From the Lion's Point of View

From the Lion’s Point of View, An African Jubilee (2010) was a year-long multi-disciplinary celebration of the 50^th anniversary of independence for eighteen African countries. It was our intention to present first-voice narratives and Pan-African artists in communities that have traditionally had fewer opportunities to engage with international artists or who have had less access to internationalist cultural perspectives. portoluz produced a program of over twenty events: a free series of African films (each followed by a discussion led by a noted African scholar) at the Du Sable Museum of African American History, and presentations by  Afro-pop music stars: Diblo Dibala, Vieux Farka Toure, Omar Pene, Kenge Kenge and Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars. The Jubilee series, created and devloped by portoluz in partnership with: Muntu Dance Theatre, The DuSable Museum of African American History, Black World Cinema, and others.

The title of our series is inspired by an African proverb:  “Until the lion has his own storyteller, the hunter will always be the hero of the story”. 

Lead Organizers: The series was produced by portoluz, a Chicago-based non-profit organization in partnership with: Muntu Dance Theatre, The DuSable museum of African American History, eta Creative Arts Foundation, Ifa Yoruba Contemporary Arts Foundation, Dr. Sandra Jackson, Director for the Center for African and Black Diaspora at DePaul, Dr. Lynette Jackson - Associate Professor Gender and Women's Studies Program, University of Illinois, Dr. Lisa Brock, Professor of African History and Diaspora Studies at Columbia College, Floyd Webb - Black World Cinema, Prexy Nesbitt,  Patrick Woodtor, International Africa House,  James Thindwa, and artist, Dayo Laoye. 

MUSIC 

• Omar Pene March 20 Martyr’s Tickets $25 9:30pm 
• Diblo Dibala April 8  International House 1414 E. 59^th Street 8pm Tickets $25 
• Vieux Farka Touré 
• April 15 Martyr’s 8pm Tickets $25 and 
• April 16 at Carruthers Center NEIU 
• Leni Stern, Kenge Kenge, The Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars  at S.P.A.C.E. 

FILM – Curated by Dr. Lynette Jackson and Floyd Webb 

The films in this series reflect the vicissitudes and concerns of post-colonial Africa from a primarily African perspective. And will explore 50 years of African filmmaking by the  likes of  Ousmane Sembene, Djibril Mambety, Flora Gomez, Jihan El Tahri and others.  Between April and September 2010, the DuSable Museum will host this series consisting of over twenty films.  The series will culminate in a panel discussion of African filmmakers and other prominent African historians, culture critics and producers. 

Films: Come Back, Africa (1959) Lionel Rogos, Battle of Algiers (1966) by Gilo Portecorvo, The Sparrow (1972) Youssef Chahine, Touki Bouki (1973) Djibril Mambety, Xala (1975) Ousmane Sembene, Ceddo (1977) Ousmane Sembene, Wend Kuuni (1982) Gaston Kabore, Camp de Thiaroye (1987) Ousmane Sembene, La Morta Negu (1988) Flora Gomes, Guelwaar (1992) Ousmane Sembene, Deluge (1996) Salem Mekuria, Le Grand Blanc de Lambarene (1999) Bassek ba Kobhio, La Petite Vendeuse de Soliel (1999) Djibril Mambety, Chef (1999) Jean Marie Teno, Daresalaam (2000) Issa Coelo, Amilcar Cabral (2001) Anna Ramos Lisboa, Moolade (2004) Ousmane Sembene, Pumzi (2009) directed by Wanuri Kahiu, Youssou Ndour: Return to Goree (2oo7) Pierre-Yves Borgeaud, Sex, Okra and Salted Butter (2008) Mahamat-Saleh Haroun

Invited Panelists: Jihan El Tahri, Mbye Cham, Okwui Enwezor, Tejumola Olayniyan and local scholars and critics.