Moadsf africa dot com curriculum guide

Africa.dot.Com: drums 2 digital Curriculum Guide Traveling Exhibition February 7, 2008 – June 1, 2008

Photo by Heather Shirey; Ntoso, Ghana, West Africa 2005

Written by Demetrie Broxton

Museum of the African Diaspora Department of Education

P 415.318.7151 F 415.358.7252 [email protected]

Contents: 1. Notes For Teachers 2. How To Use This Guide When Visiting MoAD 3. Fact Sheet: Drums Can Talk? 4. Questions To Use While At MoAD 5. Reflection Questions – After Your Visit 6. African Story Cloth: Grades 3-5 Lesson Plans 7. Rhythm of the Drums: Grades 6-12 Lesson Plans 8. Art Project: Build a Dun Dun 9. California State Standards Addressed In This Guide 10. Frequently Asked Questions 11. Education Resource Guide

Copyright © 2008 Museum of the African Diaspora. All rights reserved. 2

Notes for Teachers This interdisciplinary, standards-based curriculum is intended to engage students before, during and after their visit to the Africa.dot.Com exhibition. Our aim is to help make connections to the curriculum used in schools as well as the core exhibitions found at the Museum of the African Diaspora, San Francisco. The Fact Sheet and Lesson Plans in this bundle can be used to prepare for and visit the exhibition, Africa.dot.Com: Drums 2 Digital on view at the MoAD until June 1, 2008. Africa.dot.Com: Drums 2 Digital provides students with an engaging opportunity to analyze how traditional African communication methods— drumming, textiles, oral and written traditions, and everyday objects—inform and are transformed by modern technology and globalization. In contrast to classical African art exhibitions, this exhibition focuses on representing Africa as part of the modern world, with cultures that have navigated into new media alongside the global community. As major characteristics of the information age, technology and new media are the dominant global institutions of communication at present and carry with them immense power. Access to computers, mobile phones, digital cameras, web cams, and other electronic tools has been increasing at a rapid rate. The MoAD exhibits and four themes: Origins, Movement, Adaptation, and Transformation are used as the foundation of each learning experience included in this guide. Students will further develop vocabulary, visual literacy, historical knowledge, writing skills, and a deeper understanding of the concept that the African Diaspora includes everyone. Students should be encouraged to reflect on the sources of their own identity and the role they play in the continuing human journey. Although the individual lesson plans included within this guide are written for specific grade levels, each lesson can be adapted for other grade levels.


How to Use This Guide When Visiting MoAD The Fact Sheet, Question Sheet and Lesson Plans should be used to prepare students for a focused museum visit. MoAD group tours can be used to introduce students to the exhibition and related MoAD core exhibitions. The Fact Sheet can be used to prepare students to look more carefully at the photographs and artifacts found in the exhibition. Drums Can Talk? introduces definitions of call and response, different types of drums, and ensembles. Students can identify how drums are used for communication in Africa by observing the photographs and drums in the exhibition and/or by interacting with the digital media in the 2nd floor core exhibitions, Music of the Diaspora and Adornments. While visiting MoAD, give each of your students a copy of the Africa.dot.Com Questions To Use While At MoAD to further engage them in the context of the exhibition. Younger students can draw pictures in lieu of words. Be sure to have your students answer the Reflection Questions as soon as possible after your visit to the Museum. These are designed to further students understanding and awareness of what they have seen. You may also opt to choose either of the grade level specific projects to complete before (recommended) or after your Museum visit. Again, these can be used as they appear or modified to accommodate other age groups. Just as in this exhibition, technology plays a major role in the lesson plans. However; if you do not have access to computers at your school, the library can provide ample resources. Enjoy!


Drums Can Talk? Student Fact Sheet

Drum As a Tool of Communication

African drums are instruments of expressive (full of meaning) communication used in both secular, non-religious, and sacred, religious, occasions. The ‘voice’ of the drum is always associated with important stages in life—initiations (birth,

graduation, puberty), divinations (fortune telling by speaking to ancestors or spirits), funerals and ceremonies to honor the ancestors. The sound of the drum (percussion) can often be heard across an area five miles away. In certain places, drums are used to send messages between villages, just like we would use a telephone! Different rhythms, patterns of drum beats, are understood to have certain meanings that other drummers in the community can understand and translate for others. To understand this idea, think about the message you get when you hear screeching violin music during a movie. You know that something scary is going to happen, especially as the music gets faster. Also look at Morse code used by the United States military, a system of long and short sounds which stand for letters in the alphabet. Talking Drums (Dun Dun)

Dun Dun are two-headed, hour-glass shaped drums with vertical (up and down) strings connecting the skins on both ends. By squeezing the strings with his arm, the drummer is able to get the

drum to make a variety of tones, an accent or musical sound, which actually sound like African speech! The drummer can use his dun dun to tell stories that most people in his society can understand.

Slit Drums Slit drums have hollow chambers (the inside space) and narrow openings (slits) which when played only

produce two notes (sounds) one high and one low. These drums were first made from hollowed out trees which were struck with sticks to create tones. In some African cultures a slit drum language developed. This language system was based on varied pitches, rhythms and intensities of sound. Slit drums also had many functions within different African cultures—from storytelling to beating out war cries over long distances. The messages played by these are most easy to compare to Morse code.

Call and Response Call and Response is a common style of music throughout Africa. In call and response drumming and

singing, a leader plays or sings a phrase or line of music, known as a call. The rest of the group, the chorus, answers back by playing or singing another phrase or line of music. This pattern is repeated over and over again throughout the song. Call and response was first brought to America and the rest of the world through the slave trade. The Blues, Jazz, Rock and Roll, and Hip-hop have all been influenced by call and response.


Ensembles In Africa, drummers play in ensembles, or groups. The ensembles include many different kinds and sizes of drums and other

instruments; such as rattles, bells, stringed instruments, and flutes. Drumming is often accompanied by singing, dancing, and ceremony. There is usually a back-and-forth, or call and response rhythm between the drummers, singers, and dancers. The concept, or idea of playing drums in ensembles has had a major influence on modern African, as well as American music, today. Have youever seen a big jazz or rock band?

Africa is draped, wrapped, and tailored into clothing. The patterns on the cloth are often given certain names, which all have meanings. The practice of giving meanings to patterns of cloth was brought to America by African slaves in the form of slave quilts. Today in Africa, trade, technology and globalization have created a demand for cloth printed with cell phones and other electronic media. What do you think a person wearing this fabric is trying to say about themselves?

Everyday Use Objects

Sculptures Telephone wire basketry is a contemporary art form created by the Zulu/Nguni peoples of South Africa.

Woven wirework has been created by these people since the 19th Century. Now, with modernization and telephone land lines, the Zulu and Nguni people have been introduced to multicolored plastic insulated copper wire. They have begun recycling this telephone wire to create Izimbege (wide, flared bowls), creating beautiful and colorful works of art which often contain social messages. HIV-AIDS prevention is one of the most important of these messages.

