Photo: Leila Awadallah by Isabel Fajardo
Submission deadline: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020
Call for Submissions: Mediterranean: Mythology, Migration, Memory
TERRANEA: hakawati of the sea is an interdisciplinary dance performance being developed by choreographer and AANM artist-in-residence Leila Awadallah, rooted in dance-making that weaves historical, cultural and mythological archives of the Mediterranean region. TERRANEA, in its early stages, is manifesting as a piece exploring the genre of Arab American magical surrealism that cites our past migrations, folk tales and traumas related to the sea.
You are invited to collaborate in the creation of this work!
Leila is gathering audio recordings of stories from friends, family and community about mythology, migration and memories related to the Mediterranean Sea. In this moment, the role of the Hakawati (traditional Arabic story teller) is turned into the collective voice of community, and the memories of shared experiences and oral passings through time. Each migration has a different route, reason and resonance on the body. Many Arab countries’ lands touch the water, embedding our skin with personal memories. Shared histories are full of mythologies, folklore and spiritual imaginings of the sea.
If you would like to offer your voice, through story or memory to this oral archive, we invite you to submit a recording in response to 1, 2, or all 3 of the prompts below. Each submission will impact the developing work-in-progress of TERRANEA and will potentially be featured in the future original soundscore for the final dance performance! Both Arabic and English are welcome.
– Can you tell us a mythology, folklore or mythical story about the Mediterranean Sea? Can be orally passed down, or one of your own imagination.
– If you/your families’ migration story involves making the difficult journey across the sea, could you share an experience from this journey?
– Share any personal memory of the Mediterranean sea.
Submit by Saturday, Oct. 31 2020
* Reflections, poems, short stories / essays, or improvised speaking of thoughts are all welcome!
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