African ritual live

Written by Jason Blood
of Wounded Elf inc.

So they say Mugabe is a mad man
compared to George Bush
he looks like a black angel to me with no wings
no feathers, dignity rendered
useless,
in flight for the chains of freedom
his people’s lives not spared


The poem is an excerpt from four strikes a poem depicting a modern rendition of an African Ritual. Dr.Chancellor Williams must have been the leading inspiration. In the concept behind the creation of African Ritual live performed by Muki Garang. In his book, The Destruction of civilization. Chancellor laments at African History not being documented and the little left destroyed by emerging colonizing fronts. ARL staged an avenue to restore the aesthetic values of youth expression in African
culture. In my characteristic speech, to put a stamp on Africanism.

Muki Garang played the role of ‘Mak Yien’. In merging -Spoken word, Hiphop culture and African folklore, the narration paints gory details of what one face’s if born as an African.



This performance was a main event during the French Cultural Centre's Jukwaani festival. At exactly 9:00pm before a full capacity at the Goethe Institute. Muki begins with Mulatto radiance. A poem that illustrates an encounter between Mak Yien a (village poet) and a mixed race woman. To understand more than what the physical presents. Mak Yien engages the spirits (Black and White) embodied in this woman. This piece is accompanied by an acoustic guitar player Tetu Totuma who chants in Maasai. The performance of Mullato radiance to the villagers,
triggers an unpleasant reaction from the villager healer, Kwach Pierre tindo Oti rapasa. Kwach, summons Muki to his homestead. He forewarns the poet about the advancement of a long train that carries in it a pale man. He sends out Mak Yien to collect materials for divination. In order to intercept the doom the antagonist brings forth. Kwach asks for a hen that can’t speak !


African ritual live is a set that integrates multiple genres to convey a message on the woes of Africa. Muki recites ;

This is Africa,
where your leaders walk the Aisle of power
an hour before your vote was cast
you need to warn them about their next step
that might be on the mine infested fields of Angola

On African relations he continues ;

During the struggle we were one
but now you’d rather bid me farewell
calling me Amakwerekwere

Four strikes in this modern rendition of an African ritual. Epitomizes the plight of Africa through Aids, Poverty, Unemployment and war. A ritual dance between the Root doctor (Francis Otieno), his spirits (Buch) , (Henry Anyanga) and Mak Yien then follows. Backed up by Bum bum drums (Buch) and the 8-stringed Nyatiti (Anyanga) . The healer (Kwach) and his spirits chant in dho luo Yawa piny ni otamore yie (This world has refused to listen). This summed up the village healer’s concern to his people.

PS

Big ups to our black & white chicken for keeping his cool. It didn't jump on to the crowd. The live fowl behaved very well throughout the divination process. It must have realised they wouldn't sacrificed it infront of 300 people!