From Toronto’s Katenen “Cheka” Dioubaté, a griot originally from Guinea. Her annual Mamaya festival…
TAMALA (Toronto African Music and Living Arts)
TAMALA is proud to present the 6th annual MAMAYA Festival and Griot Night Concert on two Saturdays, September 17& 24, 2011 at the Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education at 918 Bathurst Street. MAMAYA Festival will feature traditional African music and dance performances and activities for the whole family. The festival is free for all ages and everyone is invited to learn the Mamaya dance.
Griot Night Concert & Workshop
Where: 918 Bathurst, N Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education. Toronto
When: Saturday September 17, 2011
Time: 8:30-11-pm.
MAMAYA Festival 2011
Where: 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education. Toronto
When: Saturday September 24, 2011
Time: 4pm: – 11: pm.
The Griot Night Concert and Workshop will kick-off the festival on Saturday September 17th with the following program:
6:00 pm. – Doors open
8:30pm to 9:30pm – Workshop on Mbira, a sacred instrument of the Shona people of Zimbabwe & Mamaya Dance
9:45 pm to 11pm – Concert featuring Dielike, Mamady Kouyate, Mabinty Sylla, Pasipamire Gunguwo, Mutamba Rainos, Snow Griot, Cheka Katenen, and more.
The Mamaya Festival begins at 4:00 pm on September 24th and will feature a line-up of outstanding performers including Thch Maredza band, Snow Griots with guests Dielimory Tounkara, Nma doumbouya, (gbadona), Ablay Cone, (Bolokan) Sonia Aimy with Pa Joe, Ebenezer Ajvekum, Suleiman Juna & Kwame Saki, and more.
MAMAYA is a traditional celebration of music and dance. It originated in Kankan, the second largest city in Guinea, West Africa. In Guinea, Mamaya is celebrated once a year, and brings everyone together to share in the beauty of culture. The MAMAYA festival acknowledges and celebrates the diversity and unity of all people. From its Guinea origins, the festival has spread to Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, New York and Toronto.
MAMAYA 2011 welcomes everyone to join in the celebration. Hosts Justine Gogoua and Quammie Williams will explain the history, tradition and significance of the event, the meaning behind the colours, the role of the griot, the dancing and the music. Special guests, ‘patrons’ and ‘paterie’ of the event will be introduced. The featured performers will invite the audience to participate in the celebration.
Sky blue or ‘bakha’ as it is called in Guinea is the traditional color of MAMAYA. The festival attendees wear the same sky blue coloured clothing to signify unity and equality. This shows that all people are the same: women or men, rich or poor. In our truly Canadian version people may choose to wear a sky blue dress, t-shirt or other article of clothing.
We are thankful for the support of the Toronto and Ontario Arts Councils, Inter- Action Canada Multiculturalism and Contributions, Afrogui (Guinea Community) Mr. Abou Nabe, and Madame Camara Mama Sy.
For more information call 416 783-0856 or visit