Night of Fire

I'm performing at a show tomorrow called Night of Fire. It's a benefit concert for African immigrant and refugee youth, and funds raised at the even will go towards $5,000 scholarships for 10 students. I am so excited to be part of it! If you're in the edmonton area, make sure to check it out...it would be the best $25 you spent on a friday night. The main act is a reggae group called Souljah Fyah, for those of you who have heard them, you already know! For those who haven't, they are absolutely fantastic, so go and get a ticket immediately. Politic Live will also be performing, they're basically the face of hiphop in the edmonton community right now, and their community involvement is astounding. I've been blessed to work with them on their upcoming compilation called Jali (More on this later). This project will really bring to light the hidden struggles of immigrant or refugee students. Getting to Canada is really only the first half of the battle, they often find themselves with such a financial burden that they eventually drop out of school. We all know that education is KEY! Which is why this event is so important. So be there or be square!

Like water

Where do I start?? It really has been a very long time, and I've now shifted into a completely different phase in my life. I graduated from university, and I'm now a full time, 9 to 5, salaried employee! I'm actually really enjoying my job, but outside of that so many new and exciting things are happening! I continue to work on my #1 passion, poetry! I'm breaking out of my box and allowing myself to try new things, fall down... get back up again, I may slow down...but never turn around. When I look back at where I was even a year ago, it's amazing how far I've come. I've learned that in sharing my art, I open myself up to blessings I never thought possible. Yes, I know I haven't been very good at updating this blog...but I'm too busy living!!! There's so much going on right now that I'll share in time. I'm working on attaining and maintaining a mind like water, never overreacting or underreacting, but perfectly ready to absorb all that comes my way.
love love love!

I'm back

The school year is coming to an end, and for me it'll be the very last one. I'm almost done!! I've been at this thing for 5 years now and I couldn't be happier it over. At the same time it means a lot of big decisions, I guess it's time to grow up. I'm in the process of finding a job right now and I'm really nervous about making the right choice, because it not only affects me but my relationship as well. Ah.. choices. In my other life, the poetry thing is going really well, I've had 2 shows since the last one I posted about. Both went really well. I've also been invited to do another event mid april. In the mean time i'm working on a piece for a poetry contest at my university. First price is $1,000 and being published in the graduation book for my graduating class, pray for me :) That's about all that new with me right now. I have a few new pieces that i'll be posting soonish. This one's a bit older and is still untitled and unfinished heh!



Let it be your intellect
That turns heads
‘Cause eager eyes following lips and hips and dips
won’t gain respect.
Let it be the self knowledge
Radiating in your eyes
That gets you noticed
Know this
You are worth more than
Insolent lips raining catcalls
Than hands grabbing and tapping
Because you
are a temple

Let it be your wit
That commands applause
Not that hip swinging you think deserves praise
Find a cause
Let it be your kindness
That wins acclaim
You were born for greatness
no less
be that daughter, sister, mother, friend
who others aspire to be
be wise and see
That this skin is temporary
Your mind is all that will remain
Again

Let it be wisdom, and knowledge
That you find in that quiet
When the fantasies of adolescence
Gives way to the realization
That all along in feeding your heart and mind
You have truly filled your spirit

Self examination

So i've watched the video of my performance over and over, and even though everyone tells me how great it was, all I see is my hands. Haha. Why am I gesturing so wildly. Truth is I am my biggest critic. I set standards for myself that are sometimes ridiculous, but at the same time these standards are what set me apart and I love that. A year ago if someone told me I'd be performing poetry in front of a crowd of people, I would've run away crying. I really have come a long way and I'm loving my brave new self. I have a week off school which is fantastic. I've promised myself I'd write one new piece, and memorize one old one. I'm yet to do either, I'm the best procrastinator you'll ever meet. Every time I update my blog, I wonder if anyone out there actually reads it. I guess it doesn't really matter, because for me it's about keeping a record of myself somewhere out there so I can look back on it from time to time. It's all about pushing boundaries and I think it's about time I started doing that. So to the invisible reader out there, go out and do something brave today :)

Stepping out

This weekend was full of activity. I'm worn out. I was asked to do a piece for Legacies '08, a black history month event being held in Calgary by a group of talented individuals known as Collectively Eclectic. I'd been so excited to do it. I had a bus ticket booked for 5:30 pm for me and 2 of my friends who are part of my step team that actually battled another team at the show. We didn't end up leaving the city till almost 7 pm. The bus driver and all the other employees at the bus station were completely unapologetic about it too. Trying to sass ME!! Man I have a few words to say to greyhound. But we finally made it there 3+ hours later and went straight to bed. The show the next day was FANTASTIC! So much talent in one room...It was just too much. I have to applaud the people who put this event together. It was just a great great great evening. African dancers, drummers, steppers, break dancers, singers etc. Good times. The poem was very well received. I completely skipped over a verse which I cried like a baby about later, but no one noticed and the reception was heart warming. My team also won the step battle which was great. I'm just really glad that I'm making such strides getting out of my shell, sharing my poetry and opening new and exciting doors for myself. Life is good :)

Here's the piece...