Traditionally, sculptures have been used in Africa to represent, honor, or call upon ancestors, people who a group is descended from, and spirits. Sculptures were commissioned (paid for) by kings, chiefs, and villages for

religious purposes. These religious sculptures were used in every part of life—birth, death, marriage, etc. As Africans have moved away from their traditions and become more modern citizens of the world, they have begun to commission sculptors to create works which are more secular; such as cell phones and art made to sell to tourists. Textiles

Africans have a long history of making textiles that are both beautiful and symbolic, having symbols that express an idea. Coded messages and local wisdom are expressed through images and text. Printed cloth tells

other people about the person wearing the cloth—their personal tastes, where they are from, what their beliefs are, what their social status (poor, rich, middle class) is, and the cloth is relatively cheap to buy. Cloth worn in

Complex wire work has also been traditionally used to embellish (make beautiful by decorating) very important objects, like religious staffs, containers, and altar pieces.

Today, everyday-use jewellery and tools are being embellished with wirework and other decorations.


Questions to Use While At MoAD Africa.dot.Com Exhibition

February 7 – June 1, 2008

What kinds of drums do you see in this exhibition? Where are they from? What are the different uses for these drums? Name as many technological items (electronics) found on the wax print textiles as you can. Why are Africans printing technology on their fabric? What kinds of messages are conveyed (being told) by people who wear this cloth? Watch the video, Beepez-le. What kinds of coded messages are people sending with their cell phones? Give an example of the code. Find examples of art made from recycled materials. What materials are being used for new purposes and what are the items being made? Find and describe one that you like.


Reflection Questions To use after your visit to Africa.dot.Com

MoAD – February 7 – June 1, 2008 After seeing this exhibition, do you have different thoughts about Africa? If so, how is your view on Africa different than before? If your thoughts are not different, what is the same? Explain. What messages do your clothes say about you? Share with a friend the different ways you and your family communicate. How are they similar or different from the ways some Africans in the exhibit communicate with their families? What was your favorite part of the exhibition? Why? Thinking Further:

1. Besides cell phones and internet cafes, how is technology impacting daily life in Africa? What kinds of changes can you imagine this will have on African traditions?


2. Do you and your friends use a special or secret form of communication that other people would not understand? Describe it. What tools do you use?

African Story Cloth Grades 3-5 Lesson Plan

Objectives: Students will gain a more in-depth understanding of symbols used in African textiles. They will be able to create their own textiles and complete a short research assignment on Adinkra symbols and their use in Ghanaian society.

Overview: In this lesson, students will:

• Learn and discuss the definition of symbol • Learn about Adinkra symbols, Adinkra poetry and the Ashanti people of Ghana • Create Adinkra stamped textile and Adinkra poems • See and make connections between traditional African and African-American art

Background: Adinkra symbols were first created by the Ashanti people of Ghana, West Africa. The symbols are stamped on cloth, doorways to buildings, and everyday objects. Adinkra symbols were traditionally made to record history and folklore, and to honor the Asantehene (the Ashanti king), chiefs, and other important people. The symbols are usually carved from apakyiwa (pronounced a-pa-chi-wa), the outer shell of a calabash or gourd. The artisans boil the bark of a local tree until it produces a dark ink. The apakyiwa stamps are dipped in the ink and stamped onto fabric. Historically, and still today, the production of Adinkra symbols, apakyiwa stamps and cloth is the jof men. Adinkra symbols were originally only worn by royalty or for religpurposes. An Apakyiwa stamp

ob ious

There are hundreds of symbols; in fact, new ones are constantly being created everyday. Each Adinkra is representational of some plant, animal, object or person, which holds great symbolic value to the Ashanti people. Every symbol has a name, which is usually derived from the abbreviation (shortening) of a proverb, such as:

Akoko Nan – The Hens Feet derived from the proverb Akoko nan tia ne ba so a, enku no literally meaning: “When the hen treads on its chicken, she does not mean to kill them.” Akoko Nan is a symbol of good parenting, meaning that when a parent disciplines their child, it is for their benefit and not their harm. Adinkra symbols often have a deep connection to Ashanti spiritual beliefs and morals.


Time: 4 class periods (45 min. to 1 hour each) Materials:

• Spray starch • Russet Potatoes, cut in half • Plastic knives • Tempera Paints AND Acrylic Paints or Fabric Screen Printing Ink • Black Sharpie® Marker and/or Fabric Markers • Brayers or sponge brushes • Heavy Construction or Watercolor paper • Cotton Fabric (any color and thick enough to accept paint) • Adinkra symbol sheets—online at one of the following:

http://www.marshall.edu/akanart/adinkracloth.html (Great Resource!!!) http://www.welltempered.net/adinkra/ http://africawithin.com/tour/ghana/adinkra_symbols.htm http://www.library.cornell.edu/africana/Writing_Systems/Adinkra_page1.html

• (OPTIONAL) An iron, embellishment tools: Metallic paint markers, buttons, beads, sewing machines, fabric glue, etc.

DAY I – Vocabulary (45 min. to 1 hour): Give groups of students a large piece of blank paper. Have them divide the paper into four parts. Assign each group 4 words. For each word, have them write or draw what they know about the word. Have groups discuss and create a definition for each word using prior knowledge.

• Textile • Adinkra • Symbol • Etch • Pattern • Repetition • Embellishment • Pictograph • Configuration • Indigenous • Folklore • Representational

As a class come up with definitions, look up words you don’t know in a dictionary or online. This could continue as either homework or an in-class assignment. DAY II - Pre-Activity Questions (20 min. - 45 min.): Ask students:

1. What do you know about symbols and pictographs? What are some symbols you know and what do they mean or symbolize? Examples: peace sign, happy face, etc.


2. (intended for older students) How are symbols related to language? How do symbols help us to remember important ideas, cultures, and events?

http://www.marshall.edu/akanart/adinkracloth.html

http://www.welltempered.net/adinkra/

http://africawithin.com/tour/ghana/adinkra_symbols.htm

http://www.library.cornell.edu/africana/Writing_Systems/Adinkra_page1.html

• Create a KWL chart on the board. Make or have students make a KWL chart (Example Below). Explain that the K stands for knowledge we know, the W stands for questions we want to have answered, and the L stands for the knowledge we learned. Fill in the first column (K) with information students already know about African music. Have students complete the same section of their KWL chart.

• Ask students what they would like to know about African textiles and symbols. Have them fill in the second row (W) of their chart. Write their questions on the class chart.

• Have students fill out their L chart as they complete each section of the lesson.

