Moni (Hello in Chichewa),
I guess there is only one news story this week, the passing
on of Nelson Rohlihlahla Mandela, former
Alot has been written, alot has been said. It is incomprehensible
for many people to completely understand what Mandela means to many Africans
but to me in particular he represented the Africa that would have been if we
got it right first time, if we’d fought the good fight, won the wars and then
won the peace. As the only liberation leader to willingly give up power and not
accumulate wealth.
Mandela was far from the perfect person or the perfect
leader. But he showed the world the Africa that we Africans see every day, a
land filled with wisdom, fun, forgiveness and humanity.
You do not mourn the death of 95 year old men, people of
that age are so close to the other side that it is merely walking from one room to
another.
As we die and are returned to the land and become one with
the land, we live on.
As long as Africa lives we live.
As long as Africa lives we live.
So as Madiba crosses to the next world I will use the words
of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at TEDx Euston this Saturday, “Mandela is dead. Long
live Mandela”
Monday 9th December
At 4.30pm Chatham
House hosts Russia’s Policies and
Interests in Africa at the Royal
Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, 10 St James Square, SW1Y xx,
with Mikhail Margelov (Special Representative of the Russian Federation to
African Countries) who will discuss Russia’s priorities in its dealings with
the African Continent. To attend this
FREE event contact Lubica Pollakova.
At 6.30pm is Lets Talk 4th Anniversary at
the Juno Bar, 134-135 Shoreditch High
Street, E1 6JE. This anniversary evening will feature special guests from
the past 4 years with cake and a raffle. Hosted by Essay and Mikey admission is
£2.00
Tuesday 10th December
At 6.30pm is Transatlantic Exchanges: African American and South African Jazz
Musicians in the Arts One Lecture
Theatre, Queen Mary University London, Mile End Road, E1 4NS. Professor
James Miller (George Washington University) will deliver a seminar on Free Jazz
and liberation Movements on Two Continents, focussing on the mutual fascination
between black communities in the US and South Africa and the convergence of
these interests expressed through jazz. This FREE presentation is followed by a drinks reception, RSVP here.
Wednesday 11th December
At 7.00pm is the
PENHA Fund Raising Dinner at Adulis
Oval, 44-46 Brixton Road, Brixton, SW9 6BT. The Pastoralist and
Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa (PENHA) works in Ethiopia, Eritrea,
Uganda, Kenya, Somaliland and Djibouti. This fundraising and networking dinner
will feature traditional Ethiopian food, the Ethiopian Coffee ceremony, live
music, dance and art. Tickets are £50.00
from here..
Thursday 12th December
At 4.30pm the ODI
presents Preventing violent conflict in
Africa: Inequalities, perceptions and institutions at the Overseas Development Institute, 203
Blackfriars Road, Southwark, SE1 8NJ. This event will use research by the
Japanese Agency for Development to explore why neighbouring countries some of
which share common historical traits of historical inequalities have sometimes taken contrast pathways of
violence and conflicts. Register for this FREE
event here.
At 6.30pm INIVA
hosts the Stuart Hall Library Research
Network Meeting in the Stuart Hall Library, Institute of
International Visual Arts, Rivington Place, EC2A 3BA. Sayed Sattar Hassan
and Karl Ohiri present My Grandad’s Car,
a video and photography project by the two friends who explore their identities
as British born men of Pakistani and Nigerian origin via their connections to
their grandfathers cars. Register for this FREE
event here.
At 6.30pm is the Black Solicitors Network Christmas
Networking Special: An Audience with Richard Reddie at Fasken Martineau LLP, 17
Hanover Square, W1S 1HU. Writer and broadcaster will present ‘Martin Luther
King Jr: the Law and his legacy’ in the anniversary year of the seminal ‘I have
a dream’ speech. Followed by a Q&A and a networking reception. RSVP this FREE event here.
At 7.30pm
AfricAvenir and Friends of Namibia present Namibian
Short Films Screening at Harecourt
United Reformed Church, 120 St Pauls Road, N1 2LR. This London premiere of
4 short Namibian films My Beautiful
Nightmare (Periyi Katjavivi), Dead
River (Tim Huebschle), 100 Bucks
(Oshosheni Hiyeluah) and Try (Joel
Haikali). Followed by a QA with curator and film critic Hans-Christian Mahnke
(AfricaAvenir Windhoek). Register for this FREE
event here.
Friday 13th December
At 5.00pm the
Somali Relief and Development Forum presents Re-Imagining Africa: Poetry Jam at SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, WC1H 0XG. This event will
feature poetry and spoken word as well as cakes, arts and crafts and poetry
workshops Tickets are £3.00 from
here.
