A fantastic opportunity for schools to celebrate a long standing relationship, delve into a new culture and celebrate difference within their own classrooms.

Now, we rarely tackle this directly, because we believe people are allowed their own freedoms and can be called to all art forms that call to their heart. But honestly if you want an enriching cultural experience in your classroom you would do well to check with your provider that the practitioner visiting is from and of that culture.

Why?

If you have diversity in your classroom what message do you think it sends that even on a day to celebrate their culture they still do not see themselves represented?

What message does it send a classroom without diversity?

Being of a culture means you have an intimate depth and knowledge, an alternative perspective – you can catch the curve ball question and turn it into one of those wonderful educational experiences we all do this for.

We all drum regularly with British guys, we care for them deeply and really admire their skills. But it doesn’t mean they understand the culture, it means they learned a bit about a bit of it!

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. We are in classrooms daily. We take this responsibility of breaking down stereotypes seriously. We talk about a diversity we know exists. We will not tell your class everyone in Africa drums and lives a romantic communal life. We will not tell you we are all poor and in need of your help. We do not claim to represent all Ghanaians, Senegalese, Gambians of Guineans. We all have friends like my mate Counsellor (crazy nick names are a thing invite me to your school and I’ll tell you all about it) – he is a great accountant, a bit of a recluse and he really, really can’t dance.

So as we look to celebrate a long relationship, with moments of great joy and great pain, it probably needs careful handing. Please look to call on an organisation who can offer a genuine cultural experience, within its context.

Locally to us in Southampton we have the fantastic Art Asia.

http://artasia.org.uk/schools-community-workshop/