Benicassim, 2017-08-12. Role models of African culture (African Village – The House of the Word).  Photo by: Dominique Pozzo © Rototom Sunsplash 2017.

Words. History and role models. Also memory, the necessity of not forgetting about knowing who we are and where we come from. Because, as the filmmaker Rubén in the African Village of Rototom Sunsplash, remembers, “ashes don’t come from nothing”, they come from fire, a fire that was ignited. It is precisely this that will be spoken about in the House of the Word in the African Village during the whole festival. It’s a new space where throughout every day, different collectives, associations and professionals will be given a platform to develop distinct projects related to African culture.

First to occupy the House of  the  Word has been Belinda, from Proyecto Potopoto, Ken from United Minds and the filmmaker Rubén. All of them met to talk together to the public about the necessity of having role models, of not forgetting their own history, their origin and roots. In this way many questions can be answered. They carried this out using a multitude of tools; Rubén does it with his films, Potopoto through children’s literature and Rebel Minds with its specialist bookshop. These are projects that are born from their own necessity to find answers, to be able to know their references, to find “someone that guides you”, in the words of Rubén.

But not only their projects; each of the participants has also shared their experiences with the public who were attentive under the watch of the House of the Word. “We live in a society that no longer values its references”, exclaimed Ken of Rebel Minds. References and history, the same bases that #celebratingafrica is fueled by. Showing the historic richness and culture of the African continent. All its colour. Perhaps, as Belinda defended, “cultural inheritance is a right” and Rototom Sunsplash has given us the opportunity to know more, much more.

Asun Pérez