Ancestral Frequencies: From Ancient Sounds to Modern Futures
A performance inspired by Harold Offeh's exhibition
Ancestral Frequencies: From Ancient Sounds to Modern Futures is a participatory performance by Chinomnso Livinus of Afro-Culture UK Hub, using the Oja and responding to the ideas of Black identity, memory, imagination and the future that are explored in Harold Offeh's The Mothership Collective 2.0, exhibiting at Tramway now.
In this free, drop-in event, audiences are invited to join in through simple rhythmic and vocal responses, while artist Harold Offeh records contributions to a Glasgow intergalactic mix.
This event is part of a full day of activities with Harold Offeh at Tramway, including a family-friendly drop-in album cover workshop from 11.15am–12.45pm. Come along for both sessions and take part in the collective creativity of The Mothership Collective 2.0.
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The performance by Chinomnso Livinus uses the Oja, a traditional Igbo wind instrument, as a symbolic voice travelling between ancestral memory and contemporary life.
The Oja is a small traditional instrument with a distinctive and highly expressive sound. Unlike Western instruments that are built around a complete sol-fa scale, the Oja works within a more limited tonal range. Yet, when played skilfully, it can sound remarkably expressive and almost mystical. Its power comes not from the number of notes it produces, but from the way breath, rhythm, ornamentation and cultural knowledge are used to make the instrument speak.
Through musical interpretations of the Nigerian national anthem and Flower of Scotland, the performance explores connections between Nigerian and Scottish cultural identities, showing how ancient sounds can travel, adapt and connect across borders without losing their roots.
The session will be participatory rather than purely observational. Chinomnso will introduce audiences to the expressive qualities of the Oja, demonstrate traditional sounds and responses, and invite participants to join in through simple rhythmic and vocal patterns, becoming part of the soundscape rather than simply watching from a distance.
Artist Harold Offeh will also be present, using the gallery as a recording studio and inviting visitors to contribute to a Glasgow intergalactic mix.
Responding to the participatory and Afrofuturist ideas within The Mothership Collective 2.0, the performance explores how heritage can move beyond preservation and become something living, shared and future-facing. The Oja becomes more than an instrument; it becomes a kind of ancestral signal connecting memory, migration, belonging and imagined futures.