COMING EVENTS – KOURABA

World Music in the GTA, November 2013

Andrew Timar, October 27, 2013

West African “Kouraba” community djembe-centred drumming festival comes to Toronto

The “Kouraba” community open house and djembe-centred drumming festival kicks off on November 8 at 7pm at the Paroisse du Sacré Coeur church at 381 Sherbourne Street, Toronto. Meaning “sacred forest” in the Malinké culture of Guinea, West Africa, “Kouraba,” is an annual community festival of master drummers from across North America dedicated to the preservation of West African drum & dance culture and to its dissemination among Canadians, particularly youth. The impressive gathering of drum masters this year includes Djo Bi Irie Simon (Ivory Coast, Gouro); Mbemba Bangoura (Guinea, Conakry); Bolokada Conde (Guinea, Sankaran); Namory Keita (Guinea, Kouroussa); Sidafa Koita (Guinea, Babila) and the organiser Amara Kante a jembefola from Guinea.

Then over the following two days bring your djembe to the immersive workshops scheduled. Check the festival website or posters for more information.