@ the toronto distillery district - August 28, 2008 Toronto CANADA

| What is Mamaya | History of Mamaya | The Founder | The Band | Sponsorship | Photo Gallery |


Cheka Katenen Dioubate
Griot, Singer,Composer, Storyteller & Founder of Mamaya Toronto


Special Guest

Tapa.Sountougoumba

Diarra Sountougoumba, known as Tapa was born in Kayes, Mali and is a descendant from a long line of griots. She is blessed with the voice of her griot mother Kandia Kouyate, a legendary Manding singer and the talents of her Bambara griot father Bouya Diarra, one of the great traditional dancers of West Africa. www.djelitapa.com


What is Mamaya

The Mamaya Festival is an African festival that acknowledges and celebrates the unity of all people.

2008 will mark the 3rd celebration of the traditional Mamaya Festival to be held in Toronto. We have established the festival within the local downtown Toronto community during this time and are poised to launch the festival to audiences and participants across the GTA.

Mamaya will be open to Toronto’s diverse cultural population and expose audiences to the unique African cultural expression of unity and diversity. The Festival will feature educational workshops, dance and music, encouraging the sharing of culture and the exchange of information aimed at bringing people of different faiths, cultures and neighborhoods together to celebrate unity.

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History of Mamaya

Mamaya is an all-ages dance, a song and an event originating from the city of Kankan, the second largest in Guinée (W. Africa). It has spread to Mali Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and now Canada. In Guinée, Mamaya is traditionally celebrated once a year, bringing everyone together to celebrate the beautiful nature of culture in happiness, peace and joy.

Selected musicians are gathered in a chosen outdoor area. The public participates altogether by becoming dancers, each one wearing a similar type of light blue coloured clothing called bakha (sky blue). The wearing of similar coloured clothing symbolizes unity.

In our Canadian version, some people may choose to wear sky blue dress or T-shirt. This shows that every person is the same, united and equal: women and men, rich and poor. It also looks beautiful and tells everyone that something great is about to happen.

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Cheka Katenen Dioubate – Griot, Singer,Composer and Storyteller

What is a griot? (Pronounced "gree-oh") or jali / djeli (European: bard)
A griot is a West African poet, praise singer, and travelling musician, considered a repository of oral tradition and history. In the caste system, most griots only marry other griots. People who are not griots are not usually performers.

Katenen Dioubate is a Griot from a traditional family lineage of famous griots. Griots are in great demand not only for ceremonies and parties in West Africa, where they have traditionally appeared, but all around the world.

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The Band - Snow Griots

Snow Griots (pronounced "gree-oh")
Guinean artist, Cheka, sought musicians to participate in Toronto’s first ever “Mamaya” celebration on January 6, 2007. This community event originated in Guinée and was performed in Toronto for the first time, under her direction. The music was rare and distinct as was the event, so she enlisted the cream of the crop of Toronto’s African musicians.

THE “SNOW GRIOTS”

Cheka Katenen Dioubate: griot, vocalist, composer, Artistic Director
Kobèna Aquaa-Harrison: guitar, Djembe Music Director
Kassoum Diamoutene: balafon, Ngoni
Tamsir Seck: vocalist, percussionist, dancer
Amine Fofana: song composer

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Thank You! To our sponsors:

 
 

Sponsorship
Level one - $250

  • Recognition by on stage Host and MC throughout the day
  • 2 guest t-shirts
  • Company information or product display at Mamaya Festival table in vendor area

Level two – $500

  • Signage at the event (specify size and that company must provide)
  • Recognition by on stage Host and MC throughout the day
  • 2 guest t-shirts
  • Company information or product display at Mamaya Festival table in vendor area

Level 3 - $1,000

  • Logo featured on Mamaya stage (specify size and company provide sign)
  • Recognition by on stage Host and MC throughout the day
    special reserved seating and event t-shirts for three guests
  • Company information or product display at Mamaya Festival table in vendor area


Level Four – $2,500

  • Logo featured as the presenting sponsor on promotional and media materials and on Mamaya stage (specify size and company provide sign)
  • Link from Mamaya® website to your company website
  • Recognition by on stage Host and MC throughout the day
  • Special reserved seating and event t-shirts for five guests
  • Company information or product display at Mamaya Festival table in vendor area
  • First right of refusal for Mamaya sponsorship Sponsorship in 2009

Click here to download Sponsorship Application

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Photo Gallery

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TAMALA 31 Sutton Avenue #A, Toronto , ON M5A 1Y2 416-703-3451 www.chekakatenen.com