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​NUNU: Celebrating AFRICAN and CARIBBEAN FOLKLORE by Natty Mark


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Part of the ANTHEM OF AVOCADO exhibition of Rootical Folklore: celebrating African and Caribbean Folklore through the flora. Hosted by Fusion Arts, in the Windows Galleries, Friar's Entry, off Gloucester Green, Oxford. From December 2022 to January 2023.
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​Rootical Folklore


As in Tales of Papine, Jah Folk continues his homage to flora. There, he spoke of tamarind, silk cotton and baobab; here, he speaks of rose apple, mango, rose and a palm. He is the mouthpiece, of what I call Rootical Folklore. From the first syllable, with its obvious connection to flora, to the meaning of rootical: the begining of an idea. These tales then, are the embyro of a vision; an on-going celebration of African and Caribbean Folklore, through flora, via tales. There have been thesis and essays written on plants in folklore – such as those in connection with the orishsas – but this and the previous collection of Papine Tales, are the first through contemporary folktales, introducing a central figure. And rootical is a word of long time use, in Jamaican and Rasta conversation. Speaking further of Rootical Folklore, we often talk of food and medicine, when we talk of our monumental neighbours, but what of their spiritual significance? Trees such as the fig, under which important ceremonies are performed. Baobab, tree of Creation; tamarind, source of rest and reflection. Pumpkin offers a reminder of the beauty of kindness; kola nut, a lesson in respect to the elders. If we learn from animals, then we can learn from the trees also, through celebrating the African and Caribbean oral traditions.
​

From the introduction to Tale of Beauty and Others.

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The Papine Tales
​By Natty Mark Samuels

$5.00 each
​
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All proceeds to help the elders, with healthcare and housing support.

To purchase, please head over to Wisemind Publications.
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Tales of Papine
Tale of Beauty and others
Tale of Papa Honey and others
Tale of Freddie McGregor and others
Tale of Cucumber and others
Tale of Sarsaparilla and I: The Chaney Root Monologue
Tale of a Sunflower and others
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African Monarch: Celebrating Historical Kings & Queens of Africa
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Date: 
11 August

Time: 
1:00pm to 2:00pm


Book Now
In the year that Britain celebrates the Platinum Jubilee, I invite you to African Monarch: Celebrating the Historical Kings and Queens. We’ll be looking at certain figures and why they are honoured, such as King Moshoshoe (pronounced Mo-shwesh-shweh) of Lesotho and Queen Idia of Benin. You and I will explore pre-colonial royalty, in countries such as Ghana, Angola and South Africa. Were they honoured for pioneering educational opportunities? Military strategies? Diplomacy? Governmental reforms? Come with me, as we traverse sub-Saharan Africa, visiting a few of the courts, of the medieval and early modern period.


This event is recommended for ages 10+. Please note that all children must be accompanied by an adult and everyone must have a ticket.
Celebrating African and
Caribbean  Folklore 
  Rootical Folklore
​
​Beginning in September, Natty Mark will be delivering a course –
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Tamarind for Silimaka: Rootical Folklore
​
6 Oct 2022 - 3 Nov 2022


After the pachyderm lunch,
Returned to the baobab tree.
Home to sleep it off,
Before twenty warthogs with tea.


from the poem, Konderong 
Book Now


As part of the Oxford IF Science Festival, on October 8th, Natty will be delivering a workshop, THE SHEA CHANT. 

Shea tree,
I beg you come shower me,
With the blessings that you give:
Presentations of butter and oil.


from The Shea Chant
Find out More

July 17th - Simmer Down Festival, Birmingham.
Through the BLAST project based in Birmingham, Natty Mark will be delivering drop-in, interactive workshops, celebrating the spices and other plants, of African and Caribbean Folklore. 11 - 5 pm
Find out more

July 28th/29th - Botanic Gardens, Oxford,
As part of the 400th Year anniversary of the Gardens, through the CDI Youth project, Natty Mark will deliver two days (one African, the other Caribbean) of drop-in, interactive 
workshops - YAN DAWA and PAPA BWA - celebrating the flora through folklore. 11- 4 pm
Find out more

October/November - Working Men's College, London
Delivery of TAMARIND for SILIMAKA, a four week course, celebrating the flora in the folklore of Africa,

​Details of workshop to follow.

​Natty Mark will be delivering a workshop - Grandmothers and Griots - at a conference at the University of West Indies, hosted by the Society of Economic Botany, where he will be celebrating African and Caribbean Folklore, through the flora.
Click for More

Papa Sorrel

 ETERNAL: Homage to Bob Andy

Reviews for the African Books Collective  
Click for More
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BIRAGO DAY: African and Caribbean Folklore Day

December 11th 2022

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#BlackHistoryMonth: Natty Mark Samuels talks to Oxford City Council about setting up the African School.  Watch here
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Book your tickets HERE!

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Workshop: Celebrating the Ashanti


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African Poetry Reading with Natty Mark Samuels

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Email: africanheritageoxford@gmail.com to register ALL children

Natty Mark Samuels, founder of the African School in Oxford, is working with the Rumble Museum to run workshops with groups of students of African heritage, looking at African Countries, Artefacts and some of the many languages spoken in the continent.

Read more in the links below:
Rumble Museum 

Oxford Mail


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Join the Rumble Museum on Friday 16th July, 4 - 

6.30pm at this community event displaying their 

beautiful collection of African artefacts. 

