Dear friends of MACPRI,
interest in the Toronto International Oware Tournament, Family Day and African Market Place is steadily growing. The Harriett Tubman Community Organization has already signed on bring 20 or more members. Visions in Green has agreed to set up the All African Inventors Museum.
I am also pleased to announce that ACHA, the African Canadian Heritage Association has offered to move their entire Saturday program to the Africentric School for this historic day. Please see message below from Louis March, ACHA Communications for more details. Other activities at the Oware Tournament Family Day include: Workshops on African martial Arts, Jewelery Making, Head Wrapping, Drumming, Storytelling...and more. There will also be performances from the children and adults and a brief and inspiring presentation by MACPRI founder on the Importance of Entrepreneurship in the Development of the African Canadian Community.
The community is encouraged to support the vendors at the event. Considered purchasing your gifts for the gift giving season at our African Market Place.
The Oware Day will be very packed, fun and exciting for all. Food and drinks will be on sale throughout the day. This is a free admission family event, where tournament participants pay to register. Donations will be accepted in support of the Africentric Alternative School.
If you can support this event in any way: funds, time you name it, Call me at 647-991-1753 or bounce me back an email.
Special thanks as always to Evans Electrical Services, our principle sponsor.
Bless You,
Brother Oji
OWARE TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION
Playing Oware on Break. Bolgatanga N/R Ghana
Friday, September 16, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
OWARE SOCIETY, ENGLAND ENDORSES TORONTO INTERNATIONAL OWARE TOURNAMENT
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL OWARE TOURNAMENT
Toronto, Ontario, August 29, 2011: Just two months to go before the staging of the first International Oware Tournament to be held in Canada.
MACPRI is proud to announce that the England based Oware Society (www.oware.org) which promotes Oware world wide has endorsed the Toronto International Oware Tournament.
MACPRI in partnership with the Africentric Alternative School will present the 1st Toronto International Oware Tournament Saturday October 29th, 2011 from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM at 1430 Shepherd Ave. West. The Toronto International Oware Tournament is a FREE ADMISSION FAMILY EVENT with fun children’s activities, performances, storytelling and an African Market Place.
Players can register at a fee of $10.00 each or $25.00 each (includes official tournament t-shirt). Players pay to register for the opportunity to win our grand prize of $1000.00.
We are seeking 256 players. With a minimum 128 players, MACPRI will honour the $1000 grand prize. A $500 grand prize will be presented if we are only able to secure 64 players. Players must be 12 years or older on October 29th, 2011. Everyone participating in the tournament will receive a prize made possible by owarecanada.com and Evans Electrical Services.
In addition to coming out and cheering for friends and family members in the tournament, the community will have an opportunity to shop at our all day African Market Place and participate in various fun activities designed for all ages. MACPRI “made in Africa” art will be a special feature in the Market Place.
For more information about Oware and the Oware (Abapa) tournament games rules visit www.owarecanada.com.
Businesses and community organizations interested in increasing brand awareness, services and exposure through sponsorship of the Oware tournament can contact Naza Hasebenebi at 647-207-7395 or email owarecanada@gmail.com. For other inquires please call Adisa S. Oji, MACPRI chief and Oware Canada Director at 647-991-1753.
OWARE FAMILY FUN DAY ACTIVITIES FOR ALL SO FAR INCLUDE
Capoeira African Martial Demonstrations, International All African Inventors Museum, Jewellery Making, Drumming Workshops, Storytelling Circles, Head Wrapping Workshops, Afrobics, performance by community artists and more to come,…
Thursday, July 28, 2011
For Immediate Release:
July 13, 2011
TD IRIE MUSIC FESTIVAL
July 29, 30, 31 & August 1 2011
www.iriemusicfestival.com
FREE! THE FEELING IS IRIE!
IRIE KIDS’ ZONE PROGRAMMING ANNOUNCED
Saturday July 30th- August 1st at Queen’s Park North
The annual TD IRIE MUSIC FESTIVAL presents IRIE KIDS’ ZONE at Queen’s Park North on Saturday, July 30th from 4 p.m to 8 p.m., Sunday July 31st from 1 p.m to 8 p.m. and Monday August 1st from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The IRIE KIDS’ Zone hosts storytellers, the TD mural wall, MACPRI Oware Challenge, face painting, inflatables and more! Kids of all ages are welcome to participate!
The MACPRI Oware Challenge returns to the Irie Music Festival for the third consecutive year. Oware is one of the famous original African board games enjoyed by adults and children alike around the world, and is now very popular in Toronto. Join MACPRI and Oware Canada at Irie Fest - learn to play Oware, share your skills and teach others. Participate in our mini tournament on Monday August 1st and win prizes courtesy of www.owarecanada.com. MACPRI will also be taking registration for Canada's First International Oware Tournament to be held at the Africentric Alternative School in Toronto on Saturday, October 29th 2011.
