We are delighted to host 'The Spirit of Marronage in Caribbean Sonorities', a conversation featuring Adama Keïta and Jade Bassien-Capsa on Thursday 2 November from 7-9PM at V.O Curations.
The conversation will focus on connections between the Caribbean islands and the spirit of marronage - encompassing both the physical and psychological escape from slavery and the philosophical quest for freedom and emancipation. The conversation will delve into how the spiritual aspects of marronage have influenced music genres such as Zouk, Gwo ka, and Bèlè, but also its significance in relation to wider cultural identity.
Following the conversation, Adama and Jade will lead an intergenerational workshop focused on creating mind maps related to the discussed topic.
The event marks the second activation of a series of travelling conversations, organised by Nianiba - a democratised institute with a presence in Amsterdam, London, and Paris and dedicated to art and cultural research within a context that encourages critical dialogues. This programme is meticulously crafted with historical contexts, cultural awareness, and essential knowledge elements and spans across four stages over five months, aimed at fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of these Caribbean sonorities and their pioneers. The first initiative to emerge from this institute was Siano. The program derives its name from Eugène Mona's renowned song, 'Siano,' featured in his 1990 album 'Blan Manjé.' Siano is an impulsive, tangible, and multidisciplinary educational program that explores Caribbean sonorities in Martinique and Guadeloupe from 1930 to 2000. Siano also strives to demonstrate that these Caribbean sonorities are solid and meaningful responses to the cultural genocide that occurred during the colonial era in the Caribbean. In today's society, these sonorities are an integral part of Caribbean identity and convey a profound sense of Marronage [Mawonaj].
In collaboration with ICA Bookstore, a selection of books related to the subject from their collection will also be on display during this event to provide further resources of enrichment.
Adama Keïta is the founder of Nianiba, is an Indo-Guadeloupean and Senegalese curator, cultural researcher, and writer. She spent her formative years in Martinique before relocating to Barcelona and Paris for her studies in business, followed by art market and curation. She is currently based in Amsterdam, where she is pursuing research on the Fulani people and Creole language at the Gerrit Rietveld Art Academy (Sandberg Instituut).
Jade Bassien-Capsa is a writer and cultural researcher splitting her time between Paris and London. She holds a degree in Art History and History from l'École Normale Supérieure Paris, with a focus on youth culture and counter-cultures, particularly in relation to teenage girls. Her current research centres on the effects of intergenerational trauma on the minds and bodies of Afro-Caribbean people.
Nianiba **is the duo that has created the SIANO program to contribute, following in the footsteps of those who have done similar work before them, with the goal of providing a better understanding and increased visibility of Martinican and Guadeloupean sonorities such as Bèlè, Gwo Ka, Biguine, and Zouk. Their program aims to be accessible and easily digestible.