The festival is part of Refugee Week a UK wide programme of events promoting the positive contribution of Refugees to the UK.
It is hosted by Coin Street Festival and programmed by Rita Ray and Max Reinhardt founders of The Shrine.
"In music there are no borders. When you have no borders, you have no refugees."
Prepare to be dazzled by an amazing array of talent! From the Sanctuary Satge:
KAL
Our headliners, the wild Serbian Roma Roots Rockers, described by The Observer as the “Gypsy Clash”. Kal enshrine the story of Roma and refugees in the Balkans. Band leader Dragan Ristic fled Milosevic’s Serbia in 1999 - at the time all males of military age were being conscripted to the army so to fight Nato and oppress the Albanian population of Kosovo – and took refuge in Budapest. When Milosevic was overthrown he returned, having already started developing the idea of a band that mixed Balkan Gypsy folk flavours with electronic elements. Kal was built in Belgrade out of their own Roma community, and has become a dynamic musical and political outfit that aims to speak for the Roma people of former Yugoslavia.
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Photos by Nana Varveropoulou
TEA HODZIC TRIO & PUPILS FROM CHARLES DICKENS SCHOOL
Once a child star on Yugoslav TV , and in the years since here in the UK, vocalist with Szapora and Penguin Café Orchestra, Téa brings her unique trio to this year’s festival, with Oliver Wilson-Dickson on fiddle and Luke Carver Doss on accordion. Especially for the festival, she’s lead some songwriting workshops with pupils at the local Charles Dickens Primary School and will be joined by them on stage to perform them in public for the first time. (“I found a knot of people entranced by Téa Hodzic, a Bosnian singer-guitarist who was performing…an architecture graduate who came to this country as a refugee…her voice haunted me for the rest of the day” - Clive Davis / The Times)
TRENTON AND FREE RADICAL (South Africa,Uganda Zimbabwe)
A hotbed of soulful, politicised 21st Century global urban grooves and melodies. Lead vocalist and songwriter :Trenton (South Africa), bass: Kaz (Uganda), and guitar: Marco (Ibiza) create a sound that combines reggae, hip-hop & electro with influences from all over the planet. Between them they’ve played with the luminaries, from Pee Wee Ellis to Faithless. Free Radical make your head spin, your heart pump and your waist wind!
www.blackmangomusic.com
www.myspace.com/trentonandfreeradical
POETIC PILGRIMAGE (UK)
Two outstanding Muslim Women rappers from Bristol who have become a voice for the voiceless, particularly the women whose representation is often neglected. Inspired by oppression and injustice the refugee cause is something they are very passionate about. They have worked with the Somali artists Aziza B and K’naan as well as Talib Kweli.
www.myspace.com/poeticpilgrimage
LONG JOHN LA FLECHA (Venezuela)
A startling, hipshaking encounter with radical nu-skool Latin music. This quarteto-Carlos Chirinos, Dario Rossetti-Bonell, Adriano Rossetti-Bonell, Dave De Rose-chase the duende and take you to a place where Joe Battaan, Zappa, Llorca, DJ Dolores and the Specials swap tangos, mambos and cha-chas under the starlit sky.
www.myspace.com/longjonlaflecha
FONT (Iran)
Banned and jailed for playing an underground gig in Iran, winners of the recent Immigrant Song Contest on BBC2’s Newsnight here in the UK…FONT, the sound of Iranian Indie (think Radiohead meet Ultravoxa), are a five piece band formed in Tehran Capital of the Iranian Islamic Republic in 2006. Accused of attending a "satanic" party and disrupting morals, the entire band were sentenced to prison for 21 days. After they had served their sentence they left Tehran and here in the UK, they have developed their style from a rock and roll band to a more minimal indie pop sound, influenced by bands such as Bloc Party, The Foals , Philip Glass and Steve Reich.
Inspirational movers on the Dance Stage include:
BENE UBUMWE Cultural Troupe (Rwanda)
Founded in 2001 by Rwandans living in the UK to promote Rwandan Culture through dance and music and to help young Rawandan refugees acclimatize to life in exile.
With the help of Surf (Survivors fund, which is a charity for survivors of the genocide of Rwanda), Bene Ubumwe had been able to release its own inspirational album called " NZAZA", which means: "I'll come" with its message of hope and solidarity to survivors of the genocide.
ORLETA (Poland)
A popular, Polish folk song and dance company from South London, established in 1973, who perform all over the UK and in Poland. Today’s sparkling set includes
songs, dances and games from Opoczno, Krakow and Lwow.
MARCINA "URVASHI" ARNOLD Kathak solo dance (S.Africa)
Trained in the ancient South Asian Classical Dance form “Kathak” and folk styles, she is a member of Shamaa dance company led by her guru and artistic director Sushma Mehta. Marcina performs as a member of Shamaa and solo. Marcina has studied with Kathak artists Akram Khan, Saswati Sen, Pratap Pawar, Sushmita Ghosh, Kumudini Lakhia, Maulik Shah and more. Marcina combines the beauty and discipline of South Asian dance with the free urban styles that are part of the ever evolving dance culture of today.
www.streetsoul.org.uk/whoandwhat66.html
MARCINA "URVASHI" ARNOLD - Dance Workshop
Young or old, Marcina’s fresh and open approach to movement inspires everyone to dance and create.