Natty Mark Samuels, founder of the African School,

will be running drop-in workshops about the items,

and refreshments will be provided.

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Natty Mark is delivering the first

course in African Studies at
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​The Oxford Academy.

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Links to Articles:
  • The Oxford Mail
  • Daily Info
  • The Oxford Mail - Oxford Academy
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Join us in celebration of Wangari Maathai’s
birthday and her leadership of the Green Belt
​Movement – 1st April 2021 @ 6pm

About this Event: The event will be introduced by Natty

​Mark Samuels, founder of African School, followed by a

panel discussion with: Amare St. Hilaire (Postgrad

student), Zaiba Patel (History Teacher), Fatimah Kposowa

(Under Grad Student), Roger Guiste (Family support

worker), Dolcie Obhiozele (Locality community support

worker), Natty Mark Samuels, (Writer educator).



The panel discussion will be followed by Q&A from the

audience.


Book Tickets
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Click the button below to watch Journey with Natty Mark!
Watch Now

Ploughkeepsie's Sadie Delaney: Healing From World War Through Reading


A Conversation with the Founder of the African School in England

Sunday, February 21, 2:00 pm. Via Zoom. 
RSVP/register at: www.DCHSNY.org/Feb21

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Natty Mark Samuels
Fancasso
Video

00:00
00:01

Let The Story Be Told
to Roy Midwinter: for his musicianship and his humanity.
Time is passing,
So let the story be told.
It is long overdue,
So let the story unfold:
Of the African influence on European art.
Let us start with Vlaminck,
And that bar in Argenteuil.
Where a round of drinks,
Began his African zeal:
Art of the Yoruba and the Baule.
Onward to Derain,
Who was given a Fang mask.
Enjoyed his first drink,
From the African flask:
The Fang of Gabón and Cameroon.
Matisse bought a statue,
From a curio shop.
Took it to a saloñ,
Observed the jaws that dropped:
A Vili statuette from the Congo.
Picasso saw the Vili figure,
Evening of enchantment.
He yearned to see more,
So to the Trocodero he went:
Sculpture of West and Central África.
(c) Natty Mark Samuels, 2020. African School.
Vlaminck – Maurice de Vlaminck, 20th century French artist.
Yoruba – people of south-west Nigeria.
Baule – people of central lvory Coast.
Derain – André Derain, 20th century French artist.
Matisse – Henri Matisse, 20th century French artist.
Vili – people of Democratic Repúblic of the Congo.
Picasso – Pablo Picasso, 20th century Spanish artist.
Trocodero – Parisian ethnographic museum






Submit your response
Ask an adult or carer to submit your respons


ZLecture at Fusion Arts:
drive.google.com/file/d/1BpPkKgMB19p-Pb0rNDgpHim949sl3o4w/view?ts=5ef9d418
Oxfordshire Kindness Wave - Natty Mark Samuels: 
https://oxfordshirekindnesswave.org.uk/challenges/natty-mark-samuels/
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Here are the first two published pieces of art by two budding artists, Year Seven students at The Oxford Academy. The first, by DESTINY WILSON, is of two Kuduo brass bowls of the Ashanti of Ghana; the other, by MILLIE SMITH, is of a Portuguese man, sculpted in ivory by an artist from Benin city. Nigeria, in the 16th century.

​Due to the Coronavirus, the Oxford Citrus Festival has been deferred
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Natty Mark will be delivering a workshop on citrus at this conference
​https://www.econbot.org/home/meetings/economic-botany-2020.html
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Celebrating Una 
Download file Below 
celebrating_una.htm
File Size: 3575 kb
File Type: htm
Download File

The Shrine of Womanhood With Natty Mark Samuels  https://www.oxford.gov.uk/events/event/636/the_shine_of_womanhood_with_natty_marks_samuels
Honouring the Herbalist Interactive Workshop: if-oxford.com/event/honouring-the-herbalists/https://if-oxford.com/event/honouring-the-herbalists/
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African School in the News

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Natty Mark at the BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005hhg

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0005hhg/victorian-sensations-series-1-2-decadence-and-degeneration?fbclid=IwAR027SzKANhbNfaCVjhV-XbXOgidwRaLfOeUmmJk8mO68g0VwNX31TBE260

​Natty Mark Samuels pays tribute to his mother who travelled from Jamaica in the 1950s and went on to become a nurse and served in the National Health Service.
Natty also discusses the Windrush Generation and the incredible and positive impact that people from the Caribbean have made to the National Health Service:

https://www.facebook.com/OxfordCityCouncil/videos/240573186808708/UzpfSTEwMDAwNTIyMDUxNzAyNToxMDM3MTA5NTM5ODA2Mzg3/?id=100005220517025

Oxford Mail: African School founder develops own range of Herbal Medicines:
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/17367199.african-school-founder-develops-own-range-of-herbal-medicines/
As well as Uhuru Wholefoods, the Rootsman Products are also available at The Natural Health Store in Banbury.

Homage to Two Icons be Natty Mark Samuels:
https://www.oxford.gov.uk/events/event/526/homage_to_two_icons_by_natty_mark_samuels

IF Oxford Science Festival 2019:
01865 810016
askus@oxscifest.org 
https://if-oxford.com/
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