Habari Africa Live Festival 2025

at Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto 

Much awaited LIVE festival, great for the whole family!

Batuki Music Society is proud to present the 12th edition of the Habari Africa Festival from Friday August 8-10, 2025. This multi-disciplinary African arts festival is free for all-ages and co-produced with Harbourfront Centre. Join us live in person for a weekend of exploration and engagement with the art and sounds of the continent through presentations that celebrate the uniqueness, wealth and diversity of African music, dance, film and arts.

Schedule of Events

Friday August 8

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Ethiopian Buna Coffee Sosena
7 - 10 pm
Ethiopian Buna Café
Brigantine Tent

Enjoy sips of flavourful traditional Ethiopian coffee while you relax with incense and friendly conversations.

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Fethi Nadjem
7 - 7:45 pm
Fethi Nadjem
Stage in the Park

Fethi Nadjem is an artist from Algeria, known for music that combines melodies and rhythms, guiding listeners through a rich tapestry of instruments including the violin, mandole, oud, guembri, bass, drums, electric guitar, and synthesizer.​

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Fethi Nadjem was born in 1983 in Algeria where he grew up in a family of musicians. He began playing the guitar and oud at the age of 13, and developed his skills within the Fine Arts Association in Algiers. He learned Andalusian classical music becoming accomplished on both violin and mandolin. At age of 21 became one of the founders of a world music fusion band named Djmawi Africa. The band enjoyed considerable success, enabling them to give concerts on some of the largest stages across the globe. During the 13 years that Fethi Nadjem was with the band he learned to play the kora (african harp). When he arrived in Toronto to begin a new life in Canada, he continued to pursue his musical career, performing with several bands and musicians including began playing with various bands and musicians including Jesse Cook, Moskitto Bar, Moneka Arabic Jazz, Maryem Hassan Tollar and more. He released the album Time 9 featuring a variety of musical styles, all inspired by his Algerian roots.

www.facebook.com/nadjemfethi

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Boube
8 - 9 pm
Boubé
Concert Stage

Boubé from Niger, immerses his listeners in the enchanting atmosphere of the desert and the richness of Tamasheq culture. This experience perfectly embodies the artist’s aspirations: weaving intercultural connections, fostering sharing, and promoting harmony between communities.​

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Born in Niger, Boubé grew up in the village of Iferouane (on the edge of the Ténéré desert), which hosts the most important Kel Tamasheq music festival. It was in the hypnotic atmosphere of this village, nestling at the foot of the Tamgak mountains and surrounded by herds of ostriches and dromedaries, that Boubé learned music. Boubé, a multi-instrumentalist artist, immerses his listeners in the enchanting atmosphere of the desert and the richness of Tamasheq culture. This experience perfectly embodies the artist’s aspirations: weaving intercultural connections, fostering sharing, and promoting harmony between communities. A self-taught musician, singer, songwriter, guitarist, acoustic and electric guitarist, he has been touring since the age of 13 with various groups in Africa. In 2012-2013, he played with Bombino as percussionist and drummer. (Algeria, Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Nigeria, Libya, Morocco) and the following year Boubé continued his career with the group Mdou Moctar (England, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy, Turkey, Canada, United States), both are respected figures of Kel Tamasheq music. His first album Issaktan was released in 2023 and his recent album Voyager in 2025. His music speaks of peace and friendship, and always inspires travel. In 2024 this charismatic artist won the Syli d’Argent award at the 17th edition of the Syli d’Or de la musique du monde in 2024.

www.boubeofficial.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Kaabi Kouyate
9 - 9:30 pm
Kaabi Kouyaté
Stage in the Park

Multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, with a career spanning over 40 years, Kaabi Kouyaté continues to push the boundaries of Mandingo music. Heir to a griotic tradition but deeply rooted in modernity, Kaabi embodies the future of Mandingo music, a bridge between cultures, genres, and generations.

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Kaabi Kouyaté, one of Sory Kandia Kouyaté’s sons, continues the griotic tradition by blending the past with the present while keeping crowds around the world on their toes with his charismatic performances. Since his debut, Kaabi has established himself as a multi-talented artist, navigating between theater, traditional music, and Mandingo jazz. His career has led him to collaborate with iconic figures and perform on the world’s most prestigious stages. After his first album, “Faso” (Kouyaté and Kouyaté) by Syllart Productions, during his stay in Paris, Kaabi was spotted by theater director Souleymane Koly. He participated in “Waramba: A Mandingo Opera,” produced by Remy Renoux and the Théâtre du Rond-Pointes Champs-Élysées, a renowned institution in the world of live performance. Since then, he has embarked on a string of theatrical and musical tours with the Koteba group from Abidjan. Beginning in 1997, Kaabi began an artistic transformation. He enriched his repertoire by merging traditional Mandingo sounds with modern influences, developing a unique and deeply personal approach. His international recognition grew, and in 1999, he embarked on a tour of the United States, performing in prestigious venues such as: BAM Majesty Theater de Brooklyn, Université de Massachusetts, New Jersey Performing Arts Thetre, Newark, NJ, Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. The year 2000 marked a turning point with the release of his second album, “Silanté,” which reflected his artistic maturity. Distributed in Africa, Europe, and the United States, this album was a huge success and established his reputation on the international scene. His encounter with pianist Cheick Tidiane Seck, a major figure in Mandingo music and jazz, marked a new milestone. Alongside him, Kaabi discovered the world of jazz fusion. In 2006, jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, captivated by Kaabi’s versatility, invited him on her world tour. This partnership with Dee Dee Bridgewater opened new perspectives in the worlds of jazz, blues, and pop, consolidating his status as a cosmopolitan and versatile artist. Now, with a career spanning over 40 years, Kaabi continues to push the boundaries of Mandingo music. Heir to a griotic tradition but deeply rooted in modernity, Kaabi embodies the future of Mandingo music, a bridge between cultures, genres, and generations.

www.kaabikouyate.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Okavango Orchestra
9:30 - 11 pm
Okavango African Orchestra with guests Lorraine Klaasen, Pape Ndiaye, Kaabi Kouyaté, Dally Dominic and Mario Posella
Concert Stage​

Okavango African Orchestra, winners of the JUNO and Canadian Folk Music Awards, unites music and instruments from various African cultures to forge a new sound, blending diverse tunings, rhythms, and timbres. For this concert, Okavango is joined by the vibrant Queen of South African music, Lorraine Klaasen, the remarkable tama player Pape Ndiaye, the versatile multi-instrumentalist Kaabi Kouyaté, skilled bassist Dally Dominic, and guitarist Mario Posella.

