Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 23, 2002)
_______________ (Clic '{Ìarthinò OObseruer__________ October 23. 2002 Page B3 Focus Holding Traditions Dear I was raised around drums, that's where I came from. C --West African nativeand northeast Portland resident Obo Addy continued Ak. from Metro under the sponsorship o f the country’s Art Council. Even today, A ddy’s talents are still sought after. Last August he played with his African Band mates at the prestigous Lincoln Center in New York City and he is currently booked to play ten shows in Feb ruary at The Kennedy Center in W ashington DC. Music and dance has sustained Addy not just financially but spiri tually and physically as well. When he plays, he forgets his aches and pains. “When I play I feel stronger,” he explained. “If I’m sick, I feel bet ter.” Addy is adamant about keeping the old ways alive. It hasn’ t always been easy. Traditional ways were frowned upon by the British who were the colonial rulers of Ghana for many years. It wasn’t until 1958 That Ghana finally gained its inde pendence. It was the first African nation to gain independence from the British. But Addy said he plays for all of Africa. “The freedom of Ghana is mean ingless until the whole continent of Africa is free,” he said. Addy has always believed in his roots and the drumming passed down by his ancestors all the way to his father and ultimately himself. Now Addy keeps it alive by passing it on to others through lessons and workshops and per fo rm a n c e s in sc h o o ls and churches. Addy is the artistic director of Homowo: A frican Arts and C ul tures. He created the organiza tion to prom ote the sounds and culture o f Ghana. O ften Addy plays for free. His goal is not to generate a lot o f m oney for him self or to create a big nam e, he ju st w ants to keep the traditions alive and share the richness o f what A frica has given to his character and soul. H om ow o is a traditional festi val o f the people o f Accra. It is said that founders N iikoilai and N iiauikushie brought the festi val to the shores o f A ccra while escaping drought in central A f rica. In early spring the people start planting gardens. In M ay, there is no m usic in G hana. “The quietness signifies star vation,” said Addy. At the end o f 5 w eeks the people start harvesting and once again drum m ing and m usic fills village and town. Addy brings his own Homowo festival to the park blocks annu ally at PSU through the second w eek o f August. “I do this to prom ote more A frican m usic,” he said. A num ber o f high schools and colleges have been very inter ested in A ddy’s w orkshops and perform ances. “The kids love it,” he says, “they love learning the rhythm s.” At a recent concert at PSU students seem ed awe struck but A ddy’s drum m ing at a noon con cert. A fter the show Addy enter tained questions from the cu ri ous students and faculty. One w om an was troubled by the dom inance o f w estern music over ethnic music, but Addy said that it does w ork both ways. He cited the sam pling o f traditional A frican rhythm s in rap. “I heard som ething that was my m usic,” he said sm iling, “but it was to o ' short to make any m oney from .” WC Makes Stop at One Stop Records Mr. James Barry (left), the owner o f One Stop Records at 1615 NE Killingsworth, Angela White o f Portland Music Scene and Tim Spence (right), regional director of marketing for Universal Music, pose with DefJam recording artist, WC, during a recent visit to Portland. WC was in town Thrusday, Oct. 10 to promote the Oct. 22 release o f his new album, Ghetto Heisman. PHOTO BY M ,\RK WASHINGTON/THE PORTLAND OBSERVER Reality TV in Space Race ‘Survivor’ producer Mark Burnett is resurrect ing a iong-planned reality show that will send a winning contestant orbiting to the Interna tional Space Station on a Soyuz rocket. Burnett signed a deal this week with Russia's space agency and the country's largest TV network to train 20 contestants, who will gradually be eliminated by a panel of space officials. Co-producer Conrad Riggs says a launch of the show in November 2003 is planned. African Americans are dying at higher rates than whites from smoking related diseases. Every year about 45,000 African Americans die from smoking related diseases. OCTOBER 26-27 UAM-4PM FREE WITH ZOO ADMISSION INTERACTIVE TRICK-OR-TREAT SCAVENGER HUNT AND GAMES Prevention works, late to quit. it's never too Ask your doctor about smoking related diseases «1,». lf s o u r rig h t. African American Health Coalition, Inc. 2800 N. Vancouver Avenue-Suite 100 Portland, Oregon 97227 Phone: 503-413-1850 OUR TIGERS TURN 4 ON HALLOWEEN. COME CELEBRATE! O REGON G O O D '/ y CAR www.aahc-portland.org INFORMATION: www.oregonzoo.org o r 3 0 3 -2 2 0 -3 6 8 7 Take MAX to the Zoo! Call 303-238-RIDE for TriMet information Made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). I TCyC) I I
