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In the North East of England there is a strange and hyper localised genre you have in all likelihood never heard of. It’s called Makina. Emerging in the late nineties it fused European hard dance genres and became the instrumental backing to a generation of MCs who used it to talk about the intimate details of their lives, whilst hyping crowds at 180bpm. It's the sound that builds community and exorcises demons. The sound that embraces difference and channels sensitivity. It's the sound of loss, deprivation and joy. It's tradition, identity, folksong; it's the sound of the North East.
A short film by Jack Davison for British Vogue.
In Kano City, Northern Nigeria, crowds gather to watch local heroes face off in the ancient Hausa martial art of Dambe. Part battle, part dance, part live mythology, it’s a cultural tradition that has survived and thrived in the region, despite invasion, famine, British colonialism and attacks by Boko Haram. In Dambe’s lightning-fast bouts, against a hypnotic soundtrack of live drumming and improvised praise songs, conflicts erupt, rivalries are formed and legends are made.
The Great Mandrake Magic Convention explores India’s magic tradition, blending performance, culture, and philosophy to reveal magic as both art and a spiritual gateway.
