The process of making the 360 documentary series, In Her Shoes, starts with proof of concept. I went to The Tribal Gathering to meet women from many indigenous communities to learn if my show idea was welcomed. The basic show concept for In Her Shoes starts with my living with the women of an indigenous community for one month, one lunar cycle, to learn their process of life; food, child birth and care, medicines, and sacred feminine ceremonies. I discovered there is a great need for a place for these women to share their knowledge. In Her Shoes is that place. Now we know I can go to their communities and live with them to learn their process of life and share that knowledge with the world.
Once a week for the next 13 weeks (starting March 4, 2021) I will share one video from my adventures at the Tribal Gathering, showcasing some of the cultural talents from around the globe. And the hair raising one week of military quarantine as the global borders close at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic that Vice called Trapped In Paradise. (yes, that’s me in the Vice video)
Aunt Athena travels to the Tribal Gathering
On Feb 29, 2020 (yes, leap day) I traveled to a little piece of paradise called Playa Chaquita, Panama for The Tribal Gathering Festival. I was filled with excitement of the unknown adventures that lay ahead. The purpose in my attending this festival was to discover if my documentary series, In Her Shoes, had merit. It definitely does.
The Tribal Gathering showcases some of the best music from around the world. Everyone had their own cultural style and traditions. The times when everyone came together for jams were like nothing I had experienced before. The stages of The Tribal Gathering hosted serious booty shaking beats. Because so many talented musicians were together in one place, at any given moment jams would break out creating instant revelry and joyous dance floors.
This video has a small selection of some of the musical moments from The Tribal Gathering. Whirling tunes from Pakistan, the high energy of Dr. Nativo from Guatemala , epic drumming from Project Inebesi of the Garifuna from Belize, the soothing Dayak strings from Uyau Moris from Borneo and Alena Murang from Malaysia, a fun Russian group called Hopstop Banda, Many multicultural jams and of course a home country favorite of Panamanian drummers leading a parade to end of the event. And through all those epic tunes, we could always retreat to the shores for the welcoming sounds of the waves as they rushed upon the shore.
