Sufi Poetry and Music night at the EICH Gallery, 19th June by Michelle Dee Performers : Kahijah Ibrahim Oluseyi Ogunjobi Fosuwa Andoh Paulette

People were greeted by a thunderous drum call as they entered the performance space of the EICH gallery. Oluseyi Ogunjobi, Fosuwa Andoh and a girl of barely ten brought the audience to attention, playing pounding rhythms on African drums. The night's proceedings were introduced by Toyen, resplendent in traditional Nigerian garb.

Oluseyi sang a prayer to appease the ancestors, which is the time-honoured way to start any performance. He encouraged the audience to participate in some Nigerian songs and with a little reluctance they joined in. His voice was rich with years of learning and wisdom. Toyen explained a little about Sufism, how it is a tradition of enlightenment incorporating action and awareness into everyday life.

Kahijah Ibrahim, writer and performance artist, presented an original poem in the Sufi style influenced by 8th Century writings. Dreadlock Storyteller is inspired by a piece called Conference of the Birds written many centuries ago. She delivered the piece with a sense of urgency in her voice, tempered with great passion and beauty. Paulette vocalised notes to create and add to the atmosphere of the marketplace where such storytellers and poets would convene to entertain the crowds. The piece was punctuated by drumbeats and the occasional mbira melody by Oluseyi.

How to describe Sufi poetry? Well, it is no easy task, and apologies if I fall way below the mark. It is to my mind a form of rhythmic verse, almost songlike, that rises and falls like a wind blowing over sand dunes in the desert. The recitation sometimes came out childlike, in excited breathy whispers, which created a magical tale woven in wonderment. Kahijah's work has to be seen to be appreciated and understood. It is performance poetry in glorious swathes of rhythm and bright exotic language.

The evening finished with Oluseyi retelling a story about the tortoise and the Leke Leke bird, in the Nigerian tradition. These stories are forerunners to Rudyard Kipling's Just So stories. They were used not just to entertain but to educate as well, being as they are tales steeped in morality and expressions of common values. The event was attended by a mix of all ages, creed and colour, and was enjoyed by all. This was most evident when the audience were invited to hammer out a few rhythms on the drums themselves.

So the performance concluded as it started, with a thunderous roar, albeit with a lot less musicality than the first but with just as much enthusiasm.

check the www.thisisUll.com...... The Humber Mouth 2004 Homepage.

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The Humber Mouth 2004 - Sufi Poetry and Music night at the EICH Gallery, 19th June by Michelle Dee
	People were greeted by a thunderous drum call as they entered the performance space of the EICH gallery. Oluseyi Ogunjobi, Fosuwa Andoh and a girl of barely ten brought the audience to attention, playing pounding rhythms on African drums. The night's proceedings were introduced by Toyen, resplendent in Read more...

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Diary of Events - The Humber Mouth 2004
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Check out thisisUll.com reviews from Humber Mouth 2003 below.

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