This yr’s pageant honored the ancestors and introduced a promising future for the group.
L.A. Commons held its fifteenth annual Day of the Ancestors: Pageant of Masks in Leimert Park over the weekend. The pageant options dwell musical performances, a parade procession and a seamless name to motion.
“We’re dwelling in revolutionary occasions and so, the chance to essentially lean into that, I believe is our candy spot as Black folks,” stated Karen Mack, founding father of L.A. Commons.
“Now we have been adapting and altering our entire historical past in America—and we’ve thrived.”
“The Pageant of Masks is so essential as a result of it celebrates our ancestors, it reminds us from the place we come, of our energy, of our power, what we have now achieved on this nation,” stated State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles).
This yr’s theme was Sesa Received Suban, which suggests change and transformation. Held within the African American cultural hub of Los Angeles, Leimert Park, the Pageant of Masks began with its conventional blessing to cleanse the world and produce everybody collectively. After the blessing, the parade begins with music, dancing, puppetry and superbly handmade masks. The parade makes it’s method round to Degnan Blvd and ends on the stage in entrance of the Imaginative and prescient Theater.
“What we do is we have a good time the individuals who have handed away the final yr, “stated Ben Caldwell, coordinator and director of Kaos Community and a founding member of Artwork Stroll in Leimert Park.
Associated Hyperlinks:
https://lasentinel.internet/day-of-the-ancestors-festival-of-masks-honors-shri-natha-devi-premananda.html
https://lasentinel.internet/14th-annual-festival-of-masks-continues-to-honor-ancestors.html
“The actual factor is the unification, the aftermath of the pandemic and actually getting our neighborhoods coalesced collectively—that’s a part of why we do that, it’s a approach to actually to get our neighborhood to work collectively.”
Caldwell continued, “The rationale that we have now the artwork on this group is due to the Brockman household. Alonzo, the eldest of the members of the family that assist begin these artwork occasions in Leimert Park, handed away in January.
“He was a great pal of mine and he was the primary particular person to rent me as his intern within the early 70s.”
Based in 2003, L.A. Commons was created with the intention of making a spot the place Black tradition and the encompassing communities may come collectively. The group celebrates the worldwide African village, calling on the ancestors, and paying homage to a shared heritage by means of mask-making and dance.
Smallwood-Cuevas introduced updates on designating the Historic South L.A. Black Cultural District. The brand new cultural district will function a hub for South L.A. landmarks, companies and establishments, highlighting legendary areas such because the Crenshaw hall, Leimert Park and Central Avenue. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas secured nearly $3 million in state funding to assist the set up of cultural markers and monuments for the proposed cultural district.
“Lots of the forces that existed, that our ancestors fought, we’re nonetheless combating at present,” stated Cuevas.
“I believe Los Angeles sees and is aware of this higher than anybody else as we see federal occupation right here in our metropolis, range being known as unlawful and a unclean phrase.
“Our ancestors understood and taught us very effectively the extent of white supremacy that exist behind that ideology, these sorts of actions so, having this pageant at present, particularly now, and having it’s larger than ever is a testomony to what we’ve discovered from our ancestors.
“It’s so essential for us to protect our tradition and our areas, Black areas, for people to come back collectively, to commune, have a good time, look after each other, to assist us climate one other darkish historical past of the American expertise.”
Attendees watched the parade, danced with their youngsters and even took half within the dancing circle in entrance of the stage. A few attendees spoke to the Sentinel about their first time on the Pageant of Masks, whereas others have been coming for years.
“It’s superb,” stated Kitty M. about her first time attending the Pageant of Masks. “It’s celebratory, breathtaking, astounding—nothing however optimistic.”
“I like the convergence of all of the Blackness,” stated Andrew D. “They are saying it’s onerous to seek out Blackness in present Los Angeles and I haven’t discovered that to be the case.
“I discover that, should you’re within the Crenshaw District, it’s only a common a part of the day, an everyday a part of life.
“It’s stunning to see us thrive.”
“I’ve been right here a number of occasions,” stated Mona Lisa O. “It’s an ideal approach to honor all of our ancestors, who made the transition to a different realm and to let different folks know their nonetheless right here with us, watching over us.”
“Now could be the time to attract on the power of the ancestors and what they’ve achieved all through our historical past to maintain within the face of white supremacy,” stated Mack. “I’m excited to be right here at present, to be leaning into that, recognizing ancestors, who’ve achieved precisely that so, we may survive this loopy time that we’re in.”
This yr’s Pageant of Masks honored the reminiscences of Nzingha Camara, Shri Natha Devi Premananda, Peter J. Harris, Felipe Garcia Villamil, Alonzo Davis, R.O.S.E. (Reclaiming Our Sisters In all places) and Dena Ancestors.
For extra details about L.A. Commons, go to lacommons.org
