WELCOMING THE STRANGER IS AN INTERACTIVE CULTURAL 3-hour workshop that
motivates teen and adult participants to develop their intellect,
refine their emotions, understand the cultural and creative nature of
musical artistry, and make connections among music, creative writing,
visual arts and movement as important aspects of healing. The
facilitator delivers a performance/demonstration using her percussion
and wind instruments (drums, shakers, bells, flutes) and their country
of origin. Participants explore percussion instruments provided by the
project and interact with the facilitator to better understand how to
play the instruments. Participants form small ensembles to play
improvisational pieces. The facilitator offers background history on
the Funga rhythm and the Funga Alafia song. The facilitator guides
participants to play the different parts of the Funga rhythm. The
rhythm is composed of specific patterns that are formed by striking
the center, right and left side of the drum head. These patterns were
codified by Nigerian Master Drummer Babatunde Olatunji who had a
tremendous influence in African American cultural drumming and dance
forms. Drums, bells, shakers, and voice combine to create a soothing
and festive environment that is inclusive, respectful, and accepting
of LGBTQ sexual assault survivors. Funga Alafia is the West African
welcome song. As STRANGERS APPROACH A VILLAGE THEY DISPLAY THE PALMS
OF THEIR HANDS TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE NO WEAPONS. Next they cross
their arms over their chest to let the villagers know that they come
in peace. This dance movement is followed by a salute to the four
directions. The last dance movement allows dancers to improvise and
display their dance skills.
The facilitator, Nancy Lorenza Green is a bilingual Afro-Chicana
artist from El Paso, Texas and Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua. Ms. Green has
been playing bamboo flutes and percussion instruments for over 40
years. She attended Brandeis University in Massachusetts and for 23
years lived in the Boston area where she learned the Olatunji method
for playing drum rhythms. She also began writing poetry, performing
music and spoken word. She obtained her Master’s degree in Education
from Cambridge College in Massachusetts.
Since she returned to El Paso 25 years ago, she has been active in the
arts community. She worked as the Arts in Education Coordinator for
the City of El Paso Arts Resources Department, as a
teaching/performing artist with the Ysleta Independent School District
Arts Alive Program, as a coaching artist with VSA Texas and presented
at the VSA International Conference in Washington, D.C.
music
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05/04/2020 Last update