BEXLEY SOMALI CULTURAL GROUP
The musicians, singers, dancers play traditional Somali music with hand drums, guitar, organ and the Kaban (like a guitar). They mostly perform for the Somali Community in Bexley but also appear at weddings and festivals all over the UK.
They have helped make a film about the Somalian civil war, entitled (English translation) ‘What has happened to this family? What has made them divide and fight?’
BAILA PERU
‘Where passion, power and sensuality blend harmoniously, bringing out part of our heritage through each gracious movement.’
Baila Peru aim to make Peruvian culture have a strong impact in the UK and for Londoners to have more awareness of Peruvian culture, their dance and artistic projects cultivate their Peruvian heritage and represent the diversity of Peruvian folklore.
www.chilliandginger.com
AFGHAN ATTAN (Afghan Folk Dance Group)
Incandescent Afghan dance with live percussion.
ACADEMY OF TAMIL ARTS - Bharathanatya trad Tamil dance
The Academy is based in Tooting and founded by Ragini Rajagopal, an acclaimed dancer and teacher of this Indian classical dance who fled to the UK along with her journalist husband in 1983. Barathanataya is one the oldest dance forms in India, developed in the temples of Tamil Nadu in Southern India.
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The exceptional FREE Festival celebrating the work of Refugee Artists, launching Refugee Week in London
Sunday, 14 June 2009
2pm – 7pm
This totally unique annual event which celebrates the art of refugee communities in the UK reaches double digits with an outrageous profusion of new talent across its 3 stages. Hosted by BBC London 94.9 FM DJ Ritu, this year's Celebrating Sanctuary features the wild Serbian Roma Indie Rockers KAL, prejudice busting UK female Hip Hop act Poetic Pilgrimage and Book Slam, London's most cerebrally sexy club night, featuring cutting edge literature and acoustic music presented by award winning novelist Patrick Neate.
It also showcases the talent of the future with its many young dance troupes and the singing pupils from Charles Dickens school (the local primary) who join forces with Bosnian singer Tea Hodzic and her trio .
A multitude of stalls offering mouthwatering dishes and drinks from across the globe line the partying South Bank, enticing all who pass to join the festivities. With an abundance of fun activities, workshops and information stalls to keep the whole family entertained - will you have time to check out al the amazing performances taking place on three dazzling stages?
Why not treat yourself to a sneak preview of what's to come while your here...
SANCTUARY STAGE
Hosted by DJ RITU (BBC LONDON 94.9 FM-Music from all four corners of the
world)
2.00 TEA HODZIC TRIO & PUPILS FROM CHARLES DICKENS SCHOOL (World Premiere)
The festival has commissioned Tea to lead some songwriting workshops with pupils at the local Charles Dickens Primary School and this is their stage debut.
3.00 TRENTON AND FREE RADICAL (South Africa, Uganda Zimbabwe)
A hotbed of soulful, politicised 21st Century global urban grooves and melodies to make your head spin, your heart pump and your waist wind!
(www.blackmangomusic.com and www.myspace.com/trentonandfreeradical)
4.00 SPEECH from writer and broadcaster YASMIN ALIBHAI-BROWN
4.05 POETIC PILGRIMAGE (UK)
Two outstanding Muslim Women rappers from Bristol perforate prejudice and tell it like it is for refugees, exiles and migrants (www.myspace.com/poeticpilgrimage)
5.00 LONG JOHN LA FLECHA (Venezuela)
A startling, hipshaking encounter with radical nu-skool Latin music.
(www.myspace.com/longjonlaflecha)
5.30 FONT (Iran) Winners of the recent Immigrant Song Contest on BBC2’s Newsnight, FONT, the sound of Iranian Indie
6.15 KAL (Roma from Serbia)
Described by The Observer as the ‘Gypsy Clash’, wild Serbian Roma Roots Rockers Kal enshrine the story of Roma and refugees in the Balkans.
(www.asphalt-tango.de/kal/artist.html)
BOOKSLAM @ CELEBRATING SANCUARY YURT
Hosted by award winning novelist Patrick Neate
2.00 MUSIC: TEMSEGENE + GRUM (Ethiopia)
Two virtuosos on Krar, the six string bowl shaped lyre that is said to date back to King David, and Kebaro drum.
2.30 & 3.50 WORDS: PATRICK NEATE (UK)
Whitbread award winner who invented London’s coolest most sexily cerebral club night.. Book Slam reads from his latest novel Jerusalem.
2.35 WORDS: BEA GREEN (KINDERTRANSPORT survivor (Jewish))
Bea tells us how it was for a 14 year old German speaking Jew to arrive on these shores back then and how its is to be an 84 year old survivor today.
2.50 MUSIC: MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC ENSEMBLE (Iraq )
The SOAS based, student lead ensemble perform traditional and classical music from the Eastern Arab world.
