SPIRIT OF AFRICA FESTIVAL 2019

Saturday, June 29th, 2019

12-8PM

The Spirit of Africa Festival is a FREE celebration of the music, dance, and culture of Africa. We will bring high quality musicians, dancers, and other artists to the festival to showcase the richness, diversity, and joyfulness of African music and dance and to educate the community about African culture and the importance of music and dance in Africa – both today and throughout history. The Spirit Of Africa Festival is a day long event that will take place @ the Seattle Center Armory.

This project brings out of town artists to perform individually and also together with local African artists. The project will showcase the amazing talents of the out of town guests such as Yancouba Diebate, master Kora player from Senegal, Massamba Diop (featured on Black Panther movie sound track) but also celebrate the excellent talent from the Seattle area. Together this group will represent the music, dance and culture from many different West African countries.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Noon / 1:00 West African Dance Workshop with Awal & Sheimawu (Ghana)
1:00 / 2:30 African Drum Workshop with Manimu Camara from Guinea (2nd floor)
1:00 / 1:30 Intermission – Chairs & Stage Setup
1:30 / 2:00 Zambuko Marimba Band (Zimbabwe)
2:10 / 2:40 Yao Amponsah, Master of the Ashanti percussion (Ghana)
2:45 / 3:15 Afro-Fusion Dance Connect
3:25 / 4:10 Boka Kouyate & Djeliya Band (Guinea)
4:20 / 5:05 Massamba Diop (Senegalese Sabar Drumming)
5:15 / 5:45 African Fashion Show by Zeinab & “Seattle Fashion Week”
5:55 / 6:25 Diery & Diona (International Soul from Senegal & Seattle)
6:35 / 7:20 Yancouba Diebate & Wato Sita (Master of Kora from Casamance, Senegal)
7:25 / 7:55 AFRO Hip-Hop with Yirim Seck
8:00 / 8:30 Providence Kamana & the Africa Boys (Music from the Congo)

AFRICAN CUISINE
By “La Teranga”, a local Senegalese restaurant located in Columbia City, Seattle.

AFRICAN MARKETPLACE VENDORS
There will be authentic African goods, including handmade African items both traditional and modern with a variety of accessories…

OTHER ACTIVITIES

*African Films (@ the 2nd Floor)

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES (Each shift is 2 hours):
Welcoming Guests
Hand out flyers and programs
Stage Assistant
Info Booth Attendants
Green Room Attendants
Help with Musicians Load\Unload
Festival Close/Clean Up

Please reach out to us via Facebook, Twitter, Email (info@thespiritofafrica.org)or check our website @ TheSpiritOfAfrica.org

Saturday, July 16th, 2016

Spirit of West Africa Festival 2016

at Jaam Rek Studios

2000 S. Jackson Street

Seattle, WA 98144

Please join us this Saturday for an evening of music, dance and cultural connection! We are happy to share this unique opportunity for friendship and community in celebration of the many peoples of West Africa and the Diaspora.

4:00 – Doors Open with Set by DJ Marley | JAMAICA

5:00 – Sabar Drumming by Mapathe Diop & Gora Diop | SENEGAL

6:00 – Thione Diop & Yeke Yeke ft. Dora Oliveira & Maxie Jamal | SENEGAL, BRASIL, & US

7:00 – Fashion Show by Nansare Consolata & Best of Both Worlds | AFRICAN DIASPORA

7:30 – Yaw Amponsah & Anokye AGOFOMMA ft. Mohammed Shaibu | GHANA
…
8:15 – Mark Lilly & Bembe Olele | AFRO-CUBAN

9:00 – Argan Band | MOROCCO

10:00 – Comfort Food | “Bitches Brew meets Fela Kuti!”

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Senegambian Cooking by Awa Jaye
food & beverages available for purchase
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Free Admission

All Ages – Family Friendly
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Peace & Bless…

Saturday, May 9th 2015

The 10th ANNUAL SPIRIT OF WEST AFRICA FESTIVAL,
a celebration of West African culture in the Diaspora!

Press Release:

Seattle Center FESTÁL and Thione Diop are excited to present the 10th Annual Spirit of West Africa Festival on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at the Seattle Center Armory from 12:00 to 8:00 pm. For ten years the Spirit of West Africa has celebrated the cultural diversity and resilience of West African music and dance with a vibrant variety of traditions from throughout the Diaspora.

Each year we have been honored and humbled by the energy and enthusiasm of Northwest audiences for our efforts to shine a positive light on present generations of West Africans, to connect with our cousins across continents, and to illuminate the vision of our ancestors. We welcome you to join us again in our special anniversary year as we gather and groove with old friends and new!

The 2015 line up includes an incredible range of talented artists bringing us sizzling sounds from Benin to Cuba, Ghana to Guinea, Honduras, Senegal, Nigeria and beyond. The festival kicks off with a dance class by Gansango and Etienne Cakpo from Benin, and besides our live performances we will have a dazzling Fashion Show produced by Nansare Consolata and Best of Both Worlds Fashion.

Local sculptor Marita Dingus will lead a free African doll-making workshop for youth from 2:00 to 6:00 PM. Traditional Senegalese cuisine will be served by Columbia City’s own La Teranga, and festival attendees will have the opportunity to shop the myriad colorful and sophisticated wares for sale by our vendors in the African Marketplace.

Admission to The Spirit of West Africa is FREE as part of Seattle Center’s FESTÁL Series, so we welcome all to join us with family members and friends of all ages.

FESTÁL and The Spirit of West Africa would also like to thank our generous sponsors for helping bring a unique world-class arts experience directly to Pacific Northwest audiences.

Schedule:

12:00-12:30 PM Udoka Cultural Dance – Igbo Music from Nigeria 

12:30-1:15 PM Gansango – Dance Workshop from Benin by Etienne Cakpo

(1:15-1:35 PM Set up chairs – Seattle Center & Volunteers)

1:35-2:20 PM Hagucha Gariñagu – Garifuna Music & Dance from Honduras

2:00-6:00 PM Children’s African Doll-Making Workshop – Marita Dingus 

2:30-3:30 PM Obo Addy’s Okropong – Music from Ghana

3:40-4:30 PM Bembe Olele – Music & Dance from Cuba

4:45-5:20 PM Fashion Show by Nansare Consolata & Best of Both Worlds

5:30-6:20 PM Message from Guinea – Music & Dance from Guinea

6:25-7:15 PM Massamba Diop with Mapathe Diop & Family – Music from Senegal

7:20-8:00 PM Wawali Bonane & Orchestre Afrisa Internationale de Tabu Ley – Congolese Soukous

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Join our invite on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/events/1415105642140978/

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Lastly, the Spirit of West Africa invites you to join us for a special Festival after-party on Sunday, May 10, 2014 at 7:00pm to midnight at Jaam Rek Studios, 2000 S Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98144.

Here’s a video of last year’s Spirit of West Africa Festival 2014:

SOWA Festival 2014

Peace and bless…

Thione Diop & Yeke Yeke

Summer Meltdown Festival

Saturday-, July 9th 2014

10:00-10:45AM

on the Village Stage

More Info:

Saturday Night- July 26, 2014

Thione Diop

The Teaching

&

Industrial Revelation

At

Jaam Rek Studio
2000 S. Jackson
Seattle, WA 98144

9:30PM

$12

21+