Bruises National Tour

It's clear that "Bruises" was much more than a series of performances; it was a movement, a community-building exercise, and a catalyst for artistic rebirth.

Here is a summary of what we've accomplished, framed to highlight its significance:

The "Bruises" National Poetry Tour: A Summary

We successfully executed a groundbreaking national poetry tour in Cameroon, sponsored by the Cameroonian Cultural Network-CCN. The tour, named after the spoken word album "Bruises," used art to confront the urgent issue of gender-based violence (GBV), specifically tracing its origins, causes, effects, and consequences in the Bamenda community.

The Creative Force:
Album & Theme: "Bruises," a spoken word album on GBV.
Writers: Tanni Awa, Lanjo Neindefoh Lanjo, MT Asong, with a final track collaboratively written by Tanni Desmond Awa, Nubia Nahbi, @Yeika Desmond (DePreacher), and Atemnkeng Victor.
Vocals: Ngek Lois and Zita Light
Production: Ringnwi Charles of Ringwitz.

The National Journey:
The tour connected the nation through art, with impactful stops in:
1. Littoral (Douala): Launch with a live street performance (~200 people).
2. East (Bertoua): Massive show at Pole Artcam cultural space (~150 audience).
3. West (Bandjoun): Major event at Bandjoun Station (~200 audience), attended by scholars and featuring a constellation of artists like De Preacher, Medin Yahje, and musicians Keshiel and Mag Bila.
4. Northwest (Bamenda): Emotional high point at Alliance Française (~300 audience), featuring Afanyu and others.
5. Adamawa (Ngaoundere): Show at Alliance Française (~100 participants).
6. Centre (Yaounde): Grand finale at CIPCA, closing the network tour (~150 audience).

Lasting Impact & Legacy:
The tour's success transcended the events themselves, leading to profound outcomes:
Formation of a Band: A new, multidisciplinary artistic collective emerged, combining instrumentalists, musicians, spoken word artists, and dancers. This band aims to tour with a unique "live organic Bamenda sound and poetry."

Artistic Reawakening: The tour reignited creative flames:
Ayeah Leonette is now working on a new music EP.
Keshiel 695 is preparing a music album.
DePreacher has a poetry album in the works.
Mottannis' spoken word album is ready for release.

This tour stands as a testament to the power of collaborative art to address social issues, heal communities, and create sustainable artistic ecosystems. Congratulations on this monumental achievement. The ripple effects of "Bruises" will undoubtedly continue to be felt across Cameroon and beyond.