Teacher!Resources!
Created!by!Roy!Gabay!
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Target!!Group:!Grades!9"12!
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Materials:!
Book"!Fela:!From!West!Africa!to!West!Broadway!(edited!by!Trevor!Shoonmaker)!
Music"!Water!No!Get!Enemy!
Handouts"!Excerpt!by!Joseph!Patel,!Vocabulary!list!&!definitions,!
Fela!bio,!Water!No!Get!Enemy!lyric!sheet,!
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WARM!UP!
!!
1.!Does!anyone!here!know!any!of!the!following!songs?!
“Watcha!Gonna!Do”!by!Missy!Elliot!
“Warrior!Song”!by!Nas!
“Fear!Not!of!Man”!by!Mos!Def!
“Sweet”!by!Jay"Z!
!!
Each!of!these!songs!has!one!thing!in!common.!They!include!samples!from!the!music!of!Fela!Kuti.!
!!
2.!Does!Anyone!know!who!Fela!Kuti!was?!
!!
As!a!group!read!the!following!bio!for!FELA:!
source:!http://www.felaonbroadway.com/more.php!
!!
VOCABULARY:!feminist,!anti"colonial,!vociferously,!Yoruba,!Black!nationalism,!Afrocentrism,!commune,!
disenfranchised,!exile,!ineffable,!sociopolitical!
!!
Fela!Ransome!Kuti!was!born!in!Abeokuta,!Nigeria,!north!of!Lagos!in!1938.!His!father!was!a!Christian!
schoolmaster,!minister!and!master!pianist!and!his!mother!was!a!world"recognized!feminist!leader,!who!
was!very!active!in!the!anti"colonial!Nigerian!women's!movement!during!the!struggle!for!independence.!
!!
Fela!was!educated!in!Nigeria!amongst!the!indigenous!elite.!Ironically,!many!of!his!classmates!in!his!
Nigerian!school!would!become!the!very!military!leaders!he!so!vociferously!opposed.!
!!
With!medical!aspirations!for!their!offspring!(Fela’s!older!brother.!Koye,!was!to!become!a!Deputy!Director!
of!the!World!Health!Organization!and!his!younger!brother,!Beko,!President!of!the!Nigerian!Medical!
Association)!in!1958!Fela's!parents!sent!him!to!London!for!a!medical!education.!Instead,!he!registered!at!
Trinity!College's!school!of!music!where!he!studied!composition!and!chose!the!trumpet!as!his!instrument.!
Quickly!tiring!of!European!composers,!Fela,!struck!by!Miles!Davis!and!Frank!Sinatra,!formed!the!Koola!
Lobitos!in!1961,!and!his!band!became!a!fixture!in!London's!club!scene.!Two!years!later,!Fela!returned!to!
Nigeria,!restarted!the!Koola!Lobitos,!and!became!influenced!by!James!Brown.!Trying!to!find!an!authentic!
musical!voice,!he!added!elements!of!traditional!Yoruba,!high!life!and!jazz,!and!"Afrobeat"!was!born.!In!
1969,!Fela's!Koola!Lobitos!traveled!to!Los!Angeles!to!tour!and!record.!During!his!eight!months!in!the!US,!
with!LA!as!a!home!base,!Fela!befriended!Sandra!Isidore,!who!introduced!him!to!the!writings!and!politics!
of!Malcolm!X,!Eldridge!Cleaver!and!other!proponents!of!Black!nationalism!and!Afrocentrism.!
!!
With!this!new!politically!explicit!and!critical!worldview,!Fela!reformed!the!Koola!Lobitos!as!Nigeria!70!and!
returned!to!Lagos.!He!founded!a!commune/recording!studio!called!the!Kalakuta!Republic,!complete!with!
his!own!private!nightclub,!The!Shrine,!and!Fela!dropped!his!given!middle!name!"Ransome,"!and!replaced!
it!with!a!Yoruba!name!"Anikulapo"!(meaning!"he!who!carries!death!in!his!pouch").!Playing!constantly!and!
recording!at!a!ferocious!pace,!Fela!and!band!(who!were!now!called!Africa!70)!became!huge!stars!in!West!
Africa!and!beyond.!His!music!served!as!a!rallying!cry!for!the!disenfranchised,!critiquing!the!military!
government,!and!made!Fela!not!only!a!pop!star!but!thrust!him!into!political!life.!People!took!to!the!
streets!singing!his!songs!and!the!military!responded!by!viciously!harassing!Fela,!jailing!him!and!nearly!
killing!him!on!several!occasions.!
