Tuesday 11 March 2025, 7.30pm
This is the fourth event put on by the Regular Working Group at Cafe OTO. The RWG is a group of us who are committed to aggressive listening. In the event, we listen aggressively to the Gaza Sunbirds', their stories, the infrastructure, and we support the aid they send to Gaza. The event includes the presence of the organisation's representatives in London and the opportunity to hear about their motives, poetry readings, and a DJ set.
In addition to the event at Cafe OTO, the Regular Working Group and the Gaza Sunbirds are co-organising a series of football matches with the fees donated to support the Sunbirds' work. The tickets for the matches will be sold at the Cafe OTO event, as well as using the following link:
https://tinyurl.com/SUNBIRD-FUNBIRD
(To buy a ticket to play or watch the matches, use the link above, select a role, then use that role as your reference when sending the money. Thank you!)
Lollard Street, Vauxhall, London, SE11 6PX
Vauxhall Rhino Turf (all matches held on the same turf)
Time: 20:00 - 21:00 (all matches begin and end at the same time)
Dates:
18 March 2025
25 March 2025
01 April 2025
PLEASE NOTE: there will be bakesales organised to get additional funding and fun. We hope this encourages you to come even though it's Ramadan and the games are also held approximately two hours after iftar to give you time to eat, digest, then come and play!
There are different roles for different suggested prices going at the matches, playing roles get to kick a ball around a field, and non-playing roles get to watch the players kick a ball around the field:
PLAYING
15 - MIDFIELDER (plays football - limited capacity)
25.82 - CAPTAIN (responsible for team morale - limited capacity)
32.75 - STRIKER (plays football also - limited capacity)
40.42 - REFEREE (ensures no foul play - limited capacity)
999.01 - Constable Bellend (polices the match to ensure nothing too nice happens - unlimited capacity)
NON PLAYING
0.75 - REPORTER FROM SUN NEWSPAPER (unknown purpose - unlimited capacity)
1 - GOALEE (1 available at this price)
5 - HOOLIGAN (responsible for screaming from benches - unlimited capacity)
7 - TEAM MANAGER (watching from sidelines, with stress lines on forehead - unlimited capacity)
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE FOR FOOTBALL WITH US!
buitumelo (B.U.I) kotekwa is an artist poet. they’re africanfuturist and their practice echoes themes temporal fracture, banNtu cosmology and being a londoner
Ayesha Hameed (London, UK) explores the legacies of indentureship and slavery through the figures of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Her Afrofuturist approach combines performance, sound essays, videos, and lectures. She currently teaches on the MFA in Art at Goldsmiths University of London, is a Kone Foundation Research Fellow and Artist in Residence at the Camden Arts Centre and is Professor of Artistic Research at Uniarts Helsinki.
Hailing from Manchester and now based in London, sinny’s mixes are at once thoughtful, deep, texturally and atmospherically exciting and span vast terrains of sonic landscapes from the globe, often invoking both classic and contemporary sounds from the Arab world.
sinny’s thirst for sharing his musical background with open minds shines through in his residency for Radio Alhara and his guest spots across other UK stations such as Rinse FM, Noods and Kindred.
Aside from radio, you can catch sinny across London in venues from Ormside Projects to Cafe Oto and hear some of his sounds in his Ransom Note mix.
https://soundcloud.com/s_inny
https://instagram.com/sinanagram
The Gaza Sunbirds are a para-cycling team facing the current realities of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza strip. The team of amputee athletes formed in 2020 with a dream of representing Palestine on the sporting world stage. Now, they have been forced to give up their training regime due to the Israeli bombardment, instead turning their attention to supporting their local community. Over the past months, they have been risking their lives on one leg to distribute $420+ USD worth of food and supplies in Southern and central Gaza.
Last year, team captain Alaa al-Dali was evacuated to fulfil the Sunbirds dream of flying the flag in a global arena, to spread awareness for Palestine and to send out a message of hope. In September, he made history as the first Palestinian to ever race at the second largest Para-cycling event: the UCI World Championships.
As the bombardment persists, the Sunbirds call on the world to join in demanding an end to Israel’s intensifying atrocities. Followers can support by donating, organising fundraising activities or events, spreading the message on social media as well as attending / organising a Great Ride of Return. This is a synchronised solidarity cycle series which has brought together thousands in 60+ cities to raise flags and voices on two wheels for Palestine.
Matt Cargill (sly & the family drone) abstract electronics/tape noise. Matt will be processing the sounds of the poets on the night as well as presenting his own work.
