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Toronto's longest-running and largest African Heritage Month festival returns to Harbourfront Centre from Feb. 8-15 with two weekends of music, dance, film, comedy, spoken word and literary events.

KUUMBA's 12th edition salutes some of Toronto's most successful cultural entrepreneurs, while also focusing on numerous aspects of African culture. Here's a preview of a few highlights that are sure to add to KUUMBA's legacy of success.

 

Feb. 7-8: Somaliwood Film Festival

Multiple premieres emerge from this festival showcasing the unique initiatives of Olol Films from Columbus, Ohio - the largest producer of Somali films and documentaries in the world. Director and Olol Films founder Abdisalam Mohammed will be present to illuminate and expound on his efforts to preserve Somali language and culture using the streets of his Columbus, Ohio home. Screenings titles include: Ambad (Lost), Somali Voices, Your Guide to Somali Culture and I've been shot, because I'm Somali (which shows the escalation of Somali people murdered in South Africa).

 

Feb. 7-8: Hiplife

Hiplife is an innovative fusion of Ghanian highlife and hip-hop. Akin to Reggaeton and Dancehall, Hiplife utilizes Western and Caribbean music styles and is usually sung in a Ghanian dialect. This style has become increasingly popular in Ghana. Highlife and Hiplife in hip-hop is represented at KUUMBA by U.S.-based artist Stevano U-G-O, who has had success with his single Straight From The Heart - which was played on BET's Rap City and which featured cameos by Bobby Brown and Method Man. He has also recorded dance tracks with UK producers, including the underground hit Bran-Nu-Flo.

 

Feb. 7: Horn of Africa: A Musical Odyssey

This ticketed event ($15) is presented in partnership with Batuki Music featuring artists Daniel Nebiat and Kemeu Yousuf. This evening of song and dance features traditional and original music from the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan) with performances rich in the Azmari style of musical storytelling and lyrical performance utilizing instruments like the masengo (one-stringed fiddle) or krar (five or six-string lyre). Additional highlights include Voyage Afrique - The Roots of a Legacy, a dance montage and homage to African dance styles by Ijo Vudu Dance International (Feb. 8) as well as griot songs and stories in the Mand�© traditions of the Dioubat�© clan of Guinea by Toronto's Katenan "Cheka" Dioubat�©.

 

Feb. 15: Up From The Roots 15th Anniversary Celebration

Up From The Roots is Toronto's premiere spoken word event produced annually staging dozens of events featuring local and international artists. Founder Dwayne Morgan has established himself as one of North America's top spoken-word artists with performances in Canada, the U.S., England, Germany, Scotland, Belgium, Barbados, France, Hungary, Jamaica and Amsterdam. He has received the African Canadian Achievement Award for Youth Achievement, and the prestigious Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in the Arts.

 

Several other exciting events are planned for KUUMBA 2009, which promises to bring the passion of African art and culture to the streets of Toronto. For more information on KUUMBA visit: www.harbourfront.com

 

Jon Sarpong is a diversity consultant. He provides independent diversity training and consultation for various organizations. To suggest a story idea for Panorama, e-mail jsarpong@hotmail.com.