!!
In!1977,!during!a!government"sanctioned!attack!on!his!Kalakuta!Republic!commune,!Fela!and!other!
members!of!his!commune!were!arrested;!Fela!himself!suffered!a!fractured!skull!as!well!as!other!broken!
bones;!a!number!of!women!living!at!Kalakuta!were!beaten!and!raped;!and!his!82"year!old!mother!was!
thrown!from!an!upstairs!window,!inflicting!injuries!that!would!later!prove!fatal.!The!soldiers!set!fire!to!
the!compound!and!prevented!fire!fighters!from!reaching!the!area.!Fela's!recording!studio,!all!his!master!
tapes!and!musical!instruments!and!the!only!known!copy!of!his!self"financed!film!Black!President!were!
destroyed.!
!!
After!the!Kalakuta!tragedy,!Fela!briefly!lived!in!exile!in!Ghana,!returning!to!Nigeria!in!1978.!A!year!later,!
he!formed!his!own!political!party,!MOP!(Movement!of!the!People)!and!ran!for!president!in!two!elections,!
although!his!campaigning!was!consistently!blocked!by!the!military.!As!the!'80s!ended,!Fela!recorded!
blistering!attacks!against!Nigeria's!corrupt!military!government.!
!!
Fela!Anikulapo!Kuti!was!arrested!more!than!two!hundred!times!in!his!life,!and!charged!with!almost!every!
conceivable!crime,!although!only!serving!one!eighteen!month!sentence!in!jail!for!a!currency!violation.!
Despite!this!constant!harassment!he!continued!to!live!in!Nigeria!even!though,!as!an!icon!in!the!
international!world!of!rock!and!roll,!soul,!jazz!and!hip"hop,!he!could!have!at!any!point!abandoned!Nigeria!
and!led!the!life!of!an!international!music!superstar.!His!death!on!August!3,!1997!of!complications!from!
AIDS!deeply!affected!musicians!and!fans!internationally,!as!a!unique!and!ineffable!musical!and!
sociopolitical!voice!was!lost.!In!Nigeria!one!million!people!attended!his!funeral.!His!incredible!body!of!
work,!almost!70!albums,!is!now!available,!through!public!demand,!all!over!the!world.!
!!
!
Reading:!Excerpt,!Power!Music!Electric!Revival!by!Joseph!Patel!p.!25"35!
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LISTENING!ACTIVITY!
!!
Listen!to!an!excerpt!of!Water!No!Get!Enemy!by!Fela!Anikulapo!Kuti!
(Start!track!at!approximately!4:!30,!Fela’s!Sax!Solo)!
!!
Explain!that!many!of!Fela’s!compositions!have!long!instrumentals,!so!for!time’s!sake!we!will!be!listening!
to!a!portion!of!it,!beginning!with!Fela’s!saxophone!solo,!and!then!his!singing.!
!!
As!a!group!read!the!following!lyrics!while!listening!to!the!song:!
!!
WATER!NO!GET!ENEMY!
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T'o!ba!fe!lo!we!omi!l'o!ma'lo!
If!you!wan!to!go!wash,!na!water!you!go!use!
!!
T'o!ba!fe!se'be!omi!l'o!ma'lo!
If!you!wan!cook!soup,!na!water!you!go!use!
!!
T'o!ri!ba!n'gbona!o!omi!l'ero!re!
If!your!head!dey!hot,!na!water!go!cool!am!
!!
T'omo!ba!n'dagba!omi!l'o!ma'lo!
If!your!child!dey!grow,!na!water!he!go!use!
!!
If!water!kill!your!child,!na!water!you!go!use!
T'omi!ba!p'omo!e!o!omi!na!lo!ma'lo!
!!
Ko!s'ohun!to'le!se!k'o!ma!lo'mi!o!
Nothing!without!water!
Ko!s'ohun!to'le!se!k'o!ma!lo'mi!o!
Omi!o!l'ota!o!
!!
[Chorus]!
Water,!him!no!get!enemy!!
!!
Omi!o!l'ota!o!
If!you!fight!am,!unless!you!wan!die!
I!say!water!no!get!enemy!
If!you!fight!am,!unless!you!wan!die!
Omi!o!l'ota!o!
I!dey!talk!of!Black!man!power!