3.15 WORDS: CHRIS CLEAVE (UK)
Chris reads from The Other Hand, his extraordinary and moving tale of Nigerian refugee, Little Bee.(www.chriscleave.com)
3.30 MUSIC: KHYAM ALLAMI SOLO (Iraq)
This set from London based multi-instrumentalist (ud, violin and percussion) Khyam promises to be an exquisite highlight.
4.05 & 5.40 MUSIC: BANA ETIKE (Children without a Home) (Congo)
An incognito trio formed by 3 of the best of the exiled musicians from the Congo who are still here and not so far banged up in detention centres or deported.
4.30 WORDS: YASMIN ALIBHAI (Ugandan Asian)
One of the UK’s most vital and interesting cultural critics for the best part of 30 years, Yasmin reads from The Settler’s Cookbook – her memoir of love, migration and food. (www.alibhai-brown.com)
4.45 WORDS: DOCKERS MC (UK)
Tall poetic tales that are funny and poignant – two parts Joe Strummer to every one of Roald Dahl. (www.myspace.com/dockersmc)
5.00 MUSIC: OZAN TOPRAK TRIO (Turkey)
A selection of traditional Anatolian folk songs, with Ozan (Yayli Tambur /Baglama), Riza Koyupinar (percussion) and Oncu Gocebe (classical guitar).
5.25 WORDS: MIR MAHFUZ ALI (Bangladesh)
One of Exiled Writers Ink’s emerging writers who came into this country in the ’70’s on a mercy flight which saved his life and his voice.
6.05 WORDS: JASMINE ANN COORAY (UK)
This gifted wordsmith and charismatic performer from Brighton’s Floetics refracts the everyday and makes her audience double-take. (www.myspace.com/jasmineanncooray)
6.20 MUSIC : TEA HODZIC TRIO(Bosnia Herzegovina)
Téa brings her unique trio to this year’s festival, with Oliver Wilson-Dickson on fiddle and Luke Carver Doss on accordion.
SUNKEN GARDEN DANCE STAGE
Hosted by Jane Cornwell(Evening Standard/Songlines) & Jamie Renton (fRoots)
2.30 BENE UBUMWE Cultural Troupe (Rwanda)
Founded by UK based Rwandans to promote their culture through dance and music and to help young Rawandan refugees acclimatize to life in exile.
2.45 ORLETA (Poland)
South London based Polish folk song and dance company with songs, dances and games from Opoczno, Krakow and Lwow.
3.00 MARCINA "URVASHI" ARNOLD Kathak solo dance (South Africa)
Marcina combines the beauty and discipline of South Asian dance with the free urban styles that are part of today’s ever evolving dance culture. (www.streetsoul.org.uk/whoandwhat66.html)
3.15 BENE UBUMWE (Rwanda)
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3.30 MARCINA "URVASHI" ARNOLD - Dance Workshop
Young or old, Marcina’s fresh and open approach to movement inspires everyone to dance and create.
4.00 ORLETA (Poland)
4.15 BENE UBUMWE (Rwanda)
4.30 ORLETA (Poland)
4.45 BEXLEY SOMALI CULTURAL GROUP
Traditional Somali music with hand drums, guitar, organ and the guitar-like Kaban. They appear at weddings and festivals all over the UK.
5.05 BAILA PERU
‘Where passion, power and sensuality blend harmoniously, bringing out part of our heritage through each gracious movement.’(www.chilliandginger.com)
5.20 AFGHAN ATTAN (Afghan Folk Dance Group)
Incandescent Afghan dance with live percussion.
5.35 BEXLEY SOMALI CULTURAL GROUP
5.55 AFGHAN ATTAN (Afghan Folk Dance Group)
6.10 ACADEMY OF TAMIL ARTS
Based in Tooting and founded by Ragini Rajagopal, the Academy of Tamil Arts exquisitely perform Barathanataya, one the oldest dance forms in India.
6.30 BAILA PERU
6.45 ACADEMY OF TAMIL ARTS Bharathanatya trad Tamil dance
on my profile there is a track called Qaabka Nolasha is about Luv life n living as Refugee, it is Refugee status & Statement. i Am a Survivals From war that is wat make me a new Arrival to tell the tells of the strugle, The Highlife n The Down fall all in one song with a new sound n arrangement also it came along with first black n African global language ever. Afro tells. Dhalad.
thanks for having me in your top friends...appreciated, please keep me informed for next events and if you want me to dj, would be well up for it! In the meantime, this...
Hi! Allow me to inform you of our new night in London. A brand new music lovers club dedicated to nuevo and electro tango catering equally for the midweek rambler,the tango voyeur and the fanatic tanguero who is looking for an open-minded and mixed evening out while still able to dance!
good luck guys - cant wait to see emunah and everyone else on the mighty south back. with coco rosie in the evening with an eighth of emunah.... what a day it will be
This is Refugee status & the statement A way of life I been leading 19 years Used abused & confused above all becoming homeless & hopeless is what makes refugees feel useless The civil war is a total distraction Close kinships cousins are killing one another. May refugee’s haves homes where they rebuild their life’s & improve their living standards. Dhalad
Greetings from Timeless Festival, Huddersfield. Thanks for the interest and support. It is still early days but we hope to be back this September. Stay tuned.
