Morgan James Peters wears dreadlocks and directs the African and African-American Studies program at the UMass Dartmouth. The single name he prefers to use, Mwalim, is similar to the Swahili word for teacher. But Mwalim traces his ancestry not only to Africa, but also to North America — the Mashpee Wampanoag. He says he embraces [...]
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Black Native Americans beginning to assert identity
The Admin
Wed, 31 Dec 2014 13:39:44 GMT
In five neighborhoods on the Island of Cura̤ao Рa former Dutch colony Рeach neighborhood distinct in its racial and class make-up, a total of thirty Cura̤aoans of all ages and all walks of life share what "race" and "skin color" mean to them today. Directed by Angela E. Roe and Selwyn de Wind, 2014, Cura̤ao, Documentary, 72mins, Papiamentu, Dutch, English subt.
The voices of prominent historians join the memories of Haitians and their descendants in Cuba to understand a chapter of the complex economic and social history of the Caribbean : the presence in the Island of Cuba of thousands of West Indian laborers, especially from Haiti. That army of black workers who fertilized with their sweat the fields of Cuba from the beginning of the twentieth century. For many, it was a great bargain of cheap labor. For others, the realization of the dream of every immigrant: make money and return home .
Stanley Ann Dunham was an anthropologist with a Ph.D, a lifelong traveler and the mother of the first Black president of the United States. Her intelligence, progressive politics, and activism made for a profound life—one whose inspiration continues to resonate through her son, President Barack Obama. The "largeness of her heart," as her son describes it, is the centerpiece of this inspiring documentary. Directed by Vivian Norris, 2014, 83 min, United States/Poland/France, Documentary, English.
In this fresh Paris based romantic drama, Dorcy, a young black Christian and Sabrina, a young North African Muslim, decide to get married. But Sabrina has forty brothers and this carefree, loving desire for marriage crystalizes a taboo still firmly rooted in the mentalities of the two communities: no marriage between Blacks and Arabs. Slimane, the oldest brother and the guardian of traditions, will oppose this union in every way possible. Directed by Rachid Djaïdani, 2012, France, 79 min, French, English subt.
After surviving the treacherous Middle Passage, suffering the humiliation of an auction block, and a purchase by slave traders, Azú is brought to the plantation of a sugarcane farmer. Little does her master know that Azú has an ancestral destiny that will completely disrupt the plantation's natural order. Action, mysticism and the African identity come together in this story enveloped in magic and the fight for freedom. Stars Pedro Durán, Carmen Francia, Maryelis Rivas, Flora Sylvestre and Juvel Vielma. Directed by Luis Alberto Lamata, 100 min, 2013, Venezuela, drama, Spanish with English subt.
Tango Negro explores the expression of African-ness inherent in the dance of the "tango" and the contribution of African cultures to the dance's creation. Angolan director, Dom Pedro, details the dance's early cultural significance as a depiction of the social life of captured African slaves and provides an expansive compilation of musical performances and interviews from tango enthusiasts and historians alike. Tango Negroprovides a novel insight into the depth of tango's sub-Saharan African musical influence, a presence that has crossed oceans and endured the tides of forced bondage.
Bound: African vs African Americans is a hard-hitting documentary that addresses the little known tension that exists between Africans and African Americans. The film opens with personal testimonials that expose this rift then walks us through the corridors of African colonialism and African American enslavement, laying bare their effects and how these have divided and bound Africans and African Americans. Directed by Peres Owino, 2014, 90 min., United States, documentary, English.
