Birago Day! Inaugural African and Caribbean Folklore Day

Listen to things more often than beings.

Hear the voice of fire, hear the voice of water.

Listen in the wind, to the sighs of the bush; this is the ancestors breathing.

- from Les Souffles by Birago Diop

Birago Diop was a Senegalese poet and storyteller whose work restored general interest in African folktales. He was also a renowned Veterinarian, Doctor and Diplomat.

Named in recognition of his contribution, Birago Day will be an annual celebration of African and Caribbean Folklore worldwide!

BLAST Fest’s contribution to Birago Day will take place at Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum amongst the Our Changing Planet, Wild Life and Marine Worlds Galleries on the second floor.

Featuring the brains behind Birago Day, Mr Natty Mark Samuels, and with an emphasis on nature and cultural resistance, the event will be delivered in a promenade style! The audience and performers will move around the gallery space together to experience the different stories, performances and activities on the backdrop of the museum exhibitions.

Programme of Contributors:

“I believe a collection of folktales carry a route to wisdom and redemptive potential, as the Bible, Koran or any religious text.” -Natty Mark.

Natty Mark Samuels: Author, poet and Founder of The African School in Oxford.

Natty will deliver The Moonlit Classroom: an interactive workshop looking at the documented significance of folklore, an introduction to the life of Birago Diop and the Tales of Amadou Koumba, and a meander through epic and folktales.

Dr Niquet Goldson:

Like Birago Diop, Dr Niquet is a veterinarian and a lover of story and song! Hailing from the beautiful island of Jamaica, Dr Niquet’s musical talk will take us on a melodic tour of life in the tropics, science, storytelling and more!

The Story of Capoeira: Learn about the Afro-Brazillian tradition of Capoeira through an acrobatic demonstration of creativity, combat and survival, accompanied by instrumental storytelling! Courtesy of Leo Paninho, Denise Pantera, Ronke Fadare, Fiona Spence-Reid and Emilie Belib.

Humans, Animals and Nature: A fun-fact exploration of human/animal coexistence in different environments and cultures, with Zoology students Amelia Shervington-White and Aaron Mathew from Nottingham Trent University

Asha B: Musician and Sound Engineer will perform African Drumming throughout!

Suitable for adults and families/groups with accompanied children 8 years and over

Supported by the NERC-funded Engaging Environments Project and in-kind support from ThinkTank Birmingham Science Museum.

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