Week of 11th November: Hugh Masekela, EFG London Jazz Festival, Lets Talk, Islamic Militancy in West Africa, Poetry Meets Art 4, Mwalimu Express, GUBA Awards, Pride of the Motherland, Krar Collective and Akale Wube, Women 4 Africa Business Leadership Summit

Mulishani (Hello in Bemba),

As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops here at Proud to be African Clothing we endeavour to keep you as warm as if you were still back home!

This week we’ll be doing that with beautiful music from South African trumpet legend of legends Hugh Masekela at the Southbank Centre, a dream meet up for Ethiopian music fans with Parisien retro Ethiojazz band Akale Wube on stage with London Ethio roots band Krar Collective (get ready for some head shaking and shoulder rotating), Malian singer and multi instrumentalist Rokia Traore, rapper/ saxophonist Soweto Kinch with the National Youth Orchestra, the Township Comets and London Community Gospel Choir to name just a few.

Poetry and Spoken word with the 10^th anniversary of Word4Word in Stratford and Poetry Meets Art 4 in Dalston.

Talks and seminars on topics as varied as Islamic militancy in West Africa, the Privy Council, French Foreign Policy in West Africa, Women 4 Africa Business Leadership Summit, African Urban planning

Our favourites Mwalimu Express return for their monthly African goodness in Rich Mix, Reuben P. Joseph will be presenting Pride of the Motherland a fashion, music and culture show.

Finally there are screenings of movies as varied as La Pirogue, Dear Mandela, Swaziland: A King and his people and Horizon Beautiful.

Winter should not even enter your consciousness, when you transport yourself home at any of these awesome events.

Have a groovy week!

Monday 11^th November

At 6.30pm is The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council: An Anachronism? at Coventry University London Campus,1-17 Middlesex Street, E1 7JF Guyanese Barrister Colin Bobb-Semple will be speaking about the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council arguing that the Privy Council has great persuasive effect on courts in England and Wales and the Caribbean and other courts throughout the Commonwealth. Register for this FREE event here.

At 6.30pm is Lets Talk at Juno Bar, 134 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JE. Hosted by Mikey and Essay this is a monthly debate and discussion night with strong opinions. Admission is £2.00 more details here.

Tuesday 12^th November

At 5.00pm is Islamic Militancy in West Africa: Ideological Struggles in the Sahel at the Aga Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations, 210 Euston Road, NW1 2DA. This lecture by Dr Bakary Sambe (Gaston Berger University, Senegal) examines the ideological struggle in West Africa between Saudi sponsored Wahhabi Islamists, traditional West African Sufi traditions and the increasing popularity of Shiite groups. Register for this FREE lecture here.

At 6.00pm is International Development: Africa! at the Westminster Hub, 80 Haymarket, SW1Y 4TE. This event is for anyone aiming to work for an NGO, government agency or in the private sector in Africa with a range of speakers discussing opportunities, ways to impress and improve your chances of success. Followed by networking over drinks, RSVP this event here. 

At 7.00pm is Poetry Meets Art 4 at Passing Clouds, 1 Richmond Road, Dalston,  E8 4AA. raising awareness of Congo’s Conflict, fair-trade and other ethical issues, the event will feature poets Kat Francois, Oneness Sankara, Mike Galsworthy, Ma’ankha Bast, I& Ideal & Eyesis Star (Rebel Lions of Creation) and artists Verity Flute, Catherine Hall. Money raised will go to the Panzi Hospital and Foundation which specialises in operating on women who have been victims of sexual violence. Tickets are £7.00 from here. 

At 7.30pm is Literary Night: Writing Memoir, An Evening of Readings at Working Men’s Club, 44 Crowndale Road, NW1 1TR. This night will feature a range of authors who will discuss and read from their works, such as Noo Saro-Wiwa (Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria), Alex Wheatle: (Brixton Rock and Brenton Brown), Pele Cox (Poems), Neil Ferguson (Tailor Today) and James Pembroke (Growing Up in Restaurants: The Story of Eating Out in Britain from 55BC to Nowadays), this is a FREE event, details and RSVP here.

