African music in Second Life--Tamsin Barzane

The recently concluded African Festival on Second Life had many musical moments, thought that was never intended to be its focus. But it proved a maxim, one that Oliha Yiwama mentioned in his talks on both drumming and spiritual traditions--music and dance bring people together, celebration is prayer, the spirit can unite people and make their spirits soar! (well, all right, he said it more eloquently).

We wanted live music and nearly had it in two doses. The very kind Bourque Rau promotes Second Life live music, and did her best to hunt down performers who worked either in African style or something close. She connected me with the very talented Peregrine Singh, who mulled over the possibilities of bringing in musician friends from Gambia and Guinea, and I began to salivate. Real life prevented it, but who knows in future? And if not for sound problems, we would have had master rl drummer Oliha Yiwama bringing us West African rhythms in several traditions, which we trust will still happen in times ahead.

We had three fabulous DJs play African music: HarleyMC Homewood, Blade Unsustainable and Isabelle Mavendorf (Soulman Sands is another tested and true, but unavailable during the festival). Their tastes were all different, and all fabulous--we had Afrobeatphilacs, African house music miners, and plaintive balladeers. Miles Barbasz was feverishly writing down artists' names, and he'd better hand over his list!

We filled the sim (it's a homestead, but I'm convinced it would have been filled even in a full prim)! People tried and tried and finally tped in, that's how good the sound reports were. And they chatted as the fireworks went off and the hips shook--not senseless spamastic gestures, but conversations and spontaneous eruptions of joy. Friendships were forged, and our last night's Best Dressed in African Attire saw a bevy of beauties of both sexes (winners--Blac Quartz and Pietro Eberhardt), dancing under the stars.

One of the best musical events was totally unplanned. I sat in a vendor's stall with Feretian String, just chatting. Oronoque Westland wandered by, and asked if her playing a flute would be annoying. Certainly not! Soon her haunting South American tunes were joined by my Yoruba talking drum and Fere on a standing one--then Oron switched to electric sitar, then guitar and steel pan. We had a jam session that lasted for close to two hours, joined by Solylence Houston, Szvanna Anatra, the others who danced and played. For a while we were the all female Princesses of Percussion (POP)--Fere to thank for that sporty moniker--then were joined by others of the male persuasion.

At times we actually seemed in sync, and a thrill swept over us! I hope scripters make more musical instruments and work in some timing controls, because, as Oliha Yiwama pointed out, this is a great opportunity for those who never had exposure or practice--or skill--to make beautiful music. But we're more than happy to make a joyful noise here!

UNDER THE MANGO TREE--Tamsin Barzane

SL's first African Festival has come and gone, and now it's time to reflect. The three-and-a-half day affair brought a lot of visitors to Saminaka, some of whom have chosen to be residents, regular loiterers (in a good way!), or merchants. The crowds and interest were gratifying, but the work was substantial. So--some reflections on the festival itself, but also on the idea of organizing a big event, which might help those doing something similar.

Suggestion #1. Imagine how long it will take you to create all the components, then multiply by three. There are bound to be rl interruptions, technical glitches, problems and unanticipated situations of all sorts. If you are creating things (builds, prizes for a treasure hunt, slide shows) begin months in advance! It won't molder on your computer, and you don't even have to schedule the event until there's only a smidge left to finish. Do you really want to (ahem) make your stiltwalking masquerade costume the day you're going to wear it?

Suggestion #2. Don't hire a publicist. I didn't, because I heard too many horror stories of people who paid lottalindens for pr, with few results. Did I get any better results? Probably not, but I had passion for the project, and some really helpful friend. Oliha Yiwama had lots of great ideas, and send out notices to tons of groups, as did I; Firery Broome hit the SLED lists and places academic, Charity Richez dug into her endless friends list and brought people regularly to events, and Kabaka Kwaszes tweeted and notified throughout the weekend--and those are only the ones I knew about. No reporters interviewed me, but I contacted some. However, an enquiry about radio ads to Khitten Kurka (aka DJ Flashback on Ground Level Radio) brought me into a discussion with Ground Level's Bryson Capalini who ran constant public service announcements for us on his excellent R&B station throughout the weekend. Fabulous people WILL help out in wonderful ways.

