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Okaida Afroso Performing At Lenfest
Washington and Lee University’s Lenfest Center welcomes Okaida Afroso’s “Jaku Mumor: Ancestral Spirit” on March 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Wilson Concert Hall.
Through his distinctive style that combines various percussion instruments, vocals, guitar and dance, Afroso explores the perseverance of ancestral traditions and creates a new, complex and contemporary African oral tradition.
Tickets are required. Tickets prices are $30 for general public, $27 for seniors, $24 for W&L faculty and staff and $8 for students. On-line ticket sales are available at https:// my.wlu.edu/lenfest-center/ jaku-mumor-ancestral- spirit.
The box office is open for in-person sales Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Patrons can contact the box office by calling (540) 458-8000 or emailing [email protected].
“Jaku Mumor” is Afroso’s newest project, a musical glimpse into the rich history and cultural inheritance of the Ghana’s Atlantic Gulf of Guinea. The album draws inspiration from the ecological knowledge of the indigenous Ga-Dangme fishermen, exploring the power of nature-based rituals and the connections Afroso’s own ancestors had to the elemental world. More specifically, this project explores the cultural roles of music, dance, and storytelling in American indigenous and Ga-Dangme communities as well as indigenous perspectives on the element of water and sanctity of fish.
, page B2 Afroso’s musical style blends traditional rhythms with modern harmonies, paying homage to his cultural heritage and creating a unique musical depth through a vibrant layering of percussion, guitar, and vocals. “Jaku Mumor” dives deep into Afroso’s roots, collaborating directly with the Ga-Dangme fishermen, capturing their soul-touching a capella singing and chants to work into his musical presentation.
Through this project, Afroso aims to foster conversations about the challenges facing indigenous communities around the world, including the consequences of rising sea levels on fishing communities and the effects of economic development on cultural preservation. Over the course of his creative production process, Afroso hopes to learn about indigenous resiliency practices and share them with the wider public — the American indigenous community and Ga-Dangme fishermen back in Ghana.
Afroso grew up in family of storytellers and musicians in Kokrobite, a fishing village on the western coast of Ghana. His childhood was full of music as he often worked side by side with a capella singing fishermen, learning the songs of the sea. At 19, he become a principal dancer with the Ghana Dance Ensemble and in 1999, he was invited bring his artistic talent to Portland, Oregon, by the late Obo Addy. There, he joined a team of musicians and dancers dedicated to promoting West African culture to audiences across the Pacific Northwest.
In his personal work, he extends ancestral traditions, combining various mediums of movement and soul to create a contemporary African oral tradition. Afroso has produced four albums and been commissioned to score both dance and theater productions. He takes deep inspiration from his research on the music of the African Dispora and has worked to harmonize the unique essences of both African and African America music.
Afroso has also begun investigating the compelling connections between indigenous African and indigenous American history, art, and more specifically, their relationship to the natural world.
The final installment of the Lenfest Center’s University Outreach & Engagement Series focuses on Afroso’s visit to the W&L campus connecting university knowledge and art experiences on the W&L campus and beyond to the community in a mutually beneficial partnership.
The “Jaku Mumor” outreach program will give students a fresh perspective of the Ga-Dangme of West Africa, a viewpoint that highlights the abundance of the continent, not what it lacks. The Jaku Mumor outreach will pay respect to the wise ways of Okaidja’s elders and ancestors and their reverence for and connection to the natural world.
Afroso will work with students in the Pickens World Music classroom, Environmental Studies, W&L Dance, Africana Studies and VMI cadets in an immersive and empowering dialogue.