K • • • •

W • • • •

L • • • •

Have the class go to http://www.marshall.edu/akanart/adinkracloth.html to research Adinkra stamped cloths and their use. Have each student write a 1-2 page essay on the origins of Adinkra symbols and their use in Ghanaian society. Students can present their findings in front of the class, or in small groups before you lead a full-class discussion. Look at books such as:

• Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott • Anansi’s Gift of the Magic Thread by Estelle Carlson • Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe • Grandma's Ashanti Cloth by Maria McNaught • African Art: Adinkra Cloth - An Instructional Unit for Seven-Ninth Grade Art by

Patricia J. Baker • African Symbols by Heike Owusu • Afrikan Alphabets: The story of writing in Africa by Saki Mafundikwa • Traditional African Designs by Gregory Mirow • African Majesty: The Textile Art of the Ashanti and Ewe by Peter Adler • Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity by Doran H. Ross

DAY III - Adinkra Poetry Cloth (45 min. – 1 hour) Print out 1 or more pages from one of the Adinkra symbols pages listed above. Give each student a copy of the symbols and their meanings. NOTE: If you are using technology in the classroom, students can visit: http://cat.conncoll.edu/projects/adinkra/16symb.htm/ Have the students pick out 8 symbols.


Taking it further: Have students research the origins of a symbol in popular American culture. Example: Peace sign at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_sign

http://www.marshall.edu/akanart/adinkracloth.html

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/002-9147401-7355250?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Maria%20McNaught

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/002-9147401-7355250?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Heike%20Owusu

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/002-9147401-7355250?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Gregory%20Mirow

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/002-9147401-7355250?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Peter%20Adler

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/026-2661712-4379618?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books-uk&field-author=Doran%20H.%20Ross

http://cat.conncoll.edu/projects/adinkra/16symb.htm/

Explain to them that when two or more Adinkra symbols are placed together, they create what is called Adinkra poetry. Traditionally Adinkra poems are read from top to bottom, but today, they can be in any order or layout. Students will naturally want to select as many symbols as they can. However; when composing poetry, encourage them to reuse symbols over again. Reusing symbols gives the piece visual unity, and holds the overall theme together. Below is an example of an Adinkra Poem and a possible interpretation: Symbols Meaning Poem’s Interpretation

GYE NYAME “The Supremacy of God”

Just as God reign’s supreme And indestructible

AKOKO NAN “Mercy, Nurturing”

So is the mercy and love of A Mother for her child

AKOMA “Patience and Tolerance”

Patience and Tolerance Directly from the heart

BI NKA BI “Peace and Harmony”

Will teach the child to live In peace and harmony With themselves and the world

Note that the interpretation is created by the artist. Have the students plan out their stamp layouts. Instruct them to create one line of Adinkra poetry, and then reuse at least one of the symbols from their first poem to create a new line of poetry. Have them write these out, repeating until they have four Adinkra poems in all. Next, have students write creative interpretations for their Adinkra poems, in the form of written poetry. Students can use standard forms of regular rhyming patterns or more complex forms, such as haiku. Resources for poetry writing can be found at: http://lessonplancentral.com/lessons/Language_Arts/Poetry/index.htm http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/edpoetry.html#haikuhttp://edsitement.neh.gov/tab_lesson.asp?subcategory=45&grade=3-5+&Display=Display Finally, have students divide a piece of paper into 16 squares and lay out their poems. Poems can be read top to bottom, left to right, at diagonals, and around the perimeter of the square. DAY IV (45 min. – 1 hour)

1. Cut fabric into 18” X 18” squares 2. Measure and draw a 2” border around the fabric (using a pencil and ruler). 3. Divide the inner square into 16— 4”X4” squares. Draw these in using a pencil and when they are

laid out properly, go over each line with either a black Sharpie® or a fabric marker.


4. Lay the cloths out on a table covered with paper (to protect the table) and spray them with the spray starch. The starch will make applying the ink easier and give you the crispest lines. Set the cloth aside to dry.

http://www.welltempered.net/adinkra/htmls/adinkra/gyen.htm

http://www.welltempered.net/adinkra/htmls/adinkra/akok.htm

http://www.welltempered.net/adinkra/htmls/adinkra/akom.htm

http://www.welltempered.net/adinkra/htmls/adinkra/bink.htm

http://lessonplancentral.com/lessons/Language_Arts/Poetry/index.htm

http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/edpoetry.html#haiku

http://edsitement.neh.gov/tab_lesson.asp?subcategory=45&grade=3-5+&Display=Display

5. While the cloth is drying, draw your chosen Adinkra symbols on your potatoes. Use a sharp pencil, and press lightly. You only want to etch the design into the flesh of the potato.

6. Carefully cut the symbols out in relief using the plastic knives. If students mess up, teachers can always cut off the mess up. A variation could be to divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students. Have each student make 4 different Adinkra potato stamps. Students can share each other’s stamps to have more variety and possibilities for their Adinkra poetry.

PART II

1. Begin stamping the cloth. Apply paint or ink to the potato using brayers or sponge brushes. Be sure not to put too much paint—just enough to cover the design. Practice by stamping on a piece of paper first. Too much ink will make bubbles and blobs of paint distort the symbols. Too little paint will make the symbol have a ghosted effect.

2. Allow the paint or ink to dry. If using fabric screen printing ink, iron the symbols after the paint has dried to fix it into the fabric

3. OPTIONAL: Embellish the designs by sewing buttons, gluing gems, and other objects around the borders. You can also have each person in the class create two pieces of stamped fabric. Let them keep one, and use the second as a square in a class quilt. You may also want to have them use metallic paint pens to write their poetry in the quilt squares. Great quilting instructions and resources can be found at: http://quilting.about.com/od/beginningquilters/Quilting_for_Beginners.htm

Extensions

• Go to http://www.africancraft.com/educs.php?sid=81490984793589762891829836435992 for

instructions on how to build small looms with your students and weave your own kente cloth. Later stamp on Adinkra symbols or weave the symbols into the cloth.

• Research other Akan cloth, including how it is worn. Great resource: http://www.marshall.edu/akanart/akanclothintro.html

• Have students create their own Adinkra symbols and come up with meanings for them. • Get inspired by the quilts of Faith Ringgold or the quilts of Gee’s Bend. A great resource to

incorporate African American quilting into your curriculum is Signs & Symbols: African Images in African American Quilts by Maude Southwell Wahlman


http://quilting.about.com/od/beginningquilters/Quilting_for_Beginners.htm

http://www.africancraft.com/educs.php?sid=81490984793589762891829836435992

http://www.marshall.edu/akanart/akanclothintro.html

Rhythm of the Drums Grades 6-12 Lesson Plan

Objectives: Students will gain a more in-depth understanding of African and African-American rhythm, how pieces of music are constructed, different parts that make up a song, and construct their own unique songs.

Overview: In this lesson, students will:

• Learn how to create rhythm charts • Learn about the instruments and musical elements that make up a song • Create their own musical compositions • Research and write about traditional and contemporary African Musical compositions

Time: 2-4 class periods (45 min. to 1 hour each) DAY I – Vocabulary (45 min. – 1 hour): Give groups of students a large piece of blank paper. Have them divide the paper into four parts. Assign each group 4 words. For each word, have them write or draw what they know about the word. Have groups discuss and create a definition for each word using their prior knowledge.

• Melody • Harmony • Rhythm • Measure (musical) • Repetition • Improvisation • Melodic Theme • Accompaniment • Syncopation • Contemporary • Strong Beat • Weak Beat

As a class come up with definitions, look up words you don’t know in a dictionary or online. This could continue as either homework or an in-class assignment. DAY II – Materials:

• Assortment of musical instruments: drums, tambourines, cow bells, shakers, thumb piano (marimba), glass bottles, etc.

