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THE BLACK INK
April. 1973
BACF
(iffact
apathy?
by Algeiion Marbley
BSM Cultural Co-ordinator
Alas! The Black Arts Cultural
Festival is over! The question
now is, what effect the festival
had on our minds, our Black
consciousness? The festival went
went off quite well,
exemplifying our culture
through song, dance and drama;
strengthing our cultural
awareness and responsibility
through lecture and oration.
But were these soul stirring
events only a passing sensation,
or did they instill in us an
awareness of selves as a Black
man or woman?
Prior to this festival, the level
of apathy in the BSM was slowly
rising for various reasons. Will
the activities of April 1 through
April 8 perform the task of a
gadfly, arousing the interest of
the Black students in themselves
and in their organization? Maybe
they will just be tucked away in
storage, allowing us to forget
what we are until next year’s
festival week. Hopefully, our
interest will remain in high gear
for the remainder of the year
and for the remainder or our
tenure here.
Of course, there will be those
among us who will tuck their
Blackness neatly under a rug and
recall it when “Black time”
comes around again. These
brothers and sisters have yet to
learn that we are always Black
and beautiful, and that the
Cultural Arts Festival is only a
vehicle to express our creative
selves.
By maintaining our self
realization and Black
consciousness, we would become
a closely knit unit on this
campus, using the BSM as the
functioning body. This unity
could serve a dual purpose. First,
it could keep the administration
in tact, i.e. we could defy their
claims that we are a dispersed
body thereby giving them the
leadway to cut back funds from
the BSM, and we would keep
ourselves in touch with the
reality that we are Black
students at this white university.
Next, it would give us a
perspective on whether our
efforts in constructing a Black
Art Cultural Festival were
fruitful. The attendance was
good — thanks everyone — but
the aftermath is of utmost
importance.
Our future committment to
the BSM, to Black hfe on
campus, and to ourselves will
dictate the future avenues of the
Black Arts Cultural Festival. For
the time being, it is up to you.
Black students, to give us the
sense of direction we so
desperately need.
The BSM Choir and “Funk Train and the Four Fellows” perform during the Black Arts Cultural Festival.
Realm of Black Arts explored
by Janice Mills
Staff Writer
The message of the African
influence on the culture of the
Black American reverberated
throughout the Second Annual
Black Arts Cultural Festival held
during the week of April 1
through April 8. “Habari Kwa
Afrika” focused on the Black
Experience in American through
music, dance, drama, literature
and ideology.
The “message in the music”
was transmitted through
performances by the BSM
Gospel Choir, “Funk Train and
the Four Fellows” from
Durham’s “Your Own Thing
Theatre,” “Chocolate
Buttermilk” from Fayetteville
and “The Bar-Kays.” The
message of the African influence
on Black America’s music did
not terminate here but
resounded throughout the BSM
Opeyo Dancers’ aesthetic
exploration of the Black
Experience in dance.
Africa engulfed the stage as
the BSM Drama Group and the
Black Arts unite
Riot Rimes
No. 35
Though it’s been kept rather quiet
They ain’t sure
Rich Negroes wouldn’t riot
As quick as us poor.
Raymond Patterson
Herman Mixon
Opeyo Dance Director
Sunday evening April 8 at
8:00 in Memorial Hall a unique
experience took place on UNC’s
campus. It was the coming
together of all forms of Black
Art, the Opeyo Dancers, the
Black gospel choir, the Drama
group and the Ebony readers to
present a program entitled,
“Flavored in Black.” It was
indeed one fo the highlights of
the festival and a unique tribute
to those dedicated Blacks who
have worked so hard this
semester to advance the cause of
Black pride and Black Art.
The message was loud and
clear as the thundering echoes of
the narrator voice read by
Wallace Peppers opens the
story . . . “and let this story be
heard and heard well.” As if by
magic the audience became a
part of the performance and the
performance a part of the
audience; as collectively together
the history of the Black man was
portrayed in vivid fashion.
Some of the highlights were
the beautiful rendition of
“Melinda Sings” read by Brenda
McClain; a touching
performance by the drama group
of the lynching scene followed
by Mona Simmons singing
“Precious Lord.” The screams of
Ruby Fuller and Karen Dacons
of the drama group sent chilhng
vibes through the audience in
their haunting depiction of the
lynching recounting only too
vividly the horrors of our
heritage in America. The Opeyo
dancers also were featured in the
ever popular “In the Mood”
featuring Verell Small and
Peaches Hduser.