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Multiple instruments, languages, and countries together help define the music of Okavango African Orchestra. JUNO Award for Best World Album of the Year 2017, Canadian Folk Music Award for Global Roots Album of the Year 2025. Okavango African Orchestra looks ahead on its continuing journey to an “Africa without borders… before the borders were created”.

Okavango African Orchestra is an ambitious musical ensemble created by Batuki Music Society, Artistic Director Nadine McNulty assembled a cast of accomplished African-born musicians: Daniel Nebiat (krar, composer, vocals), Kofi Ackah (drums, samples, composer, vocals), Tichaona Maredza (mbira, guitar, composer, vocals), Sadio Sissokho (kora, tama, djembe, composer, vocals), Ebenezer Agyekum (bass guitar, composer, vocals), Assane Seck (guitar, composer, vocals), Aron Nitunga (guitar, composer, vocals) and Mabinty Sylla (dance).

The orchestra takes its name from the Okavango Delta, a basin in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, where many different animal species come together to feed and find water. Predators and prey are forced to coexist and share the meager resources because of the harsh environment around them. Similarly, Okavango African Orchestra brings together the traditional music and instruments of several major African cultures that historically have had little or no interaction. The musicians of Okavango have created a common meeting place for these disparate cultures, and a new musical language that harmonizes their different tuning systems, rhythms, and timbres. The musicians and instruments of Okavango represent a continuum of traditions and cultures from time immemorial to the present day. The multicultural spirit of modern-day Canada bridges ancient African solitudes.

Okavango African Orchestra revisited the site of its debut, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to record the group’s debut, self-titled album, which was awarded the 2017 JUNO for World Music Album of the Year. Their second album, “Africa Without Borders”, released in February 2020 was nominated for a 2020 JUNO Award for World Music Album of the Year and the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Award. On November 1, 2023, Okavango released their third album, Migration, “Our music is not static, it’s constantly evolving, and like the animals in the Okavango delta that migrate to greener pastures, the music of Okavango endeavours to reach new territory of migration and exploration. We are not just playing music, we are introducing new concepts, ideas and ways of working together.”

The album was awarded the 2025 Canadian Folk Music Award for Global Roots Album of the Year. Okavango has performed at Glenn Gould Studio, Koerner Hall, National Arts Centre, Alliance Francaise, Beanfield Centre, Harbourfront Centre, River Run Centre, Kingston City Hall, Lincoln Alexander Centre, Isabel Bader Performing Arts Centre, Alliance Francaise, Toronto Jazz Festival, Francophonie-en-Fete, Canada Day, Afrofest, Hot & Spicy Festival, City of Toronto, Cultura360, Sunfest, Randolph Performing Arts Theatre, Markham Flato Theatre, Aga Khan Museum, David Pecaut Square, Mel Lastman Square, George Weston Recital Hall, Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Sherbrooke World Music Festival and more.

Lorraine Klaasen, the daughter of legendary South African Jazz singer Thandie Klaasen, is one of the few South African artists who have preserved the classic sound of ‘Township Music’, which continues to be the most distinctive sound to come out of South Africa. Born and raised in Soweto, Lorraine has electrified audiences worldwide with her dynamic stage presence and showmanship.  Lorraine was influenced by South Africa’s musical giants of the 1950’s and 1960’s, such as Miriam Makeba (who was a close friend of Lorraine and Thandie) as well as Dolly Rathebe, Dorothy Masuka, Sophie Mgcina and Busi Mhlongo who frequented her mother’s home. In February 2008, Lorraine released the highly charged album ‘Africa Calling’ on the Justin Time label. Her CD ‘A Tribute To Miriam Makeba’ which won Lorraine the 2013 Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year, is a tribute to the legendary songstress, who remains the most important female vocalist to emerge out of South Africa. Lorraine’s latest CD ‘Nouvelle Journée’ showcases some of the musical styles that Lorraine has not yet recorded in her long musical career. On this album she sings in the Tsonga, Sotho, isiZulu and Xhosa languages of South Africa as well as English and French. The repertoire is thought provoking – the importance of family, empathy, love and hope make up ‘Nouvelle Journée.’

Pape Ndiaye is an exceptional tama (talking drum) player, one of the emblematic instruments of Senegalese traditional and modern music. He was a percussionist for the Orchestre National de Senegal, one of the most prestigious orchestras attached to the Ministry of Culture. He is a regular performer with Zale Seck, an emblematic figure of Senegalese music based in Montreal.

Dally Dominic is a talented bassist, vocalist, producer and songwriter in demand due to his talent for performing many genres of traditional and contemporary music. He has performed with Ebo Taylor, Jewel Ackah, Pat Thomas, Kojo Antwi, Tracy Kay, Fethi Nadjem, Mis Blandine, Lorraine Klaasen, Ricardo Lemvo, to name a few.

Griot Kaabi Kouyaté enriches his repertoire by merging traditional Mandingo sounds with modern influences, developing a unique and deeply personal approach. He is the son of the legendary Sory Kandia Kouyaté, known for his powerful voice, and nicknamed “the voice of Africa”, his music mixed tradition with jazz before the worldwide boom in African music.

Guitarist Mario Posella has played with many internationally renowned artists such as Zahara, Pat Thomas, Lorraine Klaasen and Amakeye Dede.

www.okavangoorchestra.com

www.lorraineklaasen.com

Saturday August 9

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Blank Canvases
1 - 5 pm
Blank Canvases - Explore African Abstract Art
Kids' Tent

Inspired by the vibrant, complex patterns, colours, and shapes of African Art from across the continent, families and children will create unique, one-of-a-kind abstract art pieces. In the process, they will learn about and engage with the traditions of contemporary and historical African artists who use patterns and abstraction to create aesthetically powerful and uniquely bold works of art. Using acrylic paint markers, collage materials, and visual symbols, participants will work with Artist Educators at the festival to develop their exciting abstract style and take home their artwork.​

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Blank Canvases is an art programme that uses the authentic artistic approach to inspire children and stimulate creative thinking. We have a dream to bring art into people’s lives and to encourage them to think and live creatively. We strive to teach people an appreciation for local arts and culture through workshops that are centred on the important art that is made in our neighbourhoods. We want to bring the arts into our schools, our workplaces and our free time. We do this in a way that is supportive, non-intimidating and inspirational. In doing so we will employ artist educators who believe passionately in the power of art to change and enrich the lives of those in our communities. We create workshops that are engaging and participatory. We employ professional art educators. We focus on local artists, art groups and collectives. We bring together professional artist educators who teach our students the artistic process in a way that inspires creativity, individuality and a love of art making. We believe that wonderful art can be with sustainable environmental resource. We source beautiful art making materials that are donated, upcycled and re-used to make wonderful unique art pieces.

