FESTAC 77
festac also known second world black african festival art culture first took place dakar second algiers july major international festival held lagos nigeria january february monthlong event celebrated african culture showcased african music fine art literature drama dance religion world around participant representing african nation country african diaspora performed event artist performed festival included stevie wonder united state gilberto gil brazil bembeya jazz national guinea mighty sparrow trinidad tobago le ballet africains south african artist miriam makeba franco luambo makiadi time held largest panafrican gathering ever take place event attracted around spectator official emblem festival replica royal ivory mask mask crafted erhabor emokpae benin hosting festival led establishment nigerian national council art culture festac village national theatre iganmu lagos majority event held four main venue national theatre national stadium surulere lagos city hall tafawa balewa square inspiration convening festac traced development idea négritude panafricanism aimé césaire léopold sédar senghor inspired panafricanism w e b du bois alain locke concept new negro started journal publishing house paris called présence africaine césaire senghor also member société africaine de culture présence africaine society african culture facilitator two congress one forum convened intention promoting black culture civilisation first congress held conference black writer paris second black writer forum rome attendee forum included writer african afrodescendant heritage alioune diop cheikh anta diop léopold senghor jacques rabemananjara richard wright césaire george lamming horace mann bond jacques alexis john davis william fontaine jean price mar james baldwin chester himes mercer cook frantz fanon member forum engaged discussing idea resurgence african culture convocation festival art leadership provided senghor subsidy outside notably france unesco first world festival black art held dakar senegal – april end first festival nigeria invited hold second festival promote continuation black unity cultural festival host nation would responsible providing necessary infrastructure facility successful staging festival however civil war change government led postponing festival preparation second festival began lagos nigeria october international festival committee met first time decided festival would held november name festival changed world black festival art culture second world black african festival art culture accommodate reality african unity date changed november organizer divided country geographical zone zone committee made representative people african descent chairman zone would become member international festival committee committee acted administrative arm festival desire improve dakar festival led nigeria intention create extravagant show fueled newfound oil money new regime replaced gowon administration date festival thus changed generate publicity festival international committee advised zone encourage preliminary festival minifestivals take place carifesta hosted guyana commonwealth festival london ghana national exhibition art craft nigeria nafest festival committee also chose festival emblem replica erhabor emokpae thcentury benin ivory mask mask last worn ovonramwen benin king dethroned consul general niger coast protectorate ralph moor housing estate known festac village constructed accommodation participant however longterm objective village federal housing programme relieve housing pressure lagos housing estate proposed construction within two year contractor working different site project total dwelling unit built prior festival additional completed end festival housing estate venue performance rehearsal interaction participant various troupe rehearsed routine day night hosting performance lecture stateoftheart multipurpose theatre built serve also lasting centre african art culture theatre design based palace culture sport varna bulgaria constructed bulgarian state firm technoexportstroy new complex two exhibition hall capacity performance event hall conference hall seat two cinema hall theatre hosted dance music art exhibition cinema drama colloquium ensure revival resurgence propagation promotion black african culture black african cultural value civilization present black african culture highest widest conception bring light diverse contribution black african people universal current thought art promote black african artist performer writer facilitate world acceptance access world outlet promote better international interracial understanding facilitate periodic return origin africa black artist writer performer uprooted continent opening ceremony festival took place january inside national stadium surulere lagos one highlight ceremony parade participant representing country marching past visiting dignitary diplomat nigerian head state olusegun obasanjo participant parade wore colourful ceremonial robe men foot stilt nigerian dancer carried flaming urn head symbolize freedom unity black people pigeon released shango priest also set festival bowl aflame festival event began around day lasted till midnight colloquium heart festival held daily first two week activity writer