Bonko in Transit is the second phase of Bonko: Sound Anthropology, a research project exploring the ancestral tradition of bonkó or ñánkue, which is linked to the Ekpe masquerade society and has its roots in Equatorial Guinea, Cuba and other territories, centred around the island of Bioko and adopting an Afrofuturist, transfeminist and decolonial perspective. Combining sound archiving, fieldwork and community collaboration, the project traces the connections between rhythm, ritual and migrated memory, building bridges between Malabo and Barcelona. Through workshops, publications and sound actions, the research paves the way for a reinterpretation of this legacy, positioning the body and listening as tools of resistance and collective creation.
Mani Tapés is a DJ, producer and researcher born in Equatorial Guinea and based in Barcelona. He combines electronic music with ancestral African beats, taking an eco-futuristic approach to create spaces for celebration and resistance based on dissidence. His practice integrates community, sound archives and performance in order to weave together migrant memories and contemporary rituals. As a member of the dissident collective Don’t Hit a la Negra, he promotes projects that unite the body, festivities and critical research. His work is a cross between club culture and decolonial thought.
