C*LTURE: PIPLANTRI

To welcome the birth of a baby girl, 111 trees are planted in the village of Piplantri, Rajasthan. This celebration was first started by former village leader Shyam Sundar Paliwal to honor his daughter who passed away when she was young.

Encouraging the empowerment of women and environmental conservation, the custom challenges the historical attitudes that a daughter is lesser than their male counterparts.

Along with the parents, the village members come together to raise a “trust” and the money is set aside as a 20-year fund for the girl. Ensuring that she will never be considered a financial burden for her parents.

?UESTIONS: K15

K15's musical catalogue is an eclectic journey of jazz, broken beat, hip hop, soul and dance. His thematic beats and soulful melodies exemplify a raw and full-hearted production. Known for dance-floor, chill out and thought provoking music, each track embodies sincerity, warmth and light.  

How long have you been making music and what is your inspiration?

Been making music for 20 years and then some. My inspiration? Life, music, frustration, fear, limitations - all the things that come from being alive I guess but the toughest experiences and the harshest feelings always  leave a greater impact.

Are you musically trained or self-taught? Do you think it makes a difference? 

Pretty much self-taught. It can make a difference for sure, you have gaps in your knowledge and there can be a lack of self-belief, like you are just bluffing your way through it all.

What equipment do you use, does this help enhance the mood and atmosphere of your music?

MPC 2000xl, Nord Electro 3, Reason software and lots of records. Software is limitless but any external sounds always come with their own character. 

What era of music do you draw your inspiration from?

I try to listen to a lot of different music from different times, so no one era is my main inspiration.

Has technology and the internet influenced music in a good or bad way? 

Music has been influenced for sure. There is greater access for us to make music, to express ourselves if we feel inclined to. We can find such an array of music now, we have the majority of all recorded music at our fingertips - so much to learn and appreciate but because we have access to so much for little to no cost, the intrinsic value of music often goes unrecognised or discarded.

What is the message in your music?

Less of a message and more of a reminder to myself perhaps.

Is there any wisdom you can share for up and coming producers?

No wisdom but things that serve me well are to learn your tools/instruments/machines, create when you can but above all, ENJOY IT!

Website: https://k15music.co.uk/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/k15

C*LTURE: Umoja

The village of Umoja which means ‘unity’ in Swahili - is a guarded sanctuary for women only.  First founded in 1990 for 15 women who were raped by British soldiers. Now the village has grown and flourished into a safe community for women who are trying to escape an abusive situation. Genital mutilation, sexual assault, domestic violence or child marriage.

Located in Samburu, northern Kenya, the Samburu people are closely related to the Maasai Tribe. There are around 50 women, along with roughly 200 children. Once the male children reach the age of 18 they must leave the village. 

The elders educate the women and girls from surrounding Samburu villages on issues such as early marriage and female genital mutilation. Under the ‘tree of speech’, women gather to make decisions. The community live a humble and safe life under the protection of each other.