A recap of the 2022 intimately epic film The Woman King, with full breakdown and discussion in the context of history and culture. Contains spoilers. Originally published in 5 parts

(⁠00:00⁠) Introduction

(⁠00:50⁠) Release date, production and cast

(⁠07:20⁠) Dahomey - brief history

(⁠09:08⁠) Filming locations and languages

(⁠09:44⁠) Opening scene and fight choreography

(⁠⁠12:30⁠⁠) Story recap resumes

(⁠41:00⁠) A reading on the effects of nagana or animal sleeping sickness

(⁠42:10⁠) Story recap resumes

(⁠47:50⁠) European and African tribal disputes and abolition efforts

(⁠51:45⁠) Story recap continues

(⁠55:00) On the use of accented English in the film

(56:47) Story recap continues

(01:11:00) Excerpt on the Oyo Empire from A History of Nigeria, 2008

(01:11:59) Story conclusion

(1:23:25) Post credit scene - a call from past to present

(1:26:08) Film score

(1:28:06) Cinematography

(1:29:48) Costume design

(1:32:00) A mother's day conversation with Yema

(1:41:34) A mother's day conversation with Ezra

(1:52:05) A brief exploration of Ifa, Vodun and Boccio objects

(1:56:58) Traditional knowledge for medicine and magic or religious purposes

(1:59:40) Kingdom of Dahomey, physical and human architecture

(2:04:08) Scramble for Africa

(2:07:14) Bloopers , trivia and easter eggs

(2:13:44) Closing and outro

Images from Sony Pictures Entertainment (2022) https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thewomanking

Podcast theme 'Final Form' - Sampa the Great (The Return, 2019) https://sampathegreat.com/ ⁠Sampa the Great Final Form Official You Tube

Created by Barbara (BJ) Morgan

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the creator, and not necessarily to the Zion Freetown 230 initiative.

A virtual 'One Journey' symposium held September 30-October 1, 2022 was the third in a series and featured speakers in Jamaica, Canada, United States, and Freetown West Africa. This symposium highlights different perspectives and contributions of the journeys and legacies of Jamaican Maroons, African-Caribbean connections, and the founding of Historic Maroon Town in Africa 222 years ago in 1800.

Part 3

African-Caribbean Music & Culture

• Iyamide Thomas, Curator and Historian
• Adrian Q. Labor
• Adesina During

AfriCaribbean Festival - Empress Jalloh & Danny Labor

Organized by Adrian Q. Labor & Akindele T.M. Decker of African Curator, Barbara Morgan of Zion 230, Adesina During of KDU-Global, in partnership with the Freetown City Council.

A virtual 'One Journey' symposium held September 30-October 1, 2022 was the third in a series and featured speakers in Jamaica, Canada, United States, and Freetown West Africa. This symposium highlights different perspectives and contributions of the journeys and legacies of Jamaican Maroons, African-Caribbean connections, and the founding of Historic Maroon Town in Africa 222 years ago in 1800.

Part 2 West Indians in Sierra Leone - Dr. Nemata Blyden, Historian & Professor, George Washington University - Natassja Bynoe, The African Diaspora Institute of Cultural Exchange and Historical Research, Inc.

Liberated African Emigration to West Indies & West Indian Immigration

- Adrian Q. Labor - Akindele T.M. Decker

Creolized Languages: Krio, Jamaican Patois, Gullah, Suriname Creole - Dr. Malcolm Finney

Organized by Adrian Q. Labor & Akindele T.M. Decker of African Curator, Barbara Morgan of Zion 230, Adesina During of KDU-Global, in partnership with the Freetown City Council.

A virtual 'One Journey' symposium held September 30-October 1, 2022 was the third in a series and featured speakers in Jamaica, Canada, United States, and Freetown West Africa. This symposium highlights different perspectives and contributions of the journeys and legacies of Jamaican Maroons, African-Caribbean connections, and the founding of Historic Maroon Town in Africa 222 years ago in 1800.

Part 1 - Speakers touch on the lived experience of their common African history and their communities' shared heritage.

