Ndewonu (Welcome) to the Nne Agwu Storytelling Festival 2022

 

Yes Nne Agwu (Mother of Divination), produced by Shanti-Chi is 12 years old this year. What a journey what an adventure. It really is a mile stone to reach the 10 year mark. When Griot Chinyere started on this journey very few melanin rich people were interested in camping. However somewhere in our DNA we knew connecting the oral traditions of storytelling with nature is essential to our healing and progress. Though it was an absolutely new concept to many our melanin rich community, as our spirit dictates we gathered around to support the unifestation of the vision. 

 

Our first storytelling celebration was a few hours in the woods listening to stories, walking, chanting and celebrating. After that our people ask for more. We then did a 12 hours storytelling celebration around the fire under the stars until the dawn chorus announced it was time to wind down and prepare to re-enter the matrix. There were the brave few requested a weekend event. The seeds for a weekend were sown and we have been nurturing them to keep the vision of an Afrakan village on the landscape of Britain alive and kicking. It is such a beautiful and unique expression in the diaspora we have had to worker harder than most enterprises to keep going.

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We ask with regularity, "where is the village?" so Griot Chinyere guided by her ancestors, begun to create a village vibration in the natural countryside environment, inviting exclusively indigenous melanin rich Afrakan heritage  people. 

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We have faced many challenges along the way. We affirm that our vision of the Afrakan diaspora village will grow in, our hearts and souls for the benefit of our nows and our tomorrows. It works as a bridge from Britain to the Motherland. It is so important we have a relationship with Mother earth and the natural environment while we are here before returning to the Motherland. It enables us to return a little better prepared as return with the correct frame of mind for prosperity. It is essential we have this relationship with nature as it is part of our rites and rituals. All ancient Afrakan rites and rituals are connected to Mother nature. Everything we need comes from the land. Our rites and rituals mainly focus on giving thanks for the abundance Mother earth offers us.

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2020 is our year of collaboration. Our collaborators: Sister empowerment circle, Rise of the Griot, African Heritage writers group, and more are making their way to us.

 

THEMES: Honouring our Ancestors and the application of the principle Ubuntu: I am because we are, we are therefore I am - Whatever effects individual effect all and what affect all effect individual. We will join together as a family, community and nation with our ancestors to determine our purpose and collectively work to build the community together and solve problems. The Nne Agwu Afrakan storytelling festival builds entrepreneurs who profit from working with integrity with its own community members to further the melanin rich indigenous culture. We apply the unique spiritual creativity gifted to us by our ancestors to divine a more beautiful and successful community. Be a part of our little Afrakan village on the English landscape. Make this a very special occasion.

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Over the years and evolution of the Storytelling festival village, the aim has remained constant; to create a space in nature where we can come to share, learn about and create our heritage and culture using the oral traditions. Griot Chinyere’s vision is for the Diaspora community to gather outdoors, as we do back home, to celebrate, preserve and promote our culture through the storytelling artform. Use the art form for well-being, healing and empowerment for all melanin rich members of our nation. Great nations are made up great communities, made up of great families with great family values. Our ancestors are essential to our family values and our strive forward to rise and shine. 

 

We are delighted to bring the finest artists, workshop leaders, well-being practitioners, craftspeople and entrepreneurs to share their talents, skills, products, knowledge and wisdom as part of the Nne Agwu community with continued support, locally and globally.

 

Throughout the year Shanti-Chi presents various other programmes and events, including monthly rambles, seasonal camping trips to some of Britain’s most stunning areas, Trips to Ghana, The Griot Way, an in-depth study of Storytelling providing personal and professional benefits and numerous expedition related workshops like fire building and foraging.

 

Let us continue to inspire visions through oral traditions!

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