Tag: Non-profit

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SOURCE OF LIFE: CONNECTING PEOPLE THROUGH MUSIC WITH THE NILE PROJECT

Flowing steadily through countryside and city, the mighty Nile River connects 10 north and sub-Saharan African countries. It is a source of life, history, and culture for the citizens of the countries surrounding it, but how much do they know about one another and about the invaluable resource they share? What can they learn from one another about the cultures and environment of the Nile?

Sunrise on the Nile River, Uganda, Jul. 2010. (Flickr/Andrew West)

Mina Girgis and Meklit Hadero, two San Francisco-based visionaries originally from the Nile region, have set out to connect the countries of the Nile through music and dialogue. Their multi-phase Nile Project involves an album, performances, a TEDx event, curriculum materials, and more. They hope to raise $10,000 through a Kickstarter campaign by Feb. 1 for the first phase of the project, a scouting trip to find the musicians who will become the heart of the Nile Project.

Girgis, an ethnomusicologist and founder of the non-profit music organization Zambaleta, spoke with Apsara about the ideas behind the project.

How did you and Meklit Hadero first come up with the idea to collaborate on the Nile Project?

This was last September. Meklit and I had not seen each other for months. I had just returned to the Bay Area from two months in Cairo, and she had just returned from a tour in Ethiopia. We met at an Ethiopian concert by Debo Band, and I was sharing with Meklit how I only came to discover Ethiopian music after moving to the United States. This lack of cultural exposure among East African countries is a bit strange seeing we are neighbors and we share our lifeblood—the Nile. So we decided to embark on a new project where we would bring together musicians from various Nile cultures to perform along the river and abroad.

Mina Girgis

What do you most hope to achieve?

Well, we definitely hope to make good music. But we have other ambitions. Through these cross-cultural musical collaborations, we hope to foster cultural connections among the people of the Nile to help us tackle our water-based environmental challenges. So the Nile Project is both a musical project and a platform to spread environmental awareness and inspire social change among Nile citizens.

The Nile flows through 10 countries that are diverse, yet are also linked by historical and cultural ties and present-day politics. What role will music play throughout the different stages of the project?

There are some problems only the arts can help solve. And in the Nile Project’s case, there are two challenges we hope to tackle through music.

I come from Cairo. And when I look around my hometown today, I see that we have become so disconnected from both the river that runs through our city and the people who live down that river and drink from the same water. To most Cairenes, the Nile is either a natural barrier you have to cross, a reservoir of water you cannot live without, or a demarcator of privilege for those who can afford waterfront real estate. When we lack such a visceral connection to our immediate ecosystem, how could we be aware of our environmental impact? Bringing back this visceral connection will not happen through intellectual campaigns. But it could happen with music.

The other issue is a cultural one. Because the Nile is so crucial to our livelihood, it has become the domain of political discourse. When we began working on this project, we were asked the question: “Do either of you work for the government?” We obviously do not. But the question shows you how polarizing the Nile has become. One way to rekindle our cultural connections is through the music we will make.

What will you do during the Lincoln Center presentations in 2013?

We will definitely have a performance series to showcase the many musical collaborations we are developing. All of them will feature cross-cultural performances among Nile musicians. We will also have presentations by scholars, artists, and social entrepreneurs who work on the Nile. We also hope to collaborate with other river projects.

What issues will be discussed during the TED conversations, and who will participate in them? Is any part of the project intended to get at the subject of water control along the Nile?

TEDxNile will feature scholars, social entrepreneurs, and artists who will share their expertise and ideas about the Nile. We hope the videos will help spread these worthy ideas and bring more attention to those who are coming up with solutions. We also hope these solutions will inspire others to come up with more ideas.

The Nile Project is not a political project. It is an environmental and cultural project. We want to spread a new paradigm that overlooks the political boundaries among our people. We like to think of the Nile region in a holistic way, as an ecological and cultural system that predates nations and states. And we believe the solutions will come from this outlook. In our book, the only way towards sustainability is equity. But we are not in the business of fighting over water.

The Nile Project Kickstarter Campaign Video 

Feb. 4, 2012, Sarah notes: I’m excited to share that the Nile Project surpassed its goal by Feb. 1—thank you to everyone who helped support it!

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REGARDING TRADITION: TOURISM AND THE ARTS OF RAJASTHAN

The Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF), an annual five-day celebration of folk music and performance traditions from around the globe, just wrapped up this past Sunday in Jodhpur, India. Famous for its royal history and its traditional arts, Rajasthan is a major international travel destination. Tourism means more business for the state, but how do Rajasthan’s artists fare?

A bird’s-eye view of Jodhpur. (Sarah Lin Bhatia)

During a folk performance in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert a few weeks ago, I found myself pulled from my comfortable cushion at the edge of the stage and made to dance in front of a large, cheering crowd. I soon realized that I was tripping over my feet not to a Rajasthani folk song but to a familiar Bollywood tune played on dholak and harmonium!

