Senegalese Music in Bangor addressing cultural tensions.

Understanding Diversity through the World of Music Arts & Dance is an initiative designed and delivered by WOMADNI, a partnership intercultural arts learning programme developed and delivered by Beyond Skin, Northern Ireland Childrens Enterprise and the world’s most prestigious world arts festival, WOMAD, through their Foundation.

The SERC Bangor programme has been supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Ards & North Down Borough Council through the Good Relations fund.

Participants not only created a professional Senegalese Drum performance but were working to achieve an OCN level 1 qualification in Understanding Diversity through the World Of Music, Arts & Dance exploring themes of Human Rights, Equality, Global Citizenship and Diversity. The course has been designed as an alternative to academic learning methods using a creative process that enables people of all abilities to participant not matter what language & literacy barriers there may be. The course has been and can be adapted to different artforms as the learning methodology.

Landing Mané has been a performing artist for over 22 years and he embodies the spirit of Senegalese music and dance. Landing has studied traditional West African dance and drumming   since the age of 4, and received formal training in Afro jazz and classical ballet at the National Conservatory of Dakar. He has an immense repertoire of celebratory rhythms that he teaches and performs which originate primarily from the Mandinka, Diola, and Wolof traditions of Senegal, as well as some from Guinea and Mali. His instruction emphasizes technique, listening skills, observation and memorization and he breaks down complex rhythms into simple patterns which anyone can do. He has performed internationally since the age of 12, with appearances at WOMAD festivals, Glastonbury, Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall. Landing has facilitated corporate events, conferences and seminars around the globe for audiences large as 5,000. He has an innate talent for performing and teaching, and an energy which inspires joy in all.

SERC Skills for Your Life Lecturer Michelle Graham said “Thanks to this project the Skills for Your Life students have had an amazing opportunity to explore diversity through music.  Landing is such a talented, enthusiastic artist and the students are very much in awe of his musical ability.  They have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the workshops and have gained knowledge and understanding of other cultures”.

SERC student Ben McDowell said “There is nothing like the sound of a drumbeat to bring everyone together in perfect harmony”

SERC student Nicki Davey added “The workshops are really educational and fun and I’ve learned a lot about diversity”

Darren Ferguson from Beyond Skin said “Recent issues racism and sectarian issues in Bangor have highlighted the need for diversity education and positive intercultural experiences. The students from SERC working with Landing already have shown their potential to be community ambassadors. In contrast to negative social issues that have been also driven by world events, the students from the course will be armed with a greater understanding of diversity and knowledge of the world. This is the most powerful peace building tool of all.”

Local musician Lata Sharma who is a mentee facilitator on the programme commented “From my perspective as a new comer to such a great project as this, I feel very encouraged in the way Beyond Skin uses music to enhance our students understanding of diversity but also students are given the opportunity in this very relaxed atmosphere, by a brilliant facilitation process, which I believe allows them time to think and verbalise clearly about a world beyond their own, giving them a better understanding of it and  in turn helps to break down preconceptions”

Programme participants at SERC Bangor were put through their paces during a series of workshops this week. Landing is also facilitating the course in Belfast with the charity Voypic.

 WOMADNI is Northern Ireland’s is a intercultural arts good relations programme designed and delivered by Beyond Skin in partnership with the WOMAD Foundation and WOMAD Festivals. www.womadni.com   WOMADNI is an initiative born out of a 2013 Peace III Creative Legacies programme.

WOMAD - World of Music Arts & Dance, now in its 34th year, having hosted festivals and education programmes in twenty-six countries – is considered as the pioneer of multicultural festivals, representing the highest standard of international arts. Rock Icon Peter Gabriel is the co-founder of WOMAD.

The WOMAD Foundation is a sister organisation to WOMAD Festivals. It is an education charity that uses the arts as a catalyst for change and innovation and undertakes projects that nurture young people’s innate creativity. A core theme is to provide encounters with artists who bring their world into the classroom, encouraging a spirit of exploration and enquiry for young people, educators and musicians alike.

Beyond Skin (established 2004) is an organisation based in Northern Ireland developing and delivering innovative ground-breaking diversity & global education intercultural arts projects in an aim to address issues of racism & sectarianism. www.beyondskin.net