SENDING LOVE AND SUPPORT TO AFRICA
In 2016, Gregory Beyer and members of Arcomusical Brasil traveled to Durban, South Africa, to participate and perform at the First International Bow Music Conference. There, our lives were profoundly changed by the bright ray of sunshine and musical virtuosity that is Mama Bavikile Ngema. Born in 1951 in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, Bavikile is revered as the foremost performer of the Zulu braced gourd-resonated bow, the umakhweyana.
Her ever-present smile, emblematic of her profound joy and reverence for life in the moment, touched all of us at the conference. And her performing is a spectacle to behold. Greg stayed after the conference to spend time studying with Bavikile, and always imagined being able to return to continue that study in more depth.
Sadly, her doctors have recently discovered a late-stage cancer that appears terminal. Heartbroken, Arcomusical is helping to organize fundraising efforts to send love and support to Mama Bavikile and her family at this critical time of need. At our album release party last Sunday, we raised and sent nearly $600 to Africa.
If you enjoy Arcomusical's music, trust that it is founded upon a pillar of research and community building with respected elder figures like Mama Bavikile whose musicianship is unparalleled. We want to do all we can to give her comfort and support at this critical moment. If you'd like to help us do the same, please consider making a donation to Arcomusical NFP, now through the end of April. We will be absolutely certain that your donations get to Mama Bavikile as soon as possible, and we'll keep our community appraised of our collective efforts to help.
|
