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Photos, L to R: Three images of Omnira Institute's Awon Ohun Omnira Choir during the SOC: Bayview concert (Credit: Sonia Narang/ACTA); two images of the choir rehearsing ahead of the concert (Credit: Sonia Narang/ACTA).
Based in Oakland, Omnira Institute is led by Wanda Ravernell and Tobaji Stewart, Lucumí (a Yoruba-based religious practice) priests. The organization seeks to illuminate the connections between the African American experience and African spirituality through their sacred drumming and chants. Their Awon Ohun Omnira Choir preserves West African musical and movement traditions that have been carried on for generations. The group also brings their music and offerings to sites of police violence to support grieving communities who have lost young men of color.
Filmed by Jon and Joanne Ching on April 29, 2018.
“Migration on our terms. Our history did not begin in the cotton fields.”
“With this generation, we became curious about Africa. We didn’t go back to Africa, but Africa found us.”
- Wanda Ravernell