www.blankcanvases.org

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Ethiopian Buna Coffee Sosena
1 - 8 pm
Ethiopian Buna Café
Brigantine Tent

Enjoy sips of flavourful traditional Ethiopian coffee while you relax with incense and friendly conversations.​

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Sewa
2 - 2:45 pm
Sewà
Stage in the Park

Ṣẹwà is a Toronto-based Nigerian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and budding producer blending Afrobeat, Fuji, Jazz, R&B, Soul/Blues, and Pop. A fan once described her voice as “the after-smell of rain.” After selling out her first Nigerian concert in 2021, she moved to Toronto, completed Seneca College’s music program, and has since headlined sold-out shows and opened for artists like Asa, Johnny Drille, and Kiss Daniel. With two EPs out and a debut album on the way, Ṣẹwà’s soulful sound and vivid storytelling continue to connect cultures and captivate audiences across stages and streaming platforms.

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Ṣẹwà is a Singer, Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and budding producer. An Afrosoul artist with a sound that blends Afrobeat, Fuji, Jazz, Pop and Soul into rich, soulful storytelling. Having started her musical journey in Lagos and now making waves in Toronto, Ṣẹwà creates introspective tunes that explore love, loss, and everything in between. Blending traditional African rhythms with modern influences, Ṣẹwà creates music that speaks to the heart, offering a balance between deep reflection and vibrant energy. Ṣẹwà’s music is emotionally layered, perfect for intimate moments of self-reflection or simply enjoying her powerful, rich vocals. Not party tracks, but tunes that make you think, feel, and connect on a deeper level. yet reflective—From headlining sold-out shows to sharing stages with Afrobeats legends, Ṣẹwà is adding her unique voice to the global music scene, one soulful note at a time. Her 6-track EP is available on all streaming platforms and is presently working on an album. Ṣẹwà is a graduate of a Music Production Program at Seneca College. Ṣẹwà sold out her first concert in Nigeria in 2021 before her relocation to Toronto, Canada. After completing the Certificate program of ‘Independent Music Production’ in Seneca College, Ṣẹwà had her first Headline show in Toronto ‘A night with Ṣẹwà’ and it was a complete success and another sold out show.

SewaInfo.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Mbira Village Mutamba Moyo
3 - 4 pm
Mbira Village
Boulevard Pavilion

Mbira Village is a space of sound, spirit, and story, hosted by Moyo Mutamba. Rooted in the ancestral tradition of the Shona people, this is a place to sit with the mbira, to feel its resonance, and to learn through hands-on experience. Whether you're encountering Mbira for the first time or returning to its familiar voice, you're invited to explore, ask questions, and maybe learn a song. Mbira Village is a gathering ground, a place to touch African Indigenous history with your hands, to listen deeply, and to join the music that remembers and connects us.

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Moyo Rainos Mutamba is a Zimbabwean-born educator, musician, storyteller, consultant, and community builder currently based in Toronto, Canada and Gutu, Zimbabwe. He is known for his work in decolonization, anti-racism, and promoting belonging through various initiatives like the Ubuntu Learning Village and the Ubuntu Free School. His music is centered around mbira, an instrument that has been played in Zimbabwe for hundreds of years. He tells Zimbabwean-based historical stories and folk tales. Storytelling and song have been a part of Mutamba’s life since he was a child in a small village in Zimbabwe where he grew up. His love for storytelling was deepened by his large family for whom telling stories was a ritual every night—gathered around burning fire under the watching eye of the moon. To this day he draws upon stories that his grandmother, sisters, mother and other relatives inherited from his ancestors. He has told stories in schools, community centres, festivals, healing circles and around fires. Moyo performs with the mbira band Nhapitapi, but can also be seen performing solo. He has performed at major festivals in Canada such as Afrofest in Toronto among others. He has also performed in Canada, the U.S. and Zimbabwe.

UbuntuEarth.org

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Mandinka Jolof Pape Ndiaye Sadio Sissokho Boblee Danse Cirque Mabinty Sylla
4 - 4:45 pm
Musical Traditions of the Mandinka and Jolof Empires - Sadio Sissokho, Pape Ndiaye, Mabinty Sylla, Boblée Danse Cirque
Stage in the Park

Experience musical traditions of the Mandinka and Jolof Empires, featuring the kora, an instrument traditionally played by Djely (griot), a tradition of musicians, storytellers and singers that perform a variety of functions in society. Born into a Griot family, Sadio Sissokho learned to play kora and percussion at a young age with his family group Bannaya, a troupe well known in Senegal. Pape Ndiaye is an exceptional tama (talking drum) player, one of the emblematic instruments of Senegalese traditional and modern music. He was a percussionist for the Orchestre National de Senegal, one of the most prestigious orchestras attached to the Ministry of Culture. Mabinty Sylla is a dancer, choreographer and instructor of West Africa traditional dance forms. Lansana Camara a.k.a. Boblée Danse Cirque is an acrobat, dancer, instructor and former Cirque de Soleil performer.

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Born into a griot family, Sadio learned to play Senegalese traditional rhythms and instruments at a young age with his family group Bannaya, a ballet troupe well known in Senegal. Sadio attended l’Ecole Nationale des Arts de Dakar and received a traditional music studies certificate for his studies. He is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and has mastered the kora (21-stringed traditional instrument), along with the djembe, sabar, doun doun and tama drums. JUNO and Canadian Folk Music awards winner, Sadio is a member of Okavango African Orchestra.

Pape Ndiaye is an exceptional tama (talking drum) player, one of the emblematic instruments of Senegalese traditional and modern music. He was a main percussionist for the Orchestre National de Senegal, one of the most prestigious traditional orchestras attached to the Ministry of Culture. He is a regular performer with Zale Seck, an emblematic figure of Senegalese music based in Montreal.

