‘Healing History’ Documentary To Be Screened

May 18, 2015

Ashay University is getting set to host “an afternoon of film, discussion and performance,” brought to the public by CURB and the Berkeley Education Tour.

The event will see a second screening of the local firm ‘Healing History’ and the play ‘Everything We Should Be,’ to be held on Sunday, May 31 at 3.00pm at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute [BUEI].

The film premiered at the Bermuda International Film Festival [BIFF] and is on the film festival circuit with screenings at the Charlotte Black Film Festival, the Africa World Film Festival and the Cannes International Pan African Film Festival.

The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring poet and educator Melodye Micëre Van Putten, CURB activist Cordell Riley, Berkeley education therapist Anthony Ball, and retired Dellwood Middle School principal Janette Musson, who will discuss the film and its implications for education in Bermuda.

Following a brief intermission, audience members will then be treated to a play performed by Berkeley Institute students entitled ‘Everything We Should Be,’ written and directed by Shalane Dill. The play utilizes the poetry of Melodye Micëre Van Putten as inspiration and dialogue.

‘Healing History’ follows the work and performance art of African-centered educator and poet Mwalimu Melodye Micëre Van Putten with children and adults in the USA and Bermuda, teaching the lessons of empowerment that emanate through global African history and culture.

Film scenes reveal her techniques with children and capture compelling discussions with adults while simultaneously highlighting the positive psychological benefits of an African centered education for a history in need of healing.

‘Healing History’ has as its purpose and intention to encourage dialogue and action amongst the entire community, from educators to churches to community activists and local leader by demonstration; young people respond affirmatively when the message is specifically directed toward them and incased in the powerful vehicle of culture.

The play ‘Everything We Should Be’ tells the story of a conscious teacher trying to instill consciousness in her teenage students only to be rebuffed by the principal and a particularly vocal parent. The play is a mirror of the challenges teacher face when trying to teach global Black history in a powerful and empowering manner.

Tickets are $15 for each event and $25 for both. Flyers and tickets are available at the CURB office, which can be reached on 542 2872, the Berkeley Institute main office, Orchid Nail Spa, 27th Century Boutique, and Music Box. For more information, call 296-8137 or e-mail melodyevanputten@aol.com.

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Category: All, Entertainment, Films/Movies, History

Comments (1)

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  1. mj says:

    after much searching i finally understand the vocal parent and rebuff of the principle… We are alll conscious when awake and to be aware of who you are is more than accepting another history from people that resemble your skin tone, our (haplogroup) blood type determines our nationality (the nationality the creator gave us) and not because we came from the continent that we ALLL originated from but are not today classified as and are a people that actually are not related to what is known as the global african community.. We were never given our correct heritage from birth due to our circumstances of arriving(slave ships) where we are today, and yet there are some who do not share this same history, so an honest conversation and dialogue must take place before accepting any versions of possibilities of who we are and this must take place between adults first because thats who it happened to .. otherwise a lot of false information is being respected and disseminated and this is not correct to confuse our children into thinking they are african when most are not! coming from a continent known as Africa, coming from a lineage in Africa and the fact that some were not a part of those places requires far more studies especially when there are a group of people scattered around the world who are special and not aafrican although share same skin tones..I for one am not african, yet have melinated skin tone and born in bermuda of bermudian parents..