Monthly Archives: June 2013

Blossom from Namibia at Klubi on August 3rd 2013

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BLOSSOMAmong the main acts of Fest Afrika 2013 is a young, talented singer from Namibia. Blossom, or Ruusa Ndapewa Munalye, has charmed her home country with her debut album Komuthima Gwomeya. The album has been praised by the press and it has won several prices. Blossom herself was recently voted female artist of the year in Namibia.

Blossom’s soulful songs connect local musical traditions to current styles of urban pop music. Their lyrics talk about everyday life in Africa from a woman’s viewpoint: many of them plead for the less fortunate, but beautiful love songs  are of course also included.

The Rise of the Queens

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The dance production The Rise of the Queens by Menard Mponda & friends combines in a unique way traditional East African dances and Afro-Brazilian capoeira, songs, music and Menard’s own choreographies.

3queens

In many traditional African mythologies, natural forces are represented as deities or spirits that have an important role in people’s lives. Through the slave trade these mythologies and beliefs spread to other continents. In Brazil, African traditions and mythologies developed into Afro-Brazilian religions, which are still practiced in many parts of the country, but they can be found in different forms from all parts of the world where people of African origins are present.

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Catherine Knuutila / Tanzanian songs

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KellyCatherine “Kelly” Knuutila is a Tanzanian dancer and musician living in Tampere. Born into the musical Mponda family, Catherine started to sing already as a child. Her parents taught their children songs from various regions of Tanzania, in different languages, but especially songs of the Ngoni and Manda people.

Catherine studied music, dance and theatre at the Bagamoyo College of Arts in Tanzania. After that she has been part of several dance and theatre productions, and she has also worked as a background singer, e.g. in Tanzanian reggae star Jhikoman’s band. Lately, she has been mostly performing with The Mpondas Family Band.

Catherine is known for he beautiful, strong voice. At the workshop, on Thu 1.8.2013 at 17.30 – 19.00, she will be sharing some of her family’s musical heritage with us. We will learn traditional Tanzanian songs and practice the style of singing and the harmonies characteristic of these songs. Everybody is welcome!

N’Fanly Camara / djembe

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Wonuwali AlyaN’Fanly ”Alya” Camara is a dance, musician and choreographer from Guinea, now living in Helsinki. He got his professional training at the Guinean National Ballet Djoliba. After that he performed in other West African ballets in Senegal, Ivory Coast and the Gambia.

After moving to Europe in 1987, N’Fanly has performed as a dancer and a musician in other types of ensembles as well, e.g. in the bands of pop stars like Salif Keita. He moved to Finland in 1996 and has here worked increasingly as choreographer and a teacher. He is also the artistic director of the dance company Wonuwali.

In Fest Afrika, N’Fanly performs with the band Lanyi that plays traditional music from Guinea, leads family afro in the children’s day program and teaches a workshop of djembe and dundun drumming. The drumming workshop takes place on Fri 2.8. and Sat 3.8.2013 at 16.00 – 17.30. (more…)