“Planted Not Buried”

“Planted Not Buried” By Tolulope Ami-Williams 

“Planted Not Buried” was an interdisciplinary performance installation highlighting Manchester’s diverse legacy. This project honours past and present voices of Pan-Africanism, particularly those underrepresented in history, and aims to blur barriers of race, gender, culture, and class, acknowledging all contributors to Manchester’s rich history. 

Inspired by a red plaque at the arts and humanities faculty commemorating the Fifth Pan-African Congress in 1945, I discovered that Obafemi Awolowo, a key figure in Nigeria’s independence, attended this congress before his political rise. Although Awolowo’s participation has been debated and often overlooked by scholars, it made me reflect on the many unsung contributors to MMU at 200, such as cleaners, technicians, and security staff in less prominent positions.  

The work included a site-specific workshop where diverse participants engaged with materials like charcoal, creating rhythm from pounding and leaving footprints on a textile surface. Footprints, chosen over photographs, symbolise erasing divisive elements and acknowledging unified contributions to significant movements. Charcoal represents the transformative nature of death and the enduring legacy of historical figures, changing from solid beads to wet pigment, as represented through the piece. 

In the second phase, an interaction with a security staff member at the Arts and Humanities faculty subverts conventional roles. The artist cleans the participant’s feet after they leave footprints, emphasising the acknowledgement of service and shared authority. The sound installation merges historical voices with contemporary readings, creating an ensemble that reflects a relationship to history across generations.