As part of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Dramas Civic Mission engaging with different communities, the Race Council Cymru Elders are supported to meet in our building. The group have been using the Tempo Time Credit scheme to come and enjoy some of our productions. In our work to provide access to the arts, we collaborated with RCC to arrange for Anna Mudeka who played the role of of legendary South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba in Mama Afrika which was performed in College recently to meet the group. Priscilla Addey-Blankson Windrush Cymru Elders Project Officer gives an overview below of this recent activity.
Hi I am Priscilla, currently serving as an administrator at Race Council Cymru and holding the role of Windrush Cymru Elders Project Officer. I am originally from Ghana and I have dedicated the past year and a half to working closely with the Windrush Elders community.
In my capacity, I act as the primary point of contact for theRCC, Windrush Elders and their associated projects. My responsibilities extend to planning and coordinating various events and activities for the elders, actively collaborating with them to develop, promote, and implement enriching projects. I am deeply committed to supporting and enhancing the well-being of the Windrush Elders community through my role.
The activity commenced with Ms. Roma Taylor taking attendance and the introduction of the esteemed guest for the day, Anna Mudeka, a South African-born singer, musician, and storyteller from South Africa. Ms. Mudeka shared the compelling narrative of her life journey, delving into her musical pursuits and cultural heritage. She captivated the audience with the introduction of the Nyunga-nyunga, a traditional musical instrument, explaining its details and how it works, gladly fielding the Elders’ inquiries.
Ms. Mudeka shared her personal challenges, drawing inspiration from her icon, Miriam Makeba, and emphasizing the profound impact Makeba had on her own musical journey.
The session unfolded with Anna Mudeka’s enchanting Swahili music, actively involving the elders in the Hakuna Matata song. The interactive nature of the performance allowed The Elders to proudly shout out their countries of origin.
In a delightful moment, Anna Mudeka introduced The Elders to the distinctive click sounds used in her songs, offering a brief tutorial and incorporating it into her performance. The session further featured a recitation of poignant poems by Nelson Mandela and Miriam Makeba, concluding with the lively Dance Pata-Pata music that had The Elders joyfully swaying.
Anna said of the activity “I really enjoyed meeting The Elders and I knew straight away that this would be a learning experience for me too. I loved listening to them talk about their love for Wales. It was a joy to share some time with them all.”
The entire experience evoked nostalgic reflections, with Elders sharing amusing childhood stories. A particularly resonant quote emerged from the session: “It’s not the reports that are going to change the world; it’s taking a plate of food to your neighbour and listening to music together.”