Suggestion #3. Regard your first big event as an experiment. So nobody entered the writing contest? Two of the photo contests were a bust? Perhaps the wrong contacts, too little publicity, or too much of a good thing. Only one person in the canoe regatta, and the durbar petered out? The first turned out to be terrific fun, while the latter has potential. Shake it off, and consider how each could be a dedicated event you can give full consideration to. Durbar will happen later, after Nigerian style horse trappings are made at leisure.

And as for the regatta? Ah, Saminaka WILL have an Olokun festival and pull out the stops! We'll supply usable decorated canoes, have a slide show about water deities in Africa, and invite SL's mermaids to make free with an enhanced underwater paradise. Plus the rideable hammerhead shark and manta ray will return! Saminaka looks so great circling round the perimeter, and the outer islands provide some marvelous opportunities for perilous steering!

As the only entrant with a decorated canoe, Feretian String won the regatta contest, but we had fun with resident Fox Foxdale and the fabulous water spider, Oronoque Westland! In short, don't let any aspect get you down.

Suggestion #4 Where your plans involve other people, inure yourself to disappointment and have a back-up plan. No need to be disappointed when people can't do what they said they would--First Life had BETTER have priorities. Be flexible. We almost had a great live performer, but it didn't work out. A DJ who agreed, then never showed up or even said sorry (no requests to you again, sir!). Some vendors said they were ready, but ultimately weren't (have your stalls up and rent boxes ready when you ask!). It was all good. Fallbacks fell in place. As luck would have it, a fave DJ, HarleyMC Homewood came on just as I was in despair we would have an opening party at all--and from his superkind heart, stepped into the breach immediately. No live performer, but live DJs everyday. A couldn't-be-helped late show? African music videos in the meantime. It'll all be fine if you keep despair at bay and can please the gathered with something.

Suggestion #5. Don't let the technical problems stop you. Saminaka's Sultan, Oliha Yiwama gave two fabulous talks. The first, on African music, would have included the greatest of demo drumming, but the mic was too "hot" and the feedback interfered with the drums (and had been nonexistent in an earlier soundcheck). Everyone enjoyed the talk nonetheless, but there was a hunger to hear the drumming, so Oliha was going to work some drumming, voice and percussion into his talk on African Spirituality. But sound did not cooperate. For some unknown reason, static metastasized, and he philosophically abandoned his original plan, went to typing, and soldiered on. (We will make sure he gets a chance to shine in future, because he is a terrific speaker and performer). Both talks were very well attended and made the sim new friends (I also gave a talk on African art).

Suggestion #6 Bring new groups together and collaberate. As Bryan Mnemonic suggested at the launch of SL's group Ananse's Web, our sims can be like a blogroll, with links to sims that complement our interests. Ananse's Web (Ananse is the Ashanti people's wise trickster, the spider) is a group of those interested in promoting African and Diaspora studies in Virtual Worlds--an academically-oriented group whose launch included fascinating data on Africa's digital leaps by Khoisan Fisher, and a keynote address by Bryan (Prof. Bryan Carter in rl). These stimulating conversations energized the members, who followed the University of Delaware opening with a tour of Virtual Africa, the Middle Passage Experience, Indea Vaher's Remembrance, and Virtual Harlem (the latter Bryan's project). Discussion afterwards was at Saminaka, but drew several treasure hunters, who quietly absorbed the group's broad range of topics.

Suggestion #7. Relax and enjoy yourself. Have spontaneous events, chat with visitors, make new friends, and listen to people--that will help you propel things forward and realize that those many rl hours were well worth it.

The festival closed with a splendid party, and some of us continued to linger there, reluctant to leave the happy companionship that had developed throughout the weekend. Nigerians who didn't know Saminaka existed found it, as did folks from all corners of the world. Satisfying, indeed!

African Festival Photo Contest

Saminaka's African Festival included a photo contest, and winner RiddleRay Rembrandt offset Saminaka's lush foliage with the

spread of its peacock's

plumage.

He rightly reminded me that contest boards should probably be rectangular, as that is the format of most SL photos--his certainly shows to greater glory released from its square format!

Kishi Sorbet stuck to the square, and took a fascinating shot of herself from an aerial view. She blends into the cracked earth and the forlorn tusks of past elephants.