Rajasthan abounds with artistic talent and its famed handicraft markets overflow with colorful wares ranging from hand-printed bedspreads to exquisite silverwork. Such abundance and the availability of cheaper, factory-made goods begs the question: How can artists make a living in Rajasthan?

Roughly the size of New Mexico, Rajasthan is a large state in northwestern India with vast stretches of desert. The “Land of Kings,” it consisted of approximately 20 small kingdoms before India’s independence and partition in 1947. This, in part, accounts for the almost overwhelming variety of musicians, dancers, and artists in Rajasthan today.

Meharuddin Langa, a “living legend,” playing the algoza during an RIFF performance.

Outside of Jodhpur, we visited a family of weavers long renowned for the quality of their carpets, and in Jaisalmer we met an uncle-nephew puppet troupe carrying on a five-generations-old tradition. Every artist we met seemed to have a similar story of inherited skills.

Thousands of people from India and abroad visit the state each year looking to experience traditional Rajasthani culture. Palace-themed hotels, camel safaris, and “folk” music and dance performances such as we attended appear to be flourishing. Tourism is unquestionably vital to Rajasthan’s economy, but after a few days of travel I found myself wondering if it benefits everyone in the same way.

Surviving as an artist in Rajasthan is definitely as challenging as it is the world over, and the downside to tourism is that it can reduce artistry to mere “lite fare.” Perhaps the more important question then is: How can Rajasthan sustain its vibrant artistic traditions in a way that both honors the past and helps its artists grow and thrive?

Several visionary individuals and organizations in Rajasthan have already taken up the call to achieve this goal, including encouraging collaboration between Rajasthani and international artists. The Jaipur Virasat Foundation (JVF), a nonprofit trust founded by John and Faith Singh in 2002, is at the forefront of this movement.

“Virasat” means “heritage” in Hindi—a fitting designation for an organization dedicated to promoting Rajathan’s traditional arts as well as to creating new opportunities. The folk festival is one of JVF’s many initiatives, and the trust has conducted searches throughout remote parts of Rajasthan for the state’s most talented artists.

A few years ago, JVF brought UK artists Jason Singh and Bex Mather to Rajasthan to conduct workshops and perform with folk musicians. The result? Dharohar: A sensitive and successful merging of artists from different cultural and social backgrounds who toured and performed together throughout India. During the performances, Singh joined forces with morchang (mouth harp)-player Raies Khan for a jugalbandhi (duet) such as the world has never seen before.

Arrangements for traditional instruments go awry very quickly when sounds and instruments are senselessly thrown together—particularly so in the vague genre of “fusion” music. But Singh and Khan’s musical duo works because it’s an innovatively simple pairing of musical techniques and artists who are perfectly attuned to one another.

Are projects like Dharohar and RIFF sustainable and will they benefit artists in the long run? Optimistically, I would say “yes,” because such types of well-organized performances and recording projects provide Rajasthani artists with access to the growing number of people with globally oriented, non-commercial music interests. And for listeners, it is now easier to discover such music thanks in great part to the internet.

Of course, nonprofit projects are susceptible to the ebb and flow of funding, and there’s also commercially oriented competition in Rajasthan…which brings me back to the subject of tourism. If not specifically visiting to attend RIFF or another festival, what can a tourist possibly do to help Rajasthani artists?

  • Take a little time to research before you go. (I write this tongue-in-cheek having attended a Bollywood-themed performance.) Cruise the internet a bit and reach out to a local non-profit organization, which may be able to recommend lesser-known performances and artist collectives. We found a lot of handicraft collectives, both in the city and in the countryside.
  • Don’t be afraid to explore and ask around once you’re there. In our case, this led to a private puppet show and a dance performance in the courtyard of a lakeside haveli.

Again, tourism is essential to Rajasthan’s economic vitality and even the commercial ventures provide opportunities for artists. But options do exist that more fully showcase the individuals who are helping to keep the state’s amazing artistic traditions alive, so why not choose one of those instead? You’ll have a more meaningful and memorable experience—and if you aren’t careful, you might also find yourself onstage.

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LONDON LUCUMI CHOIR: A COMMUNITY GROUP WITH GLOBAL APPEAL

London’s Lucumi Choir—a non-audition, all-volunteer group—presents stirring vocal and percussion arrangements of Santeria liturgical songs and contemporary Cuban music. Established in 2006, this community-based group attracts artists from around the world. Founder and director Daniela Rosselson speaks about the experience of growing the choir over the past several years.

Full choir at the Barbican Theatre, February 2008. (Reynaldo Trombetta)
Full choir at the Barbican Theatre, February 2008. (Reynaldo Trombetta)

When did you first encounter Cuban music?

I first encountered Cuban music in the late 1970s. First, via music with Cuban roots, such as salsa, and also via my father, who was interested in the nueva trova movement in Cuba.

After that, the first couple of live bands I saw at Ronnie Scott’s [a London jazz club] in the early 1980s were in the shape of Irakere and Gonzalo Rubalcaba’s Grupo Proyecto. I also saw the Conjunto Folklórico, which came to visit the UK at that time.