The TD mural wall is a collaborative adventure for all ages to share their creative expressions. Active and fun, the mural showcases the talent of children of all ages. Join in - grown-ups are welcome - or watch as the wall fills with creative, colourful, original works of art!
PUBLIC INFORMATION: 905-799-1630
The TD IRIE Music Festival is a free event that celebrates music, dance, art, food and culture, providing an opportunity to promote a greater
understanding between diverse cultures and traditions of Toronto - the
world's most culturally diverse city.
Please add this information to your listings. We are presently confirming interviews. For further information please go to www.iriemusicfestival.com
MEDIA INFORMATION
Planet3 Communications: Sacha Miller/ Piera Savage/ Joanne Smale
E: info@planet3com.net T: 647-346-4101
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
MACPRI News!!!
July 2011-07-21
The African Image Revolution: One for the History books
“I am prepared to reconcile with the ROM, but this doesn’t mean I won’t be critical of the institution’s actions where necessary,” said Brother Oji in a recent self inspired private visit. Yesterday Oji went to the ROM to see Dan Rahimi, Vice President of Gallery Development to discuss future possibilities.
The African community’s historical challenge of the ROM in 1989 – 1990 closed down the controversial “Into the Heart of Africa” exhibit and landed Oji in the courtroom and jail along with other members of the Toronto African community. Since then Rahimi has been the only ROM official to gain some level of respect from the leaders of the “Coalition for the Truth about Africa (CFTA)” that formed to close down the exhibition. His honesty and forthrightness in our 2003 CBC interview with Andy Barrie is with me to this day.
“The challenge of the ROM’s Into the Heart of Africa exhibit,” said Rahimi, “is the single most significant event that politicized museums around the world forever and museums will now think twice when mounting exhibits on any community.”
As a result of the CFTA challenge of the ROM, a community consultation process was put in place, a number of doctorial thesis have been written, a documentary film was made, more Africans are telling their own story and CFTA members have moved on to do great things in our communities in various countries around the world. This story is yet to be told.
More than 20 years since this historic action, Oji paid a visit to the ROM accompany by a friend (Kwame) and met with Rahimi who has expressed interest in doing some work with the Africentric Alternative School. This will give the ROM an opportunity to continue to make positive changes inclusive of all the communities their art represents.
Adisa S. Oji
MACPRI
Toronto, Canada
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Toronto International Oware Tournament Date Set: October 29th 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL OWARE TOURNAMENT
Toronto, Ontario, June 16th, 2011: MACPRI in partnership with the Africentric Alternative School presents the 1ST International Oware Tournament scheduled for Saturday October 29th, 2011 from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM at 1430 Shepherd Ave. West. The Toronto International Oware Tournament is a FREE ADMISSION FAMILY EVENT with fun children’s activities, performances, storytelling and a African Market Place.
Tournament registrants should be a minimum of 12 years old on or before October 29th, 2011. A maximum of 256 players can register at a fee of $10.00 each or $25.00 each (includes official tournament t-shirt) for a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE of $1000.00. For registration details, please call 647-991-1753 or email owarecanada@gmail.com.
For Oware (Abapa) tournament games rules visit www.owarecanada.com.
Businesses and community organizations interested in increasing brand awareness, services and exposure through sponsorship can contact Naza Hasebenebi at 647- 207-7395 or email forthepeoplecanada@yahoo.ca.
What is Oware?
Oware belongs to the “pit and pebbles” classification of games with it origin in Africa. There are approximately 300 games in this class, with Ghana’s Oware being one of the most popular internationally. There are versions of the games in all 54 African countries. The Philippines, Indonesia, India, Germany and the Eastern Caribbean also have their own versions of the game. Some elders from Antigua have argued that the game may have migrated during the middle passage in the memories of the Africans.
Oware puts Africa on the Canadian landscape, in our homes, in our classrooms and therefore in our hearts and minds. Oware continues to be an important part of African tradition on and off the continent and playing Oware keeps that tradition alive.
Oware Canada and the Oware “Africa in the Classroom” campaign provides a window of opportunity through a simple, but intriguing game for Canadians of all backgrounds to develop innovative ways of social engagement. Oware and the games of Africa are excellent but underutilized educational resources. MACPRI Oware Canada is proud to be at the forefront of the Oware “Africa in the Classroom” campaign and our tournament serves the purpose of exposing this great social engagement and learning tool to a broader audience. Please post in your community listing and we look forward to your support.
MACPRI Chief, Adisa S. Oji will be on site Saturday June 18th, from 10:00 AM – 6:00PM at the 30th Annual Driftwood Community Festival to officially launch tournament details at 4401 Jane St. Interested participants can register for the tournament at the MACPRI table.
The Festival will also be broadcast live on CHRY 105.5 FM. Please follow the link below for 2010 interviews http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJo663ajubg.
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