I!dey!talk!of!Black!power,!I!say!
I!say!water!no!get!enemy!
If!you!fight!am,!unless!you!wan!die!
I!say!water!no!get!enemy!
I!say!water!no!get!enemy!
Omi!o!l'ota!o!
!
DISCUSSION!
What!elements!of!the!song!do!you!like?!
How!would!you!describe!the!song!to!someone!who!had!never!heard!it?!
How!do!you!interpret!the!phrase!Water!No!Get!Enemy?!
(As!students!suggest!meanings,!write!them!on!the!board)!
How!might!this!be!interpreted!as!a!political!statement?!
How!might!this!be!interpreted!as!advice?!
!!
CLOSING!THOUGHTS!
In!the!musical!FELA!!This!song!takes!place!at!the!beginning!of!the!second!act.!After!a!ritual!using!water,!
Fela!explains!that!the!phrase!Water!No!Get!Enemy!was!something!the!old!people!or!his!mother!used!to!
say!that!means!nothing!and!everything.!Throughout!the!second!act,!water!becomes!an!important!
symbol.!
!!
Can!you!think!of!songs!from!your!own!experience!that!function!either!as!political!statements!or!
wisdom!passed!down!from!others?!
!!
When!you!see!the!second!act!of!the!show,!notice!how!water!is!used!as!a!symbol!for!what!Fela!is!
experiencing!at!various!moments.!When!is!it!threatening?!When!is!it!healing?!
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Basic!Sketch!for!Fela!Curriculum!Series,!Abena!Koomson!
Lesson!II:!A!MOVEMENT/WRITING!WORKSHOP!
Target!Group:!14+!
NOTE:!this!workshop!is!open!to!writers!and!movers!of!all!levels!
!!
Materials:!
Book"!For!Women!and!the!Nation!(Johnson"Odim,!Mba)!
Music"!Coffin!for!Head!of!State!
Handouts"!Funmilayo!bio,!
Fela!bio,!Coffin!for!Head!of!State!lyric!sheet,!
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WARM!UP!
What!is!a!conviction?!
Discuss!both!of!the!following!meanings!
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con#vic#tion!(n)!
1.!!a!belief!or!opinion!that!is!held!firmly!
2.!!the!finding!or!an!instance!of!finding!somebody!guilty!or!of!being!found!guilty!of!a!crime!
Source:!Encarta®!World!English!Dictionary!
!!
WRITING!ACTIVITY!
What!we!believe!deeply!influences!who!or!what!we!honor!or!dishonor.!In!the!following!activity!fill!in!the!
blanks!with!the!first!words!that!come!to!mind.!
I!want__!
I!will!not__!
They!must___!
We!must___!
__!wants!me!
I!will!never___!
I!always___!
!!
Have!a!few!volunteers!share!their!“manifesto!poems”!
!!
READING!ACTIVITY!
Explain!that!Funmilayo!Anikulapo"Kuti!was!the!mother!of!the!women’s!movement!in!Nigeria,!West!Africa.!
She!traveled!throughout!Nigeria!and!internationally!to!spread!her!beliefs!about!the!fair!treatment!of!the!
market!women!who!were!the!backbone!of!everyday!commerce.!She!was!also!the!mother!of!Fela!
Anikulapo"Kuti!and!the!inspiration!for!a!few!of!his!songs!including!Coffin!for!Head!of!State.!
!!
Does!anyone!know!who!Fela!Kuti!was?!
!!
Read!the!following!bio!for!FELA:!
source:!http://www.felaonbroadway.com/more.php!
!!
!!
Read!bio!for!Funmilayo!Anikulapo"Kuti"!Excerpts,!For!Women!and!the!Nation!
!!
These!excerpts!explain!Funmilayo’s!powerful!influence!and!the!shameful!manner!in!which!she!died.!
!!
Explain!that!Fela!brought!a!symbolic!coffin!of!his!mother!and!placed!it!on!the!steps!of!the!capitol!of!the!
Nigerian!government,!who!he!held!responsible!for!her!death.!!
!!
He!also!wrote!Coffin!for!Head!of!State.!Which!functions!as!both!a!conviction!of!the!corrupt!government,!
and!a!statement!of!his!convictions.!
!!
LISTENING!ACTIVITY!
!!
Listen!to!an!excerpt!of!Coffin!for!Head!of!State!
