The Mbira: When Music Becomes a Bridge to the Ancestors
What if a musical instrument could connect you to the spiritual world of your ancestors? When Mahealani first heard the Mbira, she says she was transported. “I forgot where I was. I was visiting ancestors who I know had passed. I was experiencing things from a different realm.” Across Africa, the Mbira is known as an instrument that speaks to the ancestors — a sacred sound used for healing, remembrance, and spiritual connection. This Saturday at 2 PM PST/ 5 EST, we welcome Mahealani to the King’s Circle. Here' s the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88560870283?pwd=92gH8Zjg5TGVUkd7UbhNtIEpu4lCEb.1 Mahealani is the author of The Mbira: An African Musical Tradition and is also an initiate of the Ifa spiritual tradition. In the attached video, Mahealani speaks with Black Resistance host Jan Mabry about the mbira, the traditional instrument of the Shona people of Zimbabwe, and its powerful cultural and spiritual significance. In addition to her expertise in Mbira, Mahealani has also dedicated more than 40 years to teaching and performing Polynesian music and dance, sharing Hawaiian and Tahitian traditions globally. She has also served as Professor of Hawaiian Language at Stanford University and led workshops throughout the United States and Mexico. This will be a powerful conversation about music, spirit, ancestry, and cultural restoration. Join us inside the circle on Saturday. Let us welcome this insightful, dedicated cultural ambassador. Here's the Zoom link once again: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88560870283?pwd=92gH8Zjg5TGVUkd7UbhNtIEpu4lCEb.1