Intl. Cultural Exchange

International Cultural Exchange Program – Global Peace Education

“The interconnectedness of languages, rivers, and forests, also celebrating culture through food, art, and music.”

Mexico:

The WorldBeat Cultural Center has had a presence in Mexico for over 20 years, producing concerts and bringing international artists for African drum and dance workshops and performances.  The youth of Baja California could not cross the border into the U.S. in order to attend African drumming and dance courses or Reggae music concerts.  With the growing violence in Mexico and especially in the state of Baja California, the WBC saw the need to bring African culture, drumming, and dance across the border.  Moreover, African drum & dance and Reggae music was both popular and prevalent in Mexico City, Veracruz and southern Mexico, but there were not many professional artists in Baja California.

The WorldBeat Center has collaborated with both state and municipal arts institutions in Baja California, including IMAC in Tijuana, CEARTE in Ensenada, Casa de Cultura in Ensenada, and Instituto de Cultura Baja California (ICBC) in Tijuana.  In 2006, the WorldBeat Center produced the Afro Caribbean Festival at ICBC in Tijuana, which was a festival of Reggae, Latin Jazz, and Steel drumming.  In 2009, the WBC invited an African drum and dance ensemble from Ghana, the Kusun Ensemble, to Ensenada.  The ensemble taught African drum and dance to the community of Ensenada in various dance studios.

In the midst of the most dangerous violence in Tijuana in 2009, the WBC produced the One Love Peace Concert, which was a sold out concert of 5,000 people.  We brought our Qigong instructor, Grandmaster Le Tian Da Shi to the concert.  He sent out a Prayer of Peace that was picked up by the entire audience. The Peace Pilgrim Foundation sent us thousands of books on peace in Spanish, which was Peace Pilgrims life story – Peace Education. The WBC knew that this was a dangerous mission but it proved to be necessary in a violent, torn city.

Originally, the WBC planned on developing a new cultural center in Tijuana.  In 2005, we opened a WorldBeat Center in Tijuana briefly on Ninos Heroes in downtown Tijuana.  Around this time, the local African drum and dance troupe in Tijuana moved to Ensenada.  We began producing more concerts in Ensenada, and the youth convinced us to put a cultural center in the heart of Ensenada.  By moving to Ensenada and producing concerts, the WBC saved the kids from having to go to Tijuana for Reggae music.

The WorldBeat Cultural Center opened the doors to its “Sister Center” in spring 2010 in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. As a Mexican non-profit organization, its mission is “to promote and present a Cross-Cultural exchange between traditional cultures of Mexico and the world through music, art, dance and education.”  The Civil Association is the first of many cultural centers to be opened and developed throughout the world.  The WorldBeat Cultural Center serves as a non-profit multicultural arts model.

Culture Beat A.C. collaborates with local Ensenada artists who currently teach dance, drumming, Diksha Giving, and Indigenous dance and drum classes at the center. The WorldBeat Cultural Center presents Master African Drum and Dance workshops, bringing artists from all over the world to fine tune the local artists’ skills.  Culture Beat A.C. also strives to promote and preserve the Afro-Indigenous/Afro Mexican culture by bringing original Afro-Mexican music from Veracruz.  The state of Veracruz was one of the main ports of entry for African slaves coming into the Americas; the presence of Afro-Mexico continues in San Cristobal, Veracruz, where the culturally rich music of Son Jarocho originates and African drum and dance festivals take place.  Culture Beat A.C. has brought Son Jarocho music to the Culture Beat A.C. with groups such as Son Del Centro, Las Cafeteras, Pa’ Su Meta.  One successful event “From Son Jarocho to Hip Hop” featured Mexican Hip Hop artist Boca Floja as well as the above mentioned bands.

