Lesley Nicole Braun

Lesley Nicole Braun, author of a book on Congo's dancers, explores the politics of control and the interlinking of visibility, virtue, and socio-economic opportunity in Kinshasa. She discusses the challenges faced by women navigating the public sphere and the gendered differences in local patronage politics. The podcast also covers the fusion of African and Cuban influences in Congolese rumba music, the significance of music and dance in women's lives in Kinshasa, the power of dance in anthropology, and the cultural significance of Mami Watah, a spiritual figure in Kinshasa.