Earlinda Meekins was
highlighted in “Summertime”
and Warren Carson of the choir
and Loretta Shipman of the
dancers in “Lord Don’t Move
that Mountain.” The gospel
choir, not to be outdone, shone
in such delightful renditions as
“How 1 got Over” and “Oh
Lord, Have Mercy” by Roosevelt
Farmer and Debra Craig.
Bringing the show to a rousing
halt. Ebony Readers, Curtis
Howard, Joe Knight and Buddy
Ray ended in themes on
Blackness.
Yes, it was a night to revel
as the Black Arts on UNC’s
campus put forth their best
effort and created a unity that’s
hard to replace. Who was to
expect that Amia Floyd and
Angela Wright would bring such
brilliant interpretation to “High
to Low and Low to High” to
cause the audience to applaud
wildly, or Renae Ray to be
joggling lights to achieve the
most effective results?
Yes, it was a night to
remember for two dreamers,
Larry Mixon and Herman Mixon
had envisioned in early January
sitting down trying to write out
descriptive dialogue for the
narrative, and mapping out a
program that UNC students
would remember and be proud
to see represent UNC.
It was a definitive success.
The word was heard; the word
went out. The Consortium was
praised in circles of the
administration and the faculty.
There is talk of doing it again for
the freshman orientation.
Yes we can do it! All the
beautiful Black students who
participated in making this past
Black Arts Festival a success
should indeed take a bow — We
all deserve it!
Ebony Expressions Community
Players expressed the Black
Experience through the
humorous, scintillating and
poignant dramatization of life
situations that are unique to
Blacks living in America.
“A Black poem is written not
to be read and put aside, but to
actually become a part of the
giver and receiver.” Poet,
essayist, literary critic and
publisher Don L. Lee delved into
Black literature and ideology
through a poetry reading and a
lecture on the value system that
must inevitably be developed if
Black Americans are going to
survive.
Also speaking on the critical
issue of Black survival in
America were Black Activist
Owusu Saudaki of and Chapel
Hill Mayor Howard Lee. The
thought-provocative panel
discussion between the two
prominent political figures was
an incentive to those concerned
with the plight of Black
America.
“Habari Kwa Afrika”
approached its zenith as brothers
and sisters came together for the
African Cabaret. Black fashions,
music and dance were
highlighted during this event
that featured “Chocolate
Buttermilk,” fashions from the
African Batik, and involvement
from numerous beautiful Black
brothers and sisters who took
time out “to style.”
A consortium featuring the
BSM Gospel Choir, Opeyo
Dancers, Ebony Readers, and
Drama Group reiterated “Habari
Kwa Afrika.” The participants in
the consortium pooled their
talents and produced an evening
of entertainment that placed the
proper focus on Blackness.
“Flavored in Black” traced the
B?ack Fxperi"'^ce 186' to
the pveseil p nanatcd
e: =>k;.Tati Dn oi the cnti;e realm
of , Blac'.; Arts. Tlit iiVipact of
ijii.s copsoitiU'-.', confirmed the
conviction thai the imr-act cf
the African im'lucnce on the
culture ot the BlacK American is
still very much alive and
functional in spite of white
America's repeated efforts to kill
it
Brothers and sisters, we must
not deny that which is ourselves,
but turn inward and nurture its
growth. We have so much to give
as “Habari Kwa Afrika” proved
beyond a reasonable doubt. Our
cultural, and consequently Black
Awareness should have been
heightened by the festival. Hear
the message . . .
Don Lee: Renew
ties to Africa
Mae Israel
Staff writer
“We are an Afrikan people.
Our history did not start here
and will not end here.”
Speaking to students during
the recent Black Arts Festival,
poet Don Lee emphasized the
need for Blacks to renew their
“cultural, economic, political
and emotional ties to Afrika.”
“We are not in the mainstream
of American life,” he said. “We
must function out of our own
frame of reference.”
Lee explained that Blacks
have not recognized themselves
as a special people. He feels that
this contributes to divided
attitudes concerning Black
consciousness and the lack of a
realistic relationship with Afrika.
To strengthen the ideas that
Blacks are Afrikans, Lee
commented, “All people came
from a country. The French
came from France and the
Spanish came from Spain. Where
did Negroes come from? There is
no Negroland.”
Unlike other peoples in
America who still maintain their
distinctive cultures and are
feeding their concepts into
society, Lee feels that Blacks
have been assimilated into the
white culture. It is because of
this blending that Black people
are unaware of their ultimate
power.
“ We don’t understand how
the white world works,” he
explained. ‘‘Therefore
association to this world is
limited.”
Lee urged students to
become aware of the dangers of
the white educational system.
“We need Black studies and
programs that will advance us as
a people,” he explained.