Professional dancer, choreographer and instructor Mabinty Sylla, created Lanaya African Cultural Group to present traditional dance and drumming from West Africa. Born in Guinea, Mabinty Sylla began her dance training in Conakry with Mamadouba Camara, a dance instructor, who is the first soloist for the Ballet Djoliba and former soloist for the Ballet Africans; two of West Africa’s most respected traditional groups. She also studied and performed with a group Ballet Tayeli directed by Fode Gassama. She moved to Toronto in 2008, and has since performed in cities and festivals across Canada. She teaches West African dance in schools, community programs and workshops for individuals and groups.

Lansana Camara a.k.a. Boblée Danse Cirque started dancing at the age of 8. His talent was evident from an early age and he was recruited to dance in the group BCBG de Raï. It was a popular coupé décalé group in Guinea. He later joined the popular hip hop dance group, Instinct Killer, and at the age of fifteen decided to train at the Keïta Fodeba Tinafan Acrobatic Arts Center. Guinea is known to produce some of the top acrobats worldwide and four years later, he was chosen from hundreds of acrobats to participate in an international tour with Cavalia, Cirque de Soleil. After relocating in Montreal, he worked with many circus performers and acrobats at festivals and special events, he also has been active as a dance instructor.

Facebook.com/Sadio.Sissokho.3/
Facebook.com/Pape.Ndiaye.39/
Facebook.com/p/Mabinty-sylla-100063905628284/

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Film Kandia
4:15 - 5:45 pm
Film - La Trace de Kandia
Studio Theatre

Kandia, called "the golden voice of Manding", is the nickname given to the Guinean griot Ibrahima Sory Kouyaté (1933-1977) who was the emblematic singer of an Africa’s independence era. His music blended tradition and jazz long before African music gained global recognition. This is the story of Kandia—a man deeply committed to his country’s independence and to easing tensions brought about by war—who left a lasting impression through his historical knowledge and his innate gift for music.

With French Subtitles.
15 min Q&A following film with son of the late Kandia, Kaabi Kouyaté.
Host: Kobinna Ulzen.

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The film reveals the story of Guinean singer Ibrahima Sory Kouyaté, who is also known as Kandia, the Golden Voice of Manding. Directed by Laurent Chevallier, the film retraces the extraordinary story of “Kandia,” also known as “the golden voice of Manding.” Ibrahima Sory Kouyaté was a master griot, storyteller, composer, musician, and singer from Guinea who became an emblematic figure of Africa’s independence era. With the help of his son, Kaabi, the two men embark on a historical journey in Guinea, following in the footsteps of this legend whose music blended tradition and jazz long before African music gained global recognition. Through the moving testimonies of the village elders and the stunning archival footage where Kandia’s voice resonates, it becomes clear why some claim that his voice was “a gift from God.” This is the story of Kandia—a man deeply committed to his country’s independence and to easing tensions brought about by war—who left a lasting impression through his historical knowledge and his innate gift for music.

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Pulga Muchochoma
4:45 - 5:30 pm
Afro Fusion Dance with Pulga Muchochoma
South Lawn Tent

Come and dance with me! Join instructor and choreographer Pulga Muchochoma in this workshop that blends traditional dance from Mozambique with moves from Nigeria, Ghana and Angola. An energetic and expressive dance form combining African rhythms, footwork and movements. Open to all-ages and offering a fun way to explore African culture and movement.

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Pulga Dance was founded in 2015 by Pulga Muchochoma and is based in Toronto and the GTA. The company creates choreographic works that aim to provide support to empower the next generation of artists while bringing personal life stories into the art. Teaching is a way for me to see where my creativity goes from learning and exploring as guidance. My goal as a teacher is to bring people of all races and cultures together to share and learn from each other, as a way to rediscover new journeys in life through movement. Pulga Dance also provides educational classes locally and abroad and has provided workshops in places such as Columbia, Cuba, Wales, Mozambique, and Grenada. The company’s classes provide a fusion of traditional African dance from Mozambique and music from Africa. The choreography is based on the history of culture and traditions in conversation with Canadian culture combined with Mozambique culture. Under Pulga Dance, Pulga has created many works for the students of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. Pulga has also created his own works Ngoma, Mascara, and Nkosi, and co-created Mukuthô with Nafro Dance founder and choreographer, Casimiro Nhussi.​

PulgaDance.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society DJ Moussa Boblee Danse Cirque
5:30 - 7 pm
DJ Moussa Dance Africa with Boblée Danse
Boulevard Pavilion

DJ Moussa, born in Côte d’Ivoire, is considered the most versatile DJ in the African community in Toronto. DJ Moussa spins a diverse selection of the latest African music hits and classics. His unique style mixes music genres that include zouglou, coupe decale, makossa, mbalax, rumba, ndombolo, high-life, naija, zouk, kizomba and hip hop. He has performed in many of the top clubs in Toronto, and across Canada and West Africa. Lansana Camara, also known as Boblée, is a versatile multidisciplinary artist: a tightrope walker, dancer, acrobat and aerialist. Guinea is known to produce some of the top acrobats worldwide and Boblée was chosen from hundreds of acrobats to participate in the international tour with Cirque du Soleil’s Cavalia Odysséo. He offers classes and workshops in African dance, hip hop, acrobatics, balance, and gymnastics to community centers, day camps, and schools in the greater Montreal Quebec area.

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Abe African Circus
6 - 6:30 pm
The African Circus
Beside Stage in the Park

The African Circus features incredible balancing acts, mesmerizing juggling displays and acrobatic feats at the Habari Africa Festival! Born in Ethiopia, Abebe Atlebachew is a circus performer, dancer, choreographer and director, and has performed all over the world. He shares the struggle of migration through his art of circus.

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Circus performer, dancer, choreographer and director, Abebe Atlebachew has performed all over the world. Originally from Ethiopia, beginning circus at the age of 10, Abebe heard about performers in China utilising a ladder in their routine and decided to try it himself. He practised, watched YouTube videos and taught himself tricks until he had a masterful routine. Abebe received a diploma from Addis Africa Circus school, training in disciplines such as free-standing ladder, dance, drama and music, and won the Addis Africa Circus award in 2013. The African Circus was founded in the summer of 2019. Much like traditional circuses, it was an amalgamation of professional entertainment groups with diverse experiences and talents, coming together to produce a drive-in show during the COVID pandemic. The founders and performers brought over 10 years of successful experience as circus artists. In 2021, he received mentorship from Rachel Daveild, CEO of SoCirc, who provided guidance on management skills. He integrated more acrobatic and circus acts into our productions, eventually specializing in a unique hybrid discipline: a blend of African and Ethiopian traditional and contemporary circus arts. By 2022, after two years of growth for The African Circus in Canada and the United States, he established a workshop to create customized shows, which has been in high demand ever since. In 2023, The African Circus caught the attention of The Viva Fest during a performance in Las Vegas, as well as organizations like the Toronto Arts Council, Art in the Park, and the Canada Council for the Arts. This opportunity has paved the way for the circus to perform for four consecutive years, and in 2024, we secured our biggest stage yet—the international stage at the Canadian National Exhibition. Today, what began as a small organization has grown significantly, annually hiring nearly 10 artists who contribute to its continued success.