artist scholar participated lecture theme lecture border lack intellectual freedom ambivalence experienced third world country sometimes turn colonizer expertise attempting establish image confidence independence well rest world declared purpose colloquium seek answer question revive foster black african artist facilitate international acceptance access outlet among speaker event clarival prado valladares lazarus ekwueme babs fafunwa eileen southern festival committee purchased total seater luxury bus seater bus logistics reason one reason durbar festival staged kaduna city kilometer lagos event took place february february originally durbar nigeria reception held honour prince beginning four durbar held nigeria prior however festac durbar pageant emir riding entourage cavalry camel entertainer sign unity durbar display horseman entertainer musician playing horn kakakitrumpets tambari drum among entourage fulani bori bida masquerader festac durbar appropriated ancient hausa songhay kanembu custom hawan dawaki also known mounting horse bornu military ceremony called tewur rally held cavalry men major campaign another historic event appropriated annual meeting fulani emir held instance caliph sokoto kaura namoda mobilize contingent expedition hostile state boat regatta another event staged far common venue unlike durbar regatta staged lagos regatta threeday event performed queen drive foreshore ikoyi lagos participant principally nigeria state represented edo cross river imo kwara ogun ondo lagos state boat assemble musician acrobat masquerade dancer boat involved event performing visual art show film drama music dance mostly staged late afternoon evening national theatre however drama music show also staged tafawa balewa square modern drama music show usually staged afternoon traditional drama music show staged evening total play music dance show film art exhibition poetry dance session staged eve inaugural ceremony sory kandia kouyaté master mande griot treated head state government stellar vocal kora performance reminiscent setting reminiscent medieval africa imperial royal court musician performed osibisa le amazones bembeya jazz le ballet africains guinea franco luambo congo miriam makeba louis moholo dudu pukwana south africa invader steelband guyana mighty sparrow grenada gilberto gil brazil u artist donald byrd randy weston stevie wonder sun ra apart numerous concert music meeting held january leadership composer akin euba also participating meeting mwesa isaiah mapoma kwabena nketia mosunmola omibiyi others present included instrumentalist singer public school teacher graduate student music two hour participant discussed matter mutual concern explored way improving musical activity among african continent diaspora indigenous australian dance troupe aboriginal islander dance theatre well eleo pomare dance company new york city performed festival several art exhibition took place national theatre nigerian national museum around tafawa balewa square square country represented festival given booth exhibit painting musical instrument woven cloth book art object notable exhibition took place africa origin man held national theatre ekpo eyos year nigerian art included nok terracottas benin court art igbo ukwu ife tsoede bronze art object contemporary nigerian exhibit featuring work bruce onobrakpeya ben enwonwu yusuf grillo uche okeke kolade oshinowo also part event display african architectural technology also took place national theatre display included painting drawing model showing different architectural theme banco masonry structure tensile structure berber courtyard matmata year festac national theatre lost traction main venue theatrical activity number reason nigeria capital shifted lagos abuja lead depletion funding maintenance national theatre venue built lagos directed attention away national theatre production happening regularly enough warrant usage theatre existed lot uncertainty keep operating maintained ministry culture social welfare moved used administrative office national theatre come fall disrepair crack existed roof auditorium spread throughout building let water eventually caused irreversible damage equipment floor power thus cut building deemed safety hazard archive usa contingent participation owned maintained photographer marilyn nance official photographer festac north american zone naz twotime finalist w eugene smith award humanistic photography nance well known complete documentation festac october nance published book rarely seen photograph festac last day lagos book garnered accolade new york time new yorker among journal exhibition curated theaster gate romi crawford featured wealth photograph never publicly seen chicagobased photographer karega kofi moyo exhibition k kofi moyo festac ’ activation black archive view university chicago logan center art exhibition gallery february march exhibition grew research conducted richard mary l gray center mellon fellowship gate crawford world festival black art interview marilyn nance fanny roble english interview marilyn nance fanny roble french marilyn nance festac archive instagram page marilyn nance festac archive facebook page festac getty image festac collection chimurenga library festac archive abdul alkalimat