• Paper and pens/pencils • Computers with internet access • (Optional) CDs of both traditional and contemporary African music


• (Optional) Digital recording device

Pre-Activity (20 minutes) Ask students:

3. What different parts of musical composition do you know? 4. What makes a song different from just a sound or a whole bunch of different sounds mixed

together?

• Create a KWL chart on the board. Make or have students make a KWL chart (Example Below). Explain that the K stands for knowledge we know, the W stands for questions we want to have answered, and the L stands for the knowledge we learned. Fill in the first column (K) with information students already know about African music. Have students complete the same section of their KWL chart.

• Ask students what they would like to know about African music. Have them fill in the second row (W) of their chart. Write their questions on the class chart.

• Have students fill out their L chart as they complete each section of the lesson.

K • • • •

W • • • •

L • • • •

Rhythm Charts Part 1 (45 min. – 1 hour) Have three students volunteer to play the following sample rhythm chart. Each student will be given a different instrument. Have the whole class clap out 4 beats with their hands—go for a few measures. Have the drummer start, playing one note per beat on the designated count. After the drummer is confident and has a consistent rhythm working, add the cow bell. When the cow bell and drum are aligned, add the tambourine. Instruments 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Drum X X X X X X X X Cow Bell X X X X X X X X Tambourine X X X X X X X X 1. Go to http://nd.essortment.com/elementsmusic_rllc.htm musical terminology definitions. Focus on the difference between strong beats (1/3) and weak beats (2/4). 2. Have students create their own rhythms, selecting instruments of their choice. Use the chart below. NOTE: If you do not have access to instruments, use Jam Studio at: http://www.jamstudio.com/Studio/index.htm , http://www.creatingmusic.com/ or use Apple GarageBand.


http://nd.essortment.com/elementsmusic_rllc.htm

http://www.jamstudio.com/Studio/index.htm

http://www.creatingmusic.com/

Instruments 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 #1 #2 #3 3. Divide the students into groups of 3 and have the students perform each other’s rhythms for the class. Part II (45 min. – 1 hour) 4. Next, have the students listen to traditional and contemporary African music and create rhythm charts for one song of each type. NOTE: Some more complicated African rhythms may not fit in the 4 beat per measure format. You may have to expand the number of beats per measure. If you want to eliminate this need, have students choose simpler songs. For traditional African music go to: http://www.african-drumbeat.co.uk http://www.humansong.com/artists.htm You can find contemporary African music on http://www.youtube.com , www.napster.com , and www.itunes.com : Artists to look for include: Salif Keita, Oumou Sangare, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Angelique Kidjo, and Toumani Diabete (especially his song Kulanjan with Taj Mahal). Traditional Song Song Title:______________________________ Source:_________________________________ Instruments 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 #1 #2 #3 #4 Contemporary Song Artist:_________________________________ Song Title:______________________________ Source:________________________________


Instruments 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 #1 #2 #3 #4

http://www.african-drumbeat.co.uk/

http://www.humansong.com/artists.htm

http://www.youtube.com/

http://www.napster.com/

http://www.itunes.com/

Part III (In-class and Homework) 5. Writing Assignment: Have students write a short essay about what they have learned from this experience. Have them address the following questions:

• What is the rhythm pattern of the traditional song which you have chosen? • Does it fit into the 4 beat per measure chart, or is it more complex? • What instruments can you hear? • Can you find out what purpose the song served; i.e. entertainment, religious, initiation, folklore? • What is different about the contemporary song? What instruments do you hear? What role does

technology serve in the contemporary song? Who is the intended audience for the contemporary song?

• Can you find connections between the traditional song and the contemporary song? • How does the contemporary African song compare to popular American music? What elements

are the same and which are different? Conclusion Be sure students have filled out the final column of their KWL charts. This will serve as a record of what they have learned through the lesson. Have students break up into groups and discuss the elements that they have discovered through this activity. Have them connect it to your classes’ wider curriculum. Hold a whole class discussion and presentation of everyone’s discoveries. Extensions

• The students can create a rhythm chart for a contemporary American pop song and write an essay on the potential influences African music has had on American music of today. Can they find songs with similar rhythm patterns? Have students do a Google search on the African roots of American music. How did African traditions transform early American music, and what elements are still found in Rock, Hip-hop, Jazz, and Pop?

• Have students create their own beats online at: http://www.jamstudio.com/Studio/index.htm?gclid=CNfPxZzU55ACFRwxiQod2g7hQw http://www.sevynlayerzdeep.com/Sevyn%20Layerz%20Deep%20Website/VirtualMPC.htm

• Create a website to display your projects and research. A website that gives great instructions on how to create your own class website can be found at http://www.smplanet.com/webpage/webpage.html

• Get inspired by Bay Shore High School’s Cultural Arts Program Website—especially look at their beats: http://www2.bayshore.k12.ny.us/bshs/mt.html AND find out about the benefits of technology and music on education: http://www.edutopia.org/beyond-band

• Find more thorough music related lesson plans at http://lessons.usamusic.org/lesson_search.zhtml and http://www.ctaponline.org/tools/lesson_view.cfm?lKey=5988


http://www.jamstudio.com/Studio/index.htm?gclid=CNfPxZzU55ACFRwxiQod2g7hQw

http://www.sevynlayerzdeep.com/Sevyn%20Layerz%20Deep%20Website/VirtualMPC.htm

http://www.smplanet.com/webpage/webpage.html

http://www2.bayshore.k12.ny.us/bshs/mt.html

http://www.edutopia.org/beyond-band

http://lessons.usamusic.org/lesson_search.zhtml

http://www.ctaponline.org/tools/lesson_view.cfm?lKey=5988

Art Project: Make a Dun Dun (Talking Drum) Recommended for Grades 6-12

Estimated time: 3 or 4- 45 to 1 hour class periods

Materials for one project:

• 2 round balloons • Masking Tape • Newspaper ripped into strips NOTE: this will be easiest if

you rip in the direction of the grain • Papier Mâché A simple mixture of flour and water will work. Mix one part flour with about 2 parts of water until you get a paste that looks like yogurt. Add more water or flour as needed. Mix well to get out all the lumps. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of salt (this prevents mold) ORPick up a box of powdered wallpaper paste (look for the non-toxic label) and add water according to the directions on the box. Adding a squirt or two of white glue will give it a better stick. • Cardboard carpet tube (3" to 4" in diameter) cut to 8 inches in length. You can find

these at any carpet and flooring store. If you ask, the stores will be happy to give you the tubes that they would otherwise throw away

• An awl or single-hole punch • Heavy cord or natural string and a leather needle • Skin Materials: Tanned hides, leather, Inner-tubes (slit vertically), a beach ball, heavy

gauge plastic, vinyl, polyvinyl, heavy duty acetate, or anything that is strong enough to withstand being stretched without ripping or breaking – be creative!

