Community

An East London family had no idea that two bags of letters brought back from Ghana would become the subject of a groundbreaking exhibition. Promise Togobo-Adamah, seated right with BCA Director Paul Reid  and friend,  is flanked by Adamah family members © MisBeee Writes But when the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton got involved and enlisted the help of experts, these old documents - some dating back to 1894 - were deemed to be absolutely unique in Britain and a heritage asset that needed to be preserved. The Adamah Papers exhibition was launched on Ghana Independence Day (6th March) and showcased letters written by and sent to Ewe King Fia Togbui Adamah II, and celebrated elements Ewe culture. The link below highlights the journey of these papers from Ghana to the UK. And check out an interview with exhibition curator Natalie Fiawoo . The exhibition is on until September 2018. All comments are welcome on this page. If you are having trouble pos...

Three years ago (in June 2014), I was on the verge of walking out of ' Belle ' - the second film by award-winning British-Ghanaian director Amma Asante. This film was inspired by a painting in Kenwood House, Hampstead, London, which featured Dido Elizabeth Belle - a biracial woman born to enslaved African Maria Belle and English officer Admiral Sir John Lindsay in Jamaica in 1761. Dido and Elizabeth in the Zoffany-inspired painting The painting is particularly striking because unlike many from that time, which showed black and Asian people in subservient positions next to their white counterparts, Belle holds almost equal status to her white cousin Elizabeth. I say almost because although both ladies are dressed finely, Belle is positioned ever so slightly behind her cousin.  The difference is subtle but that, for me, is the story of Belle's life! She does not quite fit into any complete narrative, and inconsistencies in her life story, position her as a powerfu...

Alice Childress’ play ‘Trouble in Mind’ is the ultimate conundrum for those of us who face racial discrimination and are forced to navigate the sometimes uncertain road of being black in a white world. Tanya Moodie ©   Hugh Glendinning Do we laugh at the unfunny jokes sometimes made at our expense just to fit in and get by? Do we grit our teeth when the unsolicited gaze on our black bodies lingers way too long? What about when that unwanted hand rests lecherously on our knee with intentions to wander and we do nothing because we need this job to pay the bills? Or do we speak our minds regardless of the consequences, knowing that our hopes and dreams may fade and we will be that solitary but brave/foolish figure speaking out. Directed by Laurence Boswell, this version of a Childress play reflects that internal struggle in the mind. But it also shows the external trouble that voicing these feelings can also cause through an arresting exploration of identity, power and ambition ...

It is not every day that you come across papers that give you some indication about your heritage and family history. This happened to one East London family that can trace their ancestry to a Ghanaian royal from the Ewe nation. Ewe Fia  - Togbui Adamah II reigned from 1915 to 1963 - and thanks to a collection of official and personal letters and papers written by him and addressed to him, we know much more. These papers - known as the Adamah Papers - were found by a family member and eventually donated to the Black Cultural Archives (BCA) in Brixton, London. This is likely to be the first time such a find has been discovered in this way, and provide great insight into what life was like during a time when present-day Ghana was under British colonial rule. These papers give us rare insight into what life was like for Fia Togubui Adamah II, the people he ruled and his intersection with neighbouring kings and the British. Check out my interview with...

The son of the late British-Nigerian author Buchi Emecheta is leading a project to digitise and re-launch all her works. By February 2018, her most well-known novels: 'In the Ditch’, ‘The Bride Price’ and ‘The Slave' will be re-launched with more titles set to follow, Onwordi told MisBeee at the sidelines of literary festival Africa Writes 2017 earlier this month. The plan to digitise and republish Buchi's entire collection of over 20 books – complete with new book covers - emerged after the Ibusa-born London-based author passed away in January this year. Sylvester Onwordi - son of Buchi Emecheta ©  MisBeee Writes "..one of the consequences was a realisation that lots of people wanted to read her books but unfortunately some of her books have gone out of print,” said Sylvester. “And so the idea came to me, and the other people I have been collaborating with, that we should get together and form a publishing company to re-launch some of those editions....