I am
Gap tooth girl
back corner of class
Scribbling left-handed poetry on blank paper
Save the school’s curriculum for later

I am
Overflowing ancient African
Tales by moonlight
That informal education
Connecting and overlapping
Modern history

I am
Fast and fluent Yoruba
Criss crossing English
Hidden messages in
prose and proverbs
Call it “Yorubanglish”

I am
Rich Hi-life rhythm
marrying heavy hip-hop beats
That pop lockin’, 1-2 stepping
Blended over back bending
fluid hip shaking

I am
Sky high gele
Bold and beautiful
Meets super stretch skinny jeans
Cowry shells wrapping wrists
Bright and wonderful
They call it “Afro-centric”

I am
Perfect pendulum swinging
Afro…Canadian
Legacies of age old traditions
Incantations of ancient griots
Free flowing spoken word poetry

I
cling tightly on to Africa
This land that shaped me
I watch as poverty, corruption
And lack of opportunity
Inspires creativity
And still leaves room for
Unexplainable hope
Unbelievable strength

I stand deeply rooted in its culture
Reinforced by the history in it soils
While looking on at new horizons
Blending old and new
This wonderful fusion of
Traditional
contemporary
This is who I am…

Home again

Going back home was definitely an experience. The flight was long and uncomfortable, punctuated by the anticipation of just getting there. When I finally arrived it was like something literally changed in the air, like something came alive. Anyone who has ever had the naija airport experience knows that it is one of kind. Its something like a race to finish, everyone scrambling to get through the "immigration" and somehow fight through the crowd to get their luggage. Some people have this down to an art, slip a few naira notes into a hand here or there and you could cut your waiting time in half. The entire time I am thinking, where's the fire?

I knew immediately that I was truly home. I haven't felt so completely connected to everything around me in a long time. I absolutely loved it! Its amazing how much things can change in 10 years yet remain surprisingly the same. Even though I returned for my grandfather's funeral, the biggest thing on my mind was seeing my last living grandparent. My grandmother on my father's side is all I have left in terms of grandparents and I knew I just absolutely HAD to see her. There's a greater kind of appreciation you have for your grandparents when you're able to look at them with new, more mature eyes. All her wisdom just seeps from her skin. I've never known anyone more God fearing and spiritual than my grandmother. On the drive to her house from mine, a 30 minute drive in reality, but in naija traffic 1-2 hours, I could barely contain myself. I had this fear even on the flight to Nigeria that somehow along the way, she would pass away before I got a chance to see her.

We finally arrived and I all but flew up the stairs and knocked excitedly on the door. No answer. Knocked again. Then from somewhere inside the house a small voice. She was even smaller than I remembered. Barely 5 feet tall, 100 pounds soaking wet. It's hard to imagine that someone so small and fragile has seen so much life. We sat and visited with her for a while, she wanted to know everything that's been going on our lives. Work, school, boyfriends, in order that she might pray for my sisters and I everyday like she already does. I hated having to leave her. I pray that I get to see her again soon.

My grandfather's funeral was indeed a celebration of life. One thing I love about Nigerian culture. Funerals, when it comes to those who have lived a long and fruitful life, are looked upon with joy and happiness. There was some crying, but I remember mostly dancing, laughing and fond memories. My mom asked me 2 days before my trip, to write a tribute to my grandfather to put in the program for the funeral. I struggled to do so in between packing and final exams and eventually wrote something that I'm still unsatisfied with till this day. I recently wrote a poem to express the frustration I felt about not being able to find the words.

Grandpa Igbobi

I wanted to write you a poem
Etch you bold and timeless
Wanted to sing your praise
Find words to describe you flawless
Dug deep in the recess of memory
To piece together
Smell, touch, sound

I wanted to write you a poem
Something to look back on
In remembrance
Speak of your success
Give you one last dance
Show your legacy in your
Children, grandchildren, great grandchildren

I wanted to write you a poem
Fluid and beautiful
Tell of your kindness
Show your strength
Explain your quiet nature
Describe you
Smile, suit, mahogany cane

I just couldn’t find the words
Didn’t know the things to say
To describe you
Truly and completely
I just couldn’t find the words
To paint you vibrant and wonderful

But your poetry
Is in
Yewande, Eniola, Funke,
Adeola, Abiola, Abimbola,
Funlola, Adebiyi, Somide,
Morenike, Ibilola, Afolake,
Ayodele, Olukemi, Ibilola Coker,
Taiwo, Kehinde, Dupe,
Tunde, Oluwaseun, Ayoola,
Morgan, Korede, Blake.

In me

Asa

I was just recently introduce to an artist named Asa, and my goodness! She is just a breath of fresh air, a fellow Nigerian so you know I couldn't be more proud. Her music speaks to something deep inside of me and I just can't help but love her. There is just so much talent coming out of Nigeria its amazing.
more later