Overview and Brief History:
2000 census data shows that there are 1,416 “Sub-Saharan Africans” living in Albuquerque. The Sub-Saharan region includes 47 countries, each with its own cultures and languages. While many of these cultures and countries are represented in Albuquerque, no single one of them is represented in large numbers. Small groups of Nigerians, Zimbabweans, or Kenyans, etc. gather together for certain holidays or parties, but there is no cohesive “Sub-Saharan” community.

A sizeable community has, however, begun to grow in Albuquerque around African music and dance. This community, which has a larger counterpart in Santa Fe, is made up of several African dance and drumming instructors, a few non-African instructors, and many students who are, generally, non-African, as well. A pan-African students’ group called AFRICA (an acronym for Africa’s Friends Reaching the International Community for Africa) has formed at the University of New Mexico and is growing in both numbers and involvement with the community outside the University. While many of the cultural and ethnic communities in Albuquerque are not as strong today as they were a decade or more ago, this collection of small groups of Africans is growing in strength, and is just beginning to form community.

Immigration to the United States and Albuquerque:
The first African immigrants to arrive in the United States were brought against their will through the slave trade to work plantations. This is the American portion of early African-American heritage. This is not, thankfully, the story of today’s African immigrants who have come here by choice. While there were a few scattered Africans arriving in the United States even before the end of slavery, most Africans began coming to the United States in significant numbers after the Second World War. This was a time in Africa of independence struggles, and conditions in many countries were very difficult.

Today, many of the same factors that drove other earlier immigrant communities to the US, are bringing African immigrants to the US. These include the search for better economic opportunities, escape from political upheaval at home, and various forms of persecution. During the nearly 200 year period between 1820 and 1995 less than 450,000 African immigrants entered the United States. This is a very small number when compared with Asian immigrants who have recently come close to that number in only one year. The vast majority of African immigrants have arrived after 1980.

Today, African immigrants make up a rather elite group of incoming immigrants. African-born Americans have one of the nation’s highest incomes per capita among all immigrant groups. One in four African-born immigrants has an advanced college degree, making them one of the highest educated of all immigrant groups. African immigrants tend to live in or around large cities, and nearly half live in the four states of Texas, California, Maryland, and New York.

The first African born visitor to New Mexico was the Moroccan slave Estavanico, in 1539, whose story is chronicled further in the African American Community report. The modern African community in Albuquerque arrived considerably later. Most of the African immigrants who live in Albuquerque today came for reasons of education; either as students or to teach. There are many “Sub-Saharan” African countries represented in Albuquerque, each with its own history of immigration. One such country is Kenya.

The first and, perhaps, only real “wave” of Kenyan immigrants came during the 50’s and 60’s. Kenya was at that time still a British colony and under the apartheid system. During World War II, Kenyans had been obliged to fight for the British Crown. After the War soldiers returned home only to be, once again, treated as second class citizens. This spurred the country into a civil war; a war for independence. The Soviet Union got involved and began encouraging Kenyans to relocate to Russia for training in various areas supportive of the Soviet cause. The US followed suit, and airlifted many Kenyans to the US to be settled in small college towns in New Mexico, Iowa, and other states.

The idea was that these Kenyans would receive training, or education, here in the United States, and would then return to Kenya to implement a structure of “democracy.” Many did return to Kenya, and some stayed and made New Mexico home. Since that time a steady stream of Kenyans have arrived in New Mexico, primarily as students of the University. Ten or fifteen years ago, when Kenya’s economy was more stable, more students were coming, but fewer stayed. Now, with economic opportunities in Kenya at a low, the students who do make it to the United States often stay here.

An addition to the African-Kenyan community in Albuquerque is the presence of Kenyans of East Indian descent. Many Indians who have been living in Kenya for generations have also migrated to the United States. Several of these families live here in Albuquerque, and own restaurants, dry cleaners, and hotels along Central Avenue. Members of these two Kenyan communities come together upon occasion over shared history, culture and Swahili language.

There are small communities in Albuquerque from, among other countries, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Senegal, and South Africa. There are communities of students at the University from each of these, as well as other, countries, but these communities are, for the most part, transient.

Cultural Traditions:
Many of the African traditions observed in Albuquerque revolve around communication. One relatively new form of communication that has greatly increased the ability of immigrant communities to “keep in touch” with home communities and cultures is the Internet. An immigrant living in the United States can read the morning paper from Nigeria, sometimes even before Nigerians can. This new technology also helps immigrants to retain home language skills by presenting an ever-increasing body of readable text.

