LIGHT UP OUR LIVES!
A CELEBRATION OF BLACK AFRICAN HERITAGE & CULTURE
“If you do not know where you are from, you cannot tell where you are going.”
(Light Up BAHC)
Arts company verd de gris arts have spent the past 12 months working with local charity Light Up Black African Heritage & Culture on this exciting intergenerational project. Together, we wanted to inspire and empower members of our Black African Community in Calderdale to talk, to share, and to learn more about the
importance of cultural heritage. At verd de gris arts we believe it is so important to inform the rest of society in regard to African traditions, identity, and cultural expression - to help us all understand each other and live well together.
We hope you enjoy this pop-up exhibition and booklet.
“I want the community to get to know me - the real me, not the person you think you know based on assumption, statistics, guesswork or stereotypes. How can you relate to me and what I have to offer if you don’t understand me and the wider community doesn’t understand me?”
(Light Up BAHC)
“In order to share these experiences with the world, and move forward, we as Black African people need first to recognise the importance of our own stories.”
(Light Up BAHC)
THE COMMUNITY
verd de gris arts works to promote and celebrate cultural heritage in communities across the North of England. We are particularly interested in the ways in which cultural heritage can help minority / marginalised communities respond to issues like community identity, racial intolerance, health and well-being inequalities and social and economic disadvantage.
Light Up Our Lives was codevised with Light Up Black
African Heritage & Culture, a local charity set up to support members of the Black African Community in Calderdale. Together, we wanted to narrate and celebrate the stories of recent Black African migration to the area: why families came, their experiences (both positive and negative) and the importance of preserving customs and traditions as they raise their families and settle in their adopted society.
ARTWORK BY: MISKI (Light Up BAHC) IN“My heritage, my culture, it is who I am. It is my identity. It is what shapes the strength in me, the love in me, the kindness in me. And that’s what helps to shape humanity, and it has to be celebrated.”
(Light Up BAHC)
“Working together we can bring about a lot of changes and to make an impact on our societies. To channel the betterment and vitality of roles of Black communities in this country.”
(Light Up BAHC)
“My house was three floors. Top floor is the roof. We would sleep on the roof. Six beds on the roof, under the stars and sky. It was beautiful.”
MAGDA (from Sudan)
We began by spending time with local people from the Black African Community, building trust through activity workshops, and hearing the stories and experiences of recent Black African migration to Calderdale: why people came to this area, their hopes for their children, and
the importance of preserving customs and traditions as they raise their families and settle in their adopted society.
We used these conversations as a way of shaping a programme of activity for our work in two local primary schools - using storytelling, dance, song, and crafts to share and enlighten our children about the rich and diverse history of Black African heritage and culture.
“I have had an amazing time doing this project. My favourite part was the drumming and the art. In this project, I’ve learnt lots about the African culture and it has inspired me to try and help the world come back together.”
(FATIMA, pupil)
“My absolute favourite part was the drumming. This project has really changed my mind about people, especially black people. I will keep this in my heart with me for the rest of my life.” (KHADIJAH, pupil)
IN THE SCHOOLS
“My past is past. If I want a beautiful brighter future it lies with me. ...”
LULA (from Eritrea)
Our creative team had a great time running creative workshops with Year 6 children from Beech Hill and Holy Trinity primary schools in Halifax. We were joined by community drummer Phil Needham, and singer Teresa Lipinski, and members of the Black African Community to share traditional music, artwork, and stories and open up a conversation about what heritage
IN OUR EYES
With hate comes light, we are the future. We can change our future. A future with respect to any colour, any religion. In this world of hate, bring light, bring hope, bring joy ...
By KAINAAT (Beech Hill Primary)means to each individual child. Bola Adams, Chair of Light Up BAHC, and community members came in to the schools and spoke to the children about some of the issues they face: prejudice, intolerance and racism. She emphasised how important it is that we use our cultural heritage as a way to come together and celebrate our similarities and differences!
“Grandma would tell stories in the night, stories about animals! Every night we would come in and sit down, my sister, my brother ... all the children. ‘Come and sit down, Grandma would say, and then she would begin, and we held our breaths ...”
