(Photographed by Staff Writer Connor Sullivan)
Staff Writer: Connor Sullivan
Email: csullivan14@umassd.edu
UMass Dartmouth’s College of Arts and Sciences partnered with electronic music group Wamptronica for a “Noon House Party” in LARTs last Friday, February 2nd, to kick off Black History Month.
Held in the building’s south atrium between rooms 110 and 115, the event consisted of Wamptronica performing a variety of their songs.
Students were encouraged to enjoy the music and help themselves from a table loaded with boxes of pizza and platters of sweets.
Wamptronica is the creative project of UMD professor of English and Black Studies Mwalim Peters and his son Ziggy, who perform under the stage names “DaPhunkee Professor” and “The ZYG 808” respectively. The band describes themselves as “a first nation, electronic dance music group, comprised of Wampanoag and other native musical creatives.”
Professor Peters further explains that it is a subgroup of another band called “The GroovaLottos,” which he describes as a “soul funk band” that makes use of “more traditional, natural instruments.”
“Wamptronica sort of grew out of that as a subgroup,” said Professor Peters, “because a lot of us were like, ‘Hey, we’re into underground electronica also.’” They describe their music as a blend of various genres, including “traditional music of the First Nation people,” along with “house, jazz, breakbeats, and funk.”
The event was formed after Professor Peters showed the band’s new song, PARADISE over PEACE, to the other College of Arts & Sciences faculty members. This led them to plan a house party for students as a way to encourage community engagement.
“I think that, after COVID now, it’s a good excuse to get together, and music brings people together,” said Assistant Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences Kaisa Holloway Cripps, who described the event as an opportunity to “showcase our faculty and also have some fun.”
The band started playing a few minutes before noon, filling the air with their unique combination of house, jazz, and funk. Not too long after, many students on their way to their 12 o’clock classes quickly dove into the atrium for free drinks and pizza slices.
Many faculty members also took part in the festivities. Several of them stopped by to enjoy food and talk with other faculty. Among those who made an appearance was Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Robert Jones.
At around 12:50 PM, another large wave of students came through, either leaving their 12 o’clock classes or arriving for their 1 o’clock classes. They similarly took advantage of the free lunch being offered. The event ended shortly after, with the band packing up their equipment and the remaining faculty dispersing.
The house party was intended to promote awareness of the other events planned on campus for Black History, such as those organized by UMass Dartmouth’s Black History 4 Seasons Council (BH4SC).
BH4SC is a group dedicated to organizing events that “honor the contributions of Black Americans in literature, music, politics, social justice, theater, and visual arts.”
BH4SC has events planned for every week of February, including the 2024 Black History Month Show to be hosted in the campus auditorium on February 17th, and the Frederick Douglass Unity House’s 35th Annual National African American Read-In to be hosted in the LARTs Atrium on February 22nd.
The house party also promoted the local music scene, with flyers all around the atrium advertising the “Thump & Soul Session.” This event promises a night of dancing and house music from several local acts, including Wamptronica. It is held every 3rd Saturday at Gallery X in New Bedford, with the next being scheduled for February 17th.
Professor Peters was pleased with the house party, calling it “hopefully the first of many.”