When I was a student in the early 1980s,
the UK post punk/new wave music scene
was becoming very eclectic, ravenous for new ideas and influences..

I was so lucky to be living and studying in Bristol.
A city notorious for gaining wealth from the slave trade.
But in the later 20th Century, evolving into a militantly radical progressive nexus
for celebrating multi cultural music and traditions.

Bath was a very similar city, just a few miles away..

A coalition of local based rock stars and cultural activists formed WOMAD..

https://realworldrecords.com/features/womad/womad-giving-the-world-back-to-the-world/

I experienced the first big WOMAD festival in 1982 at The Bath and West show ground in Shepton Mallet..

This was History in the making.

The enthusiasm generated by this festival sparked a music movement which had deep influence
on the my generation,
and has continued to make significant dents into the stubborn musical prejudices of mainstream cultural xenophobia..

[pockets of mudcatters perhaps remaining one of the most resistant stubborn last bastions...???]

That festival also provided the radical festival concept
of proper civilised lavatory and shower facilities..
Such previously unknown luxuries, so close to the Glastonbury festival...


Perhaps the only dodgy consequence of WOMAD was the tribal fashion fad..

Affluent middle class white trendies, with an affectation for dreadlocks
and garish coloured Afro clothing and jewelry..

..white bands also went a bit mad for tribal rythms and percussions,
scoring more trendy points if including token black guest musicians..

But at the time it was naive enthusiasm for new exotic influences..

It would be some years later before the new threat of accusations of cultural appropriation pissed on the party...

But at the time this tribal fad harmlessly complimented the more significant 2Tone Ska & Reggae music movement
of genuinely multicultural bands of black and white equals..

Like I said, I was so lucky to be young and alive in Bristol at that time...