Written by participation and outreach coordinator Bimpe.
My name is Bimpe. I’m an actor and arts educator, and I am the outreach and participation practitioner here at Fulham Palace.
I coordinate the delivery of projects that engage with the community, schools and our visitors. We recently conducted a research project exploring the historical links between the Bishops of London, colonialism and transatlantic slavery. One of our responses to the research we did was to explore with community groups and schools the subject of resistance during transatlantic slavery. One of the methods of resistance that we explore in is Obeah.
Obeah is a catchall term applied to use of African spiritual traditions by the enslaved in British slave societies. As well as being used in active resistance, Obeah was used to settle disputes, poison enemies, heal the sick and personal divination. To further explore the importance of Obeah, I will be running an arts and craft session where we will be making African masks. African masks are very important within some African communities, as they believe that the mask can help communicate with the spirits and control the good and evil faced in the community.
It’s great to see the project now in motion and to experience first-hand how participants will engage with the research as well as their own creative response. I look forward to exploring more ways to engage the community with the historical links between the Bishops of London, colonialism and transatlantic slavery.
Bimpe’s work is part of the Palace’s project working with community groups and schools on the subject of the Bishop of London’s historic involvement in colonialism and transatlantic slavery. This will result in an exhibition in early 2023.
Join Bimpe and Adisa for a free hands-on mask-making craft activities and poetry workshops at Fulham Palace on 25 October.
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