At 7.00pm is Focus 3rd Year Anniversary and
BEFFTA Awards Celebration at Passing
Clouds, 1 Richmond Road, E8 4AA. Featuring soukous kings Kasai Masai, kora
maestro Kadialy Kouyate, Zimbabwean mbira maestro Kudaushe Matimba, West
African Dance Company Yaye Dib Sabar, spoken word artists Oneness Sankara with
DJ’s DJ Vivi, JP Kairo, AJ Holmes and Moroka playing the best African music.
Tickets are £7.00 from here.
At 7.00pm Desire
Events UK presents Kwabena Kwabena Save
a Life Concert at Dominion Centre, 9
The Broadway, High Road, N22 6DS. The artiste is seeking to raise funds for
the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana with his Save a Life
UK Concert Tour. Tickets for this worthy event start from £15.00 from here.
At 7.30pm is the Songlines Music Awards 2013 Winners Concert
in the Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk
Street, EC2Y 8DS. Featuring Beninois superstar Anglique Kidjo, French/
north African band Lo’Jo, Ethio jazz/ Jamaican Dub cross over band Colossus Dub
Band and Zimbabwean Afro fusion Mokoomba. Tickets start from £15.00 from here
At 7.30pm Black
Diamondz presents Watch Me Blow at the Rag Factory, 16-18 Heneage Street, Brick
Lane, E1 5LJ. This annual Christmas live music and fashion event will be
raising funds for Awal Children of the Future which assists street children in
Ghana. Tickets are £10.00 from here.
Saturday 14th December
From 12.00pm to
6.00pm Kiskirine Events presents Africa
Fair at Harrow Civic Centre, 1
Station Road, Harrow, HA1 2XY. This indoor event hosted by the Mayor of
Harrow will feature stalls, workshops, art exhibitions, culture arts and music,
and it’s FREE to attend! More
details here.
From 2.00pm to 7.30pm
Reuben P. Joseph presents Pride of the
Motherland... Freedom at the Yaa
Asantewaa Arts Centre, 1 Chippenham Mews, W9 2AN. This event highlighting
fashion and culture will feature catwalk runway shows with 20 designers and 26
models, live poetry, African drums, soca, calypso, steel bands, theatrical
productions and more. Tickets are £10.00
from here part of the proceeds go to the Cancer Black Care and African
Caribbean Leukaemia trust.
At 5.30pm is the Jairos Jiri UK Supporters Launch Dinner
at Mama Jumbe’s, 350 St Katherine
Street, E7 8NW. This group seeks to mobilise new and refurbished items for
the disabled in Zimbabwe. The buffet is £15.00
here.
At 7.00pm Zoes
Ghana Kitchen hosts their 5 Course
Ghanaian Christmas Dinner at Palm 2,
152-156 Lower Clapton Road, E5 0QJ. As well as a 5 course dinner, there
will be a raffle to win a hamper, pass the parcel, cocktails and its bring your
own bottle. Dinner is £35.00 (£33.00
for veggies) from here.
At 7.00pm AGMP
and Knitting Factory Records presents Felabration
2013 at 229 The Venue, 229 Great
Portland Street, WC1X 8BZ celebrating Fela Kutis 75th Birthday
and the album release of Red Hot and
Fela, featuring the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra, Shingai Shoniwa,
Baloji, TY, Blak Twang, Sam Duckworth, ESKA, Olugbenga, Afrikan Boy, Z Star,
the Goldsmith College Choir and other special guests. Tickets for this
collection of awesomeness are £20.00
from here.
At 9.00pm is the Igbo Culture and Support Network Christmas
Party at Drapers Bar, Drapers
Square, 423 Bancroft Road, E1 4DH, with hip hop RnB, Naijabeats, Azonto,
old skool you name it, plus plenty fine fine Igbo boys and girls! Tickets are £10.00 in advance from here, £15.00 on the door.
Sunday 15th December
From 12.00pm to
7.00pm is The African Market in
Gillett Square, Dalston, N16 8JH. Open the Gates, Christmas African Market
will feature clothing, jewellery, accessories, books, arts and crafts,
homeware, natural beauty, music, books and much more. With facepainting,
drumming circle and glitter tattoos. This market is FREE to attend.
Remember you can get 10% off all purchases at Proud to be
African Clothing using the voucher code CHRISTMAS10, at www.proudtobeafrican.co.uk until 25th December.
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