Culture. Stories. Discovery.AFRICAN SCHOOL · OXFORD
A world of stories.
A universe to discover.
African studies, folklore and astronomy with Natty Mark Samuels. Explore the stories, ideas and gatherings of African School, Oxford.
Explore the latestFROM THE SCHOOL
Stories, gatherings & discoveries
Explore events, writing and projects below.
Natty Mark is a co-writer on When The Blackbird Sings.
He wrote the Black characters. Paulette and Tommy, Windrush figures; historical luminaries Alain Locke and Dudley Thompson; and Yoruba goddess, Yemoja.
When the Blackbird Sings - An immersive, eye-opening, heart-stirring journey through time | Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities
Caribean Studies Conference
18 CSA 49th Annual Conference and Membership.
Natty Mark will now be speaking - The Jackfruit Monologue - on the Thursday (5th), 2-3:30pm
For users of The Gatehouse:
Ashmolean Museum: The Ashmolean Conversations.
https://www.ashmolean.org/event/one-world-family-festival-2025
Review from the Economic Botany magazine
economic botany article.pdfPDF documentView PDF ↗Download ↓
CDI are delighted to reveal news of the launch of a fantastic new book, written by Natty 'Mark' Samuels. -->Read the article here!
Encyclopedia of Rootical Folklore: Plant Tales of Africa and the Diaspora will be published in May 2024, by Scorched Earth Press, based in California, USA.
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Please see the Birago Day page for more information
Birago Day @Blastfest - Birmingham Science Museum - December 10th
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Look at all activities & events: |
Black STEAM 10 booklet 2023PDF documentView PDF ↗Download ↓
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BOTANICAL GARDENS
Rootical Folklore was delivered in the Oxford Botanic Garden, for the 400th anniversary, last year. Later this year, in the Sheffield Botanical Garden, Oxford Arboretum, the Oxford Botanic Garden and the Chelsea Physic Garden, for its 350th anniversary. Next year, Cambridge University Botanic Garden.
As part of the Windrush Celebrations, Natty Mark will be delivering 'The Vanilla Legacy' workshop, at Rhodes House, June 30th, 10-12pm. For the Alumni Reunion
He will also be delivering workshops - One Little Ackee - at Tyndale Community School. Students will then perform at the school fete, on June 24th.
Part of the Windrush celebrations, Natty Mark delivered Aloe Vera Chant, a Rootical Folklore workshop, to the Clockhouse, an over fifties project.
Rootical Folklore course and workshops
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Part of the ANTHEM OF AVOCADO exhibition of Rootical Folklore: celebrating African and Caribbean Folklore through the flora. Hosted by Fusion Arts, in the Windows Galleries, Friar's Entry, off Gloucester Green, Oxford. From December 2022 to January 2023.
African Monarch: Celebrating Historical Kings & Queens of Africa
Date: |
In the year that Britain celebrates the Platinum Jubilee, I invite you to African Monarch: Celebrating the Historical Kings and Queens. We’ll be looking at certain figures and why they are honoured, such as King Moshoshoe (pronounced Mo-shwesh-shweh) of Lesotho and Queen Idia of Benin. You and I will explore pre-colonial royalty, in countries such as Ghana, Angola and South Africa. Were they honoured for pioneering educational opportunities? Military strategies? Diplomacy? Governmental reforms? Come with me, as we traverse sub-Saharan Africa, visiting a few of the courts, of the medieval and early modern period. |
Celebrating African and
Caribbean Folklore
Rootical Folklore
Beginning in September, Natty Mark will be delivering a course –
Visiting Lecturer, Working Men's College |
Tamarind for Silimaka: Rootical Folklore |
As part of the Oxford IF Science Festival, on October 8th, Natty will be delivering a workshop, THE SHEA CHANT.
Shea tree,
I beg you come shower me,
With the blessings that you give:
Presentations of butter and oil.
from The Shea Chant
July 17th - Simmer Down Festival, Birmingham.
Through the BLAST project based in Birmingham, Natty Mark will be delivering drop-in, interactive workshops, celebrating the spices and other plants, of African and Caribbean Folklore. 11 - 5 pm
July 28th/29th - Botanic Gardens, Oxford,
As part of the 400th Year anniversary of the Gardens, through the CDI Youth project, Natty Mark will deliver two days (one African, the other Caribbean) of drop-in, interactive
workshops - YAN DAWA and PAPA BWA - celebrating the flora through folklore. 11- 4 pm
October/November - Working Men's College, London
Delivery of TAMARIND for SILIMAKA, a four week course, celebrating the flora in the folklore of Africa,
Details of workshop to follow.
Natty Mark will be delivering a workshop - Grandmothers and Griots - at a conference at the University of West Indies, hosted by the Society of Economic Botany, where he will be celebrating African and Caribbean Folklore, through the flora.