• Acrylic Paints, fabric, or paper to decorate your drum • Nails (decorative heads), beads, bells, other decorative materials

Procedure:

DAY 1 1. Inflate the balloons and knot their ends 2. Place the knot end of the balloons inside the carpet tube—one on each side, and

tape the balloons securely in place. This should create the general shape of the wooden part of the dun dun

3. Mix up your papier mâché according to the package directions, or if you’re making it yourself, get it to a pourable pancake batter consistency.

4. Using newspaper strips dipped in the papier mâché, make the drum body by mâchéing around the balloons up to where the balloons start to round in again—


about ¾ the way up. Be sure to mâché the carpet tube, as well. Add about ½ inch of thickness all around, being sure to create a sturdy support. Be sure to create a smooth surface and don’t add too much paste… just enough to do the job.

5. Leave the form to dry over night.

DAY 2 1. Pop the balloons and remove them from inside the form. 2. Paint the drum form and decorate it with stencils, paper,

and/or fabric.

DAY 3 and 4

1. Trace the ends of the drum form onto your “skin” material. Mark each circle so you know which goes to which end of the drum.

2. Add about 1 inch to the diameter of the circle using a compass. These will be your drum heads.

3. Cut the drum heads out, being sure to cut from the outer circle. 4. Using your awl or hole punch, poke or punch holes around the edge of one of the

drumheads. Make each hole about ¾ inch from the edge and approximately 1 inch apart.

5. Use the holes in this first drum head as a guide to make holes for your second drum head. Keep the drumheads lined up and make a mark on one of the corresponding holes of each drumhead so you know how to match them up when stretching them on your drum.

6. Using your heavy cord or string, sew the heads together—about 75% of the way around. Sew by stringing through the under-side of one head around to the outer-side of it and back down through the under-side of the other drum head and back down from the outer-side of this drum head. Repeat the pattern. Each stitch should create an elongated figure 8 pattern. Keep the “skins” far apart enough to allow the drum cylinder to be placed inside them.

7. Place the drum cylinder inside the cords with the skins placed on either end. 8. Continue to sew your cord through the remaining holes, tightening the cord as you

go. 9. When you reach the final hole, pull all the strings tight so the heads make a

drumlike sound when tapped. Be careful not to over-tighten, you want to leave enough room to squeeze the drum to make it “talk”. Connect this end of the string with the end of the string coming from the first hole by tying them together in a good knot.

10. Play your drums!!! Students and teachers can look up drum patterns and create your own coded messages or start a dun dun ensemble.


California State Standards Addressed In This Guide

NOTE: The following is meant to serve as a map to guide educators toward specific standards addressed in this curriculum guide. In most cases, specific sub-strands are omitted in the interest of saving space. To get more in-depth content standards information, please visit the California State Content Standards online at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/ .


http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/

African Story Cloth (Grades 3-5) Grade 3 through 5 English-language Arts Content Standards. Reading 1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development 2.0 Reading Comprehension Writing 1.0 Writing Strategies History-Social Science Content Standards. 3.1 Students describe the physical and human geography and use maps, tables, graphs, photographs, and charts to organize information about people, places, and environments in a spatial context. Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills Visual Arts Standards 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information Through the Language and Skills Unique to the Visual Arts Students perceive and respond to works of art, objects in nature, events, and the environment. They also use the vocabulary of the visual arts to express their observations. 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art. 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of the Visual Arts Students analyze the role and development of the visual arts in past and present cultures throughout the world, noting human diversity as it relates to the visual arts and artists. 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works in the Visual Arts Students analyze, assess, and derive meaning from works of art, including their own, according to the elements of art, the principles of design, and aesthetic qualities. 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in the Visual Arts to Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers Students apply what they learn in the visual arts across subject areas. They develop competencies and creative skills in problem solving, communication, and management of time and resources that contribute to lifelong learning and career skills.


Rhythm of the Drums (Grades 6-12) Grades 3 through 12 Visual and Performing Arts: Music Content Standards.

1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION

2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION

3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT

4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING

5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS

Grade 7 History-Social Science Content Standards.

World History and Geography: Medieval and Early Modern Times 7.4 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the sub-Saharan civilizations of Ghana and Mali in Medieval Africa.

5. Describe the importance of written and oral traditions in the transmission of African history and culture.

Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills History-Social Science Content Standards: Grades Six Through Eight.

Grades 9 Through 12 History-Social Science Content Standards.

Grade 10 History-Social Science Content Standards.

10.11 Students analyze the integration of countries into the world economy and the information, technological, and communications revolutions (e.g., television, satellites, computers).

Grade 6 through 12 English-language Arts Content Standards.

1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development

1.0 Writing Strategies


Dun Dun Drum (Grades 6-12) Grades 3 through 12 Visual and Performing Arts: Music Content Standards.

1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION

2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION

3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT

4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING

5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS

Grades 3 through 12 Visual Arts Standards

1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information Through the Language and Skills Unique to the Visual Arts Students perceive and respond to works of art, objects in nature, events, and the environment. They also use the vocabulary of the visual arts to express their observations. 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art.

3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of the Visual Arts Students analyze the role and development of the visual arts in past and present cultures throughout the world, noting human diversity as it relates to the visual arts and artists. 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments About Works in the Visual Arts Students analyze, assess, and derive meaning from works of art, including their own, according to the elements of art, the principles of design, and aesthetic qualities. 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in the Visual Arts to Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers Students apply what they learn in the visual arts across subject areas. They develop competencies and creative skills in problem solving, communication, and management of time and resources that contribute to lifelong learning and career skills. They also learn about careers in and related to the visual arts.


Frequently Asked Questions BACKGROUND:

Q. What is MoAD? MoAD is an international museum that is committed to showcasing the “best of the best” from the African Diaspora. To facilitate this, MoAD reaches out and initiates collaborative ventures with institutions of similar vision from around the world. Q. What is MoAD’s mission statement? The Museum of the African Diaspora connects all people through the celebration and exploration of the art, culture and history of the African Diaspora. MoAD promotes, explores, and appreciates the contributions people of African descent have made across the globe.

By reminding us that Africa is the birthplace of humankind, MoAD seeks to transform the way we perceive each other and ourselves. MoAD celebrates how we all, as one world, have changed and influenced the history and cultures of the African Diaspora.

MoAD’s goal is to foster a greater understanding of human history and promote cross-cultural communication. As a first voice museum, MoAD will capture the essence of the African Diaspora experiences. Through four universal themes—Origins, Movement, Adaptation and Transformation—MoAD will share the stories of the people of African descent that celebrate the strength of humanity.

Q. What does “Diaspora” mean? The term Diaspora is used to refer to any people or ethnic population forced or induced to leave their traditional ethnic homelands; being dispersed throughout other parts of the world, and the ensuing developments in their dispersal and culture.