Robert Badu is an amateur artist whose gift has been nurtured by a fascination with Asante cultural symbols (such as Asante gold weights ), vibrant colours and everyday people. Robert Badu comes from the Mampong Royal Family ©  MisBeee Writes In the vlog below, Badu explores his early influences and explains why sheer determination meant his dyslexia was not a hindrance to him becoming an artist. Badu is a trained teacher (not in art) although he has been known to teach the subject when the need has arisen. He currently works as a corporate security guard but has hopes of pursuing his artistic passions full time. He boasts a healthy following on social media which includes US musicians Arrested Development – one of Badu’s favourite groups whose hit song ‘Everyday People’ inspired his work. The piece below 'The Politician' shares an uncanny resemblance to US president Donald Trump. But this is only coincidental said Badu as the painting was produced in 2012...

I start this blog on the premise that most of us accept today that Africa is the cradle of mankind and that despite the geographical and political demarcations that separate North and Sub-Saharan Africa, all its inhabitants were originally one. But how many of us know of the Senegalese academician, scientist, philosopher and politician who popularised these concepts in the early 1950s and was widely criticised for doing so? My signed copy of the film from Mbaye ©  MisBeee Writes His name was S éex (Cheikh) Anta Diop and his research, publications and discussions made him an important figure in elevating Africans, our histories, cultures and identities on the continent and across the Diaspora. Thanks to Birkbeck University’s free airing of the Ouseman Mbaye film ‘Kemtiyu’ in London on 3 February 2017, I got to learn more about Dr Diop and understand why his arguments were so fiercely criticised by the academic elite. The film (the name of which is fittingly derived ...

British-Ghanaian journalist and videographer Kai Lutterodt can trace her ancestry back five generations to the Tabom people, (check part one 'Roots and culture I' here ).   The Taboms were an Afro-Brazilian community of former slave returnees, mainly of Yoruba descent, that migrated to Nigeria initially and then settled in Ghana*. © Kai Lutterodt (centre) is flanked by Carnival-goers in Bahia 2013 The community derived its name from the Portuguese phrase: ‘esta bom’ or ‘ta bom’ for short, which means it is good. As the story goes, the returnees could not speak the Ga language spoken in Accra, or English so when locals asked them questions, their response was typically: ‘Ta bom’ – hence their name. Since then, the Tabom name has undergone a further transformation to Tabon, which is thought to be francophanisation of the name. Spiritual journey For Lutterodt, the exploration of her Tabom heritage was powerfully spiritual and gave her an opportunity to connec...

The story of how the Tabom people (an Afro-Brazilian community of former slave returnees mainly of Yoruba descent*) that migrated from Brazil Kai Lutterodt can trace her ancestry back five generations to Brazil's Tabom people ©  MisBeee Writes to West Africa has long fascinated me. Those of you who know me know of my love affair with Brazil, my search for its Twi-speaking community and my crazy experiences in the country over four trips. So, you can imagine my utter excitement when I found a living descendent of the Afro-Brazilian community right under my nose in London. Her name is Kai Lutterodt. She's British-Ghanaian, a recent journalism graduate and her two-part story is fascinating. Ancestral roots Lutterodt first learnt about her Tabom roots from her dad when she was eight years old. " I always considered it to be this exotic side that I had. It wasn’t until I became older that I explored it a bit further and I found out that it was a lot to do ...

For me, this striking image typifies just how pivotal we Black people have been in shaping the modern world. In a single shot, we see the depths to the subjugation and disrespect shown to men and boys from what is now modern-day Nigeria. These men were deemed to be no better than paper and used as such to communicate a festive message. How insulting! A 1923 Christmas picture of staff at the African Oil Nuts Company & Miller Brothers in Badagry, Nigeria © Image of Empire Birth of a nation It is a funny dichotomy. We have the source of mankind, born on African soil, shipped abroad or enslaved on their land; mentally and physically beaten to accept that they were nothing more than a commodity. And yet without our acquiescence, tenacity, and skill nothing that we value in terms of modern-day development would be here. Trump tells the world he wants to make America great again and the nostalgic hark back to 'Great' Britain all smack of a period when indus...