Sokeiprim Davies

The journey through the pavilion is mapped using soundscape with the narrative progression of the Owu Aru Sun festival rites of the Kalabari people in Nigeria's South-South. The first section of soundscape is a purification by the riverside, an aura-building sighing of ambient textures, lapping water and calling riverbirds that immerses participants upon arrival. This initiates a blending of atmospheres and sets the tone for the shared spatial experience to come.

As participants advance through the outdoor canteen and surrounding grounds, there is a shift in the soundscape. The splashes of canoe paddles signal a movement towards the shore, which calls out to the participants as a growing swell of voices, vehicles and fish market haggling fills aural space. Their suggested arrival towards the shore is spatially complemented by passage through the threshold of interior space, entering the Peripheral Gallery. A ring around the edge of the space, the gallery features the art of African artists, sculptors and visual storytellers. This stage of the journey signifies a Roll Call in line with Owu Aru Sun proceedings.

Cued by the call of a talking drum, the sonic landscape fades into a rhythmic sway, the hypnotic syncopated chorus of talking drums and chanting voices, and arrival at the village square, embracing the participant at the center of activity. The participant has now reached the central space. This multipurpose area is host to a range of activities which promote cultural exchange and facilitate the sharing of stories. Talks, workshops, screenings and musical items draw participants into the active continuing of culture. Pictured, a seated crowd watches on as a sculptor begins a workshop.

This preview of the soundscape is features short clips from each phase stitched together. The accompanying visual is an aural mapping of the space, indicating the positioning and overlap of the various narrative stages.