Soumu: A celebration of African music, dance, food and culture

From a press release:

Soumu: A celebration of African music, dance, food and culture

June 5th at The Orange Peel, doors at 6 p.m./show at 7 p.m. $12 in advance/$15 day of
Featuring: Zansa, Barakissa Coulibaly, Lisa Zahiya, Mande Foly, African Drum & Dance Troupes, West African Dinner, African Art.

www.theorangepeel.net
www.zansamusic.com
African food available, not included in ticket cost.

On Thursday June 5, The Orange Peel will host Asheville’s 2nd Annual Soumu, presented by Lush Life Productions and Zansa. This Soumu, which is a West African term for an all encompassing party- music, dance, food, and art, will be upgrading to a larger venue this year at The Orange Peel.  At the last sold out Soumu, funds were raised for 33rd generation djembe player and now U.S. Citizen Adama Dembele to acquire his green card.

Performing live at the event will be afropop/zouglou band Zansa, featuring Ivory Coast native Adama Dembele, Ivorian dancer Barakissa Coulibaly, African drum and dance troupes featuring Adama and Barakissa’s students, Lisa Zahiya performing folk dances of North Africa and contemporary dances from Cairo, acoustic Zansa side project Mande Foly, and members of Juan Benavides Group. Traditional West African cuisine by Soce will be available for purchase (cash only), as well as Senegalese arts and crafts.

In celebrating the African arts, Barakissa Coulibaly will be performing a solo dance piece on the plight of the African woman. Barakissa is a master dancer from Ivory Coast, West Africa, and has toured, performed, and taught in almost 20 countries. Says Barakissa, “”The title of my solo is ‘Without a Shadow,’ which speaks about the revolution of African women. ‘Without a Shadow’ reveals the suppressed voice of all women who suffer in silence. As a young adult, I myself, have experienced a direct connection to this pain and suffering that all the women of Africa have endured; however, it is time to be free. It is time tospeak out. It is time to LIVE. Through each step of my solo, I speak out for all of the women around the world, ‘You SHALL, be known.'”

In collaboration with LEAF International, a portion of the proceeds raised from this event will go to benefit Barakissa’s company Mouaye in Ivory Coast. Mouaye was started in the 2000s as a safe haven for children and young adults during the violent wartime years. This refuge became a place for people to learn African drumming and dancing, and continues to be so to this day. Our goal is to connect Mouaye, Zansa, LEAF International, and Asheville to help this new partnership continue to grow.

Artistic Company Mouaye was created by Barakissa Coulibaly after the great violent crisis in Ivory Coast during the Gbagbo regime (2000s) as a form of contribution and recognition to the greatness of this country. Company Mouaye is composed of young artists from different villages of Ivory Coast and other West African countries, such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. The fresh mix of culture, diversity, and creativity in Company Mouaye preserves the heritage and beauty of African culture and brings it to life!

Barakissa Coulibaly brings young talented artists to the stage in hopes of promoting and enhancing the value of Ivorian cultural heritage in the form of artistic expression; through the use of different masks, rhythms, songs, and traditional dance. There is now a future filled with hope in Ivory Coast and a river of opportunities for future generations.