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As!a!group!read!the!following!lyrics!while!listening!to!the!song:!
!!
Explain!that!many!of!Fela’s!compositions!have!long!instrumentals,!so!for!time’s!sake!we!will!be!listening!
to!a!portion!of!it,!beginning!with!the!last!few!verses.!
!!
Coffin!for!Head!of!State!(excerpt)!
!!
…So!I!waka!waka!waka!
I!go!many!places!
I!go!government!places!
I!see!see!see!
All!the!bad!bad!bad!things!
Them!they!do!do!do!
!!
Them!steal!all!the!money!
Them!kill!many!students!
Them!burn!many!houses!
Them!burn!my!house!too!
Them!kill!my!mama!
!!
So!I!carry!the!coffin!
I!waka!waka!waka!
Movement!of!the!People!
Them!waka!waka!waka!
Young!African!Pioneers!
Them!waka!waka!waka!
!!
We!go!Obalende!
We!go!Dodan!barracks!
We!reach!them!gate!o!
We!put!the!coffin!down!
Obasanjo!dey!there!
With!him!big!fat!stomach!
Yar'Adua!dey!there!
With!him!neck!like!ostrich!
We!put!the!coffin!down!
!!
Them!no!want!take!am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![Chorus]!
Them!no!want!take!am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!But!them!take!am!!(repeat)!
Who!go!want!take!coffin?!
Them!must!take!am!
Na!the!bad!bad!bad!things!
Wey!they!don!do!
Them!no!want!take!am!
Obasanjo!grab!am!
Yar'Adua!carry!am!
Yes,!them!no!want!take!am!
Obasanjo!carry!am!
Yar'Adua!tow!am!
Them!no!want!take!am!
Them!no!want!take!am!
!!
E!dey!for!them!office!
E!dey!there!now!now!now!now!now!
E!dey!there!now!now!now!now!now!
E!dey!there!now!now!now!now!now!
E!dey!there!now!now!now!now!now...!
!!
!!
DISCUSSION!
What!elements!of!the!song!do!you!like?!
How!would!you!describe!the!song!to!someone!who!had!never!heard!it?!
This!song!commemorates!the!moment!when!Fela!brought!a!replica!of!his!mother’s!coffin!to!the!steps!of!
the!capitol.!How!do!you!interpret!this!action?!
!!
PHYSICAL!WARM!UP!
!!
DANCE!ACTIVITY!
PART!I!
•!Participants!will!learn!a!series!of!gestures.!
•!Instructor!will!then!combine!the!gestures!with!phrases!taken!from!Coffin!for!Head!of!State!
•!The!group!will!practice!the!combination!of!gestures/phrases!and!perform!them!for!each!other!in!two!
large!groups.!
!!
PART!II!
•!Participants!will!be!divided!into!groups!of!3"5.!
•!Each!group!will!create!a!short!piece:!Each!person!will!contribute!1!or!2!lines!from!the!writing!activity!
and!a!movement!phrase.!
•!Each!group!will!present!their!collaboration!for!the!others.!
!!
CLOSING!THOUGHTS!
In!the!musical!FELA!!Coffin!for!Head!of!State!is!the!final!song!of!the!second!act.!!It!is!both!an!homage!to!
his!mother,!and!a!statement!of!his!political!convictions.!During!the!song!each!member!of!the!ensemble!
has!a!task!to!accomplish.!What!is!the!impact!of!this!activity?!
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Basic!Sketch!for!Fela!Curriculum!Series,!Martín!Perna!
Lesson!3:!Clave!
Target!!Group:!Grades!9"12!
!!
!!
Materials:!
Music"!
Dixie!Cups""Iko!Iko"!
Bo!Diddley"“Who!Do!you!Love?”!
James!Brown,!“Big!Payback”!
Munequitos!de!Matanzas!and!Steve!Coleman!“Montuno”!
Michael!Jackson!“Wanna!Be!Startin’!Somethin’”!
Beyonce!“Naughty!Girl”!
Fela!“I!get!no!eye!for!back”!
Fela!“Who!No!Know!Go!Know”!
Fela!“Everything!Scatter”!
!!
!!
!!
WARM!UP!(10"15!minutes)!
!!
1.!Does!anyone!here!know!what!the!clave!is?!
!!
2.!Does!this!rhythm!sound!familiar?!
!!
Instructor!claps!basic!son!clave!(3"2)!rhythm.!Ask!class!to!repeat.!
