"THE TEMPLE OF THE SPIDER" IS AN ONGOING PROJECT LOOKING TO BUILD A PUBLIC ARCHIVE THAT AIMS TO BRING PEOPLE FROM THE DIASPORA AND BEYOND TOGETHER. IT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES ON HOW WE CREATE NARRATIVES WITHIN DIASPORIC COMMUNITIES. THE PROJECT AIMS TO CHALLENGE HISTORIES AND NARRATIVES THAT ARE ROOTED IN COLONIALISM AND OPPRESSION, AND INSTEAD LOOKS TO THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO REWRITE THEIR OWN HISTORIES AND ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS WITH EACH OTHER. ENGAGING WITH DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES ON BLACKNESS, THE EVER SHIFTING NATURE OF IDENTITIES, AND LOCAL HISTORIES, IT CREATES A SPACE FOR CULTURAL ROOTEDNESS AND BELONGING FOR ALL.

“TEMPLE OF THE SPIDER" IS INSPIRED BY THE TALES OF ANANSI THE SPIDER, WHICH HOLD GREAT SIGNIFICANCE IN BOTH WEST AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN CULTURES, REPRESENTING A RICH ORAL STORYTELLING TRADITION THAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS. ANANSI IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH WISDOM, STORYTELLING, AND CUNNING, AND IS SOMETIMES CONSIDERED THE "GOD" OF STORIES. ANANSI, OFTEN DEPICTED AS A CLEVER AND CUNNING TRICKSTER, IS A PROMINENT FIGURE IN FOLKTALES ORIGINATING FROM THE AKAN PEOPLE OF PRESENT-DAY GHANA. THESE STORIES WERE CARRIED TO THE CARIBBEAN THROUGH THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE, WHERE THEY TOOK ROOT AND EVOLVED TO REFLECT THE EXPERIENCES OF THE ENSLAVED AFRICANS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS.

"TEMPLE OF THE SPIDER" HOPES TO SERVE AS A FOUNDATION FOR CULTURAL CONNECTION AND A WELCOMING, INCLUSIVE SPACE FOR EVERYONE. IN SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT, INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS CAN ENGAGE WITH THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND EXPERIENCE A SENSE OF BELONGING.

"TEMPLE OF THE SPIDERS" EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS TO EXPLORE THEIR IDENTITIES, ENCOURAGES COLLABORATION, AND FOSTERS A MORE HOLISTIC APPRECIATION OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF HUMAN EXPERIENCES.

COMPLETION TO BE ANNOUNCED TOWARDS OCTOBER 2024