Wednesday 13^th November

At 7.30pm Rokia Traore will be performing at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX. The Malian singer and multi instrumentalist will demonstrating her versatility form traditional music to rock’n’roll. Opening the show will be Olivia Chaney. Tickets start from £10.00 from here.  

Thursday 14^th November

At 6.00pm is a Screening of Swaziland: The King and the People at the UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, NW1 2AY. This documentary looks at the last hundred years of Swazi history, and King Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch in the context of the last flawed election and his control of all facets of the state. Followed by a Q&A with Wandile Dludlu (Swaziland Democracy Campaign. RSVP this FREE event here. 

At 6.00pm the Africa Research Institute presents Planning Africa’s urban future at the Africa Research Institute, 55 Tufton Street, SW1P 3QL. This panel discussion about urban planning law will feature Stephen Berrisford (University of Cape Town) and Patrick McAuslan (University of London). With drinks and light refreshments RSVP this FREE event by email.

At 6.30pm is a Screening of Dear Mandela at the G.E. Fogg Lecture Theatre, G.E. Fogg Building, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Campus, Mile End Road, E1 4NS. This award winning film traces the struggles of 3 South Africans whose shanty town is threatened by mass eviction. Followed by a Q&A with S’Bu Zikode (founder, South African Shack Dwellers movement). RSVP this FREE event here. 

Friday 15^th November

From 9.00am is Women For Africa Business Leadership Summit 2013 at NH Harrington Hotel, 5-25 Harrington Gardens, Kensington, SW7 4JW. Titled Repositioning your Brand for Global Visibility in 2014. Confirmed speakers Eric Chinje (Mo Ibrahim Foundation), Ricardo Simms (Sponsorship expert), Caroline Marsh (Philanthropic Entrepreneur), Justina Mutale (Positive Runway), Kathi Scott (Nelson Mandela Children Hospital Fund), Dr Sina Iluyemi (NEPAD), Onyi Anyado (Leadership and enterprise speaker), Dr Nkem Thompson (Health specialist) and Sam Onigbanjo (founder W4BA).  Get your tickets for this event from here.

At 10.00am Chatham House presents French UN Security Council Policy and Peacekeeping in Africa at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, 10 St James Square, SW1Y 4LE. Chaired by Knox Chitiyo (Chatham House) with Manuel Lafont-Rapnouil (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs) who will reflect on French peacekeeping priorities for the UN in Africa and on the importance of international organisations on promoting peace and security. To attend this FREE event contact ChrisVandome.

At 6.00pm is Hart Culture CIC presents Ousmane Sembene at Hazrt Culture CIC Headquarters, Factory Road, Thameswater Gateway, E16 2EW. The 3^rd lecture in this series on the Senegalese filmmaker is titles ‘Analysis of Colonial Rule’. Admission is £5.00 from here.

At 7.30pm Hugh Masekela and Larry Willis will be performing at the Royal Festival Hall. The Grammy award winning trumpeter will be playing tracks from his album Friends with master pianist Larry Willis. The show will be opened by performance poet Zena Edwards. Tickets start from £10.00 from here. 

At 8.00pm is Krar Collective and Akale Wube at Rich Mix, 35- 47 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E1 6LA. This is a collaboration made in heaven for fans of Ethiopian music and jazz. London based Ethio- roots band Krar Collective continue their collaboration with Parisien retro Ethio- jazz band Akale Wube. This little piece of Ethiopia and Ethiopia nostalgia will be supported by DJ Africathy. Tickets are £13.00 in advance from here and £15.50 on the door.   