!!
3.!What!are!some!songs!where!have!we!heard!this!rhythm!before?!
!!
Ask!students!to!name!songs!where!clave!rhythm!is!identifiable.!
!!
4.!Have!we!heard!it!in!other!types!of!music?!
Listen!to!30!seconds!of!each:!
!!
Dixie!Cups"Iko!Iko!!
Bo!Diddley"“Who!Do!you!Love?”!
James!Brown,!“Big!Payback”!
Munequitos!de!Matanzas!
Michael!Jackson!“Wanna!Be!Startin’!Somethin’”!
Beyonce!“Naughty!Girl”!
!!
READING:!(5!minutes)!
Clave!is!a!Spanish!word!meaning!“key.”!It!is!also!used!to!describe!a!rhythmic!concept!present!in!nearly!all!
West!African!rhythms,!as!well!as!most!rhythms!across!the!African!diaspora,!from!salsa!to!calypso!to!funk!
to!hip!hop!music.!The!clave!can!be!described!as!the!rhythmic!magnet!of!the!music.!Like!a!magnet,!there!
is!a!positive!side!and!a!negative!side,!or!in!rhythmic!feeling,!a!strong!a!weak!side.!
!!
Clave!is!a!rhythmic!guide!that!shapes!the!push!and!pull!of!each!instrument.!It!is!what!makes!rhythm!
rhyme!and!what!keeps!pushing!the!music!forward!in!a!way!that!it!seems!like!it!will!never!stop.!When!a!
particular!instrument’s!melody!or!rhythm!follow!the!pulses!of!the!clave,!it!is!said!that!they!are!“with!the!
clave.”!If!they!are!not!in!line!with!the!clave,!they!are!“against”!it.!
!!
The!clave!rhythm!can!be!a!pattern!played!by!a!single!instrument.!This!depends!on!the!style!or!genre!of!
music.!In!Afro"Cuban!rumba!for!instance,!the!clave!rhythm!is!often!played!by!striking!together!thick!
hardwood!sticks!that!are!also!named!claves.!In!certain!types!of!music!from!Nigeria!and!Ghana,!the!clave!
is!marked!by!striking!a!metal!bell!with!a!stick.!
!!
In!other!music!with!African!roots,!the!clave!still!exists!but!may!not!exert!as!strong!or!direct!of!an!
influence!over!the!structure!of!the!music.!For!instance,!in!James!Brown’s!clave,!you!can!hear!some!of!the!
beats!spread!out!across!the!guitars!and!bass!in!many!of!the!songs.!
!!
Fela’s!approach!to!clave!is!similar!in!Afrobeat!music.!All!of!it!is!influence!by!the!clave!concept.!In!some!
songs,!the!clave!is!apparent!from!the!beginning.!In!others,!it!is!buried!within!the!music!and!harder!to!
identify.!
!!
Listening!Activity:!(10!minutes)!
!!
Fela:!“Who!No!Know!Go!Know”!(0:00"45)!
The!introduction!to!“Who!No!Know!Go!Know”!is!one!of!the!most!obvious!examples.!
The!song!starts,!Tony!Allen!clearly!marks!the!the!3"2!clave!on!the!drum!kit,!and!is!joined!by!Fela!marking!
the!exact!3"2!clave!pattern!on!the!organ.!
!!
Fela!“I!Get!No!Eye!for!Back”!0:00=1:30!
Listen!to!how!the!drums!play!the!clave!rhythm.!The!rhythm!guitar!enters,!marking!the!clave!in!a!slightly!
different!way.!The!horn!hits!are!also!on!clave.!
!!
Fela!“Everything!Scatter”!:01"3:30!
Afrobeat!music!created!by!Fela!is!influenced!and!guided!by!the!clave.!Listen!to!the!beginning!of!
“Everything!Scatter.”!Here,!the!bass!and!guitar!play!in!unison,!marking!the!first!three!strokes!of!the!clave.!
Later,!you!can!hear!each!of!the!guitars!marking!a!part!of!the!clave.!Now!clap!the!clave,!and!wait!for!the!
horn!melody.!!In!the!“B”!or!bridge!section!around!3:15,!notice!that!the!horn!lines!change,!but!the!clave!
rhythm!they!follow!does!not.!
!!
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Body!Movement/!Rhythm!Activity!(10"15!minutes)!
!!
1.!!!!!Everyone!stand!up!and!form!a!circle.!
