiful memories of our relationship. But I will tell you which of those moments touched me particularly. It came when we were doing the interviews for the book that was to become This Bitch of a Life. I remember the moment vividly when he broke down and cried when he told me the story of his mother’s death and how he missed her. Fela was not a person to show emotions. Like most of us, he felt it was unmanly to cry. So when he did, I felt the closest to him. He had allowed himself the liberty to be simply human; not a macho trapped in gender role-playing. I appreciate men who allow themselves to cry. So, I found that to be the most authentic moment we shared.

    What is your favourite Fela song and why?

    CM: Even to this day, the Fela song that moves me most is “When Trouble Sleep, Yanga Wake Am.” I find it to be one of his most tender compositions. It speaks of his love for the common men and women of society. It is nostalgic and beautiful! It really appeals to my soul. Ranking alongside it, as my favourite, is “Army Arrangement.” These are two completely different songs, in fact opposites. But, taken together, they define the polarities within which Fela constructed his adult life once he became politically and socially conscious: i.e. a deep love for the ordinary people, and a profound disdain for the ruling classes.

    If you could ask Fela one more question, what would it be?
    CM: I would ask him a question I did not ask him during our last interactions, which were tense. I told him in no uncertain terms that I disagreed completely with the direction his philosophy was taking under the influence of Professor Hindu. He got angry with me and felt I was underestimating “African science.” So, my question would be: “How could you, Fela, have been so gullible to believe in a quack magician like Professor Hindu? How could you have thrown logic to the winds to such a tragic extent?” As a result of the Hindu episode, Fela and I had a big fallout. We had had many fall-outs before that, but that was the biggest.

    What do you think Fela would make of Nigeria @ 50?

    CM: The same social, political and cultural ills that Fela denounced and fought against thirty years ago are still with us. So, I believe he would have looked at the past fifty years of independence as five decades in which the ruling elites of Nigeria destroyed the opportunity they had to turn this country into a liveable, progressive and democratic country. Fela would have seen the past fifty years as years of great waste of the creative genius and developmental energy of the various peoples who make up Nigeria.

    What do you think about Chiwetel Ejiofor playing Fela in the upcoming biopic?

    CM: I do not know him as an actor or as a person. I´ve only heard his name. So I cannot voice any opinion regarding his capacity to portray someone as complex as Fela. If he was chosen for that role, then there must be good reasons for that choice. So, I wish him well.

    Femi or Seun?

    CM: I believe that Femi has attempted to carve out another route for Afro-beat, different from the one Fela opened. That´s valid. Femi is a very creative person. He is not trying to duplicate Fela. He plays his own music and let people judge it for what it is worth. Seun? I am not that familiar with Seun´s music because he started much later than Femi. I believe that he too is looking for his own way. Thus far, he seems to be interested in respecting the musical strictures laid down by Fela. That’s his right. But that may be a phase. Who knows? Seun is young and can move in any given direction still. He could end up opening still another alternative avenue for Afro-beat, just as Fela did with the music that came before him. Isn’t that what artists are about?

    You were born in Cuba but have lived most of your life outside the country.  Could you ever imagine living there again?

    CM: No, I am not necessarily interested in living in Cuba again. Having lived all over the world for four decades has made me a multi-cultural animal that can hardly fit again in the monochromatic mental structures of what is called Cuban culture. For one, I have outgrown the prejudices and beliefs to which most Cubans still adhere. For instance, I am everything but a chauvinistic nationalist and I detest xenophobia. But Cubans are both to an incredible extent.  The regime’s slogan says that it practices “internationalism”, but it actually promotes an extreme form of chauvinism whereby Cubans are led to believe that they are superior to other peoples, especially those of the rest of the black Caribbean. Then, I do not see how I could ever accommodate the primitive and crass racism that is rampant in Cuba. Lastly, there are other issues that are not specific to Cuba, but to which I am resolutely opposed – sexism, homophobia, ideological intolerance, etc. These have become so pronounced in Cuba that they are like a national religion. I could visit Cuba now and then, but not stay to live for good. I believe I would asphyxiate culturally and morally. However, my wife, Ayeola, does want us to live there permanently. So, even in terms of my marriage, Cuba is a disrupting factor (laugh).

    You live in Bahia, Brazil.  Tell us about how the people of Bahia relate to Nigeria.

    CM: The major religion among African-Brazilians of Bahia is Candomblé, which is of Nago origin. Therefore, black Brazilians (who constitute about 55% of the population) relate strongly to Nigeria on religious grounds. But then there is the culinary culture of Bahia, which, once again, is of Yoruba origin. Most of the traditional dishes of Bahia are of Nigerian origin. Lastly, there is the song and dance, and the taste for vivid colours, which are also derived from the aesthetic preferences that are dominant in Nigeria. So, Nigeria is very present in the day-to-day lives of the Bahian people and African-Brazilians at large.

    What are you looking forward to on your forthcoming trip to Nigeria?

    CM I will be looking to renew my acquaintance with many dear old friends; those people who guided my first steps in Africa and offered me the warmth of their friendship. People like Ola Balogun, Lindsay Barrett, MD Yusufu, Jab Adu … I am also looking to show my wife – who will be on her first visit there – the place where I experienced some of the most exhilarating, most joyful and most fulfilling moments of my entire life. The period that I lived in Nigeria with my family, in the early 70s, will forever remain in my consciousness as an emotional landmark. It was the first time I had set foot on the land from which my ancestors were forcibly taken away as slaves as recently as two centuries ago. I will never forget that first time when I arrived in Lagos and walked around the markets, strolled through the crowded streets, and mingled with the ordinary people. I saw the poverty, the destitution, the despair. And at the same time, I knew that my soul had been touched and that something deep in my consciousness had shifted for good. But the Nigeria that touched me deeply was certainly not the Nigeria of the ruling elites. It was the Nigeria of the common people. That is why I understood Fela immediately and bonded with him, because he was aligned with these people.

    If you could sum up Fela’s legacy in a few sentences, what would you say?

    CM: A Rebel with a cause that was worthy. A contradictory man who most of the time managed to rise to heights of social awareness that are uncommon. Certainly, he was a very courageous and honest person. Fela left us  a legacy of uncompromising opposition to corruption, dictatorship and class snobbery. In one word: he left behind a legacy of dedication to the e uplift of the common woman and man. He shall forever be remembered for that, despite his many inconsistencies.  The truth is that I miss Fela a lot. In many ways, he was our conscience.