The Culture Beat Performing Arts Center A.C. has produced dozens of concerts and cultural events since it opened its doors in 2010.  We are in our 3^rd year of hosting the Annual One Love Peace Concert – Bob Marley Day Mexico in Ensenada, although this large-scale, international music event has been produced by the WorldBeat Cultural Center for 11 years now in Mexico.  The center has produced famous international acts from all over the world, including but not limited to Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Chile, Senegal, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, and from all parts of the U.S.  Cultura Profectica, Gondwana, Sarazino, Sene Africa, Midnite, Sister Carol, Alika, The Skatalites, Bambu Station, Fidel Nadal, and The Toasters are just some of the many headliners that the new cultural center has been successful in producing.

Recently, the Culture Beat Performing Arts Center brought Master African Dance instructor Makaya and Master African Drum instructor Teber from the Congo to Ensenada to the UABC Valle Dorado arts department in Ensenada for professional African Drum & Dance workshops.  Ensenada has one of the strongest drum and dance communities in Baja California.  The Culture Beat has given the Ensenada community a strong presence of Reggae and African Drum & Dance; now we are introducing Cuban Drum & Dance.  Culture Beat A.C.’s Cross-Cultural Exchange Department will soon be culturally immersing a team of new Interns from UC San Diego.

Culture Beat A.C. brought the first Reggae music and African acts to the main stage at the annual Carnaval Ensenada.  The center has brought international artists such as Sene Africa for free performances at the First Street (Calle Primera) art festivals.  Makeda Dread has also been collaborating with the university radio station at UABC.  The Prophet Vegetarian cuisine has moved into the city, participating in an International Gastronomy Festival at Ventana del Mar.  Bob Marley Café, sponsored by Marley Beverages, will open in 2012 at the Culture Beat Center.

Lately, there has been tension between Blacks and Mexicans in the U.S. especially in southern California; to have an Executive Director who is Black and to be in Mexico creates cultural unity.  The Mexican staff at the WorldBeat Center in San Diego have experienced a deeper level of their culture and have become less apprehensive about the separation from their root culture since the opening of its Sister Center.

Peru:

The WorldBeat Cultural Center is working to support the rich cultural traditions of the Afro-Peruvian and indigenous populations of Peru.

One such project is The Amador Ballumbrosio Cultural Center in El Carmen, Peru. The center strives to support Afro-Peruvian music, art and culture. Amador Ballumbrosio was considered the godfather of Afro-Peruvian music and his spirit lives on through his children who are the keepers of the tradition. This project is their dream. The Ballumbrosio family has been offering Cajon, violin and Zapatero workshops in the small quarters of their house for generations. After the massive earthquake that hit Peru on August of 2007, the family’s adobe dwelling experienced large cracks in the walls and ceilings and they were nearly forced to evacuate. After the quake it became clear that the family would need to find a larger space in which to present and teach Afro-Peruvian music.  The Amador Ballumbrosio Cultural Center will not only serve as a space for the preservation of Afro-Peruvian music but will also provide a safe space for the youth of El Carmen to gather in celebration of their cultural roots.

The town of El Carmen in the region of Chincha, is home to a majority of African descendants who are an important part of the rich culture and history of Peru. This valuable history is at risk of being extinct. The community desperately needs inspiration and revitalization. The Amador Ballumbrosio cultural center will offer a sense of pride and prove to visitors that the African roots of Peru are valuable and strong.  Construction of the cultural center began in 2008 but is now at a standstill due to lack of funds.  The family has hopes of building a performance and workshop space as well as a technology component where young people from the community will be able to document and share their culture with the world.

Additionally, the WorldBeat Cultural Center is working to help support the Aylala, Bora and Yagua tribes in Iquitos Peru. Due to the lack of economic opportunities in their villages, these tribes have been forced to relocate to tourist destinations in order to support their families.  Although they are visited by a handful of tourists a day, they still struggle to keep their families intact and maintain their traditions. For example there are rich medicinal plants in these lands that have been known to cure diseases but they are not widely known. WorldBeat Center Peru is working to bring light to the important cultural traditions in the Amazon that the world is in need of now more than ever.