First Annual 'Burning Spear' Festival

“The Burning Spear Pick up the Torch” First Annual Marcus Garvey Commemoration Celebration is designed with the community/ family in mind and will be presented free of charge on august 20th 2011, the Saturday following Marcus Garvey birth day. This event is also designed to educate, stimulate and broaden minds to the philosophies held by and influenced by the work of Marcus Garvey. This event will encourage youths to aspire for excellence and self reliance through the legacy and lessons of their elders. It will also include physically activity and mental activity games for the youth, adults and elders. The event will include cultural artists of the African diaspora; poets, rappers singers, dancers etc. The event will also include speakers from the community involved in teaching the history of Marcus Garvey and his influence. A portion of the donations and funds raised by this event will go to community programs and organizations working for self determination in Oakland, Ca.

Significance of the event
This is a call of unity for community and organizations to come together in an fun filled-day that will include: A Cultural Entertainment Package, Market Place & Food Court, Children & Youth Activities, Community Speakers, and a Fund Raising Raffle.

Entertainment Package
The cultural entertainment component is designed to entertain, educate and motivate in form of reggae, jazz, gospel, dramatic-skits, live bands, cultural chanting, drumming, poetry, comedy, rap and speakers.

Market place/Food court
The market place will be hosted by local community gardens who will display foods and talk about the importance of growing your own produce. The food court will offer snacks for kids and provide a variety of dishes from the Afrikan diaspora.

Children/Youth activities
The early part of that day is specially designed for the children, youth and their parents. Among the many activities there will be workshops: historical arts and crafts, story telling, and economic development. With educational cultural fun games destined to stimulate the minds of the youth to encourage further education.

Performers/Community speakers
Libation will be established to recognize those who have made significant contribution on towards the betterment of Afrikan people at home and abroad. These awards are giving in the names of Afrikan people, who are no longer with us-in the flesh- so that they will be remember for their UN-selfish contribution. The ceremony will commerce with a tribute to the late great Gill Scott Herrion. Followed by a array of speakers, performers, dancers, clergy and community activist. Who will speak on the theme of the day. Encouraging the need for unity, education, and cultural awareness in our community.

Fund-raising Raffle
This is a very popular component of the celebration. Tickets are sold in advance for the chance to win prizes which will come in the form of donation from local businesses. Each prize will displayed on stage in some form that may include photographs throughout the day's event until the time of the drawings, which will occur in the late afternoon.

The above two components encourage community business owner's participation. This is accomplished by inviting sponsors of prizes to assist with the drawing of tickets and the distribution of prizes. This allow them to personally meet the recipients of the award they sponsored- live on stage. It also gives them the opportunity to promote their products or services, and to participate in the festivity in a visual and meaning way.

It will not be easy to finance due to current economic conditions, however were there’s a will there’s a way. This is what the life of a great man like Marcus Garvy teaches us, a lesson we want future generations to use to become successful. We encourage volunteers to come forward in spite of the fact we realize many may be losing their charitable ways as the demand on their time increases and their dollars buys less.

Projections:
Marcus Garvey celebrations will be a annual event packed with fun, education and commerce.
International participation and support
Telecast of celebration on local stations
A documentary of celebrations
Establish a building fund for the feed the people program the little Bobby Hutton literacy program the Laney B.S.U. and the U.M.M.A. Project

Who is Marcus Garvey ?

The honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey's (1887-1940) is the Founder/Leader of the U.N.I.A. The most powerful African organization to date in the Western Hemisphere. In its hey day the UNIA numbers over 11 million members world wide. Marcus Garvey is one of the most influential Black leaders in the history of the African diaspora. In the process of educating the Black community to a knowledge of ourselves we must study, commemorate and build upon the legacy of Marcus Garvey and the UNIA.


This event was inspired by the Royal Fyth Family. We are not in any way by this organization. We don’t wish to re-invent the wheel but have the will to re-invent. Contact: jabarishaw [at] hotmail.com or @510 472-2066 for booking and further information.



Agenda:

"The ends you serve that are selfish will take you no further than yourself but the ends you serve that are for all, in common, will take you into eternity."
— Marcus Garvey

11:00 Meet at bookstore (press release)

11:30 Tour and history of Marcus books

12:45 March

audio peaches at park

1:15 Libation

1:23 Intro to events

1:30 Open children events

jumper

name that song

maps

math

spelling

Little Bobby Hutton award

2:30 Poem

2:36 Open food court

music soundtrack

3:00- 5:15 speakers performers

5:30 Clean up and transition

6:00 Grocery give away at starlight

7:00 Saturday night live at starlight