How Memory Survives: The Drum

Deptford Literature Festival

A performance-based workshop exploring African and African-Caribbean literature through the drum. BSL interpreted.

The Moonshot Centre

Deptford Literature Festival 2023

Deptford Literature Festival 2023 took place on Saturday 18 March and celebrated the diversity and creativity of Deptford and Lewisham through words, stories and performance.

<p>How Memory Survives: The Drum is a performance-based workshop that will explore African and African-Caribbean literature through the drum. The workshop will focus on the materials used to make the drum, and how drumming has been used as a tool to gather community, sound resistance, and preserve cultural memory. In the workshop, participants will be prompted to reflect on how drum rhythms connect the African continent with the Caribbean and Britain. </p><p>A rhythm is born out of an arrangement of instruments, dance movements, vocal chanting and the sounds of the surrounding environment. A rhythm can also reveal migration and colonial routes, sounding shared social histories as well as experiences of making home and building community. As part of this workshop, we will reference a range of literature to demonstrate the presence of the drum in various forms of African and African-Caribbean cultural production.  </p><p>These references are drawn from an evolving pamphlet titled How Memory Survives - the latest version (2/2023) led by Christxpher Oliver in partnership with Dr Michael McMillan and the Museum of the Home. It pulls together a critical conversation about heritage and memory, home-making and creative practices between Caribbean and African elders, descendants born or living in Britain, and their wider communities.  </p><h2>O﻿ther Useful Information about this event and Deptford Literature Festival</h2><h3>W﻿hat access provision is available at this event?</h3><p>• All our in-person events are BSL Interpreted, including this one.</p><p>• This event is wheelchair accessible, with accessible toilets.</p><p>• If you require assistance on the Festival day itself, please come to the Festival Hub in the foyer of Deptford Lounge where we will be happy to help you.</p><p>• Y﻿ou can see Deptford Literature Festival's access policy here: <a href="https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/deptford-literature-festival-2023-access-policy/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">spreadtheword.org.uk/deptford-literature-festival-2023-access-policy/</a></p><h3>COVID-19</h3><p>• We encourage anyone displaying Covid-like symptoms not to attend the Festival and we encourage attendees aged 16+ (unless exempt) to consider wearing a mask as some of our artists and audiences may be vulnerable.</p><p>• Masks will be available at the Festival Hub in Deptford Lounge. There will be hand sanitiser and air filters for events and workshops in the following spaces at Deptford Lounge: Main Hall, Room 1, Room 2, Room 3 and the Studio.</p><p>• You can see the full Deptford Literature Festival COVID-19 protocols here: <a href="https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/deptford-literature-festival-covid-19-protocols/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">spreadtheword.org.uk/deptford-literature-festival-covid-19-protocols/</a></p><h3>Free tickets</h3><p>• This event is free to you, and we ask that as far as possible by booking a place you commit to attending, as places are limited. If you can no longer attend, please cancel your ticket so someone else can come along. There are instructions on how to do that here.</p><p>• If you would like to support the future of Deptford Literature Festival, run by charity Spread the Word, you can donate here: <a href="https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/deptfordlitfest" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/deptfordlitfest</a></p><h3>About Deptford Literature Festival </h3><p>Deptford Literature Festival takes place on Saturday 18 March 2023 and celebrates the diversity and creativity of Deptford and Lewisham through words, stories and performance. It is run by Spread the Word, and funded by Arts Council England. You can find out more about Deptford Literature Festival at: <a href="https://www.deptfordlitfest.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">www.deptfordlitfest.com</a></p><p></p><p></p><p><em><strong>Image at the top of the page description:</strong></em><em> The event image has a deep yellow background with black text reading ‘DEPTFORD LITERATURE FESTIVAL’ in a bold font at the top left corner. There are pink and pale green graphics, including a cloud, decorating the photo. In the centre are two circular photos of the workshop leaders with a rectangular image between them of the event poster. On the left is Christxpher Oliver, who has dark curly hair. Part of his face is concealed in shadows. On the right is Véronique Belinga, whose head is slightly turned with one shoulder raised. She wears a bright blue head wrap and an olive green top, with small hooped earrings. Visible behind her is part of a deep green wall and a white wall. In the middle of the event image is a rectangular poster which shows black and white lino-prints of people dancing, with found imagery of different musical objects and instruments scattered around them. The poster has a white / pale pink background and the title reads: HOW MEMORY SURVIVES: [THE DRUM] is orange lettering. At the bottom right of the photo is a text description of the event which reads: How Memory Survives: The Drum with Christxpher Oliver and Véronique Belinga Saturday 18 March 2023 1.15pm-3.00pm @ Moonshot Centre</em></p>

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