Plenty for people to experience during Black History Month
Here are five great BHM presentations that are sure to beat the winter blues.
The First Baptist Church hosts its annual Black History Month weekend celebration from Friday, Feb. 15 to Sunday, Feb. 17. The church, at 181 Huron Street (near Spadina and College), is Toronto's oldest black church, having been founded by former African slaves in 1826. The weekend includes a special Sunday service, films, a youth night and a discussion on Africentric schools with Donna Harrow and Veronica Sullivan of the African Canadian Heritage Association. For details and schedule information, visit www.torontofirstbaptistchurch.com.
Trane Studio (964 Bathurst St.) features the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble's 35th Anniversary concert on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. The club's mandate, which is to embrace and nurture African, Urban, Latin and World music styles, is well represented by this eclectic trio made up of Joe Bowie, saxophonist virtuoso Ernest Dawkins, and percussionist Kahil El'Zabar. To find out about reservations, seating, etc., contact Trane by phone 416-913-8197 or via email at tranestudio@gmail.com.
York University will be presenting Performing Diaspora: An Evening of Caribbean and West African Dance and Music on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m, in the McLean Performance Studio at York's Keele campus (4700 Keele St). Performing Diaspora features a world premiere performance by the West African ensemble Nutifafa, led by York dance professor Modesto Amegago; traditional song and dance by music professor Michael Marcuzzi's Afro-Cuban Ensemble; and the remount of a riveting dance and drum piece by the Collective of Black Artists (COBA). Call 416-736-5137 or visit: www.yorku.ca/tubman for more information.
World renowned African historian, researcher and lecturer Dr. Runoko Rashidi will speak on 'The Global African Presence' and 'Why Africentric Focused Schools are Important' on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. in the OISE Auditorium at 252 Bloor St. W.
Rashidi, whose works include The African Presence in Early Asia, has gained fame for his insight on the spread of African culture throughout the ancient world. This event is being presented by Black Youth Coalition Against Violence, Jane Finch Concerned Citizens Organization and University of Toronto Black Students Association. For more information, call 416.978.4359 or email: info@bycav.com.
The Nathaniel Dett Chorale presents 'Voices of the Diasporaâ�¦ Afro-Brasileira' featuring music by Afro-Brazilian composer Carlos Alberto Pinto Fonseca at the George Weston Recital Hall (5040 Yonge Street) at 8 p.m. The concert will also feature Canadian composer Sid Rabinovitch's Canciones por las Americas, based on poetry by Latin American poets Juana de Ibabourou, Nicolas Guill�©n and Octavio Paz, and Electo Silva's Seis Canciones. This performance will also showcase the world premiere of rising African-Canadian concert pianist Stewart Goodyear's, The Crucifixion, based on the poem of the same name from James Weldon Johnson's beloved work, God's Trombones: Seven Negro Spirituals in Verse.
Toronto's 2008 Black History Month events are sure to capture the imagination and encourage the spirit. If you'd like your event featured in Panorama, reach Jon Sarpong by using the contact information below.
Jon Sarpong is an Etobicoke resident and the diversity officer at Durham College and UOIT. He has a special interest and expertise in issues pertaining to ethnocultural issues. Contact Jon by e-mailing him at jsarpong@hotmail.com.