At 8.00pm Reuben P. Joseph presents Pride of the Motherland..FREEDOM at the Yaa Asantawaa Arts Centre, 1 Chippenham Mews, W9 2AN. This event will involve 21 reputable black designers in all aspects of fashion, with a catwalk runway and art, photography, literature and accessories exhibitions. There will be live music, models, live mannequins and much more. Tickets are £10.00 from here. 

EFG London Jazz Festival

At 8.30pm is The Township Comets are performing at the Vortex, 11 Gillett Squarem Dalston, N16 8AZ. Featuring vocalist Pinise Saul, Chris Batchelor (trumpet), Jason Yarde (saxophone), Adam Glasser (piano) and Frank Tontoh (drums) playing the music of South African saxophonist Dudu Pukwana. Tickets are £11.00 from here. 

Saturday 16^th November

At 5.30pm is the 4^th Annual Ghana UK Based Achievements (GUBA) Awards at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, 18 Albert Embankment SE1 7TJ. This prestigious awards show hosted by Dentaa is held to showcase and celebrate the achievements of the British Ghanaian community. Tickets are £60.00 from here.

EFG London Jazz Festival

At 4.00pm is a screening of Blues Double Bill: And This Is Free and Black Roots in the Frobisher Auditorium 2, Barbican Cinema, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS.  And This Is Free was filmed over 16 days on Chicago’s legendary Maxwell Street. Black Roots is a 1970 movie in which 5 black activists and musicians exchange biographical anecdotes and make music. Ticket start from £6.00 from here.

At 7.30pm the Soweto Kinch, Mark Nightingale and the National Youth Orchestra will be performing at the Kingston Rose Theatre, 24-26 High Street, Kingston, KT1 1HL. They will be performing in the best big band traditions with guest soloists’ saxophonist Kinch and trombonist Nightingale.  Tickets are £12.00 from here. 

At 9.00pm the London Community Gospel Choir at The Hideaway, 2 Empire Mews, Streatham, SW16 2ED. The choir will be celebrating 30 years of music making. Tickets are £20.00 from here. 

Sunday 17^th November

From 11.00am to 3.00pm is the Numbi Family Workshops at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E1 6LA. This creative live photography workshop teaches the fundamentals of photography and explores still life photography. Facilitated by Charity Mwaniki, Nadyah issa and Kinsi Abdulleh. Admission is £10.00 (£5.00 concs) only 15 spaces available.

At 2.00pm is Horizon Beautiful at the Barbican Cinema, Beech Street, EC2Y 8AE, shot on location in Ethiopia this humorous film is about an orphaned street child in Addis Ababa who dreams of becoming an international football star, but when he meets a selfish international soccer magnate things go awry and they end up trekking across country. Tickets are £5.00 (£3.00 under 18s) from here.

From 2.00pm to 6.00pm is Mwalimu Express returns to Rich Mix, featuring Monoswezi a blend of Norwegian saxophone, Zimbabwean mbira and guest Malian percussionist Sidiki Camara, ScreenStation with the Kitchen Sink collective previewing up and coming films from Zimbabwe, poetic performances from Sai Murray and Elmi Ali of the Numbi family, tunes from hosts DJ Rita Ray and Max Reinhardt, Lucy Angell Johns, Parent and Toddler dance sessions. Stalls with music, T shirts, face painting and much more. And its all FREE.

At 6.30pm Migrant Rights Network presents is La Pirogue at Riverside Studios, 1 Crisp Road, Hammersmith, W6 9RL. This Senegalese film tells the story of a group of men who leave Senegal on a small boat (the titular la pirogue) captained by a local fisherman to take them across the Atlantic to Spain. Following the screening there will be a discussion with migration experts, media commentators and the film curator. Tickets are £15.00 (£12.50 concs) from here. 

At 7.00pm is the Word4Word 10^th Birthday Bonanza at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, E15 1BN. With a huge line up of featured artists (no open mic), music and drops from DJ Sloetry and a stall from the designer Gitas Portal. Turn up early for this FREE event, it will be packed.