Feb 26
International Film Forum: Gurumbé. Songs of your Black Memories
Gurumbé. Songs of your Black Memory [Gurumbé. Canciones de tu memoria negra] (Miguel Angel Rosales, 2016, 72 minutes)
With the commercial exploitation of the American colonies, thousands of Africans are brought to Seville to be sold as slaves. Some are exported to the colonies and others stay in the city. The latter form part of a population of Afro-Andalusians, who over time manage to gain space in a society wrought with racial prejudices, whilst dealing with their situation as slaves. Music and dance will be part of their expression and the most important affirmation of their identity. From the outskirts of cities like Seville and Cadiz they give shape to the popular music of the time, together with other marginalised communities such as the gypsies, moors and Andalusians on the cities' peripheries. From the XIX century, the black population begins to disappear, partly being assimilated into parts of the community like that of the gypsies. In this same century we start to hear about a new type of music: Flamenco. Since its beginning theorists who have spoken about this art form have completely forgotten the fundamental contribution the Afro-Andalusians made to it.
Introduction by Professor N. Michelle Murray, Vanderbilt University, and Chérif Keïta, William H. Laird Professor of French and the Liberal Arts
