The goddess, the mother of all civilization, lived for a few hours last weekend on stage at the Heritage Playhouse.
The Mother Goddess of Africa was a presentation written and directed by Jean Pierre Makosso to honour Black History month in February, a time for combating prejudice and celebrating the achievements of African Canadians and Americans.
Makosso, dancer Brittany Robertson, Embers Moore and six drama students from Chatelech Secondary School brought the African creation myth to life.
They were accompanied at times by the wooden flute music of Eagle Child, a First Nations Vancouver musician and healer, and at other times by the music of blues and jazz, that seemed an appropriate fit when considering contributions from black heritage.
The dancing was a highlight. Robertson choreographed several pieces for herself and for the students. While Makosso told the tale, she danced the story of the original woman at the beginning of time in the heart of Africa who gives birth to the first girl and boy. The children are helped by other creatures - a goat, monkeys and crows - but they grow up apart on either side of a river. Later, they find each other.
Makosso and Robertson danced a contemporary piece together to the music of When a Man Loves a Woman, exhibiting remarkable chemistry between the two. The dance managed to be both erotic and tender at the same time and drew much applause from the only half full house.
Eagle Child's flute music suited the theme of original civilizations. Makosso first met the musician while he was playing for the public on a ferry, and invited him to perform in the show, even though the show had no funding and no budget to pay performers.
"Music belongs to the people who are listening," Eagle Child told the audience at the start of the show. The students from Chat's drama class, Arielle White, Maya Schutz, Theresa Aguirre, Michelle James-Akin, Willow Koski-Kendel and Izabel Birtch, also stepped forward to learn their parts, reciting excerpts from Makosso's poetry.
At the end of the show, Makosso honoured Gibsons woman Joni Thompson, who helped him come to Canada from the Congo and who recently passed away.
Other information about Black History month can be found at www.pamojo.blogspot.com, a local site about cultural diversity.
