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Free Day + Film Screening at NUMU | AWỌ Drums in the Park

  • NUMU New Museum Los Gatos 106 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 United States (map)

In celebration and support of AWỌ’s Drums in the Park event, admission to NUMU will be FREE all day on Sat July 16. There will also be a film screening in NUMU’s lounge of “Indigenous Yoruba Drum Making” running every half hour from 12 - 5 PM.

Details

Free Day + Film Screening at NUMU
Museum Hours: 10 AM - 5 PM
Film Screening: 12 – 5 PM, every 30 min
Location: New Museum Los Gatos, 106 East Main Street, Los Gatos

AWỌ Drums in the Park
Time: 12 – 7 PM
Location: Town Plaza Park Los Gatos, Montebello Way, Los Gatos, CA 95030, USA

ABOUT AWỌ’s DRUMS IN THE PARK

In Nigerian Yoruba culture, detailed messages could be sent by the Àyàn (i.e. drummer) from one village to the next faster than could be carried by a person riding a horse. The bending of the pitch of the drum was designed to replicate language that others hearing it would understand, and used to call people from far away to attend important cultural events. This Nigerian talking drum is a metaphor for AWỌ’s calling of people within hearing range to come and hear the stories of the diverse performers at these salon series talking about social justice, inclusion and community.

Through the power of drumming, dancing and storytelling, and in honor of Nelson Mandela International Day, we will kick off on Saturday July 16, 2022 from 12 - 7 PM with “Drums in the Park,” celebrating and amplifying the voices of women and girls having honest conversations about racism and the impact of skin color, social class, and ethnic cultures on their individual lives. Through engaging, cross-cultural conversations with youth and families, and with hands-on workshops, our goals for the HUEmanity Salon Series are to build local solidarity and inclusion while dismantling cultural silos.

FILM DETAILS - "Àyán: Traditional Yoruba Drum Making" 

(Collins Akpapunam, Efizzi Worldwide/Efizzi Communications, Nigeria, May 2022, 13 min)

Language: English
Year: May 2022
Runtime: 13 minutes
Country: Iseyin, Oyo State, NigeriaDirector & Cinematographer: Collins Akpapunam
Executive Producer:  Folake Phillips
Music: Awa Ki se Olodi won by Ayinla Omowura

"Àyán" is a documentary short film that explores the art of traditional drum making in Iseyin, a sleepy town in the outskirts of Ibadan, Oyo State (the cradle of Yoruba civilization in Yoruba land) of Nigeria. The story is told through the lens of a young man, Saheed Ayandiran Ayanponmile, and his dad, Moshood Ayandiran Ayanwale, a family of master drum makers who learned this tradition from their ancestors. The documentary takes us through the intricate drum making process and the multiple uses for each drum, as well as the significance of each sound emanating from different drums. Traditional Yoruba drummers are known as Àyán. The Yoruba believe that Àyángalú was the first drummer, or the spirit that inspires drummers during performances. "Talking drums may be used as a means of communication between tribes, because of its ability to mimic the spoken word effectively. It can be used to relay messages of long distance about coronations, deaths, celebrations and war," explains the film's narrator. "Talking drums have mystical connotations and are linked to deities and gods. They are also used for prayer and as a means to bless a community or individual. Talking drums have spiritual undertones, linguistic prowess, and entertainment relevance." Indeed, Yoruba drumming exemplifies West-African cross-rhythms and is considered to be one of the most advanced drumming traditions in the world. 

ABOUT EFIZZI 

Efizzi Worldwide Entertainment Company and Efizzi Communications is a dual company operating under one unit as a multimedia company, with core services in the production of audiovisual marketing tools, documentaries, short films, digital photography, advertising & public relations. Efizzi is a dedicated team of videographers, sound engineers, graphic designers, lighting technicians, digital video editors, photographers and project managers led by Director & Founder, Collins Dike Akpapunam, who graduated from the University of Maryland. He interned at Ogilvy Benson & Mather and worked at Chattered Health Plan, Washington DC before returning to Nigeria to serve as a consultant to many blue-chip companies from MTN Nigeria & MTN Foundation, Etisalat, Vodacom, Rendevour to Dangote Group & Aliko Dangote Foundation, Forte Oil, and Embassy of the United States.  Established in 2001, the company currently has offices in Lagos and Asaba, Nigeria.

PROGRAMMING LINE UP AT THE PARK

On Saturday, July 16, 2022, from 12 - 7 PM at Town Plaza Park in Los Gatos, the Main Stage will feature dancers from the College of Adaptive Arts, multidisciplinary social practice artist Quynh-Mai Nguyen, West African Griot storyteller Mandjou Kone, the Tabia African-American Theatre Ensemble, spoken word artist Venue Jones, and a keynote address by guest speakers Ann Jealous and Caroline Haskell titled, “The Grief the World Carries: Lessons from Black Lives Matter,” followed by a closing performance by Yoruba storyteller and dancer Oluwaseunfunmi Turner.

“Drums in the Park” will close with a live music celebration in the park performed by Alayo, a Pan-African Afrobeat, Soukous, Highlife Band from 5 - 7 PM, featuring guitarist Soji Odukogbe, bassist Babá Ken Okulolo, drummer Tosin Aribisala, and Congolese drummer and dancer Kiazi Malonga, and guitarist Justin Phipps.

Separately, at New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU) on 106 East Main Street in Los Gatos, there will also be a “Indigenous Yoruba Drum Making” film screening running every half hour from 12 - 5 PM.

Throughout the afternoon, there will be maker/artisan booths selling ethnic goods, as well as three concurrent hands-on workshops for families and children in the park, including:

  • “A Long Hidden History” public reading workshop facilitated by Los Gatos Poet Laureate Jen Siraganian, and where public readers Julie Sebaziga, Brenda Eldridge, Dhanya Ramana and Quynh-Mai Nguyen, will share their personal stories with racism.

  • Healing Arts Workshop called “Africa At Your Fingertips,” where social justice educator Sherinda Bryant will work with participants to explore African concepts and art through hands-on activities and reflective imaginative journaling to re-envision a sustainable future.

  • A Green Arts Workshop called “Build Your Own Kaleidoscope,” where theater artist Alexis MacNab will teach how to make kaleidoscopes using recycled and household materials to help participants see the world afresh and celebrate color, play and the joy of many perspectives.

AWỌ aspires to better understand the significance that color, class and culture have on individual stories being heard within society. With a focus on innovative programs and educational resources, we engage people of all shades to share, learn and create a more complete and accurate narrative of Huemanity. It is our Mission to create opportunities for those whose stories have been historically unheard or misrepresented.

Get involved! Join us in creating a prayer flag for the event. Drop off your flag at NUMU during Museum Open Hours or at the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce. Details below.

CREATING STATIONS
Come stop by the following places in the coming days to create a prayer flag!

DROP-OFF STATIONS
Create a flag(s) at home and drop it off at the following locations:

Earlier Event: July 14
Live Figure Drawing with Sean Boyles
Later Event: July 17
ArtNow Teen Council Internship | DEADLINE TO APPLY