SIBLINGS OF THE YAM

SIBLINGS OF THE YAM

Siblings of the Yam is an expanded cinema project investigating the lasting impacts of colonialism on Black communities’ relationships to the land. Made in collaboration with Afro-Mexican creative Tamara Ibarra, this multifaceted work explores ancestral connections to nature, grief and generational knowledge through locations spanning Mexico City, Veracruz, Nottingham and UK rural and coastal settings.

Inspired by bell hooks’ “Sisters of the Yam”, the project asks whether reconnection with nature can offer pathways to personal and collective healing. Using an Afrofuturist lens, the work examines the contrasting experiences between Afro-Mexican communities who maintain strong ties to the land and UK Black diaspora communities who have become disconnected through urbanisation and systemic barriers.

The project will culminate in an immersive multi-screen film experience with live scored performances, alongside a bilingual publication documenting community conversations and the creative process.