TheAfricanCircus.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Film Unite for Bissau
6:05 - 6:45 pm
Film - Unite for Bissau - Nô Kumpu Guiné - Agroecology and Feminism in Guinea-Bissau
Studio Theatre

In the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau, this thought-provoking film takes you on a journey that follows brave local women who challenge patriarchy by building institutions that promote self-sufficiency through agroecology. They also defy social norms by standing up against female genital mutilation and rejecting forced marriage. Carrying forward the legacy of Amílcar Cabral, the Bissau-Guinean independence leader who placed women’s rights at the center of the struggle for liberation, the women of a rising generation are taking their power back.

With English subtitles.
Host: Kobinna Ulzen.

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iara lee, a Brazilian of Korean descent, is an activist, filmmaker, and founder/director of the Cultures of Resistance Network, an organization that promotes global solidarity and connects and supports agitators, educators, farmers, and artists to build a more just and peaceful world through creative resistance and nonviolent action.

Cultures of Resistance Film
Director/Producer: iara lee
Editor/Cameraman: Joao Meirinhos
Country of Production: Guinea-Bissau, Portugal, USA
Year: 2023
Genre: Documentary

CulturesOfResistanceFilms.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Nii Osabu
7 - 7:45 pm
Nii Osabu
Stage in the Park

Nii Osabu is a Ghanaian highlife and African traditional musician, songwriter, and music producer, currently based in Toronto. With a start in music at 10 years old, following in the footsteps of his musical father, he now has over 30 singles to his credit and a debut album coming soon.

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Nii Osabu is a Ghanaian highlife and African traditional musician, songwriter, and music producer, currently based in Toronto. With a start in music at 10 years old, following in the footsteps of his musical father, he now has over 30 singles to his credit and a debut album coming soon. Notable singles include “Marhaba” (Year of Return song), “Beshwe Womma,” & “Arise Africa” (popular on Ghana’s Rainbow Radio). Three of his songs are in the docuseries, Beads Build Bridges, featured in Los Angeles’ Pan African Film Fest. In Canada, Osabu has performed at festivals like the Ottawa Italian Festival 2024, Taste of Ghana in Toronto, Homowo Festival in the Park 2024, Homowo Dinner Dance 2024, Miss Tourism Common Wealth 2024, Acoustic Africa 2024 and others. Some live music venues such as George Weston Recital Hall, Aga Khan Museum, Kitchener Public Library, It’s OK, Drom Taberna, Dakota Tavern, Island Café, Function Bar, Emmet Ray and others have also hosted the electrifying performances of Nii Osabu and his band.

Facebook.com/Loozo/

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Film Fendika
7:05 - 7:45 pm
Film - Take Me to Fendika
Studio Theatre

Take Me to Fendika illuminates the traditional and innovative musical culture of Ethiopia at what has been called “the best venue in Africa” through its founder, world-renowned dancer, Melaku Belay. Fendika Cultural Center is a dynamic art space that draws artists from across Africa and the world to present music, dance, poetry, and visual art. This film tells the story of how this vital space came into being and how it served as a place for artists to invent and reinvent Ethiopian modernity and place it in dialogue with global culture.

With English subtitles.
Q&A following film with New Perspective - Gezahegn Mekonnen.
Host: Kobinna Ulzen

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Melaku Belay is the director of Fendika Cultural Center, president of Ethiopian Dance Art Association, world-renowned Ethiopian dancer, and leader of Ethiocolor and Fendika bands. Melaku is committed to the development of Ethiopian performance culture and heritage. Under Melaku’s leadership since 2008, Fendika is the first music venue in Addis Ababa that pays regular salary to traditional musicians and dancers. Fendika is home to artists of many disciplines and cultural backgrounds, offering music, dance, visual art and poetry…
In 2020, during the 6-month COVID shutdown in Ethiopia, Melaku produced 18 virtual concerts and 3 virtual art openings streamed to Fendika’s global audiences. Melaku was a 2015 recipient of Chevalier des arts et des Lettres (France), 2018 finalist for Ethiopian Person of the Year Award, 2019 tribute from Visa for Music (Morocco), 2020 Prince Claus Laureate (the Netherlands), a 2022 TED Fellow (Canada), and a 2023 Center Stage touring grant (US).

Cisco Bradley is a director, author, and professor at the Pratt Institute, where he teaches the history and aesthetics of music from the African diaspora and runs the Music and Migration Lab. He has founded three multimedia organizations that work to shed light on musicians operating in this sphere: New Revolution Arts, www.jazzrightnow.com, and the Free Jazz Oral History Project.

Fendika.org

TakeMeToFendika.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Sintayehu Mimi Zenebe Daniel Nebiat
8 - 9 pm
Sintayehu 'Mimi' Zenebe & Daniel Nebiat
Concert Stage

Sintayehu 'Mimi' Zenebe and Daniel Nebiat will showcase the finest Ethiopian and Eritrean music in their performances at the Habari Africa Festival. Experience the diverse and lively music that reflects their rich cultural heritages, from the traditional melodies of the highlands to the vibrant rhythms of urban life. Singing in Tigrinya or Amharic, their music crosses borders and combines distinctive rhythms and tunings that are exclusive to these nations. For this unique performance, an all-star ensemble of musicians will join Sintayehu 'Mimi' Zenebe and Daniel Nebiat.

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Sintayehu ‘Mimi’ Zenebe is a talented vocalist and dancer from a musical family, and is known as the “Edith Piaf” of Ethiopia. She has been performing traditional music from a young age and has shared the stage with many Ethiopian artists and groups. Zenebe was the vocalist for the U.K.’s Dub Colossus, touring internationally and recording albums released on Real World Records. She has perfected her skills as a vocalist, dancer and performer of Azmari songs. Since moving to Toronto, she has performed at community events, weddings, festivals and clubs across Canada. Mimi has released a number of albums including her latest Yegeremegn in 2025.