• Chief Michael Grizzle, Flagstaff Maroon Council, Trelawny Town, Jamaica

• Gaamang Gloria Simms, CEO of Maroon Indigenous Women's Circle, 1st Female Gaamang of the Maroons of Jamaica and Suriname

• Mr. Victor Barber-Richards, Representative of St. John's Maroon Church in Freetown, Sierra Leone

• Ing. Melbourne Garber, Historian & Engineer

Organized by Adrian Q. Labor & Akindele T.M. Decker of African Curator, Barbara Morgan of Zion 230, Adesina During of KDU-Global, in partnership with the Freetown City Council.

A virtual 'One Journey' symposium held on March 10, 2022 was the first in a series and featured speakers in Sierra Leone, Maryland, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Nova Scotia and other locations. They present perspectives, contributions and legacies of black Settlers around the world, and reflect on the founding of historic Freetown in 1792 and journeys beyond.

This session's topics include West Africa before the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, differences between history and heritage; Black Loyalists who fought during the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Canada, the largest exodus of free blacks from the Americas to Africa; the Gullah-Geechee Corridor, Black Seminole stories; #1792 initiatives including the Book of Letters and Proclamation projects; Liberated Africans and diasporas within Africa; the Krios, Islam and Freetown with all its Identities, 230 years on.

Organized by Adrian Q. Labor & Akindele T.M. Decker of African Curator, Amadu Massally & Aminata Kondeh of TPISENT, Barbara Morgan of Zion 230, Adesina During of KDU-Global, in partnership with the Freetown City Council and the Mayor of Freetown.

Visit https://youtu.be/it6VDkgCYFI for highlights of 'Freetown At 230 Years Anniversary Celebrations - 7th to 13th March 2022' (FCC).

Freetown's Cotton Tree was the south-west demarcation of the city when its earliest plans were drawn up. It stood at the junction of trails, one of which led to Pademba’s Village, where the town’s children were taken to seek refuge from the French invasion in which they burnt the town in February 1794.

The Cotton Tree has a place in many significant cultural events and so many traditional beliefs by the seventeen nations that called Freetown home. In particular, it is integral to the story of the early founding settlers, the Black Poor, Nova Scotian, Jamaican Maroons, Emigrated American and Caribbean Families. The founding settlers all gave significance to Cotton Tree as it stood majestically within their neighborhoods or within sight for the first decade since 1792.

After the fall of the Cotton Tree on a stormy night in May 2023, Sierra Leoneans are telling its stories infused with social history and traditional myths, it is how folktales are birthed. The Cotton Tree took its last stand on that night, burdened by the nation’s unsettled past, its current political and economic storms, and weary of the prevailing winds of tumultuous attitudes. - Adrian Q. Labor

Voiced by Akindele T. M. Decker Music: Sierra Leonean artist NATA (Raps Sweetheart) Nata - Art Thou (2021)

Created by Barbara Morgan

Joyful, thankful, humble, generous; service and sacrifice modeled by church members and leaders echo the history we've explored on this journey from 1792, grounded in the realities of life in the 21st century, and the story of Zion is far from finished.

'Awake and Sing the Song' - Rev. Archer-Campbell locates an elderly lady at Murray Town where class meeting is still in operation and the Sankey Hymn book is used. She graciously rendered a verse, providing the tune for a near forgotten hymn which records tell us was sung by our settler ancestors when they arrived on dry land in Sierra Leone.

In memory of Winston Jones.

[Intro: Awake and Sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb - performed by The Young Trio from the Saint Luke's Episcopal Church of Los Gatos, California, USA]

[Outro: Amazing Grace - performed by the Africa University Choir June 14, 2015 at Belin Memorial UMC]

[Image: site of Harmony Hall in old George Street, remnant of a wall erected by Thomas Peters c. 1792]

(00:00) Introduction

(01:36) Rev. Archer Campbell talks about his family, his work over the years, and the significance of this 230 commemoration

(05:44) Senior Society Steward Rhoda Labor Sesay on her childhood, personal connections to Zion and love for the church