2.!!!!!Students!and!instructor!step!in!place,!with!each!for!landing!on!quarter!notes!(right,!left,!
right,!left),!counting!"One,!two,!three,!four"!
3.!!!!!While!stepping!the!quarter!notes,!Instructor!leads!group!in!clapping!several!repetitions!of!
the!clave,!noting!which!beats!of!the!clave!happen!on!the!beat,!and!which!are!syncopated.!
4.!!!!!After!a!few!rounds!of!group!clapping,!each!stroke!of!the!clave!is!around!the!circle,!
clockwise,!starting!slowly,!and!speeding!up!to!the!skill!level!of!the!students.!
5.!!!!!The!exercise!is!repeated,!with!the!instructor!stepping!in!and!out!of!the!circle!to!change!
the!number!of!participants!so!that!the!students!are!forced!to!pay!close!attention!to!the!
strokes!of!the!clave.!
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FELA:!Symposium!Topics!1.0!
(Martin!Perna)!
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The!eight!topics!(listed!below)!could!be!the!core!of!a!series!of!symposia!which!could!precede!the!
Antibalas!weekly!(happy"hour!time)!at!the!Knitting!Factory,!or!happen!at!some!other!venue.!!!We!could!
draw!from!a!diverse!group!of!academics,!journalists,!critics,!and!musicians!such!as!Robert!Farris!
Thompson,!Michael!Veal,!MK!Idowu,!Carlos!Moore!to!join!a!panel,!discuss,!and!follow!up!with!a!Q&A.!
They!could!be!filmed!and!uploaded!to!your!site!for!people!to!view!worldwide.!There!could!also!be!a!
series!of!critical!essays!to!accompany!these!talks.!It!would!also!be!an!opportunity!to!gather!and!compile!
the!growing!body!of!critical!scholarly!work!about!Fela.!
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Suggested!topics:!
1.!!!!!Fela’s!Political!Vision:!
a.!!!!!How!did!he!articulate!it?!
b.!!!!!How!did!it!evolve!over!time?!
c.!!!!!What!specific!books,!thinkers,!and!ideas!did!he!draw!from?!
d.!!!!!How!did!his!relationship!to!the!state!morph!from!“Keep!Nigeria!One”!(1969)!to!
“BBC"Big!Blind!Country”!(1996)!
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2.!!!!!Fela’s!Political!Strategy!and!Tactics!
a.!!!!!What!were!the!specific!ways!that!Fela!was!political!
a.!!!!!Newspaper!ads/columns!
b.!!!!!Formation!of!Movement!of!the!People!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!How!was!it!
organized?!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ii.!!!!!What!did!it!do?!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iii.!!!!!Where!is!it!now?!
c.!!!!!Press!stunts/actions!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!Marriage!of!27!
dancers!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ii.!!!!!Procession!with!
mother’s!casket!to!army!barracks!
d.!!!!!Young!African!Pioneers!Newspaper!
e.!!!!!Alliances!with!other!musicians,!human!rights!organizations!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!Look!at!David!
Byrne!and!others!who!applied!pressure!to!free!Fela!in!
1986!
!!
3.!!!!!Aesthetics!
a.!!!!!Roots!and!inspirations!
b.!!!!!Hybrid!between!Western!and!African!
c.!!!!!Dress!/!significance!of!symbols,!icons!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!Fela!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ii.!!!!!Dancers!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iii.!!!!!The!band!
d.!!!!!Staging!/!The!Shrine!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!Who!were!the!
shrines/memorials!to?!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ii.!!!!!Who!designed/painted!it?!
e.!!!!!Album!art!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!Look!at!layers!of!meaning!in!
Lemi’s!cover!art!
!!
4.!!!!!Fela’s!Spirituality!
a.!!!!!Strict!Christian!upbringing!in!colonial!setting!
b.!!!!!Later!embrace!of!traditional!Yoruba!religion!
c.!!!!!Ancestor!worship!
d.!!!!!Deified!cultural!icons!(Kwame!Nkrumah,!Malcolm!X)!at!shrine!
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5.!!!!!Fela’s!history!in!the!music!industry!
a.!!!!!Early!recording!career!
b.!!!!!1969:!6!month!sojourn!in!Los!Angeles!
c.!!!!!Ginger!Baker’s!influence!/!assistance!/!collaboration!
d.!!!!!Golden!Period!of!1973"1977!
