This story is a brief explanation, linked to the fact that BARRANQUILLA is the world capital of African music.
Why and how!
In any case, it should be noted that the sources of this decision are African and wish to remain anonymous. It is very common in Africa that decision-makers remain anonymous ...
And I do not know why they chose me.
The Capital of African Music is changing places, according to the craze that this or that city has for African music. Thus, after the period relating to African independence, the capitals: Brazzaville and Leopoldville (now Kinshasa), had this merit. To this day and for a long time still, music occupies a preponderant place in the culture of Congo Brazzaville and the DRC (cf: Clément OSSINODÉ's books on Congolese music from both shores) ...
Let us note that the nominations: CAPITAL OF AFRICAN MUSIC, or WORLD CAPITAL OF AFRICAN MUSIC do not come from any decree issued by International Organizations, for a simple reason:
At the base, African Culture is Cultual, with a scientific, mystical and very secret spirituality. I will not tell you how the golden palm of African music has gone from Brazzaville - Kinshasa to Abidjan or from Abidjan to Paris ... But, I can tell you how BARRANQUILLA has become THE WORLD CAPITAL OF AFRICAN MUSIC .
A few years ago, I wanted to go to the West Indies to inspire me, to create a new rhythm.
HAITI:
Before my trip to the West Indies, a man contacted me on the social network. This gentleman wanted to meet me at all costs. I do not know how he had my phone number, but, by insisting, I finally accepted the appointment and I went with Vava. In this cafe everything happened as if we had known each other for ages.
It was in a festive atmosphere and in the heart of the night, that this gentleman made me understand that he was Haitian and that he had to call at all costs.
So he called ... And according to my understanding, he was in conversation with someone in New York or Point-à-Pitre
(I can not exactly locate the place), but, I know it was a lady or a priestess, who was on the other side of the phone ...
In their phone conversation, this is exactly what the gentleman said to the lady: ...
_ I am with Rémy Sahlomon
_ Yes, I am with him
_ Yes of course...
We separated at midnight and shaking my hand, saying goodbye, he said, "you're going to travel!" I did not pay attention at all, because all the evening we had talked about Haiti, Africa, revolution, fraternity, friendship ... At the sound of music and the pace of the beers.
We separated at midnight in Bussy Saint Georges and since that day, HAITIAN, my brother and friend of a night has disappeared of my missing my emails, my phone ... but, never my memory and my story. .
THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE JOURNEY TO COLOMBIA
One or two days later and unexpectedly, a brother offered to accompany a Congolese artist in Colombia, for a tour of about 4 or 5 concerts.
Apart from a few hours of development with the dancers and the star (in a Parisian studio), it was the first time I went on tour, without making a single repetition worthy of the name. Some circumstances did not allow me to travel with other members of the group, so I traveled offline and missed the first concert (that of BOGOTA) ...
ARRIVAL IN CARTAGENA:
I arrived alone in Cartagena, with my only luggage, my guitar cover, my bass and my scarf. My suitcase never arrived in Cartagena, it was a month later that she found me in France. However, I admit that ROCIO AND MANUEL REYES (the big promoter) of CHAMPETA took good care of me.
CARTAGENA : _ DAIRO BARRIOSNUEVO is a great Colombian painter:
We were already friends on Facebook, but it is in Cartagena that Dairo Barriosnuevo and I have woven our bonds of friendship. We talked a lot about African music, especially about his arrival in Colombia.
PALENQUE / SIDNEY REYES REYES, (one of the best African music collectors)
Like Dairo Barriosnuevo, I was already friends with Sidney Reyes Reyes on Facebook and I immediately recognized him when I arrived in PALENQUE.
At PALENQUE Some things happened:
_ I almost went into a trance several times
_ I could not use my bass guitar (since it was constantly changing), so I had to use that of Chindo Angola Baharú (the bassist of the excellent band Champeta TRIBU BAHURU) ...
_ I composed a song (in the bus), which by extension became MUJER DE BARRANQUILLA.
_ Coming back to Cartagena, the bus fell and to finish my song, I preferred to finish the trip on an open-top utility vehicle to the surprise of everyone. It was crazy, but, I did it and the song is appreciated by the Public ...
ON THE ROAD OF RETURN:
Arrived at BOGOTA, where we were in transit, once again, for a reservation, all the musicians left before me and like to go, I had to travel alone to return in France to find my family.
THE TIME OF SONGES:
Back in France, I was getting ready for the West Indies, but every night I dreamed of Colombia. All the images that came to me in dreams were those of parties and every night I had the same feelings: the will to create a new rhythm and the spiritual strength that showed me Colombia every night in my dreams ...