Born and raised in Asmara, Eritrea, Daniel Nebiat was immersed in traditional and popular Eritrean music from a young age, he was also exposed to American pop, rock, and blues. At 12 years old, he earned enough money performing door to door during the Eritrean New Year’s celebrations to purchase his own krar. After some fierce resistance from his mother, he began to seriously study the krar and began to move around, learning and performing wherever he went. Since moving to Canada in 1996, he has performed in a variety of events from community celebrations and festivals, and for presenters such as Wavelength, Batuki Music, and Roy Thomson Hall patio series. In 2008 he opened for Sean Kuti and Egypt 80 at the Harbourfront Centre. In 2011 he opened up for the debut of Basskou Kouyate at the Great Hall. He released a number of songs and a full-length album “Hakimey”, and he is also a member of the Okavango African Orchestra, winners of a JUNO award in 2017 for their self-titled debut album. The group’s second album, “Africa Without Borders” was nominated for a JUNO award in 2020. Their third album, Migration recently won the Global Roots Music Album of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2025.

MimiZenebe.com

Facebook.com/DanielNebiat

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Izimba Arts
9 - 9:30 pm
IZimba Arts
Stage in the Park

The IZimba Arts performance showcases vocals, drums and also includes the traditional dances such as Mchongoyo, Nquzu and Indlamu as well as contemporary township dances namely gumboot, some Pantsula and Jit.​

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IZimba Arts is a collective of African performing artists who pursue art as an instrument for community engagement. The group specializes in performances and workshops that include high-energy traditional and urban dances and music from Southern Africa. Co-Founders/Artistic Directors of IZimba Arts are Teddy Masuku (Zimbabwe), Brian Moyo (Zimbabwe) and Sindisiwe
Majola (South Africa). All are multitalented composers, singers, dancers and choreographers. Other members of IZimba Arts are Andile Msimanga (Master Drummer from Zimbabwe) and Sikhumbuzo Sihoma (Singer, composer and dancer from Zimbabwe). They all have years of experience performing and conducting workshops in various events and festivals in and outside Canada and love collaborating with various youth organizations, artists, and anyone who
shares the same passion for the performing arts. Through African music, poetry and dance, Izimba Arts shares the beauty of authentic diverse Zimbabwean and South African culture.

Facebook.com/Izimba.Arts

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Fredy Massamba
9:30 - 11 pm
Fredy Massamba
Concert Stage

Fredy Massamba is well-known as a founding member and choreographer of the celebrated Tambours de Brazza however, as a solo artist, this 2012 Kora Awards winner has been dubbed the “Afro-soul voice of the Congo” (Radio-France, 2024). An extremely gifted singer-songwriter, Massamba revisits the Kingdom of Kongo’s ancestral repertoire and polyrhythmic chants from the equatorial forests, and incorporates lively Afro-soul rhythms, hip hop, jazz and Congolese rumba.

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Fredy Massamba is known as “Congo’s voice of Afro-soul,” a reflection of his values and the pride he takes in his musical journey that began in Pointe-Noire and has extended to the four corners of the world. Massamba still bears the stamp of his younger days, notably the Tambours de Brazza from the 1990s, which is evident on his latest album, Trancestral, in which he transcends his ancestral legacy by bringing it into the future. Free of sentimentality, the singer demonstrates his in-depth knowledge of Congo-Brazzaville’s musical repertoire from the 1960s. Massamba has released 3 albums, Ethnophony, Makasi and Trancestral and his talent is widely recognized by other greats. He has collaborated with the likes of Manu Dibango, Manou Gallo, Ray Lema, Didier Awadi, Lokua Kanza, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Mory Kanté and Zap Mama. All have contributed to enriching the unique repertoire of an artist who in 2014 was crowned Best World Music Artist at the Sabam Awards (Belgian association of authors, composers and publishers) and, at the 2020 Afro Artistic Awards, he received an award in tribute to his illustrious career. This champion of Congolese rumba and hip-hop artist also draws from soul and reggae to create his unique sound. He invites you on a journey between Brussels, Brazzaville, Kinshasa, Douala, Ndjamena and Montreal.

Facebook.com/FredyMassambaOfficiel

Sunday August 10

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Kalimba Village Njacko Backo
1 - 5 pm
Kalimba Village with Njacko Backo
Kids' Tent

This is an interactive fun children’s village to learn about the traditional Cameroonian Kalimba and bring traditional music to life. Come play and create your own sounds! In this kalimba workshop, Njacko Backo will teach a style of music called Manganbeu. Traditionally, Manganbeu is a delicate music that is played at parties to remind everyone to exist in harmony and to respect one another. This music is also used to talk about things that are not going well in the community so that people can learn and do better. Njacko will provide 16 kalimbas for workshop participants on a first come, first serve basis. He will also be supported by members of Kalimbas At Work so that everyone can hear how the different parts of the music can work together.

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Juno-nominated Njacko Backo is a storyteller, songwriter, singer, musician and composer who has been performing for children and adults since his childhood in Cameroon. He has a lifetime of practice in capturing the subtlety of storytelling and dance with his music – an essential part of the African performing arts. His programs for children and youth draw on parallels and differences between Canadian and African family life while introducing a passion for the French language. A multi-talented artist with 13 albums under his belt, Njacko Backo is known to make people dance and have fun. Born in rural Cameroon and raised in the hills in a small village called Bazou, Njacko began playing percussion and making instruments at the tender age three. A versatile and energetic musician and educator, Njacko has performed and presented African music workshops at schools and festivals throughout Europe and North America. 

NjackoBacko.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Ethiopian Buna Coffee Sosena
1 - 5 pm
Ethiopian Buna Café
Brigantine Tent

Enjoy sips of flavourful traditional Ethiopian coffee while you relax with incense and friendly conversations.​

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society African Drums And Art Crafts Saikou Saho
1 - 2 pm
Drum Village Experience with African Drums & Art Crafts
Boulevard Pavilion

Everyone is welcome to join this all-ages interactive drum village with Saikou Saho of African Drum & Art Crafts. At the heart of this drum village is communal music-making, inviting individuals from all walks of life to partake in the rhythmic journey. There will be a limited supply of drums provided, so you are welcome to bring your own drum.