Artemisia Mathy, on the other hand, took a photo on AfricaLive (we were promoting African flora and other African sims, too) with her beloved mangroves. Artemisia has a mangrove project there, with lots of information on their endangerment (and that of the manatees, who live amongst them).

SL's ability to choose your time of day and any possible angle allows for some fascinating possibilities; we had more entries, but no more with full perms by press time. There will be more contests, because I love to see the creativity of Saminaka's visitors!

HAWKING IN THE MARKET--SAMINAKA COMMERCIAL NEWS

***The temporary festival market has been set up for Oct 1 through 4! Maybe you can snatch a stall for your African goods, if you move fast! We will be getting a lot of traffic with the Cantaloupe Treasure Hunt, so you can't lose! Specialty items galore

***Our new cacao mainstore has been built, its exterior a carefully-crafted Hausa building. Some stock is inside, but the festival has postponed its grand opening and new items. Stay tuned, since Cinnamon Brigade and Tropicality will be partially folded into cacao, the latter taking on a new direction....

HAWKING IN THE MARKET--SAMINAKA COMMERCIAL NEWS

***Sultan Oliha Yiwama has returned from Nigeria, and has opened his office on Saminaka. It has dual access--directly from the beachside, beside the new shrine, or through the Iyawo store. Sultan Oliha has had extensive real life training and initiations in the U.S. and in Nigeria, and is a qualified diviner and priest in both Yoruba and Benin Kingdom traditions. See him for all your needs, religious and personal!

***VENDORS! CALLING ALL AFRICAN MERCHANTS! Saminaka will be holding SL’s first African Festival from the evening of Oct. 1 through Oct. 4. Its many events will include appearances by masqueraders, stiltwalkers and acrobats, as well as a decorated canoe regatta, a durbar with a display of finely attired horses, an African fashion conest, two (or three!) djed parties, a live musical performance, cultural lectures, readings, displays about Nupe culture, the horse in Africa, and Nigerian plants, a sim-wide treasure hunt, the launching of Ananse, an SL group devoted to African and Diaspora scholarship and more! During our last treasure hunt, our numbers were in the thousands. And what’s a festival without a special festival market? The big boat is coming down, and in its place we will have festival stalls, ready for stocking with African merchandise. Do you sell African clothes? Jewelry? Drums? Hair? Skins? Come and take a booth and sit back for a willing audience of strollers! Our prices are low because we really want your participation to add to the atmosphere: 125L a day for 25 prims worth of display, or 300L for the three and a half day period. Contact Tamsin Barzane for details; there are only a few spots left

***Our new store IYAWO (formerly Adire) has opened! Iyawo will specialize in orisha attire, art, and ritual products. Brazilian-style dress for Oshun and orisha followers are already out, with Yemanja and Oya to be added within days--and many more to come. The carved wooden panels and paintings of Carybe, showing orishas and initiates, are up, as are selected other art works. A sculpted Eshu/Eleggua awaits your threshold! More to come. Visit our Olokun shrine as well, and be on the lookout for expansion in this area.

***Be on the lookout for a new superstore on Saminaka, the cacao main store! Some of Tamsin's brands will be folded into this store, but that doesn't mean her off-sim stores will vanish. Kiko Life's cacao store will remain the jewel box it is, and will only carry the latest cacao collection, but Tropicality will change directions somewhat, becoming what its name implies--THE spot of African-inspired beachwear! Most of Pangolin Dreams' African art works will move into Seven Cowries, but Pangolin Dreams will continue to carry some art and artifacts while changing direction somewhat. As for the promised cacao superstore....wait and see! Its exterior will be a spectacular piece of Hausa architecture, filled with products you'll be eager to stock up on! Keep looking here for the grand opening date!

Hawking in the Market

***Last week Tamsin had no Internet, which meant a delay in everything--the publication of the Compass, the erection of the new shrine, the revamping of Adire into a fully orisha products store, etc. But it's back! So look for changes by the weekend!

***Oliha has returned from Nigeria, raring to go! His office on Saminaka will be accessible directly from the beachside, beside the new shrine, or through the Adire store. Be on the lookout!

***VENDORS! See the ad above for news of temporary stalls for your African goods on Saminaka during the African Festival, Oct. 1-4.