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X-WR-CALNAME:Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo Foundation
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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo Foundation
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260718T110000
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CREATED:20260423T193247Z
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UID:5828-1784372400-1784403000@miceregithaemugofoundation.fluid22.dev
SUMMARY:The Day of Orature
DESCRIPTION:Every story deserves a stage. Every voice carries a tradition. This summer\, the public square of Syracuse becomes the place where young voices carry ancient wisdom forward — and where that act is formally recognized\, celebrated\, and rewarded. \nThe Day of Orature is presented by the Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo Foundation to mark the third anniversary of the passing of Professor Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo — Kenyan poet\, playwright\, feminist thinker\, and former Chair of the Department of African American Studies at Syracuse University. Professor Mũgo believed that the spoken word is not a relic of the past\, but a living instrument of justice\, memory\, and community. This festival is her legacy made public — brought into the streets she walked for three decades. \n\nWhat Is Orature?\nOrature encompasses spoken poetry\, storytelling\, proverb\, song\, call-and-response\, and oral performance — the forms of human expression that predate writing and carry the history\, identity\, and wisdom of communities across generations. It is\, in the words of Professor Mũgo: “not a thing of the past — it is a living\, breathing\, transforming body of expression.” This competition is a formal declaration that those traditions belong to young people today. \n\n\n \nYouth Orature Showcase & Competition\nAt the center of the day is an open-call\, adjudicated performance competition inviting students from Grades 3–12 across the Syracuse metropolitan area and greater Central New York region to submit performances in one or more of five Orature categories. A Screening Panel of distinguished reviewers selects finalists from digital audition videos; finalists perform live on the main stage\, where a Live Jury of experts in Orature\, African and African Diaspora literature\, and the performing arts determines prize winners. \nThe competition is designed to be joyful and affirming — a platform\, not a gauntlet. Every participant\, finalist or not\, receives formal recognition. Every young person who steps to the microphone steps into a tradition that has always belonged to them. \nFive Performance Categories\n\n\n01\nSpoken Word Poetry\nLive: 2–5 min · Audition: 2–4 min\nOriginal\, self-composed poetry performed live — using voice\, rhythm\, and bodily expression as instruments of meaning. Solo performers only.\n\n\n02\nOral Storytelling\nLive: 3–5 min · Audition: 3–5 min\nNarrative performance — personal\, cultural\, or ancestral — conveyed through voice\, gesture\, and presence\, without a script held during performance.\n\n\n03\nSong-Based Narrative\nLive: 2–5 min · Audition: 2–4 min\nAn original or traditional story conveyed through song or musical performance\, integrating narrative content with musical form. Up to 4 performers.\n\n\n04\nProverb & Wisdom Traditions\nLive: 2–5 min · Audition: 2–3 min\nA performance rooted in the oral knowledge traditions of proverb\, riddle\, or communal teaching — contextualized and performed with artistry. Solo only.\n\n\n05\nCall-and-Response\nLive: 3–5 min · Audition: 3–4 min\nA participatory performance in the communal Orature tradition\, engaging an audience\, a group\, or a co-performer in shared vocal or physical response.\n\n\nAge Tiers & Prize Structure\n\n\n\nTier\nGrade Range\n1st Place (per category)\n2nd Place (per category)\n\n\n\n\nTier I — Young Storytellers\nGrades 3–5\n$150\n$75\n\n\nTier II — Developing Artists\nGrades 6–8\n$200\n$100\n\n\nTier III — Emerging Practitioners\nGrades 9–11\n$300\n$150\n\n\nTier IV — Adult Practitioners\nGrade 12\n$400\n$200\n\n\n\nAll finalists receive a formal Finalist Certificate signed by Foundation leadership\, recognition by name from the stage during the Awards Ceremony\, and inclusion in the Day of Orature Finalist Honor Roll. A special Foundation Award for Outstanding Orature ($500) may be awarded by unanimous jury decision to one exceptional performer across all categories and tiers. Total maximum prize pool: $5\,625. \n\n \nDay-of Schedule\nThe Day of Orature is a festival\, not an auditorium competition. Finalist performances are woven into a full day of live music\, community gathering\, and cultural celebration. \n\n\n11:00 AM\nDoors Open — Festival grounds open; contestant check-in and backstage orientation begins\n\n\n12:00 PM\nOpening Ceremony — Welcome from Foundation leadership and the City of Syracuse; land acknowledgment; introduction to Orature and Professor Mũgo’s legacy\n\n\n12:30 PM\nYouth Orature Performances — Round One (Tiers I & II: Grades 3–8)\n\n\n2:30 PM\nMusical Guest Performance — Live musical act in the spirit of Orature\n\n\n3:00 PM\nYouth Orature Performances — Round Two (Tiers III & IV: Grades 9–12)\n\n\n5:00 PM\nMusical Guest Performance — Second live musical act\n\n\n5:30 PM\nJury Deliberation — Live jury convenes; community programming and festival activities continue on stage\n\n\n6:30 PM\nAwards Ceremony & Closing Celebration — All finalists recognized; category winners announced; cash prizes awarded; closing remarks\n\n\n7:30 PM\nEvent Closes\n\n\n\n \nCompetition Timeline\n\n\nNow\nInformation & Outreach Period\nCompetition materials distributed to schools and youth-serving organizations across CNY\n\n\nMonday\, May 4\, 2026\nSubmissions Open\nCompetition portal goes live at miceregithaemugofoundation.org — entry is free\n\n\nFriday\, May 29\, 2026\nFinal Submission Deadline\nPortal closes at 11:59 PM EST — no late submissions accepted; all documents (video\, info sheet\, consent form) must be complete\n\n\nJune 1–12\, 2026\nScreening Panel Review\nDistinguished reviewers evaluate all complete submissions across all categories and age brackets\n\n\nMonday\, June 15\, 2026\nFinalist Notifications Sent\nAll contestants notified — finalists invited to confirm attendance and receive stage preparation guidance\n\n\nSaturday\, July 18\, 2026\nThe Day of Orature\nFull-day festival at Clinton Square · Live finalist performances · Awards Ceremony · Cash prizes awarded\n\n\n\n \nCompetition Resources & Links\nReview all competition documents before submitting your audition. Questions? Contact us at info@miceregithaemugofoundation.fluid22.dev \n\n\n\n\nSubmit an Audition \nRegistration portal & video upload — all categories\, completely free\n\n\n\n\n\nCompetition Guidelines \nComplete rules\, procedures\, eligibility\, and submission requirements (PDF)\n\n\n\n\n\nAdjudication Rubric \nThe 10-criterion scoring rubric used by judges — review before you perform (PDF)\n\n\n\n\n\nSponsorships & Partnerships \nSupport the event — four tiers from $1\,000 to $10\,000+
URL:https://miceregithaemugofoundation.fluid22.dev/?tribe_events=the-day-of-orature
LOCATION:Clinton Square\, 161 Genesee St\, Syracuse\, NY\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://miceregithaemugofoundation.fluid22.dev/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/day-of-oration.jpg
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