MANANA
PARTNERSHIP PRESENTATION
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WE ARE
MANANA
Connecting Cuban Folkloric Music to the pioneers of the Electronic Music Community
MANANA is about hunger for knowledge and cultural development. It is based around community and friendship.
But most importantly it’s about making music.
MANANA (Ma’na’na) is a word that is deeply rooted in Cuban music. Put simply, it is the flow of an artist and the spiritual connection that opens between them and their audience.
DEFINING
MANANA
ABOUT US
MANANA is a non-profit organisation that grew out of a collaboration between Londoner, Harry Follett & renowned Cuban musician, Alain Garcia Artola.
Last November Harry moved to Santiago de Cuba with 120kg of studio equipment to record influential Folkloric musicians and work alongside Alain to produce and experiment with the local sound. The excitement, curiosity and passion with which the Folkloric community accepted the project was immediate proof that there was room to expand this collaboration into a wider conversation between their respective cultural groups; Cuban Folkloric and Electronic Music.
THE IDEA
In May 2016 we will be hosting Cuba's first International Folkloric and Electronic Music festival in Santiago de Cuba.
The festival will showcase Electronic Music to a young, musically and artistically connected Cuban audience - and in turn will invite Western audiences to experience first hand the vitality and energy of the Cuban Folkloric scene.
From an artistic perspective it will be the catalyst that sparks to life an ongoing dialogue between both communities that will lead to the foundation of an ongoing musical legacy.
As the United States drop their embargo on Cuba the country is entering an exciting but incredibly fragile period in its history.
MANANA is a two way dialogue; Our goal is to provide Cubans with the necessary tools and technical knowledge to reconnect with the wider world on their own terms, whilst also giving the Electronic Music Community the opportunity to learn from Cuban Masters who have spent a lifetime refining their artistic skill.
OUR GOAL
MANANA is designed to create a musical legacy that lives long beyond the festival.
MANANA has been approved by the Cuban Government and we have secured five incredible venues in the heart of Santiago.
Our team in Cuba have been working closely with musical institutions, securing a line up of some of the most respected Cuban Folkloric artists and Producers in the country.
Our task is now to generate partnerships and support within the International Electronic Music community - because we are a non-profit organisation this is especially important, as we will not be able to pursue normal avenues of funding. Creativity is vital.
MANANA
TODAY
We are approaching ambassadors for the Electronic Music Community; artists, labels and partners that match our musical ethos and are excited about the potential of developing the MANANA community alongside us.
Time is against us. The Cuban Government have given us one opportunity to run this festival in May 2016. Not only are we looking for your support but also your advice to help move MANANA forwards as quickly as possible.
WHY YOU
THE MUSIC
MANANA is about presenting the unknown, unrecorded music of Cuba. Music that lives deep within the black barrios of Santiago, high up in the Sierra Maestra Mountains & the rich communities of Matanzas, Camagüey and Guanatanamo.
We will be showcasing genres like Guaguanco, Changui, Tumba Francais, Papiamento, Abakua and the music of Santería. These are just as important as the music of Son and Trova, but have remained hidden far from the established tourist trails.
MUSICAL
ETHOS
This is a part of the modern identity of all Cubans - be it their connection to dance and their bodies, their religious beliefs or a way of strengthening bonds in the local community.
We believe that Cuban Folkloric Music has a natural and exciting crossover with Electronic Music, ranging from its direct dialogue with the crowd; its syncopation & swing; its melody drawn from percussive detail and tone; right through to the 8 hour back-to-back sets. But above all they both have a deep love and respect for rhythm.
CUBAN FOLKLORIC MUSIC
CLAVE
CONSCIOUSNESS
"Clave consciousness" is the ability to 'feel' the clave, enabling musicians to navigate the high degree of syncopation in Cuban music.
The clave defines the genre, sets the tempo, holds musicians together, makes the music danceable, and defines the tune as Cuban. It is vital to understand and breathe with the clave in order to interact with Cuban music.
THE LOCATION
Cuba is a jewel of the Caribbean - deserted white beaches, rugged mountains, urban metropolises, quaint Colonial villages and a wildly rich and diverse history and cultural heritage.
Located 90 miles off the coast of Florida, Cuba is divided into 15 provinces and one special municipality. Our goal is to unlock the magic of the island for those involved in the MANANA project - we want to take you off the beaten trail and into the vibrant communities and hidden corners of the country before the modern world changes them forever.
THE ISLAND
OF CUBA
The focus of this project is on the musical heartland of Santiago de Cuba in the east of the island; a city deeply rooted in its Afro-Caribbean heritage.
All of Cuba’s social, political and cultural revolutions originated here - music is part of people’s souls. Like the heydays of Berlin, Detroit and Manchester, Santiago de Cuba is an industrial city alive with a young, expressive and vocal artistic community who are hungry to engage with the wider world, but also share their city's incredible cultural heritage.
SANTIAGO
DE CUBA
The festival will take place at Heredia in the heart of Santiago - a complex with an incredible array of venues & sonic spaces.
Arrangements have also been made with the wider Santiaguero community to ensure that there will be a wealth of cultural, artistic and musical events happening around the city in the lead up to the festival and during the event itself.
Keep scrolling to check out the venues >>
THE
VENUES
AMPHITHEATRE
CAPACITY
15,000
1/6
THEATRE
CAPACITY
2,300
2/6
HALL 1
CAPACITY
1,200
3/6
HALL 2
CAPACITY
1,200
4/6
OUTDOOR STAGE
CAPACITY
1,500
5/6
WIDER COMMUNITY
CONGA SANTIAGUERA CARNIVALS
HAITIAN MOUNTAIN CEREMONIES
SANTERIA HOUSE PARTIES
6/6
RUMBA COURTYARDS
REGGAE STREET SHOWS
CONTEMPORARY CUBAN DANCE
THANK YOU