Afropop Worldwide is an internationally syndicated weekly radio series, online guide to African and world music, and an international music archive, that has in...
Women’s History Month: Reconstructing Somalia - Women’s Voices
In this episode we take a rare look at Somalia’s formative, pre-civil war years (1960-90), which saw the birth of soomaalinimo - Somali patriotism. This national mood inspired people to put aside the clan identities so heavily manipulated by the colonial powers and dedicate themselves to the creation of a new, culturally authentic, but also modern, national identity. And this was expressed in gorgeous, lyrical songs with influences from Arab art music, Hindi film songs and rich local traditions. Our principal guide is Lidwien Kapteijns (Professor of History at Wellesley College) whose book Women’s Voices in a Man’s World focuses on popular songs of this hopeful era shaped the changing lives and status of women. We’ll hear beautiful archival recordings and get inside the crucial debates and gender negotiations contained in their lyrics. We’ll also learn why the promise of this all-but-forgotten era have never been realized in Somalia. Produced by Banning Eyre.
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Planet Afropop - AfroPopup in Malawi, Rising Stars from the Warm Heart of Africa
In December 2024, Planet Afropop co-host Mukwae Wabei Siyolwe produced the first AfroPopup in at the Uka Café in Lilongwe, Malawi. Despite torrential rain and power outages, the show went on with three fanstastic young Malawian stars, Praise Umali, Chikondi Wiseman and Maggie Kadrum. This podcast tells the story of grass roots cultural activism in a country we hear from far too little.
PA 033
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Black History Month: Kriolu in New England, The Cape Verdean-American Story
Of all contemporary Cape Verdeans, Cesaria Evora, "the Queen of the Morna" made the biggest impression internationally. However the first Cape Verdean to grace the American imagination was the harpooner Dagoo in Herman Melville's Moby Dick (1851). Cape Verdeans first arrived in United States as whalers in the late 1700's and have been coming ever since, bringing a distinctive Portuguese-African Kriolu flavor to communities across Southern New England and beyond. We'll take a step back in time and look at the rich cultural life of Cape Verdean neighborhoods, where great bands played mornas and coladeiras at local social clubs. Our principle guide for this program will be historian Marilyn Halter, author of “Between Race and Ethnicity: Cape Verdean American Immigrants, 1860-1965.” She'll take us through the years as the Cape Verdean community navigated the turbulent waters of opportunity and identity in America long before the age of American multiculturalism. Then we'll jump ahead and explore current trends from the far-flung Diaspora's thriving music scene, ranging from hip-busting funaná to sleek cabo-zouk. All along, we'll be hearing from Cape Verdean-American musicians, from old-time guitar master Freddy Silva to rapper Mo Green, as they reflect on immigration, nostalgia, heritage, and what it means to be Cape Verdean in the United States.
Produced by Marlon Bishop
APWW #571
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Black History Month: A Brief History of Funk
Funk is the personal favorite of many music lovers. In this panoramic history of the grooviest of genres, we hear track after track of absolute boogie-down classics. Everything from Sly and the Family Stone to James Brown, with a few stops to hear legends like the Meters, Kool and the Gang, and Parliament. We’ll also hear the great Bobby Byrd explain the rhythmic motor behind the JB’s, and Georges Clinton talk about the roots of his funk.
Produced by Ned Sublette
APWW #124
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Women's History Month: Afropop's Tribute to Cesaria Evora
The beloved, Grammy Award winning singer Cesaria Evora from Cape Verde passed away in 2011 at the age of 70. We celebrate Cesaria's life and art with an encore of our 1995 recording of her magnificent New York City debut at the Bottom Line. Cesaria, known as the "Queen of the morna" is backed by her classy group featuring piano, acoustic bass guitar, cavaquinho and lead acoustic guitar. As a special bonus, two accomplished protégés of Cesaria's - Fantcha and Mayra Andrade - pay their tribute with stories and songs inspired by one of the most influential and successful artists of the modern African era.
Produced by Sean Barlow
APWW #629
Afropop Worldwide is an internationally syndicated weekly radio series, online guide to African and world music, and an international music archive, that has introduced American listeners to the music cultures of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean since 1988. Our radio program is hosted by Georges Collinet from Cameroon, the radio series is distributed by Public Radio International to 110 stations in the U.S., via XM satellite radio, in Africa via and Europe via Radio Multikulti.
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