|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The award is presented every year at WOMEX to an individual or organization that represents the best the world
music community has to offer. Previous winners have included Nick Gold of
World Circuit, The Mahotella Queens, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and Marc
Hollander of Crammed Discs among others.
It is a great honor for Andy and Ivan to be granted this award and it
reflects recognition by their peers for the essential work they have been
doing in bringing attention to Garifuna music and culture. According to
WOMEX, “Since its introduction in 1999, the WOMEX Award has been honoring
world music on the international level. Musical excellence, social
effectiveness, commercial success, political impact, lifetime achievement -
any or all of these might make one a worthy recipient.” Given this criteria,
Andy and Ivan’s tireless efforts over the years certainly qualify them for
this wonderful achievement, and we’re very happy the WOMEX committee chose
to recognize them.
The award is accompanied by a ceremony at the end of the WOMEX conference,
which will feature a performance by Umalali & the Garifuna Collective with
Andy Palacio as special guest. Umalali is a wonderful Garifuna Women’s
Project produced as well by Ivan Duran that will be released by Cumbancha in
the spring of 2008.
The full text of the announcement is provided below.
For more information on the WOMEX award visit
www.womex.com
FULL TEXT OF THE WOMEX AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT -
THE 2007 WOMEX AWARD WINNERS
WOMEX is proud to announce the joint winners of the 2007 WOMEX Award,
Andy Palacio and Ivan Duran, both of Belize. Andy Palacio is a
Garifuna musician, activist and Belize's cultural ambassador. Ivan
Duran, a musician and producer, is founder of Stonetree Records.
"We intend the WOMEX award to serve as an example of what is best in
our community," said WOMEX General Director, Gerald Seligman. "And who
better to receive it than Ivan Duran and Andy Palacio? Each in their
way is exemplary. Each has made an indelible mark on his country's
cultural life. Ivan is a virtually one man music industry in Belize.
And Andy has almost single-handedly put Garifuna culture on the world's
musical map, and by doing so has helped to preserve it."
"The past decade has seen the production of a number of field and
studio recordings from Central America that have brought Garifuna
artistry to the attention of world-music audiences," explained
Princeton University's Michael Stone, a scholar of the Garifuna and
friend of Duran and Palacio. "Leading the way, Belize-based Stonetree
Records - through the work of producer Ivan Duran with singer Andy
Palacio and other Garifuna artists - represents a unique effort,
indigenous to the region, to document and reinforce the expressive
cultural traditions of the Garifuna people and other minority groups
of Caribbean Central America."
"It's an extraordinary endorsement," said an emotional Andy Palacio,
"not just for me as an artist - but for a community that, despite the
greatest challenges, has demonstrated a remarkable resilience, with
cultural expression at the forefront." Community, it's a concept Andy
returns to again and again, even calling his group the Garifuna
Collective.
"I'm too young to be receiving awards!" exclaimed Ivan Duran, already
practicing for his acceptance speech. "I feel very humbled by this
award and I share it with the many 'small' and unknown producers
around the world who, like me, one day decided to produce new music
and artists that no 'big label' cared about."
For these reasons and a hundred more, WOMEX has bestowed the 2007
award on Andy Palacio and Ivan Duran.
"In 2001 UNESCO's Director-General proclaimed the Garifuna language,
music and dance to be among the Masterpieces of the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanity," said Michael Stone. "The decree
highlighted the distinctive value of the Garifuna cultural traditions
(under pressure from mass tourism, encroachment upon native lands,
emigration and other forces of globalization) and stressed the urgency
of safeguarding Garifuna culture." Among the best efforts are those
of our Award winners.
"Together they truly represent a certain spirit of WOMEX," said Ben
Mandelson, musician, producer, and WOMEX's first Director. "Andy is
taking a local music and putting it on the regional, then
international stage; making it popular without compromise, yet
remaining creative; being committed in the long-term to representing
core cultural values as a true 'sonic ambassador.' Ivan best
represents what is valuable, good, important, correct, moral and
creative about the world music community; which he does with
integrity; meeting international standards and global vision whilst
using local resources. He is creating a positive image of his country
internationally through positive means (the means of music). Together
they represent committed independence, determination, and integrity -
with a moral quality as well as a product and business quality. And
all of this achieved with a relaxed modesty and humour!"
We'll give the last word to Paul Nabor, the Garifuna's elder
statesman, who is still bringing down the house with Andy Palacio.
In a large white cane cowboy hat that threatens to engulf him as he
shuffles about on stage, Nabor sings his powerful songs of a resilient
culture. What did he make of the award? He smiled. "I feel happy.
Andy's the first one trying to do this for the Garifuna. I've been
playing since I was 18 and I'm 79 now, and this is the first chance I
have to play for so many people. I'm proud of Andy. I can say to
anybody that Andy started this thing."
And what about Ivan? "Ivan works fine, too. I love how Ivan works.
He takes good care of me."
Stay tuned for more details! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