One day, after a long moment of silence and meditation, without knowing why, but, driven by a desire to travel, create a new rhythm, found a group to replace the group LOKETO ... I sent a message to DAIRO BARRIOSNUEVO, to signify to him my desire to produce in COLOMBIA
It was he who contacted KUSUTO, who subsequently sent me an invitation. I had no idea where the concert was, I thought I was going to perform at CARTAGENA or PALENQUE.
It was by paying my plane ticket and booking my hotel room that I realized that it was in BARRANQUILLA that I was going to perform, a city I did not know yet.
ARRIVAL AND STAY IN BARRANQUILLA:
Curiously and contrary to the previous trip, where I had missed my flight on the way back and, during which I lost my luggage, my first trip to BARRANQUILLA, proceeded as if on many occasions, I had already made this trip. I was attentive to the spirit that guided me until I arrived in my hotel room.
KUSUTO SEAT
It was the day after my arrival that the manager of KUSUTO, Mr. ARIEL CACERES PALOMINO came to get me, because I needed a house to create my group, to repeat. Ariel was with: Dairo Barriosnuevo (painter), Paco Rastillo (radio host) and the two brothers Cantillo and like a poker game, one is a drummer (Jonathan) and the other is a singer. The formation of the group had just begun in the car of Ariel Caceres Palomino, between the hotel and the headquarters of the KUSUTO Foundation ...
Everyone was nice around me, but I began to feel the same sensation I had at PALENQUE on the previous trip. This feeling of trance that sometimes grabs me, when I'm on stage (but, it does not happen all the time, thankfully) ... In short, I had the impression to choke, so I proposed to Jonathan Cantillo and Paco Rastillo to take a short walk through the city ... This is how I met JAIRO SIRIS (a former Colombian high-level boxer) who has since become my brother and friend.
REVELATION
It was when we returned to KUSUTO's headquarters that something extraordinary happened.
At one point, there was an icy silence in the office, yet it was hot. Nobody said anything and I was sitting in front of Ariel Caceres. It was when he pulled out an image from his drawer, telling me MIRA (look) that I burst into tears in front of everyone, I was as if carried to another dimension, like in a dark movie theater, but in a movie where everything was clear. I saw myself in PALENQUE, the broken down bus, the lost baggage, the missed flights ... And the voice of L'HAITIEN who told me << you will say something there >>. I was sweating at great taste and this sentence came out of my mouth: << that's why I'm here! >> ...
A little later, Sidney Reyes arrived at the office ...and Jonathan Cantillo introduced me to ANDRES MAURICIO ISLAS (the solo guitarist) ...
HOUSING / REPETITION
... From hotels to hotels, from houses to houses and after much research, we ended up finding accommodation, in Manuela Bertrand neighborhood, where I could rehearse with the musicians. The next day SALPI GUERRERO arrived in the group, followed by TOMASITO AND IRMA ... The formation of the group was done quickly, SPIRITUALLY!
BARRANQUILLA THE WORLD CAPITAL OF AFRICAN MUSIC.One day Sidney Reyes picked me up for a radio show. Everything happened quickly enough.After a few minutes of broadcast, Sidney Reyes or Sofa asked me the question, _ WHY I'M IN BARRANQUILLA ?!
My answer was simple and short:
I AM IN BARRANQUILLA TO SAY THAT BARRANQUILLA IS THE WORLD CAPITAL OF AFRICAN MUSIC.
After the radio, SIDNEY REYES, SOFA AND I were so crazy with joy, that we had toured BARRANQUILLA to announce that BARRANQUILLA IS THE WORLD CAPITAL OF AFRICAN MUSIC. I never felt so free, so at peace with myself, I had just completed a mission ...
It was not me who decided it, it's the SPIRIT OF AFRICA WHO USED ME!I have not been mandated by an International Organization, but when the spirits of Africa send you, you will cross lands, deserts, seas, air ... You will arrive at your destination and you will fulfill your mission!This story is only a small sketch, there are several small details that I did not mention ... To be continued!_____________
After, I was I was presented to the XIVth Afro-Colombian Cultural Heritage of KUSUTO, it was very good ...
And on 07/11/2019, I was appointed ambassador, by the RAPEC-JMCA, the great organization, at the origin of the World Day of African Culture, the RAPEC! ...
I am also a traditional leader, initiated at the age of 3 in a region of Central Africa.
The mystery is not explained, but all that is visible comes from the invisible ... Executing a spiritual order is a divine duty that we must respect (according to SEKHMET)!
Thank you all
__
Makasi Yamungu