Mwalim
Mwalim (Morgan James Peters I, born June 6, 1968), also known as "Mwalim *7" and "Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor" is an American performing artist, writer, and educator. He is a tenured associate professor of English and former director of Black Studies at the
Early life
Born to a
Career
After college and graduate school, Mwalim chose to settle on Cape Cod as opposed to back to New York. He worked with a small group of local performers to co-found Oversoul Theatre Collective, Inc., and became the group's artistic director. He has used music, theater and storytelling as a platform to explore the Black and Native American experience; and the American phenomenon of having to choose one race, despite the rhetoric of the American melting pot. He has called himself a "Black Wampanoag."[6]
In 2000, Mwalim became a part of the
His award-winning one-man show "A Party at the Crossroads" is subtitled the tales and adventures of a Black Indian growing up in a Jewish neighborhood, has been presented at the
Mwalim became a professor of English and African American studies at
According to Black Masks Magazine, Mwalim is considered a leading voice in the new generation of artists.[8]
Mwalim earned his MFA in creative writing from Goddard College in July 2006. His focus was playwriting. He was recently named Filmmaker-In-Residence by WGBH, Bostons PBS television station, and will be the residency programs first narrative filmmaker, where he will be producing a film adaptation of Look At My Shorts, a collection of Mwalim's short plays exploring contemporary Black Indian experiences in Massachusetts.
Some of his musical recordings have won awards from the New England Urban Music Awards[9]
Books
- A Mixed Medicine Bag: Original Black-Wampanoag Folklore (2017, Talking Drum Press, LTD)
- LAND of the BLACK SQUIRRELS: A Bronx Boheme Novel (2020, Thirty-three Pages, LLC)
+ Mwalim appears in numerous poetry, short story, and essay anthologies and edited volumes.
Plays & Performance Works
- The Barber of Seville Street (1995)
- Things I've Enjoyed Telling White Folks: The Quaker & Unitarian Monologues (1997)
- Out! By The Roots!!! (1997)
- A Party at the Crossroads (1998)
- Guess Who's Rockin' The Party... (1999)
- OM! A Street Corner Griot's Comedy (2000)
- Horror In The Bronx (2002)
- Working Things Out (2003)
- Meanwhile, Elsewhere...: A Collection of Short Plays (2005)
- WETU In The City (2007)
- Seek & Ye Shall Find (1 of the Among Brothers Trilogy) (2008)
- You're An Indian?? (2009)
- Knock & It Shall Be Opened (2 of the Among Brothers Trilogy) (2010)
- Ask & It Shall Be Given (3 of the Among Brothers Trilogy) (2014)
- LEGACY (2016)
- Listen To Sipu (2021)
Discography
1. "Her Groove" 12' Single (1990 Midnight Groove Recordings)
2. "Voices Of My Ancestors" E.P. (1995, MGR/MFV Group)
3. "Thief In The Night" CD single (2000, MGR/OTC Records)
4. "Jazzy- Soul Club Grooves" Vinyl/E.P. (2001 Midnight Groove Recordings/ OTC Records)
5. "The Liberation Sessions" CD/Album (2010 MGR/LM3/ Lore Music Group)
6. "DEEP Soul Chants & Hollers" CD/Album (2012 MGR/LM3)
7. "Awakened By A Noon Day Sun" CD/Album (2014 MGR/LM3/ Spirit Wind Records)
8. "Ask Yo' Mama" by The GroovaLottos CD/Album (2017 MGR/LM3/Sing Keepers, LTD.)
9. "Downstreeter Suite Digital Album (2021 MGR/LM3)
10. "Mama's Hamper" a remixtape by The GroovaLottos Digital Album (2021 MGR/LM3)
+ Mwalim appears on at least 80 other recordings as a musician, singer, producer, and/or songwriter
References
- ^ "About Us".
- ^ "Black Native Americans beginning to assert identity". 30 December 2014.
- ^ http://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20171123/groovalottos-receive-grammy-consideration-for-ask-yo-mama
- ^ "Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor music @ All About Jazz".
- ^ "Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor music @ All About Jazz".
- ^ "Black Native Americans beginning to assert identity". 30 December 2014.
- ^ "Home". daphunkeeprofessor.com.
- ^ Black Masks Magazine, January/ February 2006 Issue, Vol. 17, No. 4; pg. 3
- ^ https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/opinions/the-funk-and-jazz-of-morgan-james-peters/