music as a soical protest

OVERVIEW:
This lesson plan is designed to be used in conjunction with the film Sierra Leone’s
Refugee All Stars, the story of a band born in a West African refugee camp that chooses
to fight back against their suffering and circumstances with music. Note: A significant
portion of the film has subtitles. In addition, the film includes graphic war images
and accounts of atrocities. Please preview before showing the entire film in a
classroom setting.
P.O.V. documentaries can be taped off-the-air and used for educational purposes for up
to one year from the initial broadcast. In addition, P.O.V. offers a lending library of DVD’s
and VHS tapes that you can borrow anytime during the school year — FOR FREE!
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this lesson, students will:
! Analyze a song about the recent civil war in Sierra Leone
! Discuss the role of social protest music
! Write new lyrics to an existing song to address a current social issue
! Present their original protest songs to classmates
SUGGESTED CLIP:
Performance of “Weapon Conflict” in Sembakounya Refugee Camp (2:49 min)
(The clip begins at 3:15 with text on the screen: “Sembakounya Refugee Camp,
Republic of Guinea.” The clip ends at 6:04 with the performance of “Weapon Conflict.”)
BACKGROUND:
Created in the late 18th century by freed slaves from the British colonies in the West
Indies, Sierra Leone gained independence in 1961. From 1991-2002, a brutal civil war
displaced more than 2 million people (about a third of the population), caused at least
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars Lesson Plan 2
50,000 deaths, and brought about the mutilation of an estimated 100,000 men, women,
and children. Hundreds of thousands of civilians from Sierra Leone, including those who
formed the band Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, found refuge in the neighboring
country of Guinea, primarily in camps run by the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR). Once peace was reestablished in Sierra Leone, the UNHCR began
actively repatriating Sierra Leoneans from the camps. By mid-2004 UNHCR reported
that fewer than 2,000 Sierra Leonean refugees remained in Guinea. Those who chose to
stay will be integrated into Guinean society and will no longer receive UNHCR aid

students to identify a social issue of importance to them,
research it, and then write original protest song lyrics to a tune of their choice. For
example, students could address concerns about an environmental issue with original
lyrics set to the tune of, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”


RESOURCES:
Afropop Worldwide
www.afropop.org/multi/interview/ID/105/Reuben+Koroma-Refugee+Alls+Stars-
2006
The Web site for this public-radio series introduces people to a wide range of world
music and includes an interview with Reuben Koroma and a review of the band’s CD.
Cry Freetown
www.cryfreetown.org
The Web site of a film documenting the 1999 rebel attack in Freetown includes an
excellent set of links representing diverse groups, as well as general background on the
conflict, including information on the diamond trade.
Sierra Leone Web
www.sierra-leone.org/
A convenient gateway to a broad range of information about Sierra Leone.
United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unamsil/index.html
This Web site provides an account of the Sierra Leonean peace process from the
perspective of the United Nations.
STANDARDS:
These standards are drawn from "Content Knowledge," a compilation of content