Language is an area of concern for many African immigrants in Albuquerque. Households in which both parents are African language speakers can teach their children fluency before they reach school age. In families where only one parent is African the job becomes much more difficult; a concerted effort must be made. Language is seen to be a primary carrier of culture and, yet, often parents do not want to handicap their children’s assimilation into American culture by making them bi-lingual. Other times it is the children who are unwilling to learn the language. Some families keep language alive through music and ceremony.

An East African language that is spoken by many in Albuquerque’s African community, and that is recognized worldwide, is Swahili. Swahili or, more properly, Kiswahili was developed during or before the 7th century in Kenya and Tanzania. It is part of the Bantu branch of the Niger-Congo language family. While the grammar and syntax of the language are distinctly Bantu, both Swahili language and culture have grown as a kind of fusion of an African foundation heavily influenced by trade with a number of Asian and European cultures.

The primary outside influence is that of Arabic culture. The primary religion of Swahili speakers is Islam, and it has imparted a strong Arabic influence on the language. The word Swahili comes from an Arabic word meaning “of the coast.” Persian is another early influence on Swahili. Portuguese also came ot have an impact of the development of Swahili during the time, from 1500-1700 AD, that Portugal controlled many East African port towns. Later colonial powers, namely the British and the Germans, also left their mark on Swahili.

As Swahili was altered by incoming cultures, so did it influence outwardly. Swahili traveled inland and is now spoken in parts of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and other central African countries. It has also come to be spoken in the southern African countries of Zambia, Malawi and South Africa. Swahili traveled outward from Africa, to the islands of Madagascar and Comoro, to Oman and to the United Arab Emirates. Trade and Christian missionaries helped to spread the language. Today, Swahili is the primary language for more than one million people, and is the second language for another ten million.

Another communication tradition that is a part of life in Albuquerque for many African immigrants is the tradition of speaking in proverbs. It was said that in Uganda people can easily speak in proverbs for upwards of three hours. Proverbs sprinkle everyday language, as well. These are not necessarily the traditional proverbs of a culture, although those are frequently used as well. These are proverbs which are generated on the spot. They generally have several layers of meaning, and are made for the listener to decipher. Children are often spoken to in proverbs. This not only acts as a teaching tool, and gives them something memorable to refer to in the future, it also teaches them to think quickly, deeply, abstractly, and critically.

One African immigrant who presents his art to children in the Albuquerque schools speaks to them in proverbs to get that part of their brain active early. They love it. There are other African traditions in educating children that are being introduced in Albuquerque, as well. In many African cultures, children learn together in age groups. Groups, from 0-5, 6-9, etc. learn to dance, to play, to use their hands together. They learn respect for life, family, and for their teachers. They learn that actions have consequences; and they learn cultural values, stories, music, etc. To learn and uphold the culture becomes the purpose of the education, which is seen as a positive occupation.

From the time a child is old enough to conceive of something, that thing is taught. Peer groups learn to supervise each other, so that the involvement of elders in disputes is rarely necessary. If the group of children can not resolve a problem on their own, they go to the next age group older. Children keep one another on track in terms of age appropriate development. If a child falls behind, the others rally to pull them along. By the time children reach adulthood, everyone knows their role and how to carry it out. That way, most of the thinking can go toward individual, original pursuits; what is needed to fulfill community obligation has by this time become natural. Traditionally, this education was imparted in small community settings. It has now been incorporated into Africa’s school systems.

Food traditions are maintained to some degree in Albuquerque, when ingredients are available. Food in East Africa has been heavily influenced by the presence of East Indians. There was at one time an Indian/African restaurant in Albuquerque, but it closed. It is hard to get the spices necessary for the preparation of this food in Albuquerque. People get together several times a year on holidays to cook and eat together. But, it was pointed out several times, American culture keeps people so busy, it is almost impossible to make this a regular practice. African food is simple, and when prepared in Africa is always fresh. Rice, beans and chilies are staple foods in many African countries. Beans are prepared in a variety of ways. Mai mai is a simple bean cake made of beans, eggs and chilies is one food that is made in Albuquerque on a regular basis, as is a kind of fried, circular, bean bread. Fufu is a dish made of cassava, yams, and/or rice.

The student group AFRICA shows African films on campus that deal with a variety of themes in various African cultures. Last year, the American Ambassador to Zambia came to campus to discuss AIDS in Africa.

Artistic Traditions:
Many of the artistic traditions that are being introduced into the Albuquerque community by African immigrants are musical traditions. There is a large community of African dancers and drummers in Santa Fe, and a similar community is growing here. For about a year, an African dance school called Blue Tribe existed on Central avenue. It was associated with an organization called Panjea Foundation for Cultural Education. The owners of this school, one Zimbabwean dancer, who also teaches African dance at UNM, and her non-African husband (who plays African music and who is very involved with African culture), lead summer dance camps and cultural tours to Zimbabwe through Panjea. Ten artists are brought in each year for the dance camp. These artists come from the Congo, Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Zimbabwe, New York, San Francisco, LA, Detroit, Salt Lake City, and London. The Blue Tribe School is now called the Maple Street Community Dance Space. Classes and workshops are still offered.

