Jacky Essombe

Saturday, February 25^th, 2012

Celebrating Black History Month:
Let’s spend a day in the village!

Fundraiser for the Maka Village Project

Location: Victoria Drive Community Hall, 2026 East 43rd avenue (@ Victoria Drive)

GET YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE!!! THANK YOU.

On Saturday February 25th, you are invited to spend a day in the warmth of Africa. Experience drumming and dancing with true masters, then join your community and share a fabulous home cooked meal suitable for all, including vegans, and enjoy an extraordinary traditional music and dance performance by a talented ensemble of world-renowned performers from countries such as Benin, Cameroon, Guinea and Zimbabwe.

This format allows you to pick your activities according to your availability. You can attend the full day-time and evening event or come only to one or two programs, it’s up to you.

Day time program

12 pm to 3 pm – African drumming for children (30 min slots) – A Small World Shop & Gallery

2 pm to 3:15 pm – African dance workshop (75min) – Kurai Mubaiwa (Zimbabwe)

3:30 pm to 5 pm – African drumming workshop (90 min) – Kocassale Dioubate

*Kids drumming workshop takes place at 2120 Commercial Drive (@ 5th avenue)

Evening program

7 pm – Doors open

7:30 pm – Dinner (till 8:30 pm)

8:30 pm – Afro’Robics dance students perform with ASW Drum Collective

9 pm to 10:30 pm – Jacky Essombe Village

10:30 pm – Goodbyes, singing and community drumming – the party continues for those who want to stay…

10:30 pm – END

African Arts & Crafts will be available to purchase from Jacky's collection.

Cost

Advance rates for evening event

Adult: $35

Senior (55+)/Students with ID: $29

Teens 10-15: $17 (at the door only)

Pay at the door (CASH only at the door please)

Each workshop: $15 ($10 for teens) - $5 discount with evening ticket

Kid's drumming workshop: $5 per 30 minutes

Dinner + evening show (@ 7 pm): $40

Evening show only (@ 9 pm): $20

*FREE for children under 10 years old.

Please bring your online receipt or evening ticket with you to all activities.

* Your advance ticket includes: 1) Dinner at 7:30 pm - 2) All evening performances - 3) $5 discount to dance workshop - 4) $5 discount to drum workshop. Your ticket does not include any drinks.

AFRO'ROBICS & SOUKOUSS STUDENTS

Mhande is a celebratory harvest dance done by the Shona people of Zimbabwe. People (villagers) get together and take turns on harvesting each other's field and a traditional beer is shared on that particular occasion. This dance signifies a bounty harvest and people are thanking the rain bringing spirits and mediums. There is intense drumming and singing as well as leg shakers tied around the legs by both men and women. There is amazing rhythms produced by the leg shakers along the pounding drums.

Learn and explore traditional West African rhythms with djembefola (master drummer) Kocassale Dioubate, born and raised in Guinea - also the birthplace of the djembe drum. Discover the rich traditional and historical cultural use of each rhythm. Learn different polyrhythm and the different overlaying parts of which they consist, including accompaniments, lead, plus doundouns, as well as work on your basic and soloing techniques. This workshop will accommodate to all different skill levels.

Registration: space is limited for both workshops, therefore please sign up in advance by emailing jessombe@jackyessombe.com with the appropriate subject. Registrations for the workshops by email only. First come first serve. Thank you.

This event was created so that students from Jacky Essombe’s various dance classes could share with their friends and family their love and enthusiasm for African culture. It was also an opportunity for Jacky to share with her community in Vancouver some of the aspects of her culture that she enjoys the most: the dances, songs, music, stories, food and… togetherness!

The Spirit of the Village gives an opportunity to the Afro’Robics dance students to perform for their community, their friends and family, and to enjoy a one of a kind experience of receiving a standing ovation by an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd! In addition, drum students from the ASW Drum Collective lead by Kevin Noble also get an opportunity to perform on stage to support this community experience.

The Makas are a tribe and a Bantu language from the east of Cameroon. We are considered to be the cousins of the Pygmies in Cameroon, and as such unfortunately we do not enjoy a high level of consideration from fellow countrymen. There is virtually no information available about the Maka people anywhere (could that be a testimony to their perceived insignificance?). Unlike the Pygmies whose fate has been recognized by international organization and therefore efforts are made to protect their rights and their lifestyle, the Makas did not benefit from such attention and have been left to fend for themselves… We have a sad history of being exploited with no compensation whatsoever (i.e. logging), a high level of alcoholism in villages and little infrastructures. The Maka Village Project is designed to help re-build people’s self esteem so that they themselves decide to take charge of their lives and re-discover their own cultural identity.

The most important goal will be to build a Maka Cultural Centre that will provide information and inspiration to all Maka tribes, and to inspire them to create a better life for themselves. To that end, we will organize the first Maka culture festival in December 2012.

*Profits from the sale of tickets for this event will go directly toward the project.

A donation box will be available for those who wish to give some extra cash to support the project. I am working on the possibility of getting a tax receipt for donation of $25 and more, but I cannot yet confirm this information at this point.

More about the Maka Village Project HERE.

CHICKEN in the oven
Chicken in a tomato and African spices sauce, Jacky’s own recipe

SPINACH in “NDOLE” sauce
Spinach in a fresh peanut sauce, a popular specialty from Cameroon

*Yummy homemade ginger juice and other refreshments will be available to purchase