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6.!!!!!Fela’s!Musical!Influence!
a.!!!!!On!his!contemporaries!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!Ginger!Baker!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ii.!!!!!Roy!Ayers!and!other!jazz!artists!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iii.!!!!!James!Brown!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iv.!!!!!FESTAC!77:!Many!US!artists!
were!first!exposed!to!him!them!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!v.!!!!!Brian!Eno!/!David!Byrne!/!
Talking!Heads!
b.!!!!!On!90s/21st!century!artists!(sampling!his!work)!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!X"Clan!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ii.!!!!!Mos!Def!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iii.!!!!!Timbaland!
c.!!!!!Current!afrobeat!movements!
d.!!!!!Afrika!70!/!Egypt!80!musicians!and!their!afrobeat!legacies!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!Tony!Allen!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ii.!!!!!Dele!Sosimi!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iii.!!!!!Kologbo!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iv.!!!!!Femi!Kuti!etc.!
!!
7.!!!!!Fela’s!Lyrics!and!their!significance,!prescience!
a.!!!!!Look!at!songs!that!are!even!more!true,!critical!today!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!Water!No!Get!Enemy!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ii.!!!!!ITT!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iii.!!!!!Colomentality,!etc!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iv.!!!!!Zombie!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!v.!!!!!Upside!Down!
b.!!!!!Contrast!with!songs!specifically!about!Nigeria/Africa!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i.!!!!!JJD!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ii.!!!!!Ikoyi!Mentality!vs!Mushin!
Mentality,!etc!
!!
8.!!!!!Political!situation!in!Nigeria!post"Fela!
a.!!!!!What!is!happening?!
b.!!!!!How!are!people!organizing?!
c.!!!!!Does!Fela’s!example/influence!inspire!and!mobilize!people?!
d.!!!!!What!has!been!happening!at!the!Shrine?!
!!
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Jazz!Band!Outreach!
Geared!towards!High!School!and!College!Jazz!Bands!
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A!team!2"3!people!to!travel!to!area!high!schools!(tri"state!area)!and!workshop!afrobeat!music!with!high!
school!and!college!jazz!bands.!!The!average!high!school!jazz!ensemble!is!already!basically!a!large!
afrobeat!horn!section!with!a!small!afrobeat!rhythm!section.!!If!you!had!three!musicians!running!the!
workshop!it!could!be!a!second!guitar!player,!an!extra!percussion!player!(shekere!or!congas),!and!then!a!
horn!player!to!lead!the!band.!!The!band!would!play!a!couple!of!tunes!with!charts!and!audio!tracks!
provided!(in!advance)!and!the!workshoppers!would!tighten!up!the!rhythm!section!(locking!into!the!
pocket!with!all!the!contrapuntal!lines,!etc)!and!work!with!the!horn!players!on!playing!the!horn!lines!and!
taking!solos!over!the!groove!(where!the!accents!are!in!the!clave!pattern,!how!to!sustain!interest!over!the!
repeating!chords,!etc.).!
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A!good!introductory!tune!would!be!Water!No!Get!Enemy.!!Relatively!slow!tempo,!interesting!horn!
melody!(it!is!in!Eb!minor,!which!could!be!difficult!for!some!students).!!And!then!a!second!faster!tune,!
maybe!Gentleman.!!If!necessary,!the!person!leading!the!workshop!could!sing!lead!vocals!with!the!band!
and!the!other!visiting!musicians!taking!the!chorus,!although!the!songs!could!be!performed!without!
singing.!!Besides!learning!how!to!play!the!songs,!the!students!would!learn!about!improvisation,!how!
phrases!are!placed!over!drum!patterns,!how!the!different!lines!come!together!to!build!a!polyrhythmic!
fabric,!and!a!bit!of!history!thrown!in.!
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Created!by!Jujamcyn!Theaters!
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FELA!!101!
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Introduce!your!students!to!the!world!of!Fela!Kuti!in!this!workshop!that’s!perfect!for!groups!seeing!the!
show!and!learning!about!Fela!for!the!first!time.!Explore!Kuti’s!life!and!times,!as!well!as!the!
groundbreaking!form!of!music!known!as!Afrobeat!which!he!created.!You’ll!also!get!a!taste!of!the!dance!
and!movement!that!brings!the!show!to!life.!
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This!workshop!emphasizes!collaboration,!listening!and!storytelling.!
