The Untold Foundation presents the 4th edition of the Black Heritage Festival (BHF), which will take place from June 1 to July 1, 2024. The festival is dedicated to Afrofuturism and offers a diverse program featuring lectures, seminars and panel discussions, music and dance workshops, the Pantsula dance masterclass, the theater performance UMA, and the Keti Koti Concert, all of which celebrate culture and the strength and beauty of the African diaspora.
New: UMA Theater Production
The festival kicks off with the theater production “UMA,” directed by Raymi Sambo, choreographed by Desta Deekman, and with Orlando Ceder as musical director. The performance tells the stories of courageous women who fought against slavery and colonial rule in the Caribbean, South America, and Africa.
During the festival, visitors can also attend lectures, seminars, and workshops that explore topics such as Afro-spirituality, cultural heritage, and mental well-being in greater depth. The BHF’s opening night will be hosted by Nicole Terborg.
International guests from Curaçao and South Africa
At the invitation of Untold, anthropologist and author Rich and poor A guest from Curaçao. He will speak about his latest work “Afro-Spirituality and Law in the Caribbean: An In-Depth Exploration.” In his lectures, held in collaboration with The Black Archives and the Wereldmuseum, he highlights the influence of African heritage on the cultural, economic, and spiritual reality of the Caribbean.
The South African choreographer is also The Revival specially invited to the master class Pantsula for dance professionals and students at arts schools. Pantsula is a South African dance style that originated during the apartheid era. This dance style is popular among young performing artists and cultural creators worldwide.
Homegrown experts
Contributors to various programs will include Chavella Overman of Nzuri Creates, Melanin Kris, Jennifer Muntslag, Sergio Edwards, Ryan Van Heynigen, Noëlgel Pinedo, and Marlon Francis, among others.
For music lovers, the festival will conclude with the “Ketiquoti Concert’ by the Black Harmony music ensemble, in which visitors are taken on a musical journey through the shared history of the Netherlands and Suriname with traditional and modern musical arrangements. With an eye toward the future, the performance will explore how African heritage can be approached in an innovative way and presented to a broad and diverse audience.
Collaboration Partners
The Black Heritage Festival is made possible in part by the Fund for Cultural Participation, the City of Amsterdam (Zuidoost District), the Mondriaan Fund, and the DNB Culture Fund. Collaborating partners include the Bijlmer Parktheater, Kunstlinie, Theater Zuidplein, Wereldmuseum, Black Harmony, the Eternity Percussion Foundation, Ninsee, The Black Archives, Ninsee, Pakhuis de Zwijger, CMNTY, and Southeast Drum Academy.