ADMISSIONS:

Q. Where is MoAD located? 685 Mission Street at the corner of Third street in downtown San Francisco. The Museum is located next to SFMOMA and across the street from Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Q. When is the Museum open? MoAD is open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11am – 6pm; and Sunday 12 – 5pm. The Museum is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Q. Is there an admission? There is no charge to view the first floor and Museum Store. Admission to the museum is: - Adults $10 - Seniors (65 +) $5 - Students (with valid school ID) $5 - Children under 12 FREE


- Members FREE

Q. Where can I park when I get there? There are six parking garages near MoAD:

- Paramount Valet Parking, 680 Mission Street (separate entrance on Jessie Street, off Third, located 2 blocks from Moscone South & North)

- SFMOMA Garage, 147 Minna Street (between Third and New Montgomery Streets, behind the SFMOMA Museum)

- Jesse Square Garage, 223 Stevenson Street (Mission & Market, around the corner from The Argent Hotel, entrance at Stevenson Street)

- Regis Hotel Garage, 125 Third street (Turn right onto Minna Street)

- Fifth & Mission Parking Garage, 833 Mission Street (between Fourth & Fifth streets, adjacent to Moscone West)

- Hearst Parking Center, 45 Third Street (entrance on Stevenson, 2 blocks from Moscone South/North)

There are also parking meters along the streets.

Q. Can I bring a stroller into the Museum? Yes, but certain restrictions may apply.

GROUP TOURS:

Q. Does the Museum offer a self-guided tour? At this time we do not have a self guided tour.

Q. Does the Museum offer a Guided Tour?

Currently the museum offers group tours on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 11:30 am and 12:30 pm. Please contact the Education Department (415.318.7151 or [email protected]) at least three weeks in advance to schedule a tour.

Q. What are the Group rates? Groups of 10 or more persons are eligible for a discount admission. Group rates are as offered:

- Adults…………………………………… $8 - Seniors (65 +)…………………………… $4 - College Students (with valid school ID)… $4 - School Groups (K-12)…………………… $2 - School Group Chaperones……………… $5

Q. How much is a Guided Tour? Guided tours are free. MEMBERSHIP: Q. How do I become a MoAD Member? Log onto www.moadsf.org or ask at the admission desk on the first floor of the museum.


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.moadsf.org/

EXHIBITIONS:

Q. What are the current exhibitions? On the second floor of the museum is there are core exhibitions: Celebrations—Ritual & Ceremony, Music of the Diaspora, Culinary Traditions, Adornment, Slavery Passages, and the Freedom Theater.

Focused on telling the stories of people of African descent, MoAD’s special exhibitions are presented in the Salon on the second floor and in the gallery on the third floor. Exhibitions reflect and tell stories of Black lives through contemporary art from the African Diaspora that has colored the evolution of many New World cultures. With its global focus, MoAD is positioned to serve as a major voice in the conversation about artists of the African Diaspora.

Check the exhibition schedule to get information on the current show in the Contemporary Art Gallery on the 3rd Floor. Q. How do I find out more about the Museum’s permanent collection? Unlike most museums, MoAD does not collect art or artifacts. Instead, it collects stories revolving around the four themes of Origins, Movement, Adaptation, and Transformation. To view MoAD’s collection, please visit the website, www.moadsf.org. Q. Is there a place to buy gift items or exhibition-related merchandise? Yes. At MoAD’s Museum Store. All proceeds support exhibitions and programming efforts at the Museum of the African Diaspora. We are committed to providing quality products and service to our customers.

The MoAD Museum Store offers many beautiful, handmade and exclusive items made by local and global artisans. We offer merchandise from Fair Trade companies and organizations that help people support their families and to live with dignity. Some of the items we offer help to revive almost-forgotten craft techniques and traditions.

You will find everything from MoAD T-shirts produced by Bay Area organizations such as Ashbury Images, whose slogan is, “rebuilding lives one shirt at a time,” to exquisite beadwork dolls and handwoven textiles from Fair Trade operations who work with artisans around the world. We offer books about different aspects of the African Diaspora including those about photography, food, adornment and celebration. MoAD’s exhibition catalogs are also available.

Q. Why can’t I touch the works of art? The natural oils on human hands can cause serious damage over time to pieces of art. For this reason please do not touch the art in MoAD.

Q. Can I sketch in the galleries? Visitors may sketch in the permanent exhibitions with pencils only.

Q. Can I take photos of the art? Still photography is permitted in the Museum on the first and in the immersive exhibits on the second floor if done in existing light with hand held cameras for personal non-commercial use only. The use of tripods, flash and video cameras is prohibited. Photography is not permitted in the third floor gallery containing special exhibitions.

Q. What is the schedule for programs and special exhibitions? To see a calendar of exhibits, please refer to Exhibitions at www.moadsf.org or visit the touch-screen kiosks in the main lobby

Q. Is there a way for me to receive regular notification about special exhibitions? Visit the museum website or visit the touch-screen kiosks in the main lobby to sign up for our email list or by becoming a member of the museum.



VOLUNTEERING/MUSEUM GUIDES: Q. Does the museum offer internships? MoAD’s education department offers internships. Q. How do I become a Volunteer? Please email [email protected] or visit the MoAD Website for information.

Q. How do I become a Museum Guide? Museum Guides are specially-trained volunteers who lead tours and organize educational events at the museum. For more information, see the MoAD Guide under the Program page at www.moadsf.org or email our Docent Program Manager at [email protected]. Trainings are held periodically throughout the year.

FACILITY RENTALS: Q. How do I rent your facility? Contact the Facilities Director at (415) 358-7219 for facility inquiries and pricing. Q. What types of facilities are available?

MoAD has a state of the art facility offering A/V equipment, remote digital projectors, and multi-level conferencing. The MoAD Salon and Education Center are available for private rentals. Private tours can also be arranged as apart of the rental agreement.


mailto:[email protected]


Wax-printed cloths made in Ghana

Africa.dot.Com: Drums 2 Digital

February 7 to June 1, 2008

Education Resource

Museum of the African Diaspora

San Francisco


Contents

Introduction 3

Key Message 3

Background 3

Drums 4

Textiles 5

Wire 6

Biography: Deborah Stokes, Curator 8 Frequently Asked Questions 9

A Conversation with Deborah Stokes Map of Africa 12 Additional Exhibition Photos 13


AFRICA.dot.COM: DRUMS 2 DIGITAL

Exhibition Guide

INTRODUCTION Unlike classical African art exhibitions, Africa.dot.Com: Drums 2 Digital shows Africa as part of the

modern world. Africa, like wealthier parts of the world, is migrating to modern communication technology.

In Africa, new technologies are supplanting older ones but are also being integrated into traditional

cultural practices. Africa.dot.Com: Drums 2 Digital explores this juxtaposition and the impact of new

technology on the social, cultural, and artistic life of Africa.

KEY MESSAGE This exhibition consists of three parts:

• Something Old, Something New: Drums & Text Messages explores the parallels between the

ancient African technology of drum messaging and its modern counterpart, the cellphone.

• Do You Hear What I’m Wearing? Textiles explores how contemporary African artists have

incorporated images of cellphones and other modern technology into textiles, which have served

as a form of communication in Africa for centuries.

