Mapping African Atlantic Diaspora Dance Lineage
Birthplace of humanity. Mande Empire, Akan, Asante, Yoruba, Kongo
and many more kingdoms and cultures.
From the Djelidon family of Mande griot rhythms. The circle of dancers travels anti-clockwise with individuals taking turns to spin around the inside edge of the circle. Listen to Sanja by: Karamoko Sanogo
From 1500: trade in gold, ivory, guns and increasingly, sale of African captives to Europeans.
Dahomey, Oyo and Asante also profited from slavery until they were colonised.
Industrialised slave trade & colonialism, most profitable to:
Spain, Portugal, Britain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden,
and their settlers in Americas.
rhythms of solidarity, spirit and escape
mapped over 17-18thC slave trade routes.
Carte de fond par Chaliand et al. (1995)
La traite négrière (XVIIe-XVIIIe siècles)
African diaspora culture shapeshifted in response to Euro-colonial culture
by necessity, play, mockery
Circles show inter-diaspora influences and migrations northward 1820s –1980s
Carte de fond par Chaliand et al. (1995) La traite négrière (XVIIe-XVIIIe siècles)
Mapping Black Atlantic Living Heritage*