‘Espiritus y Plantas de Poder en movimiento/Spirits, and Herbs of Power on the Move‘ led by Camilo Rodriguez (Onebeat 2014) is a multidisciplinary archive focused on the displacement, migration, and adaptation of traditional and ancestral knowledge from Abya Yala, Colombia. In April 2022 the project began a series of interviews with three special master artists from the region.
The project highlights works and knowledge from migrant artists and healers, giving them a chance to share their own stories and knowledge. In Colombia, many mainstream media such as the national news and newspapers focus mainly on the negative aspects of migration, dehumanizing, criminalizing, and demonizing the existence and spiritual practices of migrants. The goal of this initiative was to create material that educates, and helps others understand the reality of immigration and forced displacement. The project also brought new perspectives to the conversation, and questioned traditional and colonial concepts of territory as well as the idea of “land ownership” and mobility.
Leo Acosta y Su Grupo de tambores Venezolanos en su casa, Barrio Manuela Beltran, Cali
Tambores Bata de fundamento) Tambor a Ochun, Rio Pance, Cali Colombia
Currulao Acapela
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Camilo Rodriguez is a guitarist and percussionist. Originally from Colombia, Camilo founded the genre-defying M.A.K.U. Soundsystem along with a group of Colombian expats. M.A.K.U Soundsystem has released two full-length albums and toured the U.S. with their signature blend of Caribbean grooves, psychedelic rock and traditional folk. Lyrically, the group addresses social issues facing Colombia and the diasporic experience in the United States.
