“Where music tells the story of humanity, where the tradition of drums still accompanies every change in life in the villages, where everyday life takes place by the wide river Niger and where everyone knows that when the drum rings, it’s time to gather.” It’s time for us to get together as well – every year “Africa Days” becomes a huge celebration for people interested in the world’s diversity and culture,” says one of its organizers, percussionist Gediminas Mačiulskis.
This year’s festival is also unique in that, following a four-year break, world-famous West African performers are returning to its stage: “During the quarantine year, their travels were also restricted, later we presented a great collaboration project with Ghanaian and Nigerian performers temporarily staying in Lithuania, last year a unique Central African jungle the atmosphere at the festival was created by the young and rapidly gaining popularity of the Ugandan trio “Arsenal mikebe”, and this year we will finally welcome masters whose talent and names are among the most prominent in the tradition of African music”.
The son of one of the most respected West African musician dynasties – Billy Nankouma Konate, who is celebrating his 30th anniversary on the international stage this year – and the representative of the famous family of Guinean choreographers – Aboubacar Sylla, known in the dance world as Bobzi Record, are coming to Vilnius especially for “Africa Days”.
Photo of the organizers/Bobzi Record
Two masters of extraordinary talent will meet on one stage in Vilnius on May 9. at the big concert of the festival “Africa night” together with the percussion studio “African Drums” established in Vilnius, and will also share the subtleties of music and dance art with everyone who wants to in special seminars – artistic workshops on May 10. and the 11th
According to G. Mačiulskis, in West Africa skills, knowledge and profession are still often passed down from generation to generation, family relationships are often firmly nurtured, and the eldest family members are highly respected: “The father of the percussionist Billy Nankouma Konate, who will visit Lithuania, is Famadou Konate of a very respectable age is the only living one of all the so-called great masters of West African music.
He contributed a lot to make this music go beyond the borders of his native region and become popular all over the world. To get to his house in Guinea is a great honor, and to learn from such a family means touching the foundational depth of world music and feeling the authenticity preserved over centuries.”
Organizers’ photo/”Afrodelic”
This year’s festival invites you to visit another part of the African continent. Kenya-based photographer and writer Eglė Aukštakalnytė – Hansen, who will present the exhibition “Mama Afrika” in Vilnius, will come specially to “Africa Days”. Her special photographs capture the unique customs and rituals of the Maasai tribe living in the territories of Kenya and Tanzania. The audience is invited to a meeting with the author on May 8. It will be accompanied by a concert by Victor Diawara’s Afrodelic project, which combines electronic and traditional African music.
“Africa Days” concerts on May 8. and on the 9th will take place in the art factory “Loftas”. Free entry.
The festival is organized by the “Afrikos būgnai” public enterprise, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, the association LATGA, and the art factory “Loftas”.
The festival dedicated to the International Day of Africa is organized in Lithuania every year: during the twelve years of its existence, cultural peculiarities of Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Ghana, Uganda have been presented here
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2024-05-01 04:18:36