Events

A NIGHT OF HAITIAN RARA AT BARBES

Created by Nabil Bekhti (See other events)
  • Jan 28, 2010 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm
  • Location: Barbès
  • Latest Activity: Aug 21, 2019
Between 1936 and 1937, while working for the Library of Congress, Alan Lomax made a number of trips to Haiti where he recorded hundreds of hours of tapes. For the first time, those recordings are being released along with Alan Lomax's journal and field notes. The recordings document a variety of popular styles, including many Rara groups. Rara is festival music usually played by marching bands. The music is played on drums and homemade bamboo horns (sometimes replaced by PVC pipes) and is often associated with certain aspects of Vaudou rituals. it's also a purely celebratory music which can have political and protest overtones. To celebrate the release, Barbès is proud to present a night dedicated to Haitian Rara.- In light of the recent tragedy in Haiti, we hope that part of the proceeds will benefit earthquake relief. However, we do want to stress that this event was planned a long time ago and that its primary focus is to celebrate Haitian culture in Haiti and in New York. Too often, coverage of Haiti relies solely on images of violence and misery, often to appalling results. This should be an opportunity to look into the richness of a culture with deep roots and complex traditions.We suggest that you direct your donations to Partners in Health www.pih.org">http://www.facebook.com/l/c9d42;www.pih.org- 7:00pm. ALAN LOMAX IN HAITI (Harte Records) Selections of the music and film from the 1936 -37 trip will be presented along with commentary from Professor Gage Averill, who edited the box set and wrote the liner notes.- 8:00pm. A screening of THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WATER. 2009. US.Part carnival, part vaudou ceremony, and part grassroots protest, Haitian "Rara" music is one of the most breathtaking and contested forms of music in the Americas. The Other Side of the Water follows a group of young immigrants who take this ancient music from the hills of Haiti and reinvent it on the streets of Brooklyn. Its a story of cultural survival, historical identity, and an unlikely band that creates a new meaning of home in the Diaspora. By Jeremy Robins & Magali Damas..- 10:00pm. DJARARAOne of the only Rara group in the US, Djarara has been in existence for about twenty years. Made up of Haitian immigrants and Haitian-American, the group plays regularly in Prospect Park (weather allowing) and seems to be part of every Haitian public event. They have re-invented their role to serve the diaspora and in addition to the ritualistic aspects of the music, take on such topics as Haitian politics and local issues such as police brutality. While their main role is to function as a voice for the community, they also convey pure musical jubilation to outsiders..Contacts:Olivier Conan. barbes@earthlink.net 718 288 1761
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