September 15, 2012

 

The goal of the apprenticeship was to teach, train and prepare me (the apprentice) to carry on the rich cultural heritage of Vodou songs and stories that has been in my maternal family lineage for generations.  My mother, Ms Florencia Pierre (the Master) is a well respected vessel of these songs and stories has been teaching and guide me on this journey for the last couple month.

 

We had been working on songs and storytellinsg from Lagonave region of Haiti. We did one-on-one sessions of focused learning and practice of the sacred songs, chants and stories that have been in our family for generations. “Ti Batiman Blan”, the white little boat was the last song my master Florencia Pierre taught me at the Civic Center Park in San Rafael. This song talks about the faith and hopes of the people of Lagonave, mostly in the region of “Ti Cotfe”. The boat is coming to the Island, carrying food, people and stories (See attach video link on Youtube)

larivye mwen te ye- AFOUTAYI- ACTA part 2  . 


Most of the training sessions was held in Ms. Pierre’s home in San Rafael and in the Civic Center park in San Rafael, however, towards the last few weeks of the training, we had been transfer the sessions to Dance with Sherry Studio on 4140 Redwood Hway in San Rafael. This is where we had begin to animate the songs and stories, practice with the other members of Afoutayi Dance, Music and Arts company and get ready for our culminating event which will be a public showcase on the 29th of September.
 

At the showcase, the master, Florencia Pierre and apprentice, Djenane Saint Juste and Afoutayi dance company  will perform together a piece about family tradition in Lagonave called Krik-Krak. The showcase will invoke the folkloric life in Lagonave where in the evenings and under the moonlight, the children and the adults sit down together around a bonfire as the adults sing and tell stories to educate the children about the heritage, ancestry and life lessons.


Hope you can come to Krik-Krak on September 27th at Bissap Baobab (19th st and Mission, San Francisco) and on September 29th at Dance with Sherry studio (4140 Redwood Hway, San Rafael) to enjoy the community time that reminds the islands of Lagonave.