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blessing the boats -- a performance essay 
03.27.2005, 11:42 AM
posted by bob stein
Saw a remarkable piece last night -- Blessing the Boats, written and performed by Sekou Sundiata, was billed as a Performance Essay. Sundiata is a fabulous poet with a stunning range of voices. This 90-minute work recounts Sundiata's life-saving kidney transplant with a torrent of beautiful words which affirm in surprising ways what it means to be alive. The reason i'm mentioning it here is that the work is so dense and rich that i really wanted to have a dvd recording so that i could savor it -- it wouldn't do just to have a text transcription since hearing the many voices is a crucial aspect of the piece. it really was a genre-busting "performed essay." Terry Gross' interview with Sundiata on Fresh Air includes a brief excerpt from the piece.
Posted by bob stein on March 27, 2005 11:42 AM
tags: The Performing Book
comments (1):
Marie Cook on July 25, 2007 02:03 PM:I listened raptly to the interview, as a kidney doner of a failed transplant attempt for my cousin's daughter. I was also intrigued by a line in the interview with a poem about the Taos gorge and sky. I lived in Taos for 25 years. I have been searching for the line in the interview about the reference to Taos. I have scheduled a trip to Pittsburgh to visit my daughter in September and the performance of Sekou Sundiata Blessing the Boats was to be a highlight of the visit. I am grieved that this fine artist has left us.