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Saikou Saho facilitates private drumming and percussion lessons as well as group workshops for pre-school aged children up to senior citizens. His facilitation style centralizes community and creates a co-operative learning environment where participants can be both learners and teachers. Saikou has facilitated programs in different settings including schools and prisons. Saikou owns African Drums and Art Crafts located in Kensington Market for over 20 years. His store is a community gathering spot where people come to share stories, troubles and company. As an elder in the African, Gambian and Drumming Communities in Toronto, he has been an important figure to many community endeavors and events. The store is a plethora of African drums, percussion instruments, jewelry, masks, art and crafts. Outside of the scheduled drop-in drumming class on Friday evenings the store is a hot spot for spontaneous drum jams.

AfricanDrumsAndArtCrafts.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Song of the Griot Sadio Sissokho Kaabi Kouyate Djely Tapa
2 - 2:30 pm
Songs of the Griot
Stage in the Park

Songs of the Griot featuring Djely Tapa, Kaabi Kouyaté and Sadio Sissokho. Griots play a vital role in preserving and transmitting West African culture, ensuring that traditions and knowledge are passed down through generations.

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Born into a griot family, Sadio learned to play Senegalese traditional rhythms and instruments at a young age with his family group Bannaya, a ballet troupe well known in Senegal. Sadio attended l’Ecole Nationale des Arts de Dakar and received a traditional music studies certificate for his studies. He is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and has mastered the kora (21-stringed traditional instrument), along with the djembe, sabar, doun doun and tama drums. JUNO and Canadian Folk Music awards winner, Sadio is a member of Okavango African Orchestra.

Griot Kaabi Kouyaté enriches his repertoire by merging traditional Mandingo sounds with modern influences, developing a unique and deeply personal approach. He is the son of the legendary Sory Kandia Kouyaté, known for his powerful voice, and nicknamed “the voice of Africa”, his music mixed tradition with jazz before the worldwide boom in African music.

Djely Tapa is a singer-songwriter based in Montreal, Quebec. Djely Tapa was born in the Kayes region of western Mali, into a distinguished family of griots (djely in Malinke—the heirs of centuries-old artistic traditions). Her debut album, Barokan, forged in African blues, Sahelian ambiances, and infused with electro, won the 2020 JUNO Award for Best Canadian World Music Album.

KaabiKouyate.com

DjelyTapa.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Adama Daou Balafon Village
2:30 - 3:30 pm
Balafon Village with Adama Daou
North Orchard

With simple rhythmic and melodic exercises, Adama Daou will introduce you to the balafon, an African wooden xylophone, UNESCO named as a masterpiece of intangible heritage. Balafon is a soothing instrument allowing a distinctive musical journey. Grab your sticks and create your own sound, inspired by your inner soul!

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A Malian musician from the city of Mopti, Adama Daou developed his skills in African percussion (djembe, dumdum, calabash and balafon) by participating in traditional ceremonies during his childhood and through his training at the National Institute of Arts in Bamako. Moving to Paris in 2000, he performed and toured with groups like Lo’jo and dance companies. Based in Montreal since 2011, Adama Daou is constantly guided by a strong desire to introduce Malian percussions to the public while creating musical projects with artists from different horizons, performing, developing workshops, and participating to the development of sociocultural actions based on music. In addition to touring across Europe, Canada and the United States, Adama regularly hosts African percussion, dance classes and workshops.

Facebook.com/AdamaDaouMusicien

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Boblee Danse Cirque
3 - 3:15 pm
Boblée Danse Cirque
Lawn in front of Stage in the Park

Lansana Camara, also known as Boblée, is a versatile multidisciplinary artist: a tightrope walker, dancer, acrobat and aerialist. Lansana Camara started dancing at the age of 8. His talent was evident from an early age and he was recruited to dance in the group BCBG de Raï, a popular coupé décalé group in Guinea-Conakry. Boblée later joined the popular hip hop dance group, Instinct Killer, and at the age of fifteen decided to train at the Keïta Fodeba Tinafan Acrobatic Arts Center. Guinea is known to produce some of the top acrobats worldwide and four years later, he was chosen from hundreds of acrobats to participate in the international tour with Cirque du Soleil’s Cavalia Odysséo. After relocating in Montreal in 2016, Boblée has worked with many circus performers, groups and acrobats. He is a dancer and acrobat with Groupe Benkadi and directs his own acrobatic troupe, Productions Sagatallas. He offers classes and workshops in African dance, hip hop, acrobatics, balance, and gymnastics to community centers, day camps, and schools in the greater Montreal Quebec area.

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Mbira Soul Mambo Chivero Mutamba Moyo Teddy Masuku Memory Makuri
3:15 - 4 pm
Mbira Soul
Stage in the Park

Mbira Soul invites you to a ceremony by the water, an offering of sound, spirit, and joy. Rooted in the Shona tradition of Bira, where music opens the way for ancestral presence, we gather to listen with our bodies and move with the pulse of something older than words. With Mbira, hosho, drum, and dance, Moyo Mutamba, Memory Makuri, Mambo Chivero and Teddy Masuku invite you to cross a threshold. Come as kin, singing, clapping, and swaying where memory and music touch, and the ancestors draw near.

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Moyo Rainos Mutamba is a Zimbabwean-born educator, musician, storyteller, consultant, and community builder based in Toronto, Canada and Gutu, Zimbabwe. He is known for his work in decolonization, anti-racism, and promoting belonging through various initiatives like the Ubuntu Learning Village and the Ubuntu Free School. His music is centered around mbira, an instrument that has been played in Zimbabwe for hundreds of years.

Memory Makuri is a Zimbabwean dancer, singer, Mbira and hosho player. Upon leaving school, she joined the music scene as a back-up singer and dancer for the legendary Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited. Since coming to Canada, Memory co-founded Nhapitapi Mbira, a band in which she sings, dances and plays Mbira and hosho.

Musician, singer and songwriter, Mambo Chivero plays a traditional instrument from Zimbabwe called Mbira, a spiritual instrument. The Mbira instrument played an important role in Zimbabwean history and was used in the fight against colonialism. At the age of six years, Mambo was taught to play the mbira by his uncle. He is on a mission to take Mbira music to the world and has pledged to continue producing songs that represent the authentic Zimbabwean sound and culture. His first album titled Mavambo (The Beginning) was released in 2022.

Born in the City Kings Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Teddy Masuku’s interests in the performing arts started in his early years; specializing in traditional and modern dance fused with poetry. He toured extensively within and outside the country. Since coming to Canada Teddy has been able to further develop his skills as a singer, dancer, choreographer, artistic director and founder of IZimba Arts. He has worked with schools, community organizations, festivals and dance companies, teaching and performing Zimbabwean dance and music.

