A Few Highlights from the last months of 2009 and the first days of 2010!



January 2010
First day of school for Leaders of Tomorrow Children!

All 20 of the children from Leaders of Tomorrow Children's Home started school January 2010 at Imbaseni Primary! The little ones in kindergarten and the older ones in Std I and beyond. There was quite a lot of excitement because they were wearing their new uniforms for this special day! Some of the smaller children were ready to come back home as soon as they got there, but they persevered and even found it to be fun! These children make us proud and are indeed,
our Leaders of Tomorrow!
 

We ended 2009 with quite a BANG!
and have already started 2010 with
much excitement and promise! 
Enjoy some of these highlights in pictures!
 

 


 

The children going into the kindergarten classes aren't allowed to wear uniforms, but they proudly wore their book bags and were as excited as the Standard I watoto!

These proud, excited looks tell it all!!

January 2010
Bringing in the new year at the Kizimkasi Festival in Zanzibar!!

Mama C and Dunia Truth were invited to give two performances at the Kizimkasi Cultural Festival in Zanzibar and opened their performances with a tribute to honor Bi Kidude, 100 year old musician and cultural warrior from Zanzibar. Bi Kidude continues to be an inspiration to musicians around the world. She is stronger and lighter on her feet than folks 70 years her junior!!

Bi Kidude and her all woman dance troupe (right) performing a traditional Unyago ngoma which helps teach girls during puberty initiation rites, through dance and drumming, both how to pleasure ones husband while also singing against promiscuity and unsafe sexual practices.
 

Bi Kidude is also a renowned taarab singer and travels around the world performing with a some of the most well known taarab Zanzabari musicians.

A good documentary of Bi Kidude's life is titled Old as My Tongue.
 

 
 

...a few highlights of Kizimkasi Festival in Zanzibar  Dec. 31 - Jan 1

Plus a recent article about our tribute to Bi Kidude
 http://www.arushatimes.co.tz/2010/3/sports_2.htm

Dunia Truth at Kizimkazi Festival included Charlotte 'Mama C' O'Neal, Akula 'Dunga' Akwabi, John Masangwa, Jacob 'JCB' Makalla, Abdalla 'Diwee' Saidi, Yusuf of Zemkala, and guest artist Khari Lee Allen


 

Dunia Truth rocked 'em at the festival! One of the highlights was to wrap Bi Kidude in a khanga of love, respect and tradition!
 


Akula Akwabi of Mandugu Digital
received  props from so many artists



What a great way to bring in the new year!

more photos coming! stay tuned!

 Click here for a recent article in the Arusha Times about the
 International Solidarity Conference ...

http://www.arushatimes.co.tz/society_5.htm

Black Panther Party historian/archivist Bro Billy X Jennings and Black Panther Party artist and former Minister of Culture, Bro Emory Douglas, after their 'welcome home' ceremony.



 

Sister Gail and Brother Billy resting up and enjoying the vibe at UAACC!


Mzee Pete and Bro Emory catch up on things after nearly 40 years of not seeing each other!!

There will be more photo highlights of the conference soon!