Because she is engulfed in certain aspects of her culture, and because her husband has and is learning her culture, this dancer feels that she is more able to keep connected than many other immigrants. She has more of an understanding of and appreciation for her culture now that she has something else to compare it to. She is working hard to pass the rhythms, music, and dance of her culture on to her children who are immersed in that on a daily basis, while she is teaching it to others, who are often not African. A community is growing around African music and dance that is made of people who are not from Africa, but who are interested in Africa. So, a cohesive group is forming, not only of Africans, but of people influenced by African music and dance. Both African dance and African drumming are currently being taught at the University of New Mexico.

Through the emergence of this African dance community a number of artists and the instruments they play have been introduced to Albuquerque. Classes in the playing of these instruments are also occasionally offered. One of the instruments that has been brought to Albuquerque is the Mbira. The Mbira is an instrument of the Shona people in Zimbabwe. The word Mbira is used to refer to the whole instrument, to its metal keys, and to the entire musical tradition. The full name of the instrument is Mbira dza Vadzimu, or Mbira of the Ancestral Spirits. The instrument and its music are completely interwoven with Shona beliefs and spiritual practices. The Mbira consists of 22 to 28 specifically shaped and sized metal tabs, or keys, mounted on a hardwood soundboard. The Mbira is then wedged in a calabash (gourd) to resonate and amplify the sound. The Mbira is played with thumbs stroking downward on the keys and the right forefinger stroking upward. Small items, such as bottle caps, metal beads or, in the older tradition, shells are attached to a metal plate which is affixed to the lower portion of the soundboard for an added buzz. This buzz is central to the music. Mbira pieces are cyclical, and the musician can start a piece at any point in the cycle. Generally, two Mbira players perform simultaneously, playing lead and accompanying parts, and are joined by a pair of small gourd rattles called hosho.

The Mbira tradition is more than one thousand years old. The instrument is used at ancestral ceremonies, and is used to call the ancestors. The metal for the keys is traditionally smelted iron ore from the mountainside burial grounds of past Shona chiefs. In this way, some part of the ancestors is present within the instrument. Other materials used to make the instrument are from the environment, sources of food, shelter, and fuel. The instrument then, with the addition of the player, symbolically combines all of the elements of Shona life.

Two world renowned Mbira players have developed relationships with Albuquerque. One is Stella Chiweshe, who has come in association with the Blue Tribe School to give performances and hold workshops. Chiweshe is one of the few women in the tradition. The other Mbira musician is Thomas Mapfumo. Mapfumo is internationally recognized, and is known is his home country as the Conquering Lion of Zimbabwe. His musical style is called Chimurenga, and his music is highly political. Some of his songs have been banned in Zimbabwe, and he has earned an ardent following of Zimbabwe’s less privileged and working class. Mapfumo’s first live concert album, El Rey, was recorded in Albuquerque at the El Rey Theater. Manny Rettinger, who is an audio engineer affiliated with both the Outpost Theater and the University of New Mexico, has toured with Mapfumo.

Another African musician, from another part of the continent, with ties to Albuquerque is Prince Diabaté, the internationally known Kora musician. Diabaté’s wife, who is also an accomplished Kora player, lives in Albuquerque and, while Diabaté is currently residing in Los Angeles, he visits Albuquerque often. Diabaté is from a long line of Mandinka djélis (or griots, in French) in Guinea. The family’s history stretches back some 700 years to the Mandingo Empire, which encompassed a large part of the West African region. Djélis were traditionally musical storytellers, holders of the oral historical record, praise singers, and advisors to the king. The tradition, which is still very strong today, is passed down orally from parent to child.

The Kora is frequently described as a lute-harp. It has 21 strings typically, but other styles often use more; the strings are played by the thumbs and forefingers. The Kora is made by cutting a calabash in half. The open side of the calabash is then covered with cow hide that dries to fit the gourd’s shape. A long, hardwood neck is fastened across the calabash to which strings are attached. Fishing line of varying thickness is generally used for strings. The Kora involves an intricate playing style that has been likened to that of Flamenco guitar. The instrument has a three and a half octave range. The Kora is played in Mali, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, and Senegal.

