Native Spirit Festival 2012

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Fri 12 Oct 2012 - Fri 19 Oct 2012

Films, dance, music and creative activities by and for Indigenous people inaugurated the 6th Native Spirit Festival on October 12th in Bloomsbury. The event makes use of a common language to the human race -the arts- to serve as a platform for mutual understanding, cultural exchange, and social-environmental awareness. Through the communion of Londoners and aboriginal cultures, the festival provides Indigenous peoples with a space to express themselves, in a world where local voices are drowned out by the clamour of industrialised societies.

The Native Spirit Festival - which takes place in the University of London this week until October 19th – opened with the showing of three films that celebrate aboriginal cultures and their bond with Mother Earth, while vindicating their causes. As well, attendees were able to enjoy a rich pastry from Colombia called " empanadas ". There were also indegenous jewelry and artefacts for sale.



The first film was called "A Journey of the Spirit" by Rikki Shields, an award-winner Aboriginal writer and film-maker from Australia. The film showed pictures of his people and his land, while he recited his journey "through silver clouds" from home to foreign lands in a mystical poem. "My journey of the spirit and my blue rock walking inside me without her living in me I would surely die", he narrated. "My people say 'them without dreaming must be properly dead'".

The following film shown was from South America: "We Shall Overcome Ten Times" tells the story of Pascual Pinchún", a member of the Mapuche indigenous group, who fled from Chile after being accused of terrorism. After many years of exile, he decided to start his own film to tell the story of his people and that is when his odyssey commenced. At his own risk, Pascual went back to Chile, where he would face imprisonment. The reason behind his return to the eye of the tornado was his wish to be an active player in the vindication of his people's rights and territory. The documentary ended with his release from prison, yet the purpose was to show the Mapuche community's version of the truth.



The third film, "Forgotten Bird of Paradise", is an undercoer documentary on Indigenous Peoples struggle for freedom in West Papua. Former Dutch colony, West Papua was given independence in 1961, but was subsequently invaded by Indonesia. This territory –banned for journalists and Human Rights organisations- is the scenery for continuous violence, abuses and confrontation between West Papuans and the Indonesian military. In the film, West Papuans –ethnically different from Indonesians – denounce the government's endeavour to wipe out their culture and identity. The director of the film, Dominic Brown, was present at the room to answer the questions from the audience. Afterwards, a West Papuan took the stage to tell us his own story in painful words and a heartfelt song.

The opening concluded with the performance of Andean natives, who played their jolly music and then carried out an indigenous ritual with coca leaves. The spirituality of the ceremony was palpable, which was steered by their respect to Nature as the source of life and energy.



On Tuesday 16 of October, the festival starts with the showing of the film "El Oasis" at 6.30pm. At 7.30pm, music from the Colombian Pacific (Chuanas, Gaitas and Drums) will delight the audience. Also, there will be Colombian food available to enjoy while watching the performances or at the lobby. At 8.15pm, tribes of Brazil will reflect on their experiences of first contact and the dangers that followed. The evening concludes with the showing of "Belo Monte: A Declaration of War" which is about the largest and most controversial dam project for long time in Brazil.

On Wednesday, Maori ceremonies and traditions take the stage, followed by a reflection on the significance of bringing them to a London audience. Songs will fill the air after wards brought by London-based Maori club who will perform traditional haka and action songs. The evening will conclude with a ritual dance from the Andes followed by a performance of one of UK's leading Latin-Andean bands, Kausary's name in Quechua means "to revive".
On Thursday and Friday, a series of films will be shown, and then there will be a ritual dance from the high Andes, Perú. Finally, Aztec dance will close the festival with a warrior dance performed by Xiquipiltzin and Atlachinolli group.

For a view of the festival's programme, please click here .

Venue
School of Oriental & African Studies
University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russel Square
London WCIH 0XG
Nearest Tube: Russel Square

Admission
Suggested Donations £5-10
Festival Film Pass £35

#art
#central_london
#cinema
#dancing
#film_festivals
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#october
!date 12/10/2012 -- 19/10/2012
%wnlondon