ndajefestival

PRO'S: The classes were on fire! I loved everyone and took almost all of them! My favorite teacher is Djeneba Sako and I don't usually dance sabar, but I was even lured into a class taught by Babacar M'Baye and I loved it! I'm hooked now! The space is nice and warm and the concert was original, which I didn't expect from Africans. I was looking for the usual traditional routines, but this was more creative. Bravo!

CON'S: The women in charge of the space was horrific! She tried to end the last class, taught by Youssouf Koumbassa, so you know we were all not having it. We finished class, but to me she was the worse and the space needs to be different next year, cause I don't want to have to deal with her attitude again.

RECOMMEND? YES YES YES! I am going again next year, hopefully it will be in a new location or the space will be under new menagement. Overall this was a well thought out event.

THE BATTLE OF THE BEST AFRICAN DANCE CONCERT (NYC)

WWW.FIRSTCHILDSOCIETY.COM

PRO'S: This is like having another DanceAfrica to attend rather than just one gathering a year to celebrate African dance AND this event does not just focus on African traditional forms, but also contemporary and Caribena forms. I enjoyed it and found myself on my feet often, screaming, and cheering. Bamabara was exciting to watch and Asase yaa well, the drummers are just no (bleeping) joke period. York College Perf. Arts theater is beautiful also.

CON'S: I quickly grew tired of the djembe rhythms and was happy to see some elements of Cuban dance, Ghana dance, and more to break the monotony. That would be my only complaint for this concert, I wanted to see more variations of African dance, not the usual fast rhythms and flying across the stage choreography. I am an elder who used to dance in The African American Ballet years ago, so I have seen a lot of dance and drum and I seek different things now. Creativity.

RECOMMEND? Of course, we need more event like this. There is nothing like seeing and hearing the musicians of Asase Yaa. I would follow them to the ends of the Earth to be able to hear them jam together. You can tell they have all been together drumming for a very long time. I remember Brother Yao when he was a young boy studying with Kimati Dinizulu, now he is a Master. Ashe to that!

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THOSE WHO'VE PAVED THE WAY

In this section of The Drum Call, we pay homage to artists who have made the work of living artists available to the masses, who have opened once closed doors so that we as young artists can thrive today, and those who have also served as mentors and an inspiration to us all in many ways, shapes, and forms. May we as an arts community continue to keep the legacy of our ancestors long ago past and recently making their transition to the Ancestral Burial Grounds alive through our work and in our hearts. Ashe.

THIS MONTH THE DRUM CALL REMEMBERS...

(AUNTIE) ALICE & NANA YAO OPARE DINIZULU

Creators of the oldest African dance company in America:

NANA YAO OPARE DINIZULU

Since his earliest youth, Nana Yao Opare Dinizulu’s vision and goal was to reestablish and reaffirm our rich African heritage, in order to enhance the condition of our people—to redeem and uplift. When Mr. Amarteifio, introduced my father, Nana Yao Opare Dinizulu, to Nana Akua Oparebea, I was a very small child. This meeting was, without question, a key event in the fulfillment of my father’s destiny.

Although he had been worshiping the Gods of Africa since the l940’s, his alliance with Nana Oparebea opened a bright and new chapter in our history. He was now able to reach back and embrace the past and incorporate it with present and future. While there were others engaged in the important work of building on the cultural remnants that survived the era of slavery, Nana Dinizulu reconnected us with the source. Working with Nana Oparebea, he was able to obtain the implements and medicines needed to establish an authentic Akan religious tradition in America. In l965, Nana Oparebea provided him with the first Akan shrines. This led to the founding of the Bosum Dzemawodzi in l967. When, in l971, Nana Dinizulu brought Nana Oparebea to the United State, there was a great flowering of traditional culture. Many people were initiated into the priesthood, while others became }brafo and }kyeme. The institution of chieftaincy was strengthened and further developed, when Nana Oparebea returned to the United States accompanied by her husband, Nana Yaw Boateng, Dadiesoabahene of Kumasi.
Nana Dinizulu's first Ak¡mfo¡

In 1965, the late Nana Yao Opare Dinizulu I, whose research had revealed to him that his ancestors came from Ghana, traveled to the Akonedi Shrine in Ghana for an oracular consultation, which was done by Okomfohemmaa Nana Akua Oparebea's mother. Nana Dinizulu was directed to his ancestral home through divination. He was completely overwhelmed. He was initiated and upon his return brought to the USA, Nana Asuo Gyebi, Esi Ketewaa and Adade Kofi shrines. In 1967, he established the traditional African religious and cultural organization, Bosum Dzemawodzi in New York.

In 1971, the late Nana Dinizulu requested, received and established the Akonedi Shrine in the U.S.A. Nana Dinizulu was given the titles of Omanhene and Okomfohene of Akans in America, as he was the first to introduce Africans born in America (African Americans) to the Deities of Ghana, West Africa. He invited Okomfohemmaa Nana Akua Oparebea to visit the USA.