How did you get the idea for the London Lucumi Choir, especially its being a non-audition, volunteer group? What is the meaning of the name?

I am a initiate of the Lucumi faith also known as Santeria. I have been practicing this faith for over 24 years, and there is a whole liturgy of spiritual songs associated with it. The songs are beautiful and I had the idea of forming the choir since I wished to have a large collection of voices singing them with modern vocal arrangements.

I am also a musician, singer, arranger, and teacher, and I find all my skills and interests combined in this project. The choir is non-audition since it is a community choir, and therefore does not wish to exclude any member of the community.

Many people believe they cannot sing. This choir encourages people like that, and indeed most people can and should sing. As a teacher of singing, I have very rarely encountered truly tone-deaf people. There is very little to no funding these days for the arts, and therefore the choir is run by myself on a voluntary basis although I receive a small token amount for teaching every week.

Solo dancer, January 2011. (Savinien Zuri -Thomas)
Solo dancer, January 2011. (Savinien Zuri -Thomas)

How do you describe the music that the choir performs? What are some of the different cultures and traditions that it represents?

The music consists mostly of spiritual songs from the Lucumi tradition although we also perform other Afro-Cuban genres, such as rumba, tumba francesa, palo, and so on.

We present songs from contemporary Cuba. These songs are now sung all over the world since the Lucumi faith has become widespread and there are practitioners in many countries, including the United States.

We also have performed a contemporary piece of music by Nigerian composer Juwon Ogungbe based on a Yoruban tale. The Lucumi tradition originates from the Yoruban lands of West Africa.

https://www.reverbnation.com/thelondonlucumichoir/song/7070146-oya-sequence

What has your experience been like growing the choir over the past several years? How many members does it currently have?

This has been my first community project. We have between 14 and 25 members, but not everyone turns up to all rehearsals. We have had over 65 people pass through the choir’s doors [since we began in 2006] and we have around 15 original members.

Running the choir is a difficult project—commitment is the most challenging issue with people continuously coming and going. Since people see the project as a hobby rather than a job, they have a relaxed attitude in terms of participation. That is the most difficult problem,  especially in terms of performing and recording. However, it is also very rewarding.

There are fewer egos [in the Lucumi Choir] than I have encountered with professional music projects, and I have seen many members develop from being quite shy and unconfident to singing lead solo parts. I have also noticed that people’s aural and dance skills improve with time and dedication. People that found harmony difficult now sing harmonies unprompted.

The most challenging projects that we have done up until this point have been singing in the BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year competition in 2008, and learning the piece by Juwon Ogungbe by heart. We have also performed this work with dancers, which was a new challenge. I am always looking for new and interesting projects to do.

Yoruba Arts Festival, August 2010. Courtesy London Lucumi Choir.
Yoruba Arts Festival, August 2010. Courtesy London Lucumi Choir.

Because this is a community-based choir, do you find that most of your support is local, or do you find that you attract interest  from people across the nation and even worldwide?

Interest in the choir is worldwide, and we have had members visit from the United States and Canada for the experience of singing with us. Most people that join are looking for a choir with a difference, and have either a spiritual interest in the Santeria faith or have an interest in Cuban or African culture in the diaspora.

Members come from all over and they must really want to take part since it is quite a distance for some people. The fact that we sing accompanied by drums also inspires people that want to sing, but do not want a stuffy environment. Others love to sing, but cannot read music and this choir does not require them to do that.

What is the album project you are currently working on? When will it be released?

We have been together for six years and so we decided to make an album. It will be released later on this year. It contains spiritual and social songs, and features some of Cuba’s top percussionists performing with members of the choir. I hope that people will buy the CD and help keep the choir going.

To experience music by the London Lucumi Choir and to learn more about the history and traditions behind it, visit the group’s website and ReverbNation page.

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LISTENING TO WHAT? RED HOT + RIO 2

After listening in early June to the “From Brazil with Love” episode of the excellent new NPR show Alt.Latino, I became hooked on the album Red Hot + Rio 2.

The three weeks’ wait for its June 28 release was well worth it. Now with thirty-three Tropicália-inspired songs loaded onto my MP3 player, I have a lot of music to enjoy and reflect upon during my daily train ride.

Red Hot + Rio 2 is the most recent compilation produced by the New York City-based nonprofit HIV/AIDS awareness and relief organization Red Hot. Here are two tracks that give just a small taste of the breadth of styles and artists on this expansive compilation.

“Um Girassol da Cor do Seu Cabelo” (“A Sunflower the Color of Your Hair”)

Inventive singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd of Los Angeles and José González, an Argentine-Swedish folk musician, give new voice to this song by Lô Borges, a founder of the influential Clube da Esquina music collective.

“O Leãozinho” (“Little Lion”)

American indie-folk band Beirut produced this march-like rendition of a song originally by Brazilian artist Caetano Veloso, a noted Tropicálista. (This track is currently available for free download on the Red Hot website.)