We are gathered here today to acknowledge those who are no longer with us. Those who have been forgotten but whose blood has been spilt to lay the foundations on which I stand…
The chapters of British history officially commemorated are deeply political, habitually foregrounding the triumphs of empire and wilfully dis-remembering the stories and voices of those who paid the cost with their lives. Oríki Mi forms part of my PhD project: an exploration into the possibilities of person led performance based memorials as a counter narrative to this erasure.
Exploring traditional yoruba notions of remembrance and ancestry through the honouring of one’s lineage, Oríki Mi is a nod to the histories of my own family and the black diaspora at large. Combining a recorded audio soundtrack with ritual it is a rare moment to celebrate the lives of those who have gone before. Those known, and unknown, vanished, left behind and wilfully disremembered.
Sound Design by Xana. This performance is kindly supported by the Ferens Education Trust
Stella Odunlami 