You can now taste rice and peas in a pod

A new BBC podcast highlights the black diaspora across Britain, reports Ian Burrell

(GETTY IMAGES)

A wholesome family reunion might not seem like earth-shattering news to everyone but, for black British audiences, some of whom feel drained of energy by relentless coverage of gangs and knife crime, it is a refreshing change.

Particularly as this gathering is quite remarkable, a coming together from all over the world of five generations and 150 individuals from the same Gloucester family. Told by BBC Gloucestershire, this genealogical tale about the Westcarrs, who are of Caribbean origin, has been picked as the lead item for a new BBC podcast, UK Black, presented by the actor and playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah. And so what once would have been a local story with a limited audience has been given a national, perhaps international, platform.

Having spent five years playing paramedic Finlay Newton in the hospital drama Casualty, Kwei-Armah has given plenty of exposure to the effects of inner-city violence, and is ready to shine a light on some other issues. "These are different kinds of African and Caribbean stories, apart from kids in gangs and underachievement. They are three-dimensional angles on a community in Britain that is dwindling actually," he says, referring to demographic studies which suggest the nation's Afro-Caribbean population is in decline and its culture is being lost.

He says he has become more aware of the need for UK Black, having just travelled the world to make a four-part Channel 4 documentary On Tour With The Queen, retracing the monarch's 44,000-mile odyssey across the Commonwealth in 1953, shortly after her coronation. "It is clear that the world has a clear perception of what Britain is and the UK is, but we are not really part of it, unless you go to the West Indies. I think it's really important for us to create an identity and this is a way for us to communicate that nationally," says Kwei-Armah, who is of Caribbean descent and was born Ian Roberts, but took a Ghanaian name after tracing his African roots.

"Having just done this world tour, I'm really clear that cultures come and go, they live and die, but the ones that live do so because they invest and look at themselves and question themselves and make sure they have sort of articulation. This podcast is part of that articulation."

He thinks the term UK Black might help with that, just as the expression African-American has resonance. "It's a branding of us that I kind of like. We all know the word 'black' is a political construction but, you know what, so is 'the UK'. It sends out an interesting question: who are these UK Blacks?"

The podcast aims to break out of London and highlight stories from regional BBC shows that Kwei-Armah first became aware of when touring the country in repertory theatre ("it would be the black show on the local BBC station that would interview me"). Now each week he gathers in the stories from those shows, picks his favourites and voices the links for the podcast.

UK Black has featured pieces such as Karen Gabay's interview with Grandmaster Flash on Radio Manchester, exploring the hip-hop pioneer's Barbadian roots, or a Radio Berkshire report on the new Carnival Arts project in Reading. "After the inauguration of Barack Obama, there was a family from Derby that went over to America with Radio Derby that was beautiful, I loved it," says Kwei-Armah. "It was great to be able to track that journey."

Because of his travelling commitments, the actor has had to record many of his recent links from distant lands but the experience has increased his love of podcasting. "I was in New Zealand in my hotel room, recording the links and sending them to London and they were up online that evening," he adds. "I've recorded links in Sri Lanka and Jamaica, and emailed the audio to the producer. It's brilliant to be in another country but be part of something that pulls this community together."

Kwei-Armah is an avid consumer of podcasts. "When I travel one of the glories is being able to listen to [Radio 4's] Today as a podcast, or In Our Time, or the podcast of Start The Week. It gives me a buzz that someone couldn't have done it ten years ago."

So in spite of the fact that UK Black is available on Monday evenings on Radio Merseyside, and there is a possibility of some form of tie-up with the BBC World Service, Kwei-Armah likes the idea that most listeners will be podcasting it every Tuesday. "It would make absolute sense to have it on as many stations as possible but I love that people have to seek it out."

His favourite piece of the podcast is the sign off, courtesy of the calypso singer Alexander D Great who, to a Caribbean rhythm, offers his wry thoughts on a topical issue. "The election of Obama was one of the greatest ones but this week was about MPs' expenses, which was terribly funny."

"We know what they get, it's on the Internet," sings Alexander. "They're now not so respected, as they would've once expected, [but] less they forget, the public is upset." Quite.

Visit bbc.co.uk/england/ukblack/