Trinity CE VC Primary School

Black History Workshops

Last week, during Black History Month, we were lucky to welcome Akulah and Vanessa from the Sheeba Soul Ensemble to our school to learn more about ‘The Bridgwater Petition’ and African art and music.

Akulah held a whole school assembly teaching us about the community, colour and joy that is expressed through so many African Art forms.  We learnt that a community very near to here, in Bridgwater, found out about slavery and decided it was wrong and sent a petition to parliament.  It was the first of many more whose combined effort brought an end to the British involvement in the slave trade.  Akula discussed Unity and chose one child from each Year group 1-6 to reproduce some beautiful African Art.

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We learnt that the root of Black Music is in using our bodies and voices.  We always carry our bodies and voices with us.  We sang a call and response song in the Mende language from Sierra Leone.  We created music with our voices and our bodies and we copied a routine from ‘The Percussion Show’. 

We learnt that instruments would be made from things around them such as shells; seeds; trees; reeds and grasses and we looked at some of these amazing handmade instruments.   ASH class were excited to see a thumb piano as this instrument features in our class book next term! 

They used all the instruments to make and band and Chester was the conductor!  We closed our eyes to listen to some beautiful Koras being played and reflected on how it made us feel and what it made us think of…

Lottie  “I was in bed snuggling with my dog”    Raina “I felt happy”

Ruby S “A squirrel running up a tree”               Harry “I was a ninja protecting a village”

Sienna “I was in an audience and people were playing the piano”

Isaac “I felt calm, I was on the beach looking for seaglass." 

All of our ideas were made into a call and response song!  It was a wonderful morning that all the children enjoyed!