A thought-provoking exhibition which explores Black British history and culture through the eyes of 600 Warrington schoolchildren will be opening on Saturday, 12 October.
Artist Tina Ramos Ekongo spent four months working with eight schools in Bewsey, Fairfield, Latchford and Orford delivering workshops to young students, aged between seven and 11, and one school in south Warrington working with early years children.
The pupils then responded to what they had learnt about Black people’s contribution to modern Britain and how it related to their own sense of identity and values through the creation of artworks.
Tina, an Equatorial Guinean painter and illustrator who has lived in Latchford for about four years, said: “Children’s perception on race is so different to adults – they don’t see colours or nationalities – and my experience in the schools have showed me that children are willing to learn from and embrace different cultures.
“They’re happy to ask about things they don’t know so they can learn and appreciate the multicultural world around them with a different perspective.”
Dallam Primary
The exhibition, called Roots and Reflections: A Journey Through Black British History, will be held at Warrington Museum and is being funded by Arts Council England to tie in with Black History Month.
It is believed to be the largest project of its kind in Warrington related to teaching Black history in schools.
Tina added: “It’s an extraordinary feeling to be awarded the funding for a project of this magnitude. This project has been in my mind for a long time and being able to develop it is a fantastic achievement. I am very grateful to Arts Council England for believing in this project and the powerful meaning behind it.”
The workshops looked at influential Black British historic figures such as Olaudah Equiano and Ignatius Sancho all the way through to contemporary icons from the entertainment world like Stormzy and Letitia Wright.
Olaudah Equiano was instrumental in fighting against all forms of modern slavery and injustice, and Ignatius Sancho was a writer and composer who became the first person of African descent to vote in a British general election.
St Ann’s CE Primary
The classes also celebrated the legacy of the likes of Bernie Grant, one of the first people of African descent to win election to the House of Commons, and Ira Aldridge, the first Black actor to play many of William Shakespeare’s leading roles.
Tina, who has run similar workshops all over the country, also talked to the youngsters about her own experiences. The 36-year-old was born in Malabo Equatorial Guinea and grew up in Spain where she was the only Black student in the class.
The sessions led to some challenging conversations about racism, discrimination and injustice.
Tina said: “The young people were very engaged and interested in taking part in the project. They had a lot of questions and I was fascinated with their willingness to learn and be educated.
“Some of the most difficult conversations were around the murder of Stephen Lawrence, the transatlantic slave trade and the Windrush Generation scandal. It’s important to have these conversations with young people so these terrible things don’t happen again and history does not repeat itself.
“But there were also so many moments of joy. For example, during the visit to Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School we danced to the rhythm of jungle, garage and grime while learning about the evolution of Black music in the UK. That was so much fun.
“I also talked about my work as a freelance artist and my African heritage in the schools and some students already knew about African food such as fufu. Their appreciation and interest in my culture was a really nice surprise and brought a big smile to my face.”
Sacred Heart
The exhibition will open on Saturday, 12 October, at Warrington Museum and runs until Sunday, 5 January.
Tina added: “All the children are very excited. Most of them have visited the museum before so they know how important the exhibition is going to be for the schools and for their town.
“I made sure they felt proud of their work because they did their best and worked very hard. I believe it will be a great experience and will bring a sense of pride to them and their families.”
Our Lady’s Catholic Primary
The schools involved included Bewsey Lodge Primary, Dallam Community Primary, Our Lady’s Catholic Primary, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary, St Andrew’s CE Primary, St Ann’s CE Primary, St Margaret’s CE Primary, Woolston CE Primary and St Wilfrid’s CE Primary.
Listings information
Exhibition title: Roots and Reflections: A Journey Through Black British History
Dates: 12 October to 5 January
Admission: Free
Location: Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, Museum Street, Warrington, WA1 1JB
wmag.culturewarrington.org