Another form of music that is played here is “Highlife.” This is a fusion of Nigerian tribal music and Western music. It is dance music for all ages. Highlife plays on the differences between the two cultures and their musical instruments. It also highlights the similarities. A wooden drum is played very fast, and is likened to Western synthesized, electric sounds. Ibos, Yoruba, and other groups play Highlife. Now it is being played in Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the United States. There is also a fair amount of “cross-pollenization” between Hatian and African music in Albuquerque. The local group, Racin Kreol (Roots Mixture), that currently plays every other week at a local Jamaican restaurant, is an example of this trend.

In some African cultures, the capacity for creating art is believed to be internal. It can be passed on genetically from one generation to another. It is also external. It can be learned by watching elders. As a child, one sees a member of his/her family creating art and thinks, if he can do that, I can do that. Art is so much a genetic trait that kings would invite artists, even if they were commoners, to marry into the family so that the artistic gene would be carried through the king’s lineage.

Furniture making and woodworking are primary arts in many African countries. As with musical traditions, woodworking helps African artists to maintain a connection to the homeland. The process of the art, so intricately woven with the process of the culture, reminds the artist of deeply ingrained cultural values and feelings. Woodcarving is often used in West Africa to create ceremonial objects.

One Nigerian woodworker makes both carvings and earrings. The earrings are often in the shape of animals. He carves images of popular American celebrities, such as the Reagans, Richard Nixon, and James Brown; the latter done in Nigeria after the performer had done a concert there. He has been influenced by the New Mexico cultural environment and landscape. He has made carvings of a Pueblo dance scene, and makes roadrunner and coyote earrings. Another Nigerian woodworker also knows how to make Nigerian musical instruments, primarily drums, but between labor and supply costs it ends up being much more economical to import and sell them. He owns Safari Crafts, an African import store at the Cottonwood Mall.

There is a community of African runners in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico. Every year Kenyan track stars come to Albuquerque to train in the high altitude. A couple of years ago a rising young track star from Kenya moved to Albuquerque, graduated from La Cueva High School, where he won the state championship, and is now running for UNM. The presence of these well known athletes brings momentary focus to the community.

Annual Events and Festivals:
As of this writing there are no pan-African community events in the Albuquerque area. Smaller communities gather together a few times a year for special occasions, such as weddings or baptisms. Gratitude is expressed toward ancestors during these celebrations, and community members dance traditional dances, tell stories, talk about what’s happening back home, and eat traditional foods.

There are some rituals maintained here in Albuquerque. One of these is the Zimbabwean baby naming ceremony. The Shona believe that there are ancestors who are guides, and who protect you, throughout your life. These ancestors must be called upon to recognize the baby and to be present in this new life. After the ancestors are called, the baby is presented to the community. Music and dancing follow. A similar ritual is performed during the God Parent ceremony.

A Zimbabwean Thanksgiving ceremony takes place on October 18th. This is always a large family gathering. The lineage’s main ancestor is thanked, and their story told.

One final ceremony from Zimbabwe that takes place in Albuquerque is a cleansing ceremony. This ceremony, called the Rugezo, is a six day ritual that takes place at any time that it is needed. On the first three days the participant wakes up before the sun rises and travels to running water. The running water symbolizes the letting go of things. The following three days are spent in and near still water. This symbolizes the time of stillness necessary to let new, more positive things in. The community is involved in that they acknowledge afterward that you have gone through this process and have succeeded.

The summer camp that was started by the Blue Tribe School has an annual rite of passage ceremony for preteens entering puberty. A path is created by lining women up on one side and men on the other. Youths are tied wrist to wrist to one of their parents. The two dance and sing together. Then the child breaks the tie, representing that they are entering a new stage of life.

Conclusions:
The African community in Albuquerque is small because it is young; it is a very vibrant community. Summerfest was seen by this community to be one of the few events at which cultural difference was visible in Albuquerque. It brought joy. Three cultures are the focus of attention in Albuquerque, and this overshadows all of the other vibrant cultures in New Mexico. That attitude doesn’t encourage other cultural groups to come forward. Education and more city sponsored cultural activities are needed.

The media and the public education system in this country have not given an accurate portrayal of the cultures of Africa. The schools should focus on bringing a more rounded education, should bring more people from the culture to come in and talk about and demonstrate their practices. Artists should be brought in for summer children’s programs. This should be sponsored by the city. Bring in new, contemporary, “hip” artists to interest young people.

The African community could use a multicultural space where people could display their art, food, and other traditions. Growing up in Africa there was a community obligation to impart culture to children. Here the society is individualistic. Communities need something to draw them together. Summerfest did this. Instead of bringing one African, or other, musician a year, bring five. That way people will begin to recognize the culture. The city should give funding to already existing organizations that are working to further a community presence. The school system could be more supportive of children who speak two languages. This should be encouraged. Children should also be encouraged to work with their hands.