• The Wire – Then and Now: Wire explores how a critical commodity in modern communication –

telephone wire – is used in basket making, and how the Internet (whose backbone is telephone

wire) has allowed designs created in South Africa to spread to other parts of the world.

BACKGROUND Throughout the world, artists are sharing ideas across cultural borders, developing creative partnerships,

and reaching audiences in other parts of the planet using modern technology. Exhibition Curator Deborah

Stokes used modern communication systems – search engines, computerized list-serves, websites, and

online forums – to work with colleagues in Africa to create this exhibition. Africa.dot.Com: Drums 2 Digital

presents a look at the uses of digital technology in the art and social life of Africa’s first digital generation.


Education Resource 3

FIG. 1: Mangbetu Drummers, Congo. Vintage postcard, c. 1910s.

Something Old, Something New: Drums & Text Messages Historically, messages sent by drum have played an important role in many parts of Africa. There are

several types of drums used to send messages:

Slit drums: Hollowed out of wood to create a thin-walled resonating chamber, the slit drum features an

open lengthwise primary slot. Striking the slit drum with a mallet creates high and low tones that can be

arranged into coded signals.

Signal drums: The penetrating percussive sound of signal drums can resonate up to five miles then be

picked up and dispatched to the next village. Sending and relaying messages from village to village is

important since road travel is often difficult. Signal drummers often had their own “signatures,” which

each drummer used to identify themselves when sending a message from one village to another.

Talking drums: The variable-pitch talking drum is called dundun among the Yoruba of Southwest

Nigeria. Dundun are two-headed drums consisting of a carved wood hour-glass shaped body (FIG. 2). The

drum can reproduce a variety of tones as the drummer varies the tension on the

vertical strings by exerting pressure with the arm. Talking drums serve as speech

surrogates, sending distinct messages, echoing words and phrases found in Yoruba

and certain Bantu languages based on nuances of tonal range. FIG. 2: Talking drum, Nigeria, 2005 Photo by Marilyn Houlberg



Aural communication is a fundamental part of Africa’s social and cultural fabric. Cellphones, only recently

introduced into Africa, represent something old as well as something new. Places too far apart to

communicate via drum messaging can be connected by cellphone networks. As added features such as

text messaging become more common, it is possible that the new technologies will play some of the

cultural transmission role traditionally played by the drum. Like the drum, cellphones come in more than

one design, and the design and feature set chosen by a user depends (to a certain extent) on how s/he

uses the cellphone.

Do You Hear What I’m Wearing? TextilesAfrican textiles have long served as a communication medium, expressing coded messages and maxims

through images and text. International trade and communication and the use of

new technology have created a demand for textiles printed with images of mobile

phones, satellite dishes, computers, and other electronic media. A person wearing

these fabrics not only reflects a desire for these symbols of wealth and modernity,

but also makes a statement about their identity as a modern citizen. FIG. 3: Singer Sewing Machine Co. Ad Card #1652-7

Factory-printed textiles are purchased, sewn, and worn by both men and women.

It is women, however, who give the cloth social and cultural significance by naming the designs. Names

are often inspired by popular culture, daily experiences with spouse or children, or special themes with

mass appeal.

FIG. 4: Kanga cloth, Museum für Völkerkunde Wien



In Kenya, for example, kanga cloths communicate values and morals as well as love, hope, and

happiness. Before technology was a part of daily life, popular wisdom and proverbs taught through oral

communication, such as “Eye Sees, Mouth Does Not Speak,” would warn against spreading gossip.

Today’s kanga cloth artists, acknowledge the role that modern communication technology plays in African

life. In one example (FIG. 4), the kanga design combines pictures of cellphones with Swahili text: “Stop

and criticize someone who is well known to like rumors and gossip!” The presence

of the mobile phone communicates to the audience that the most ancient wisdom

applies even in the use of the most modern technology.

Illustrated cellphone motifs worn by women (FIG. 5) can send a message about the

wearer: she keeps in touch with family and friends, she runs her business efficiently

and uses current market prices, or she is someone who sends and receives

information to and from community leaders, health professionals, or important

religious and spiritual guides.

FIG. 5: Nowah Bensen, Chicago 2005 Photo by D.Stokes The Wire–Then and Now: Wire

Telephone wire basketry, created in rural South Africa by the Zulu/Nguni peoples, is another example of

the modern technology on traditional African art forms. Metals, such as copper and brass, were highly

treasured commodities, and the leaders of the Zulu court often commissioned wireworks. Among Zulu

and other Nguni-related groups, highly refined wirework embellishes many ritual objects, tools, and

weapons with geometric patterning, signifying affiliation with ancestral spirits in a sophisticated visual

language.

FIG. 6: ‘Stop Look Listen – Beware HIV AIDS,’ 2006, Mboniseni Khanyile


Education Resource 6 Although woven wirework has been known since the 19th century, modernization brought telephone land

lines to Africa and introduced multicolored plastic insulated copper wire. Recently, social messages have

been incorporated into the basketry designs, HIV-AIDS being one of the most important (FIG. 6).

FIG. 7: Sweet grass basket Afro Market Place, Senegal

The development of a global market for wirework and modern technology has impacted the transmission

of this art form beyond South Africa. Artisans working in Senegal have seen the popular ‘Zen Zulu’

designs from South Africa on the Internet and appropriated and reinterpreted these motifs for baskets

woven in sweet grass (FIG. 7).

Communication technology also influences the practice of traditional healing arts; herbalists and healers

practice their specialties on TV; diviners use cellphones to keep in touch with their patrons. Here it is, God’s number: 597-24-20. Beep Him Can we beep God?” Project of the Society for Direct Communication with the Divine, (S.D.C.D.) Cameroon, 2006.

FIG. 8: Carved Nokia Cellphone Coffin Workshop of Paa Joe, Ghana

Africa.dot.Com: Drums 2 Digital is an exhibition organized by [C]Spaces, the Student Centers and Galleries of Columbia College Chicago and guest curator, Deborah Stokes, Columbia College Chicago alumna. This exhibition and related public programs is sponsored by a generous contribution from AT&T. Additional support was provided by The Pond Family Foundation and MoAD Members.



BIOGRAPHY Deborah Stokes

Exhibition Curator

Deborah Stokes has been a student, teacher, writer, and curator of African art for more than two

decades. Currently, Ms. Stokes teaches courses in the Visual Art of Africa and Issues in Contemporary

African Art at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Stokes completed her field research in

Nigeria (1979-81) documenting the names of traditional Yoruba carvers and carving compounds as well

as photographing their distinct carving styles.

In 2005 Ms. Stokes worked in Kenya with an exceptional potter, Robai Nafuna, of Kimilili, documenting

the techniques and sale of her pots in the local markets. In addition, Stokes photographed much popular

culture: hand-painted signs with and without technology imagery, on stores, buses, taxis, etc. She has

researched African beadwork and published in African Arts: Rediscovered Treasures: African Beadwork

at The Field Museum, Chicago.

