Adimu Kuumba - emergency funeral expenses
Donation protected
A week ago today family and friends learned we lost our beloved Adimu Kuumba.
The family members are now in critical need of financial support for the funeral and asked if I would set up this GoFundMe campaign.
Please read below for more information.
As his Swahili name indicates, Adimu Kuumba demonstrated one-of-a-kind creativity as an unparalleled instrument maker and performer drawing inspiration from his African ancestry. He exuberantly expressed himself through his extensive collection of hand-crafted instruments --- flutes, harps, kalimbas, musical bows, balaphones, shakere, drums, and original instruments expressing imagined sounds. Adimu was an extraordinary urban griot who changed the lives of many who encountered him as a musician, teacher and friend. To be invited on stage and on the porch was exhilarating. To step inside his home was a gift, a glimpse of Adimu's musical sanctuary.
While moments of greater recognition occasionally occurred through concerts in larger venues and a few artist awards, Adimu Kuumba's genius was unfortunately under acknowledged in the greater public sphere. As a Philadelphia street educated youth, Adimu faced many challenges including serving time in prison as a young adult for stealing musical instruments, and later survived a life threatening illness, a rare blood disorder that baffled his doctors.
Through it all, the one thing that absolutely saved his life was the music and his self-determined ability to build musical instruments out of found and repurposed materials. Adimu lived fully - live and in living color - with music serving as the healing force conquering all.
When the music from his apartment went unheard over the weekend, concern set in. On the evening of Monday, June 14, 2021 family members found him deceased in bed from natural causes. He is survived by his sister Gwen, son Rahisi, daughter Ayan, and many extended family members.
The family have set in motion arrangements for a small private funeral reflective of Adimu's wishes, but are stunned by and unable to afford the expense. Their goal was to have the funeral this coming weekend and are hoping to raise the required funds in a few days.
They have granted me permission to set up this GoFundMe campaign to assist in paying for burial expenses that totaled over $10,000 (without a headstone). I'm hoping this campaign might also cover rent for a few months, allowing family members more time to catalogue Adimu Kuumba's instrument collection and personal effects.
The family has been corresponding with members of Adimu's extended music community and anticipate a larger celebration of life will be organized in the coming months. However, the pressing need now is raising the funds to properly lay to rest our dearly departed musical sage --- Adimu Kuumba.
Rest in Peace. Rest in Power.
Please contribute what you can and let us know how Adimu inspired your life.
I personally hold a deep debt of gratitude to have had Adimu in 1988 accept me as a student, teach me how to play a wide variety of musical instruments and assist in developing such a unique core of my musical being. I carry him always in my sound.
If you'd like to learn more about Adimu Kuumba, I encourage you to listen to this brief and excellent profile in his voice and featuring his music.
https://soundcloud.com/davidmguinn/adimu-kuumba
May his memory be a blessing.
Thank you for your support and generosity.
With gratitude,
Jason Finkelman,
on behalf of Gwen, Rahisi, and Ayan.
The family members are now in critical need of financial support for the funeral and asked if I would set up this GoFundMe campaign.
Please read below for more information.
As his Swahili name indicates, Adimu Kuumba demonstrated one-of-a-kind creativity as an unparalleled instrument maker and performer drawing inspiration from his African ancestry. He exuberantly expressed himself through his extensive collection of hand-crafted instruments --- flutes, harps, kalimbas, musical bows, balaphones, shakere, drums, and original instruments expressing imagined sounds. Adimu was an extraordinary urban griot who changed the lives of many who encountered him as a musician, teacher and friend. To be invited on stage and on the porch was exhilarating. To step inside his home was a gift, a glimpse of Adimu's musical sanctuary.
While moments of greater recognition occasionally occurred through concerts in larger venues and a few artist awards, Adimu Kuumba's genius was unfortunately under acknowledged in the greater public sphere. As a Philadelphia street educated youth, Adimu faced many challenges including serving time in prison as a young adult for stealing musical instruments, and later survived a life threatening illness, a rare blood disorder that baffled his doctors.
Through it all, the one thing that absolutely saved his life was the music and his self-determined ability to build musical instruments out of found and repurposed materials. Adimu lived fully - live and in living color - with music serving as the healing force conquering all.
When the music from his apartment went unheard over the weekend, concern set in. On the evening of Monday, June 14, 2021 family members found him deceased in bed from natural causes. He is survived by his sister Gwen, son Rahisi, daughter Ayan, and many extended family members.
The family have set in motion arrangements for a small private funeral reflective of Adimu's wishes, but are stunned by and unable to afford the expense. Their goal was to have the funeral this coming weekend and are hoping to raise the required funds in a few days.
They have granted me permission to set up this GoFundMe campaign to assist in paying for burial expenses that totaled over $10,000 (without a headstone). I'm hoping this campaign might also cover rent for a few months, allowing family members more time to catalogue Adimu Kuumba's instrument collection and personal effects.
The family has been corresponding with members of Adimu's extended music community and anticipate a larger celebration of life will be organized in the coming months. However, the pressing need now is raising the funds to properly lay to rest our dearly departed musical sage --- Adimu Kuumba.
Rest in Peace. Rest in Power.
Please contribute what you can and let us know how Adimu inspired your life.
I personally hold a deep debt of gratitude to have had Adimu in 1988 accept me as a student, teach me how to play a wide variety of musical instruments and assist in developing such a unique core of my musical being. I carry him always in my sound.
If you'd like to learn more about Adimu Kuumba, I encourage you to listen to this brief and excellent profile in his voice and featuring his music.
https://soundcloud.com/davidmguinn/adimu-kuumba
May his memory be a blessing.
Thank you for your support and generosity.
With gratitude,
Jason Finkelman,
on behalf of Gwen, Rahisi, and Ayan.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jason Finkelman
Organizer
Urbana, IL
Ayankamaria Nelson
Beneficiary