Habari Africa Festival at Harbourfront: Aug 9 – 11, 2019
Batuki Music Society is proud to present the sixth edition of the Habari Africa Festival from Friday August 9 – 11, 2019. This multi-disciplinary African arts festival is free for all-ages and co-produced with Harbourfront Centre. Join us for a weekend of exploration and engagement with the art, sounds and tastes of the continent.
Habari Africa is a multi-disciplinary arts festival that displays an authentic African experience through presentations that celebrate the uniqueness, wealth and diversity of African arts and culture. The festival will also have activities for children of all ages, workshops, drumming, films, vendors with crafts, as well as delicious cuisine from the World Café.
Music and Dance Performances:
Zahara is a multiple-award winning South African singer, guitarist and songwriter whose music blends neo-soul, Afropop, traditional Xhosa rhythms, gospel, reggae and blues.
Guitarist, singer and composer, Olivier Tshimanga is considered one of the greatest Congolese guitarists of the 21st century.
Hailing from a family of celebrated griots, Kaabi Kouyaté took on the mantle of the role after the passing of his father, the late Sory Kandia Kouyaté.
The Benkadi troupe showcases an authentic experience of West Africa traditions with their incredible display of acrobatics and high energy drumming.
“The Professor” Adam Solomon creates a unique sound that combines African blues, jazz and popular music spiced with East African traditional coastal rhythms.
Ruth Mathiang uses her voice to advocate for important social issues. Her music is a melodic mix of traditional African sounds with hip-hop, jazz, reggae and Afrobeat.
Elvis Bokosha is a passionate singer, guitarist and songwriter from Zimbabwe, whose songs convey messages of love, motivation and guidance.
Rama Club promotes Burundian culture through traditional dance performances, workshops and social activities in the GTA.
Brian Litvin brings his homegrown blend of Zulu folk music, township jive and Cape Town jazz to audiences across Canada, together with his band Jabulani.
Arabesque Canada is recognized globally for embodying Arabian and North African dance and music arts with the highest artistry, respect and integrity.
IZimba Arts specializes in performances and workshops that include high-energy traditional and urban dances from Southern Africa.
DJ Moussa spins a diverse selection of the latest African music hits and classics, accompanied by ZahraMoves, whose speciality is African and Caribbean dance.
Master drummer Mohamed Diaby from Guinea, West Africa has been sharing traditional drumming and dance, through performances and workshops internationally.
Interactive all-ages workshops:
Balafon Village with Adama Daou introduces festival goers to the African wooden xylophone, a masterpiece of the intangible heritage of Mali.
The Kalimba Orchestra is an interactive fun children’s workshop to bring traditional music to life with Njacko Backo. Come, play and create your own sounds!
Master drummer Amadou Kienou invites you to the Siraba (“the meeting place on the road” in Malinke) as he shares the universal language of the drum.
Moko Jumbie introduces children to the traditions of Moko Jumbie, a stilt-dancing forest spirit.
Sani Abu Mohammed will introduce the creative art and cultural traditions of “sangele”, traditional African head-wraps in this popular workshop.
Join professional dancer Mabinty Sylla and master drummer Mohamed Diaby in a fun and challenging workshop on West African dance, for people of all skill levels.
Yasmina Ramzy is a prolific choreographer and internationally recognized master teacher of Arabian and North African dance.
Percy Anane-Dwumfour teaches the basic steps of Afro Fusion, a mix of Afrohouse, hip-hop and Afrobeats in this energetic workshop.
Indian Ocean Roots share the cultural dances of the Islands of the Indian Ocean: Comoros, Seychelles, Reunion, Mauritius and Madagascar.
Sadakah means to give. Inviting our divine deities to give us the energy to spread blessings. Join the ijovudu parade to the centre of Habari Africa. Everybody is welcome to join, drum, dance, clap and sing along!
Three films will be screened at the festival namely: aKasha, I Am Not A Witch and The Fig Tree.
aKasha – Sudanese writer/director Hajooj Kuka takes a self-assured step towards fictional storytelling in this comedy pivoting on an unlikely love triangle between a boy, a girl and an AK-47 in rebel-held areas of Sudan.
I Am Not A Witch – Zambian writer/director Rungano Nyoni is set to make her mark with her first feature film. Sharply satirical and boldly provocative, a fictional tale of a nine-year-old girl in Zambia, accused of witchcraft.
The Fig Tree – Ethiopian-Israeli writer/director Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian makes a confident feature debut with this story of lives torn asunder by civil war.
Habari Africa Festival 2019
Venue: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, M5J 2G8
Dates/Times:
Friday August 9: 7:00pm – 11:00pm
Saturday, August 10: 12:00pm – 11:00pm
Sunday, August 11: 12:00pm – 7:00pm
For additional information please visit:
http://www.batukimusic.com http://www.facebook.com/
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Batuki Music Society gratefully acknowledges support from the Ontario Arts Council, Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto Arts Council, Government of Canada and CIUT 89.5 FM. We are grateful for the generous contribution and support from Harbourfront Centre, the festival co-producer.
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