The Fela Queens
El fotógrafo James Pettrozzello ha retratado a las bailarinas del espectáculo 'Fela!', dedicado al legendario artista nigeriano Fela Kuti (1938-1997), figura máxima de la música africana y del estilo conocido como afro-beat (una mezcla repetitiva y enérgica de jazz y funk con ritmos africanos), compositor enormemente prolífico, multi-instrumentista y un agitador e icono carismático que regentaba una comuna en su propio Rancho que funcionaba como una especie de auto-gobierno en defensa de los derechos humanos, conocida como la República de Kalakuta, enfrentado al sistema castrense nigeriano (al que desafió repetitivamente incluso postulándose como candidato a la presidencia pero sistemáticamente rechazado, encarcelado y atacada su finca) y donde cohabitaba con un numeroso harén de esposas (27 para ser concretos, que le dieron multitud de hijos) y con gran cantidad de bailarinas para su espectáculo (donde daba rienda suelta a esas tonadas larguísimas) y a las que se conocía como "Fela Queens" representadas por las actrices del espectáculo que el fotógrafo ha retratado.
Photographer James Pettrozzello has portrayed the dancers in the show 'Fela!', dedicated to the legendary Nigerian artist Fela Kuti (1938-1997), top figure in African music and originator of the style known as Afro-beat (a mixture of repetitive and forceful jazz and funk with African rhythms), a vastly prolific composer, a multi-instrumentalist and a charismatic icon who ran in his Ranch a kind of self-government in defense of human rights, known as the Kalakuta Republic, within the Nigerian military regime (he repeatedly challenged the Nigerian system even running as candidate for the presidency but systematically rejected), where he cohabited with a large harem of wives (27 to be more specific, having several children) but also with many different dancers for his shows, women known as "Fela Queens" who are now represented in this tribute show by the women portrayed by the photographer.
Las siguientes imágenes son retratos antiguos de varias de las auténticas "Fela Queens". Estas fotos y algunas más (la autoría de las imágenes aparece sin acreditar) se pueden ver en la página oficial dedicada a Fela Kuti.
And the following pictures are some old portraits of the real Fela Queens. These and some more (no photographer credited) can be found in the official website dedicated to Fela Kuti.
Photographer James Pettrozzello has portrayed the dancers in the show 'Fela!', dedicated to the legendary Nigerian artist Fela Kuti (1938-1997), top figure in African music and originator of the style known as Afro-beat (a mixture of repetitive and forceful jazz and funk with African rhythms), a vastly prolific composer, a multi-instrumentalist and a charismatic icon who ran in his Ranch a kind of self-government in defense of human rights, known as the Kalakuta Republic, within the Nigerian military regime (he repeatedly challenged the Nigerian system even running as candidate for the presidency but systematically rejected), where he cohabited with a large harem of wives (27 to be more specific, having several children) but also with many different dancers for his shows, women known as "Fela Queens" who are now represented in this tribute show by the women portrayed by the photographer.
Las siguientes imágenes son retratos antiguos de varias de las auténticas "Fela Queens". Estas fotos y algunas más (la autoría de las imágenes aparece sin acreditar) se pueden ver en la página oficial dedicada a Fela Kuti.
And the following pictures are some old portraits of the real Fela Queens. These and some more (no photographer credited) can be found in the official website dedicated to Fela Kuti.
[vía okayafrica]
EscuchaListen
▶Fela Kuti·'Lady'