Ms. Stokes has lectured on African art in museums and cultural centers including the world-renowned Art

Institute of Chicago and The Chicago Cultural Center, among others. Stokes has catalogued the Yoruba

and South African collections at the prestigious Field Museum and the acclaimed DuSable Museum of

African American History, both located in Chicago. Additionally, as an educator, Stokes has developed

online teaching curricula and also teaches an online art appreciation class.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS A Conversation with Deborah Stokes Of MoAD’s four themes – origins, movement, adaptation, and transformation – which one(s) best match this exhibition? Our many journeys – over land, across oceans, and through time – are now enhanced through technology. Bringing connectivity where there was none before. Origins Histories, once orally transmitted, are today being recorded and filmed with video camcorders. YouTube already includes videos uploaded from Africa. Movement Individuals, families, and communities move continuously, sometimes seeking fresh prospects, sometimes forced by slavery, war, or famine. Always, however, our movements reinvent us, remixing the possibilities. Individuals who come to the United States stay in constant touch by cellphone and e-mail with relatives and communities back home in Africa. Adaptation People and cultures evolve as the traditions and memories we carry with us creatively engage new surroundings and other cultures. African cultures have always been creating new forms, incorporating ideas and symbols (such as technology) into their art. They did it yesterday; they do it today; and they will continue to do it, as some of the examples in this exhibition demonstrate. (See textiles, telephone wire basketry, the Nokia cellphone coffin, and the carved wood mobile phone for sale to the tourist market.) African artists are using video to create installation and performance art, adapting a tradition that once required masking and costume. Transformation We transform ourselves in dialogue with new places, creating new traditions and new cultures. We carry the seeds of creativity that can transform adversity into hope. The future of Africa is wireless. With the use of cellphone technology, online banking is already taking place in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. Wireless computers are now coming into use. But it is the newest mobile phones that can access the Internet that will begin to bridge the digital divide.


Which African countries are profiled through items in this exhibition? This exhibition represents developments in eleven specific countries. (However, digital technology is used in all 53 countries on the continent. I researched cellphone density.) Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa are most notably represented, along with Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Cameroon, Niger, Somalia, Rwanda, and Cote d'Ivoire. Individual artists are named in the wall texts, as well as in a full transcription of the discussion and analysis by the Cameroonian participants in the DVD, Beepez-le.

Currently, are any countries in Africa using drums as a primary source of communication? Drums are still a very important part of African ceremonial life, especially in West Africa. They play a significant role in many sacred and secular celebrations, most notably among the Yoruba of Nigeria and the Ashanti of Ghana. (See Talking Drum section and Drum Poetry.) Drumming, of course, now is recorded and sold on CDs and marketed around the world. In addition, African hip-hop and rap artists fuse traditional poly-rhythmic beats into their contemporary art forms. What is symbolic about the casket in the exhibition? Everyone wants to know the background to the Nokia cellphone coffin: Funeral ceremonies carry symbolic messages wherever they are performed (not just in Africa). How a culture buries the dead and specifically in what fashion suggests the respect and status that the deceased carried in his/her life on earth. Among the Ga people of Ghana, a particularly important and wealthy chief requested that at his death a coffin be carved in the form of a Mercedes Benz. Others then requested forms that related to their successes in life: A successful farmer commissioned a large cocoa pod; other forms include a lion, an airplane, a Bible, a hen (traditionally used as a sacrificial animal), and so forth. The cellphone is a great example of the way technology is represented in the art and life of Africans. And since communication with ancestors plays an important role in both sacred and secular life in Africa, what better way to stay in touch with the ancestors? This coffin is juxtaposed to the video piece, Beepez-le, “Call Him (God),” which speaks to the so-called digital divine – traditional healers use cellphones to call their clients and prescribe remedies for health, social, and ritual purposes, along with their traditional methods of divination. Are there text message symbols specific to African communication similar to BFF (best friend forever)? Yes, there are text messaging symbols, however, these symbols may be in Swahili or other African languages. English continues to be spoken in many of the countries in Africa where schools are still modeled on the British system. But even that situation is changing as a result of the rapid digitization of Africa. Across the continent, linguists have been working with information technology experts to make computers more accessible to Africans who do not know English, French, or the other major languages that have been programmed into the world's desktop computers. What piqued your interest in the field of African technology? My interest in African art and technology has grown out of my teaching and personal experiences with contemporary African art. As traditions shift and evolve, new forms are constantly being created and integrated into the arts. When I was in Nigeria in 1979, you could go to a photo studio and have your picture taken (which I did) and have it superimposed



on any number of “status symbols” of that time: a television, an electric fan, a radio (boombox), a refrigerator, whatever. During my last trip to Kenya, I noticed the cellphone was ubiquitous. And so I sought out the uses of technology in both everyday life and sacred places (telephones have been seen on shrines to the ancestors in Nigeria, for instance). How did you select the items in this exhibition? For this exhibition, I used the Internet as a curatorial platform. By using African art list serves that I subscribe to, along with Google, YouTube, the web, and other rapid communication systems, I was able to research, locate, and then e-mail drummers, carvers, artists, scholars, and others who make, write about, or collect objects that incorporate digital technology and/or related digital motifs (cellphones, satellite dishes, video camcorders, computers, etc.) into their art. Why are women the only ones to define codes on garments? Women are the ones who name cloth patterns as they become popular in the same manner that the mainstream media pick up on trends in society. The longstanding African tradition of oral storytelling to impart history as well as social and moral conduct is reinforced by visual images. Oftentimes, symbols and the related messages that become associated with certain patterns are a way to express something that one may not be willing (or it may not be appropriate) to say out loud. The symbols and underlying messages used in textiles and garments can get a particular point across quite emphatically in visual form. (See Fig. 4, for a specific example of this integration of symbol and message into textile design.) What do you foresee as the next development in technology for the continent? The next development has already begun. I call it, “Africa as the wireless continent.” Many areas of Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya, for instance, already have banking-by-cellphone. As e-mail and access to the Internet on mobile phones becomes more affordable and commonplace, mobile phones will replace computers, which are difficult and unreliable because of frequent power outages. Low cost cellphones now are marketed and used in the most remote areas in Kenya – to call the market in the city to check on prices, or to negotiate the sale of herds, or to arrange the sale of harvested crops. Doctors and nurses at local clinics call their patients to remind them to take their medications. Wireless computers specifically designed for children, the XO (One Laptop per Child), have been developed to get digital tools into the hands of young students for educational purposes and to help bridge the divide in developing countries.



http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/africa_pol_2007.jpgUniversity of Texas Library


http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/africa_pol_2007.jpg

Internet use in large cities outnumbers rural areas,

where an estimated 70 percent of the African population

lives. In 2001 The Economist, stated internet use in

Africa numbered 1 in 200, compared to 1 in 3 in the

West. CyberCafe, Nairobi, 2005. Photo by James Muriuki

In many parts of Africa, mobile phones, computers, information and communication technologies, provide enhanced networks and connections in African villages and cities. Through these advances generational divides fade, and a sense of community emerges. Rwanda, 2007. Photo by Will Okun


Documents

Moadsf africa dot com curriculum guide