A musician and youth worker has collected instruments and memorabilia celebrating a pioneer of African ballet.
Phil Windever, from Toxteth, collects items relating to Fodeba Keita, who in 1952 founded Les Ballet Africains. Phil has collected items relating to Keita’s performances since 2017 and his interest in African drums and music dates back to a 1992 Sahara trip while a pupil at Shorefields School, Dingle.
He plans to exhibit items collected over 25 years of African music including drums (djembes) kora, balaphone (African xylophone), LP records and more.
Keita (1921 - 1969) was a poet, playwright, musician, choreographer, impresario, anti-colonial activist and statesman. Les Ballets Africians was the first globally touring African performance company and became the National Ballet of the Republic of Guinea after they gained independence from France in 1958.
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From 1949 Keita pulled together the best artists from across west Africa and Phil explains how he brought the world the djembe, kora, balaphone, dance, poetry and more. Phil told the ECHO : "In some ways his work can be looked at on par with any of the great artistic giants of the last century and this is what my archive can demonstrate”.
Phil talked of the impact of slavery and colonialism shutting the doors on the representation of African arts. He said: "Keita’s aim was to tell the authentic story of African arts through storytelling, dance, poetry and theatre".
He added: "My first influence was from musician Tony Morgan in a workshop at Shorefields school, also Mamadou Diaw from Senegal, this is what got me into music. I listened to African music such as Nigeria’s Feli Kuti, Senegal’s Youssou N'Dour and Mali’s Salif Keita"
He added: "I’ve been studying African djembe under the grand masters Mamady Keita, Fadabou Oulare and Famadou Konate and after reflection asked myself why can I find anything about the Beatles but very little about Les Ballet Africains? My mission was to find out as much as possible”.
The ballet played in Liverpool in 1957 and toured the world during the 1960s. Phil said: "At the same time, he was developing his ballet. Fodeba was heavily involved in the development of the African unions, pan Africanism and the global push for human rights and the anti-apartheid movement.
"Sadly, to this day his story has been hidden and many of his works destroyed. In 1969 Fodeba was accused, along with others, of being a traitor to the country and was sentenced to death and murdered without a trail."
He added: "Bringing it back to Liverpool as a direct result of his legacy is the popular music and African dance we see today in schools and at our very own Africa Oye. My collection includes programmes from theatres around the world from the Liverpool Empire, Israel, America, Australia and more".
Phil said: "I’ve spoken many times with his son, Saikiba Keita since 2020 after a historian from Guinea introduced us due to the fact I could talk about the history of the Les Ballet Africians. I’m writing a book about his legacy and the influence he left on modern culture.
Phil added: "Beatles manager Brian Epstein managed Les Ballet Africains' 1967 tour of England. Keita's band also featured in the 1959 blockbuster and multiple Oscar winner Ben Hur."
Phil has travelled to Africa 12 times, taking in countries such as Senegal, Guinea, Gambia, Kenya, Tunisia, the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean and Algeria and Morocco during the Shorefields trips. He intends to collaborate with organisations to hold his exhibition.
For information contact him on Twitter @philipwindever.