UbuntuEarth.org

Facebook.com/MamboChivero

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Sahad
4 - 5:30 pm
SAHAD
Concert Stage

The name Sahad refers to “harvest” in Serer and “resurrection” in Wolof. Sahad describes himself as a bush taxi traveling the world in search of the riches that emerge from our differences to share them. From Afro to jazz, blues to folk, and funk, all his African and cosmic influences have been reimagined, giving birth to a kaleidoscopic music. Sahad Sarr is a Senegalese musician, social activist, and environmentalist. In addition to being the founder of Kamyaak Ecovillage.  Sahad is the frontman of the Dakar-based band SAHAD. Sahad's lyrics often explore themes of spirituality, humanity, and the power of love and tolerance. With over a decade of experience, Sahad and his band have performed internationally, gaining recognition for their innovative approach to Senegalese alternative music. Sahad’s passion for music and activism led him to establish the record label Stereo Africa 432 and the Stereo Africa Festival in 2022, platforms designed to support young artists and promote West African music through cultural exchange.

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For over ten years, Sahad Sarr has been the founder and leader of the Dakar-based group SAHAD. This independent, self-produced project innovates and participates in the development of alternative music in Senegal. He has been featured on Radio NOVA and RFI, and has toured in France, Belgium, Holland, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, U.S.A., Canada, and many other countries. In 2021 Sahad created the independent label Stereo Africa 432 to promote, support and develop emerging music projects on the local scene. The label is also behind the Stereo Africa Festival, which aims to promote current West African music through an eclectic program and becomes a meeting place for African and international professionals for the promotion, representation, dissemination and structuring of music from the Continent. In 2025, he was a finalist for the RFI Prix découvertes. Sahad Sarr is a founder and initiator of the Kamyaak ecovillage: an environmental, cultural and social development project working with women and young people in the Fatick region. This project was born of the idea of putting into action our beliefs in a better future, at a time of challenges posed by climate change, social justice, poverty and rural exodus. He was rewarded by the AFIELD network in 2024 for his artistic, social and environment engagement. After two acclaimed albums, SAHAD is back with a powerful and deeply rooted project: African West Station, a true musical odyssey that crosses the boundaries of time and space, connecting the vibrant soul of West Africa to the rest of the world. This album, much more than a simple collection of songs, is a celebration of history, freedom and power of people coming together. With African West Station, SAHAD delves into the cultural roots of West Africa, this land where drums tell stories and where each melody carries a collective memory. But this journey is not frozen in the past; it is a contemporary Africa that is turned towards the future that is expressed here. While paying homage to the 70’s, to the cultural and political revolutions, SAHAD draws inspiration from critical thinking, the excitement of the struggles for the end of colonization, and the universal quest for freedom. Although African West Station is fueled by a certain nostalgia for past struggles and revolutions, it projects us with hope towards a future where men and women, beyond their differences, will learn to listen to each other, to live together and, above all, to dance together.

Instagram.com/SahadSarr

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Adama Daou Balafon Village
5 - 6 pm
Balafon Village with Adama Daou
North Orchard

With simple rhythmic and melodic exercises, Adama Daou will introduce you to the balafon, an African wooden xylophone, UNESCO named as a masterpiece of intangible heritage. Balafon is a soothing instrument allowing a distinctive musical journey. Grab your sticks and create your own sound, inspired by your inner soul!

FULL BIO

A Malian musician from the city of Mopti, Adama Daou developed his skills in African percussion (djembe, dumdum, calabash and balafon) by participating in traditional ceremonies during his childhood and through his training at the National Institute of Arts in Bamako. Moving to Paris in 2000, he performed and toured with groups like Lo’jo and dance companies. Based in Montreal since 2011, Adama Daou is constantly guided by a strong desire to introduce Malian percussions to the public while creating musical projects with artists from different horizons, performing, developing workshops, and participating to the development of sociocultural actions based on music. In addition to touring across Europe, Canada and the United States, Adama regularly hosts African percussion, dance classes and workshops.

Facebook.com/AdamaDaouMusicien

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Abe African Circus
5:30 - 6 pm
The African Circus
Beside Stage in the Park

African Circus features incredible balancing acts, mesmerizing juggling displays and acrobatic feats at the Habari Africa Festival! Born in Ethiopia, Abebe Atlebachew is a circus performer, dancer, choreographer and director, and has performed all over the world. He shares the struggle of migration through his art of circus.​

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Circus performer, dancer, choreographer and director, Abebe Atlebachew has performed all over the world. Originally from Ethiopia, beginning circus at the age of 10, Abebe heard about performers in China utilising a ladder in their routine and decided to try it himself. He practised, watched YouTube videos and taught himself tricks until he had a masterful routine. Abebe received a diploma from Addis Africa Circus school, training in disciplines such as free-standing ladder, dance, drama and music, and won the Addis Africa Circus award in 2013. The African Circus was founded in the summer of 2019. Much like traditional circuses, it was an amalgamation of professional entertainment groups with diverse experiences and talents, coming together to produce a drive-in show during the COVID pandemic. The founders and performers brought over 10 years of successful experience as circus artists. In 2021, he received mentorship from Rachel Daveild, CEO of SoCirc, who provided guidance on management skills. He integrated more acrobatic and circus acts into our productions, eventually specializing in a unique hybrid discipline: a blend of African and Ethiopian traditional and contemporary circus arts. By 2022, after two years of growth for The African Circus in Canada and the United States, he established a workshop to create customized shows, which has been in high demand ever since. In 2023, The African Circus caught the attention of The Viva Fest during a performance in Las Vegas, as well as organizations like the Toronto Arts Council, Art in the Park, and the Canada Council for the Arts. This opportunity has paved the way for the circus to perform for four consecutive years, and in 2024, we secured our biggest stage yet—the international stage at the Canadian National Exhibition. Today, what began as a small organization has grown significantly, annually hiring nearly 10 artists who contribute to its continued success.

TheAfricanCircus.com

Habari Africa Live Festival 2025 by Batuki Music Society Sadaka
6 - 7 pm
Sadaka
Festival Grounds, Stage in the Park

Sadakah means to give. Inviting our divine deities to give us the energy to spread blessings. Alubarika! Sadaka was created by Nigerian dance educator, performer and choreographer, Sani Abu Mohammed Allen of Ijovudu Dance International. Join master drummers and friends in a parade to the heart of Habari Africa. Everybody is welcome to drum, dance, clap and sing along! 

Many thanks to the sponsors of this event
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