09/11/2024
From Kenya to Algeria and from East Africa to North Africa, yesterday 11/08/2024 we crossed a cultural bridge during our discussion immediately after the screening of the films scheduled for the day. The final film shown was a documentary entitled "The Black Panthers of Algeria", directed by Mohamed El Amin Ben Loulou. The film provided a historical overview of the period when the Black Panther Party was present in Algeria, the circumstances that led to this, and the path of its struggle in the revolutionary land of Algeria.
After the screening, a discussion began, moderated by the artist and poet Dorphanage, alongside two Algerian artists, Mohamed Benloulou and Soheib Kehal aka Monst-R. Ben Loulou, the director of the film, shared insights into the historical events and ideological foundations that shaped this story.
Monst-R a rapper, hip-hop activist, and director of the documentary "The Eternal Spirit of Hip-Hop in Algeria", discussed this topic from another angle, focusing on the cultural influences. Starting from the 1969 Pan-African Festival, he illustrated the impact of the Algerian Revolution on the Black Panthers, explaining how the festival became a rich platform where ideas of struggle, resistance, and panafricanism merged. He traced the influence of Black Panther philosophy on the Black Arts Movement, eventually connecting it to hip-hop culture.
and the audience enriched the discussion with their questions, thoughts, and contributions. The session concluded with hopes of future gatherings that help break the geographical and political boundaries between African countries, aiming to create an intellectual foundation for a united Africa.