In 1971, Okomfohemma Nana Akua Oparebea accepted the invitation and traveled to America. Once here she established Nana Asuo Gyebi, Esi Ketewaa and Tegare shrines in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, California and Toronto, Canada. When returning to Ghana, she took young men and women to train at the Akonedi Shrine at Larteh . She taught Nana Dinizulu how to train Okomfo (traditional Priests and Priestesses) to serve the Deities. Since that time, many other Shrines and Deities have been brought to America by other Akomfo who were trained in Larteh, at other Shrines in Ghana, and by accomplished Akomfo in the USA.

Nana Yao's vision was to build institutions based on our traditions, history and culture. Many of our actions, thoughts and feelings, as a people here in the Americas, came straight from our West African heritage. Often these were that things that sustained us through all adversity but often we were not consciously aware of them nor did we recognize their origin and special affinity to us. Nana Yao's vision was to create institutions that reflected our history our heritage and us. He wanted to establish a system of empowerment to give the spiritual, physical and intellectual foundation which would allow us to know who we are, why we are here and where we are going.

  “The first priest that I initiated in the late sixties was Adzua D. Opare, priestess to Nana Oyeni. She is a young woman for whom I have a great deal of respect, and depend a great deal on like my left hand. Shortly following Adzua’s initiation came that of Nkobeahene Ajaibo.

There are many other people who helped in the development of the Akan religion here in America. According to the wisdom of the elders, one head cannot go into council, therefore, one person cannot do anything alone. Without aid, without people helping you, you will just flounder. You may see someone and say this is a great man, but he could not be great unless the people behind him helped. The first person to possess Asuo Gyebi in America was Okomfo Baakan. The first person to possess Nana Kumi and regenerate that shrine which had lain dormant for over two hundred years was Okomfo Nyo. You see, in 1972 I had a vision that I had to go to Kubease-Larteh and also to Nsaba to bring something back from my great-grandparents. Nana Oparebea tried to discourage me, but I insisted that they take me back to the Nsaba village site of the 1500's. Trees were so high that sunlight could not even penetrate. Under a big tree that had fallen was a hole, and I said., "I want what is in there." They brought out the Nana Kumi shrine. Nana Kumi’s shrine was given to me and I brought it to America. I own the parent shrine of Nana Kumi, and Okomfo Nyo was the first to possess him.” - Nana Yao Opare Dinizulu

Published in NY Times Obituaries: February 16, 1991

Nana Yao Opare Dinizulu, founder of the troupe called Dinizulu and His African Dancers, Drummers and Singers, died on Sunday in Camden, N.J., after collapsing at Camden High School before a concert. He was 60 years old and lived in Queens.

He died of a heart attack, said a member of the Camden medical examiner's staff.

For more than 40 years Mr. Dinizulu presided over the critically acclaimed company of dancers, drummers and singers that he termed "the oldest African dance company in America."

Alice Dinizulu

Executive Director

    Alice Dinizulu was introduced to the study of African Dance by her brother-in-law Joseph Comadore, a premier dancer, percussionist, stage and screen actor.   She went on to study and perform with Asadata Dafora who was the first person to put African Dance on the Broadway stage. She also studied dance with Ismay Andrews, one of the premier teachers of African Dance during the l940's and 50's, and assisted her with teaching classes in her later years. She credits her love and knowledge of African Dance to those personalities who encouraged and worked so diligently with her. She performed with Mr. Dafora until he returned to his native country Sierre Leone, West Africa. She also performed with Carmencita Romera and toured with Massie Patterson's Calypso Carousel and Caribiana, presenting songs, dances and culture from the African diaspora. She taught African dance in Harlem, before teaching for the classes organized by Nana Yao Opare Dinizulu in both Harlem and Manhattan. These classes lead to her co-founding with Nana Yao Opare Dinizulu, in 1954, the Dinizulu African Dancers, Drummers & Singers Dance Company. Extant to this day, in terms of longevity, it is the oldest African Dance Company in the United States. At its inception and for many years, she was the choreographer, stage manager, and lead dancer of the company. Presently, as executive director of the Dance Company and of the Aims of Modzawe Cultural Center, she oversees a variety of cultural classes offered to both children and adults at the center. Her love of African Dance and her desire to know more about the culture, history and tradition of Africa has led to numerous trips to Africa as well as further study of the indigenous African culture and tradition leading to the achievement of degrees in both history and African studies. In 1999, she was designated, for the Newsday Exhibition, as one of the women of distinction in the borough of Queens.  Her wish is that the legacy and history of African dance, culture and traditions in this country will remain intact for future generations.

(Closing words submitted by Amina Heckstall) Auntie Alice passed on to The Ancestral Burial Grounds in Sept. 2007. There was a beautiful dance and drum ceremony held at The Aims of Modzawe Shrine in Jamaica Queens. I was able to know her well in her last few years, when I became a teacher at Aims. She would always watch me teach and tell me she missed dancing. Auntie Alice would pick me up every week and drive me to and from class (because I was a young teacher and she wanted to make sure I was on time), during the ride we would talk politics because she was always listening to some political radio station instead of music. I loved her dearly and miss her Spirit to this day. I am a carrier of her legacy! Ashe.

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THE DRUM CALL!

The Magazine for African & African American Cultural Arts

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Alice Dinizulu

Executive Director