 |
 Penny's
SAHM Journal
October 2, 2004
The Ishangi Family African
Dancers
The
Powell family "journey"
through Africa thanks to the
Ishangi Family African Dancers.
Last night (10/2/04), I experienced
something so powerful -- so
moving, that I don't even believe
words can completely do justice
to that experience. My husband,
son and I went on an "African
Journey," thanks to a spectacular,
spiritual performance by the
Ishangi Family African Dancers.
The "trip" was amazing.
I left the theatre so full of
love and appreciation for God
and our being as an African
people. What a rich and creative
heritage we have!
This family of dancers and musicians
was visiting the Ritz Theatre
and LaVilla Music in Jacksonville,
Florida for a special event
honoring the late Baba Kwame
Ishangi. According to the Ishangi
Family African Dancers' website:
"The name 'ISHANGI' means
gatekeeper, and reflects Baba
as caretaker and preserver of
the culture, and way of life
of his noble ancestors. His
focus is the appreciation and
understanding of African culture,
i.e. history, philosophy, life-style
and the arts. He has received
world-wide recognition for his
work and expertise..."
At the beginning of last night's
program, we were told that Baba
Kwame Ishangi devoted his life
to keeping the story of our
heritage alive, the story of
who we were BEFORE Africans
were enslaved and robbed of
our true identity. His goal
was for people to know and understand
the beauty of our culture. With
that goal in mind, Baba Kwame
Ishangi spent a lifelong journey
educating communities through
many forms, including dance.
A year ago, Baba Kwame Ishangi
departed earth, and yesterday
his family paid homage to his
spirit through a divine concert
of drumming, dancing and narration.
Soon after the Ishangi Family
African Dancers appeared on
stage, I knew I was in for a
spiritual journey. There was
something going on inside of
me that words can't explain,
and as a result I became teary-eyed
at the beginning and end of
the two-hour performance. This
show hit my soul at its deepest
level. I'm sure that a part
of my sensitive emotions at
the time was related to the
fact that, in my mind -- in
my own way as a spectator --
this God-filled performance
also allowed me to pay homage
to my own dad who departed earth
in 1996. He, too, had a great
love for African culture --
a passion of his that rubbed
off on me -- combined with the
fact I was once an African dancer,
a member of the Empress Menen
Dancers in Bermuda!
But back to last night's concert
that educated the audience through
soulful entertainment! The show
opened with a bang -- with drum
beats from "Drums of Thunder."
The name of that groups says
it all. The drummers entered
from the left and right of the
theatre and the first beat was
all that was needed to grab
attention and keep it!
The Ishangi Family African Dancers
later took the stage and their
dances ranged from those that
remembered and honored our ancestors,
(as one of the Ishangi family
members stated, We have to remember
where we came from before we
can know where we're going),
to a dance thanking God for
a good harvest, to another where
African women asked God to protect
their husbands who were called
to war, to another dance where
the Ishangi children asked elders
to clear up the confusion as
to why war surrounds us, to
a dance depicting a rites of
passage for young African girls,
and so much more! Every dance
had great significance and was
grounded in spirituality. And
the dancers played the drums
and other instruments just as
well as they danced. What talent!!!
Because I left the event so
spirit-filled, I told a friend
of mine that I felt as though
I had been to church in a non-traditional,
ever-so-creative way. This experience
confirmed to me that "church"
is available in many forms.
Based on how full my spirit
was when I departed the Ritz
Theatre, I should have not been
surprised to later learn that
Baba Kwame Ishangi was an African
Priest while on earth. What
an anointed priest he must have
been! He's still touching lives........
Thank you, Babi Kwame Ishangi.
Your spirit truly filled the
Ritz Theatre last night, and
your work obviously continues
to live on!
To learn more about Babi Kwame
Ishangi and the Ishangi Family
African Dancers, visit http://members.aol.com/ishangi1/.
Penny 10/2/04
Momtoaboy@aol.com
| |