Click for MorePapa Sorrel
papa sorrel.pdfPDF documentView PDF ↗Download ↓ETERNAL: Homage to Bob Andy
BIRAGO DAY: African and Caribbean Folklore Day
December 11th 2022
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#BlackHistoryMonth: Natty Mark Samuels talks to Oxford City Council about setting up the African School. Watch here
Book your tickets HERE! |
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Workshop: Celebrating the Ashanti
ashanti booklet.pdfPDF documentView PDF ↗Download ↓
Email: africanheritageoxford@gmail.com to register ALL children
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Natty Mark Samuels, founder of the African School in Oxford, is working with the Rumble Museum to run workshops with groups of students of African heritage, looking at African Countries, Artefacts and some of the many languages spoken in the continent. |
Join the Rumble Museum on Friday 16th July, 4 -
6.30pm at this community event displaying their
beautiful collection of African artefacts.
Natty Mark Samuels, founder of the African School,
will be running drop-in workshops about the items,
and refreshments will be provided.
Button Text
Natty Mark is delivering the first
course in African Studies at
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The Oxford Academy.
Links to Articles:
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Join us in celebration of Wangari Maathai’s About this Event: The event will be introduced by Natty
Book Tickets |
Click the button below to watch Journey with Natty Mark!
Watch NowPloughkeepsie's Sadie Delaney: Healing From World War Through Reading
A Conversation with the Founder of the African School in England
Sunday, February 21, 2:00 pm. Via Zoom. RSVP/register at: www.DCHSNY.org/Feb21
poem of langston and augustus.odtODT documentView ODT ↗Download ↓
Natty Mark Samuels
Fancasso
Video
00:00
00:01
Let The Story Be Told
to Roy Midwinter: for his musicianship and his humanity.
Time is passing,
So let the story be told.
It is long overdue,
So let the story unfold:
Of the African influence on European art.
Let us start with Vlaminck,
And that bar in Argenteuil.
Where a round of drinks,
Began his African zeal:
Art of the Yoruba and the Baule.
Onward to Derain,
Who was given a Fang mask.
Enjoyed his first drink,
From the African flask:
The Fang of Gabón and Cameroon.
Matisse bought a statue,
From a curio shop.
Took it to a saloñ,
Observed the jaws that dropped:
A Vili statuette from the Congo.
Picasso saw the Vili figure,
Evening of enchantment.
He yearned to see more,
So to the Trocodero he went:
Sculpture of West and Central África.
(c) Natty Mark Samuels, 2020. African School.
Vlaminck – Maurice de Vlaminck, 20th century French artist.
Yoruba – people of south-west Nigeria.
Baule – people of central lvory Coast.
Derain – André Derain, 20th century French artist.
Matisse – Henri Matisse, 20th century French artist.
Vili – people of Democratic Repúblic of the Congo.
Picasso – Pablo Picasso, 20th century Spanish artist.
Trocodero – Parisian ethnographic museum
Submit your response
Ask an adult or carer to submit your respons
ZLecture at Fusion Arts:
drive.google.com/file/d/1BpPkKgMB19p-Pb0rNDgpHim949sl3o4w/view?ts=5ef9d418
Oxfordshire Kindness Wave - Natty Mark Samuels:
https://oxfordshirekindnesswave.org.uk/challenges/natty-mark-samuels/
Here are the first two published pieces of art by two budding artists, Year Seven students at The Oxford Academy. The first, by DESTINY WILSON, is of two Kuduo brass bowls of the Ashanti of Ghana; the other, by MILLIE SMITH, is of a Portuguese man, sculpted in ivory by an artist from Benin city. Nigeria, in the 16th century.
Due to the Coronavirus, the Oxford Citrus Festival has been deferred
Natty Mark will be delivering a workshop on citrus at this conference
https://www.econbot.org/home/meetings/economic-botany-2020.html
Celebrating Una
Download file Below
The Shrine of Womanhood With Natty Mark Samuels https://www.oxford.gov.uk/events/event/636/the_shine_of_womanhood_with_natty_marks_samuels
Honouring the Herbalist Interactive Workshop: if-oxford.com/event/honouring-the-herbalists/https://if-oxford.com/event/honouring-the-herbalists/
African School in the News
Natty Mark at the BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005hhg
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0005hhg/victorian-sensations-series-1-2-decadence-and-degeneration?fbclid=IwAR027SzKANhbNfaCVjhV-XbXOgidwRaLfOeUmmJk8mO68g0VwNX31TBE260
Natty Mark Samuels pays tribute to his mother who travelled from Jamaica in the 1950s and went on to become a nurse and served in the National Health Service.
Natty also discusses the Windrush Generation and the incredible and positive impact that people from the Caribbean have made to the National Health Service:
https://www.facebook.com/OxfordCityCouncil/videos/240573186808708/UzpfSTEwMDAwNTIyMDUxNzAyNToxMDM3MTA5NTM5ODA2Mzg3/?id=100005220517025
Oxford Mail: African School founder develops own range of Herbal Medicines:
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/17367199.african-school-founder-develops-own-range-of-herbal-medicines/
As well as Uhuru Wholefoods, the Rootsman Products are also available at The Natural Health Store in Banbury.
Homage to Two Icons be Natty Mark Samuels:
https://www.oxford.gov.uk/events/event/526/homage_to_two_icons_by_natty_mark_samuels
IF Oxford Science Festival 2019:
01865 810016
askus@oxscifest.org
https://if-oxford.com/