Story tellers are conduits of oral tradition. In Senegal and the rest of East Africa they are known as ‘griots’: messengers that, accompanied by music and scene setting, narrate the traditions of the nobles and kings.

The African Village recovers this tradition with the African tales narrated by the Hermanos Thioune (Thioune Brothers) on Sunday 16 and Wednesday 19 at 22:00. This is but one of the new additions to the nocturnal programme of the area run by these veterans of the festival.

On Friday 21 at 22:00 the Sabar party begins, a family celebration rooted in countries like Senegal, Guinea Conakry or Mali to dance, enjoy and eat, with live music. The Thioune, accompanied by great African musicians, in coordination with the Fekat Circus & the Slum Drummers as well as the rest of the collectives in the area, to recreate an atmosphere, as if we were on the African continent.

Khali y Ali Thioune, Performing Arts graduates of the Dakar National Arts School, will each day give different workshops aimed at deepening mutual cultural understanding through dance, percussion, music and handcrafts. Participants will learn different ethnic dances from Africa interpreted with instruments like the djembe and the dumdum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=17&v=QYMRcIBYmkQ