Kalunga Neg Maron is a musical dance ensemble that consists of members who have spent most of their lives researching and studying African culture in the Americas.

Our aim is to preserve aspects of African tradition and identity existing in Quisqueya--Ayiti, known today as the Dominican Republic and The Republic of Haiti.

We use the name Kalunga to highlight the Congolese cultural aspects retained in Dominican/Haitian culture and throughout the African Diaspora of the western hemisphere, such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, etc. Kalunga is a Goddess of the Congolese people known also as the Muntu-Bantu or Bakongo. She is the universal cosmos, the great bang from which all life comes, including the depths of the seas and the oceans. Kalunga also represents a time when Congolese culture was dominated by a matriarchal system where women played a prominent role in society.

Neg Maron translates into Black Maroons--those who fought against slavery, many of whom were Congolese descendants like Sebastian Lemba. We use the term Neg Maron to symbolize our resistance against slavery and colonialism in a struggle to maintain and develop our African identity against overwhelming odds.

Live @ Queens Theater, Flushing Meadows Park. November 24, 2007

The Welfare Poets are a collective of activists, educators, and artists together since 1990. Through teaching residencies and workshops, through activism around community struggles and through sharp-edged performances of music that incorporates Hip Hop, Bomba y Plena, Latin Jazz and other rhythms, the Welfare Poets bring information and inspiration to those facing oppression and those fighting for liberation.

For more Info: www.myspace.com/thewelfarepoets
www.welfarepoets.com