A group of talented Colombian musicians visited Draperstown, Co Derry/Londonderry this week (Monday, 24 February) to deliver workshops with pupils from St Mary’s Primary School, focusing on creativity and community.
The musicians, known as the Mr Klaje Collective, hail from Cali, Colombia. They include rapper Yeiner Belakcazar, percussionist Julia García, and guitarist Juan Manuel Gómez and together use music and art as powerful tools for social change and transformation.
With support from British Council Northern Ireland and Future Island Island, the collective has spent the past two weeks travelling across Northern Ireland. Their tour has included workshops in locations such as Rathlin Island and W5 Belfast, as part of this year’s Northern Ireland Science Festival.
These latest workshops took place at the Cornstore, a community hub run by Paddy Glasgow, founder of Glasgowbury Festival, where, as well as the workshops, they hosted a gig and played alongside the Small But Massive Samba Band.
As part of the workshop, the pupils got the chance to play different types of drums, created a new song, and even rapped in Spanish.
Reflecting on the workshops, Paddy Glasgow commented: “As someone who advocates for rural arts and culture, I think it’s really important to bring these opportunities to areas like this. You can see how much the kids loved it, and while kids everywhere enjoy music, it’s especially important to host events like this now, with less creativity in schools. It brings kids out of their shells and sparks an interest in rhythm and music, which is so vital for their development.
"Connecting with the Colombian artists and engaging with their culture has also been incredibly valuable. Both our countries have come through challenging times, and there’s a shared understanding of conflict and resolution. They’re working with young people in Colombia, and it’s great to hear their stories. We learn from them, and as we saw today, they might pick up something from what we’re doing as well."
In Colombia, the Mr Klaje Collective are part of a social enterprise that work extensively with ex-combatants and former gang members, with a mission to reduce violence by involving young people in creative activities. Through music, the band is also addressing the growing waste problem in Cali by creating instruments from recycled materials.
Speaking about their work was the group’s facilitator, Dr Edwar Calderon from Queen’s University Belfast and Future Island Island researcher. He said: “When we engage with different communities in areas of post-conflict, we find that music is a universal language. Our goal from these workshops was to create spaces that are fun, reflective, and fosters curiosity and creativity.
“Colombia still faces a high level of violence and our work focuses on working with young people in deprived areas, where they may be recruited to gangs or paramilitary groups. We’re trying to plant a seed in young people to see another path in life and show them that there is more to life than just material things. Through constructing musical instruments out of reused materials, we can tell the world that change is possible.”
Jonathan Stewart, Director of the British Council Northern Ireland, also spoke about the importance of the project. He said: “We’ve been thrilled to have the Mr Klaje Collective in Northern Ireland over the past two weeks through our partnership with the Northern Ireland Science Festival. Their workshops offer a fantastic opportunity for young people to explore their creativity and develop new skills through music and artistic expression.
“It's inspiring to see how the students are engaging with these experiences, collaborating with others, learning about different cultures and discovering their potential. International collaborations like this one are crucial, as they bring fresh perspectives and foster connections that help young people think globally, communicate creatively, and see the world in new ways.”
The workshops continue the British Council’s work, building connection, understanding and trust between people in the UK and overseas through arts, education and English language teaching. To find out more about their work in Northern Ireland visit https://nireland.britishcouncil.org/ or follow on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.