Vibrations of Blackness: Connecting The Diaspora With The Continent

Vibrations of Blackness: Connecting The Diaspora With The Continent

A series of performances, films, food, and after-party celebrating Black History Month.

Bridge Back Home: Traditional Food // 18:00 p.m.

"An investment in understanding the origins of another's food tradition is a powerful means of showing love and commitment."

-Chelli Keshavan

Food nourishes our souls and is essential for survival. In addition, it is the center and the creator of community, seamlessly bringing people of various cultures, races, religions, etc., to the same table.

Using Ugandan cuisine as a medium, which is heavily influenced by English, Arab, and South Asian culture, postcolonial conversations are never far away.

This performance art piece uses traditional food to bring people together, encouraging them to open their hearts and minds to shifting perceptions and spark conversations that aren’t always possible in a fast-moving, segregated society.

** Vegetarian menu (tbc) Served from 18:00, and available while supplies last .**

When We Own Our Narratives: Film Screenings + Q&A // 20:00 pm

For centuries Black x Brown people have been at the mercy of others telling our stories. From the creation of social constructs like race to justify slavery and racial hierarchies to minstrel shows and negative depictions of Africa, we can see the cynicism created when we don't own our narratives.

Those of us fighting on the frontline against white supremacy and institutional racism realize that allyship is essential to win this battle. However, all of us that choose to stand up often question whether we're well-versed enough to speak up.

Six short films centering the Black experience were curated from the U.S.A, Canada, U.K. and Uganda after a worldwide open call. After watching each film, the audience is asked to determine which perspective the film was created from. By starting a conversation around how we perceive our communities, we can consider what intentional solidarity looks like.

Soundtrack: DJs // 22:00 p.m.

"Music is a cultural element that simultaneously evokes strong memories and cuts across barriers such as race, class, religion, gender, etc. while bringing people together."

The selectors for the evening, consisting of both local and international DJs, will traverse a diverse range of sounds from Kingston, Jamaica, to New York City, to Accra to Mumbai, and other far-away places.

• Pretty Gang

Pretty Gang is an all-women DJ collective from Berlin. Founded in 2021, Pretty Gang quickly gained popularity with their fun shows, which combine music and dance.

In 2022 Pretty Gang played the well-known HÖR Berlin format and made history by being the first DJs to represent authentic Dancehall and Soca music on the platform.

The collective was founded to combat the lack of visibility of FLINTA* and BIPOC* from the Caribbean & African diaspora in the German

Dancehall & Soca scene and is looking to welcoming more members in the future.

• Pam Bam

Pam bam is a Berlin-based music selector who began her journey in Ghana. When she stood behind the decks for the first time in Accra, it was all about sharing her passion and love for good music – especially Old School Hip Hop and RnB.

Spending almost two years in Ghana, she encountered Afrobeats and Afro House — which has influenced her djing to the bone. Her musical selection is East & West coast meets electronic dance music from African metropoles such as Lagos, Accra, Luanda, and Johannesburg.

Linking her Hip-hop background and African roots together, Pam Bam has a unique and boppy sound that no one can resist dancing to. #PAMBAMSOUND

For Pam Bam, it is all about making people dance, losing themselves in time and space, and sharing and promoting the richness of African contemporary music across the globe.

• Samrai

Producer, DJ, Educator & Director (Balraj) Samrai is one of the founding members of Manchester’s Swing Ting party and record label – profiled by the Guardian, Resident Advisor, FACT magazine & Bandcamp Daily. He's also the co-founder of SEEN Magazine created by global majority and marginalised communities which aims to celebrate unheard voices and stories.

Samrai has been a guest on BBC Asian Network, Radio 1, 1Xtra & BBC 6 Music as well as co-hosting a radio show on NTS Live. He's released music on record labels such as Unknown to the Unknown, Don’t Be Afraid, Keysound, Niche N Bump, Night Slugs & Fat City, performing, recording & delivering workshops all over Europe as well as in Armenia, Canada, Colombia, Jamaica, India & Thailand.

• Gavsborg

Hailing from East Kingston is Jamaican is music producer, Gavin “Gavsborg” Blair; Gavin has been producing under the label Equiknoxx Music for over ten (10) years.

Gavin's diversity and lefteld approach to music production has afforded him the ability to work with a vast number of artistes both locally and internationally, some of which are: Aidonia, Busy Signal, Vybz Kartel, Spice, TOK, Alozade, Chico, Sizzla, Capleton, Kabaka Pyramid, Masicka, Shanique Marie, Kemikal, De La Ghetto, Missy Elliot, Shontelle Layne, Ky-Mani Marley & many more.

** Strugging to afford tickets? Reach out to [email protected] to discus paying what you can **

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Oyoun, Lucy-Lameck-Straße 32, Berlin, Germany