HIKMAH (from Sudan)
‘The Obedient Child’
retold to the children by MABEL (from Nigeria)
“One upon a time ... time”
There was an old woman who doesn’t have any children and is very old. She uses a stick to help her walk, and she has nobody to take care of her. The old woman has far to go to fetch water. She saw a little girl and said, “Please, can you help me to fetch water?” But the girl refuses to help. So the old woman struggles with her stick to fetch the water herself. Now she is hungry. She has to go to the bush for some firewood. She sees another little girl and says, “Please can you help me carry this firewood”. The little girl was already carrying firewood, but she asked the old woman if she lived far. “No, I don’t live far,” said the old women. So, the little girl left her wood and helped the old woman. When they got to the old woman’s house, the little girl asked if she could help with anything else for the
old woman. The little girl’s family were very poor. The old woman had saved a lot of gold and kept it safe. “Before you leave, go into the backyard and dig the ground just there. I’ve kept something there,” said the old woman. So the girl did as she was asked and found something in the ground, which she took to the old lady. The old lady says, “Take this; it is for you.” The girl says, how can I take this, it belongs to you?’ The old woman replied, “You have helped me today, you are good and kind. I want you to give this gold to your family. You will never be poor again.”
She took the gold home and gave it to her mother, but her mother thought she had stolen it. She went with the girl to the old woman’s house. But when they got there, the old woman was dead. So, they took the old woman and buried her. They took the money home, and they became very rich.
“I am so happy I went to this beautiful, amazing performance. It was just superb and truly inspiring. I was impressed by the way young primary-age children explored and expressed their views on racism and how it affects us all. The talent and passion they displayed was outstanding.” (Audience Member)
“The event today was so beautiful, I was already feeling tender and it broke my heart open. I wish more of us would show up with the wisdom and love that was in the room today. And your little guy and all of the kids are so beautiful. We need to unite for them. I miss diverse community since moving to Halifax and events like today give me hope.” (Light Up BAHC)
A COMING TOGETHER
“I used to love the flat bread. It would be made by hand in the village. It was cooked on stone, three stones, one on the bottom and two stones either side. This is the traditional way. There would be a fire in the middle. But in cities and towns no wood and less time.”
HIKMAH (Sudan)
At verd de gris arts, we realise the importance of bringing people from diverse backgrounds together to share and learn from
each other, and to recognise and celebrate one another’s differences. This event featured traditional music and song, a fashion show of African fabrics and design, and more importantly, a platform for our young people to read their words, calling for greater unity and mutual understanding. We all need to heed their call!
“This was such an eye-opening and powerful event. A reminder of how important it is to bring different communities together! It was the children's words that really touched me. They don't want to live in a world that's segregated. They want inclusion for all.”
(Audience Member)
“I will make sure to take all of this with me to the future. I will never forget about this project. I will definitely take everything you said and tell others. This could help people be good people.”
(SHAYAN, pupil)
“I really like singing and playing instruments, everything was amazing! I loved performing and I hope that the people loved it too!”
HABIBA (pupil)
“The project was truly inspirational and allowed our children to really reflect on the world in which they live and how they would like the future of this world to be. The opportunity to practise new and different skills gave an excellent basis for the reflective journey that the children went on. We saw some amazing talent in the arts and creative writing sessions at school and during the final performance.” (Deputy Head, Beech Hill)
Light Up Our Lives is a community heritage project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It was devised and led by verd de gris arts in partnership with Light Up Black African Heritage & Culture. We are grateful to the staff at Beech Hill and Holy Trinity primary schools in Halifax, and our fab creative art workers Phil Needham and Teresa Lipinski.
We engaged 45 people from the Black African Community in Calderdale, and worked with 120 children. 15 volunteers joined us for our creative sessions and helped at our celebratory public event, which attracted an audience of 200!
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?
verd de gris arts and Light Up Black African Heritage & Culture have been working together to explore ways in which cultural heritage can be used to support local people and communities in areas like education, personal and community identity, and well-being.
Light Up BAHC wants to build on this work and develop an on-going conversation, discussing issues that matter to Black African people in Calderdale. If you would like to be part of this conversation, please get in touch with Light Up BAHC to support new initiatives around social and community action.
WHY?
Why does racism exist?
Why does discrimination exist?
The world is falling apart day by day, We’re just sitting there, watching, as it goes on?
Get out of our country!
You are so fat!
Go back to where you came from!
What is wrong with you people!?
There is no need for this treatment. Why do black people spend money to study only to be called names and threatened. People should be able to come freely, without being discriminated and told to go away. People should be welcome. No matter their race, height, weight or religion. WHY?
By FARUKH (Beech Hill Primary)FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
e: admin@lightupbahc.com
m: 07550699459
w: lightupbahc.com
t: @LightupBahc
The LIGHT UP OUR LIVES project is supported with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund verdegris
Photographs: Paula Solloway Photography www.paulasolloway.co.uk/