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This!workshop!also!includes!a!visit!from!a!Broadway!performer!for!a!Q&A,!stories!from!backstage!and!an!
autograph!session.!
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Appropriate!For:!All!ages!!
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Duration:!90!minutes.!
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Location:!Broadway!rehearsal!studio!(most!are!within!walking!distance!to!your!theatre.)!
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Time!&!Date:!Scheduled!at!your!convenience!!
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Cost:!$25.00!per!student.!
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Group!Minimum:!25!(if!less!than!25,!Group!Rate!is!$550.00!total).!
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National!Standards!for!Arts!Education!met:!Theatre!Content!Standards!1,!3!and!7!
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*Script!writing!by!planning!and!recording!improvisations!based!on!personal!experience!and!heritage,!
imagination,!literature,!and!history.!
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*Acting!by!assuming!roles!and!interacting!in!improvisations.!
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*Analyzing!and!explaining!personal!preferences!and!constructing!meanings!from!classroom!
dramatizations!and!from!theatre,!film,!television,!and!electronic!media!productions.!
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PASSION:!Feel!the!rhythm!of!FELA!’s!Afrobeat!music!
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Fela!Kuti!created!the!groundbreaking!form!of!music!known!as!Afrobeat,!a!blend!of!jazz,!funk!and!African!
rhythm!and!harmonies,!which!he!used!to!spread!his!message!of!uniting!against!oppression.!This!
workshop!will!explore!the!roots!of!Afrobeat,!as!your!students!learn!the!style!and!structure!of!the!music!
in!preparation!for!learning!how!to!perform!this!eclectic!and!exciting!genre.!
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This!energetic!session!engages!the!entire!group!in!learning!a!vibrant!and!unique!style!of!song,!while!
emphasizing!collaboration,!unique!thinking!and!confidence.!
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This!workshop!also!includes!a!visit!from!a!Broadway!performer!for!a!Q&A,!stories!from!backstage!and!an!
autograph!session.!
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Appropriate!For:!All!groups!interested!in!music,!at!any!level!of!singing!experience.!
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Duration:!90!minutes.!
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Location:!Broadway!rehearsal!studio!(most!are!within!walking!distance!to!your!theatre.)!
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Time!&!Date:!Scheduled!at!your!convenience!!
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Cost:!$25.00!per!student.!
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Group!Minimum:!25!(if!less!than!25,!Group!Rate!is!$550.00!total).!
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National!Standards!for!Arts!Education!met:!Theatre!Content!Standards!1,!3!and!7!
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*Script!writing!by!planning!and!recording!improvisations!based!on!personal!experience!and!heritage,!
imagination,!literature,!and!history.!
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*Acting!by!assuming!roles!and!interacting!in!improvisations.!
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*Analyzing!and!explaining!personal!preferences!and!constructing!meanings!from!classroom!
dramatizations!and!from!theatre,!film,!television,!and!electronic!media!productions.!
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ENERGY:!Move!to!the!beat!of!FELA!!
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Feel!the!pulse!of!FELA!!by!exploring!the!dance!and!movement!that!give!the!show!its!incredible!energy.!
Your!group!will!start!with!a!physical!warm"up,!talk!through!individual!steps!and!building!blocks,!and!learn!
a!combination!from!the!show.!You’ll!also!explore!how!Afrobeat!music!informs!the!moves!of!the!show!–!
and!culminate!with!putting!it!all!together,!emphasizing!precision,!technique,!style!and!story.!
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The!workshop!is!capped!off!with!a!Q&A,!stories!from!backstage!and!an!autograph!session.!
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Appropriate!For:!Dance!groups!of!any!level.!Be!sure!to!bring!appropriate!shoes!and!clothes!!
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Duration:!90!minutes.!
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Location:!Broadway!rehearsal!studio!(most!are!within!walking!distance!to!your!theatre.)!
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Time!&!Date:!Scheduled!at!your!convenience!!
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Cost:!$25.00!per!student.!
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Group!Minimum:!25!(if!less!than!25,!Group!Rate!is!$550.00!total).!
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National!Standards!for!Arts!Education!met:!Theatre!Content!Standards!1,!2!and!3:!
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*Identifying!and!demonstrating!movement!elements!and!skills!in!performing!dance.!
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*Understanding!choreographic!principles,!processes,!and!structures!
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*Understanding!dance!as!a!way!to!create!and!communicate!meaning.!
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