Sunshine School of Cultural arts
The dream of creating Sunshine School of Cultural Arts was inspired by the need for accessible cultural education in the community of Sierra Leone. With all that the indigenous people of Sierra Leone have endured, not limited to and including the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the western-funded Blood Diamonds war, events that greatly affected the communal consciousness, there is a dire need for community focused healing. One of the fastest ways to achieve that healing is through gaining a strong connection to culture, a culture which has been all but erased from the lives of the people. Having a sense of culture promotes connection in community which leads to a more positive self-esteem and self-worth. Feeling a healthy sense of self-worth promotes all-around health in society leading to a better future for all. To that end, the existence of this school and many others like it, are vital for the good of all mankind.
The name Sunshine serves to remind us that after the dark times and rain, there will always be sunshine. Through this idea, we look forward to better days ahead. We not just look forward to but also create those better sun shining days by participating in our own self-enrichment, self- and communal healing.
our Mission
To provide accessibility to culture in an effort to promote healing through spirit in community.
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The school will be located in Ogoo Farm, Freetown, Sierra Leone, west-Africa.
It is our hope to expand all over Sierra Leone, and across west-Africa, and around the world. The purpose of doing this would be to share with the world the beauty of Sierra Leonean culture, enhancing the appreciation and representation for the culture globally; and to also learn from other cultures in an effort to dissolve the illusion of barriers our current global society has created.
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First and fore-most, as this is innately Sierra Leonean culture, it will have to be Sierra Leoneans that lead the participating and imparting of this wisdom. This is essential for the healing of the specific challenges faced in this community, and the fine-tuning of the vibrations produced by these specific culture.
That cleared, and accepted, everyone and all are welcome, so long as they come with an open heart, and willingness to participate fully in the wide range of energy exchange with mutual respect, love, and healing of the community in mind, in body, and in spirit.
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Sierra Leone currently has 18 ethnic tribes. 19 tribes if you count the Krio/Creole people that represent the approximately 60,000 freed Africans from the Caribbean, Britain, and North America. Of those tribes, about 23 languages still exist, though a few still are at risk of ethnic cleansing and extinction. To preserve the tongue of the people, curriculum such as traditional languages will be shared.
As certain languages are specific to certain tribes, so too certain culture specific to certain tribes. The imparting of the tribe specific culture sometimes means the indoctrination of certain beliefs and rite of passages that can be dangerous. Traditional societies like the Bondo and Poro societies have many useful impacts in the community; unfortunately, some of their rites of passages are dangerous and include participating in FGM/MGM which sometimes lead to death at most and some trauma at least. No one should be traumatized or die in the pursuit of trying to learn their culture; one’s culture is an innate birthright! It is the key to a healthy spiritual growth. Therefore, this school will provide a space for the teachings of music, dance, and other art culture of the different ethnic tribes without the harmful outdated practices of extreme traditionalist views.
Music, dance, fashion, food, fine arts, and language cultures will be included in the curriculum shared at this center.
The focus will always center on the preservation and celebration of Sierra Leonean culture; however, Western and other traditional world cultures not limited to and including classical, Balkan, Indian, and Indonesian music and dance art will also be shared in the curriculum.
Additionally, physical arts skills like swimming, self-defense, yoga, and the art of meditation will also be shared.
MEET THE TEAM
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MEET THE TEAM *
It takes a village to raise a child.
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Founder
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Web Consultant