(08:27) Dr. George Gage shares his earliest memories and time as the oldest Zion Trustee including the fond nickname, Father of the Choir

(11:03) Organist Mr. George Songo-King treats us to a hymn

(12:39) Kelvin Savage of the anniversary committee gives an overview of the upcoming celebrations and shares his passion for music ministry

(17:37) Rhoda Labor Sesay talks about the place of the church in its neighboring communities

(19:34) Dr. Gage reflects on what holds the Zion society together

(21:10) Victor Rodney Nelson Streeter the current Choirmaster discusses his family history with the church, his memories, hopes for continued reinvigoration of love and outreach by the church, and importance of strengthening the youth fellowship. I asked if he could share his favorite hymn. Apologies for the sound quality during this call, we had a weak internet connection

(28:20) Dr. Gage looks ahead. I also asked if he could share his favorite hymn

(30:03) Rev. Archer Campbell on passing on our history for future generations

(30:45) Anthony Morgan, his personal impressions and looking ahead

(33:42) Nigel Browne-Davis on revisiting a complex history through an informed lens

(37:37) Akindele Decker reflections and closing thoughts

(47:22) Adrian Labor reflections and closing thoughts

(51:20) Thanks and closeout

This podcast has been a fully volunteer effort toward the Zion Freetown 230 initiative.

Halifax (Kjipuktuk) is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which Mi’kmaq Wəlastəkwiyik (Maliseet), and Passamaquoddy Peoples first signed with the British Crown in 1726. The treaties did not deal with the surrender of lands and resources but in fact, recognized Mi’kmaq and Wəlastəkwiyik (Maliseet) title and established the rules for what was to be an ongoing relationship between nations.

Adrian Labor highlights seminal works on Black Canadian stories from the 18th century onward, discussing efforts to define the One Journey strategy. Features Dr. Afua Cooper's talk on the renowned civil rights leader and black Atlantic revolutionary, Thomas Peters.

The #1792 project was born from an art installation for Halifax's Nocturne Festival in October 2021, called Message in a Bottle: 15 Ships to Sierra Leone, inspired by Dr. Afua Cooper's poem https://afuacooper.com/2015/03/07/15-ships-to-sierra-leone/. The letter-writing project “Book of Letters” began in September of 2021, in preparation for the 230th anniversary of the first recruitment that took place in Preston on October 12, 1791. To learn more and join the effort, visit https://abn.hrce.ca/abn/general-information/1792-project

Thanks to students Zai, Samara Hudson-Ash, Adeola Wyse, Yema Ong'ongo and Ezra kenye Ong'ongo for lending their voices to reading letters from students. [Outro music: Detroit Youth Choir - Glory, featuring IndigoYaj, 2020 https://youtu.be/EDWsm7lcGXM (orig. John Legend, Common, 2014)]

[Interlude: Africville (Africville Suite) - Joe Sealy, 1996 Sea Jam, Triplet Records] [Interlude: Radio Democracy Freetown; Music: Kokonat Ed - Emmerson, 2020 Sugar Entertainment]

[Image: Advertisement for the settlement of black Nova Scotians in Sierra Leone. Date: 2 August 1791. Reference: Commissioner of Public Records Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 volume 419 number 1 (microfilm 15460)]

(00:00) Introduction

(06:32) The Canadian story as a cementing piece in the journey to liberty and self determination

(08:30) Noted writings and historic volumes

(12:45) Introduction of Historian Dr. Afua Cooper and the importance of enriching the Atlantic connection with Canada

(17:34) Dr. Afua Cooper on Thomas Peters

(32:17) West Africans in early Canada, and other community histories of Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick

(34:30) The #1792 Project

(49:29) Students reading from the Book of Letters, closeout

This podcast is a fully volunteer effort toward the Zion Freetown 230 initiative.

Help with mental health- https://www.massgeneral.org/psychiatry/guide-to-mental-health-resources/for-bipoc-mental-health; https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Black-African-American; https://ilpa.org.uk/members-area/working-groups/well-being-new/well-being-resource-hub/mental-health-resources-for-black-people-and-poc/