The theme of this summer's festival is one that has been steadily gaining popularity in the mainstream consciousness. This popularity is most clearly seen in the success of such Africa-focused films as "The Last King of Scotland," "Hotel Rwanda" and "Blood Diamond," all of which examine the political and social complexities of a continent that continues to be a center of instability. In an effort to shine a light on these cultural intricacies, the Dartmouth Film Society, for its summer series, "Africa on Film," has created a lineup featuring classics as well as more recent blockbusters.
The movies shown in the film series range from comedy to tragedy, exploring everything from the mysteries of Coke bottles to the excitement of vine-swinging, chest-thumping savages. Also, the films display varied perspectives on African identity, showcasing how the world's conception of Africa has evolved over time -- from the Imperialist perception of the continent as a jungle waiting to be tamed to the more complicated modern idea that it is a country struggling to reconcile urbanization and globalization with native culture. Highlights of the series include the gritty "Yeelen" and the comedic gem, "The Gods Must Be Crazy."
In addition to the offerings of Africa on Film, the Hopkins Center is also hosting a variety of events that closely examine African culture. Most of these events are associated with the Hop's on-going series, "Eti! East Africa Speaks!" The Swahili word "Eti" means "listen up," and the Hopkins Center uses the word to highlight the program's mission -- the enabling of East African artists to express themselves through music and theatre without the distortion of Western translation. Towards this aim, "Eti!" brings to Dartmouth 11 performers from Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania to serve as temporary artists-in-residence. During their two-week tenure, these performers will share their life experiences through a modern mix of plays, music, dance and folklore. Performances include "Forged in Fire," a dance and music testimony about civil war in Uganda, and "They Call Me Wanjiku," which together with the DFS film event "Iron Ladies of Liberia" and several Hood Museum events investigates the meaning of African womanhood.
The Hopkins Center is also hosting the nationwide premiere of "Still Black, Still Proud: An African Tribute to James Brown." This event is dedicated to showcasing the complementary global relationship that exists between American soul and funk music and traditional Cameroonian musical style. The event will feature James Brown's principal collaborators Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley, as well as special guests Chiekh Lo from Senegal and Vieux Farka Toure from Mali.
Taking an especially active part in this summer's Arts Festival, the Hood Museum is also offering a wide selection of exhibits and events that provide students with an opportunity to interact with the artists through lectures and discussions. Expounding upon a theme that resonates throughout this summer's film series and theater performances, the Hood's relevant summer exhibit is titled, "Black Womanhood: Images, Icons, and Ideologies of the African Body." This exhibit seeks to explore its subject from many diverse viewpoints, including those of traditional indigenous peoples, colonial imperialists and modern-day observers.
Additionally, through a series of lectures and films, the Hood builds upon its physical exhibit with an intellectual probing into the African cult of womanhood. One of these lectures will be a discussion of the female masquerade tradition, while another lecture will examine the portrayal of black womanhood in film and photography. The Hood is also holding a film festival, "Black Womanhood," that highlights another side of the African mystique -- the dynamics of skin color in African identity.
Sure, it's summer, but this time around there's a good reason to stay inside, so to speak: with so many artistic forums and mediums uniting to mount a comprehensive exploration of African society, this year's Summer Arts Festival provides Dartmouth students with a truly golden opportunity to learn and discover the slippery truths about a continent and its cultures -- cultures that perhaps seem alien to young people entrenched in the American experience.
