Mr. Pa Modou Bojang, General Manager of Yiriwa Development Radio Station in Brikama Town, Western Region, has lately returned from the UK where he attended the World of Music Arts and Dance Festival (WOMAD) held at the new site of the Founder Peter Gabriel in Charton Park few miles away from London from 27th to 29th July 2007.

The festival, which brought together over two million people including 40, 000 artistes across the globe, was geared towards bringing about cultural exchange through music, arts and dance. This year’s festival marked the difference as over million people were reportedly seen singing, dancing and drumming in the muddy sands of the newly -built Charton Park.

Speaking to Travel Talk, Mr. Bojang described his trip to the UK as a resounding success.  He said attending the WOMAD festival has given him the opportunity to meet and mingle with the movers and shakers of the UK society.  According to him, during his stay in the UK, he was invited to attend the Tribe of Doris Festival that took place at the Wellington Park in southwest England from 22nd to 28th August. “The Tribe of Doris is the intercultural summer school that began 17 years ago and that this year’s event attracted over 40,000 people including artists from all over the world.

“African artists were given prominence as African cultures were given more attention more than any other cultures. Many artists from the African continent including The Gambia, Senegal Zimbabwe, Nigeria and just to name a few performed at the festival,” he said.

The Yiriwa FM boss also revealed that while in the UK he attended a two-day workshop on globalization and cultural exchange at Bristol organized by Sul’art, a community-based organization that promotes cultures through providing entertainment to schools and prisons adding that forum was expertly coordinated by the Gambian sabarr teacher Modou Joof.

He further stated: “This trip has really accorded me ample opportunity to get access to partners in development for the future possible investment in this country.

“I was able to meet the BBC Bureau of International Development and Partnership where agreements were made on staff training and programme rebroadcasting. With this agreement there is a strong hope that every year one or two Yiriwa FM staff could benefit from the training package.
“I also met the Black Radio Organization in Bristol with whom so many things were discussed for the expansion o f Yiriwa Development Radio in Brikama.
“I was The Gambia goodwill ambassador to WOMAD and all these events because this is the first time that the Gambian media is being invited to these festivals.
I was able to present a paper on future investment in The Gambia at a forum organized by Gambians residing in the UK and their friends that took place in Liver Pool.

“At the investment forum I informed the gathering that The Gambia has lots of positive investment opportunities as well as an enabling investment climate and I have no doubt that if given chance not only Gambians residing in UK but many other business tycoons around the globe would invest in the country since The Gambia ranks among the most peaceful countries in the world.
“Also I attended the Northinghill carnival in London that brought together over one million people drawn over diverse societies in the UK.

“So I’m very thankful to the proprietor of Yiriwa FM Alhaji Basiru Darboe for paving the way for Yirwa’s participation and the organizers of WOMAD for inviting me to cover this year’s event. Equally I’m also very thankful to government of Gambia for the creation of a level playing field for us in the electronic media.
“My future plans include the setting up of a private television station in The Gambia that would be attached to Yiriwa Development Radio. This TV station would focus on airing programmes on environment, health, agriculture and education”.

The Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the President has described the bi-annual Kanilai International Festival as a thundering success, saying that this year’s edition was unprecedented in the sense that the turn out was impressively overwhelming.

Mr. Ebrima JT Kujabi told journalists that President Jammeh should be, as a matter of prudence, heartily commended for coming up with such a groundbreaking initiative, adding that it is increasingly becoming evident that the Festival is a powerful tool to promote not only tourism but also sub-regional integration.

“Organising such a successful mega cultural bonanza is not a small feat,  thus the President must be given the accolade  for the initiative,” he said.

The State House press boss went on to pay tribute to all those who contributed towards the total success of the event.

 
Backed by Cotton Club Band

The Gambia’s classic Cotton Club in highbrow Fajara will involve in a weekend of musical fiesta as part of efforts to excite the senses.

From today and tomorrow, the environment of Cotton Club will be charged with heavy sound vibrations as the Senegalese salsa mbalax maestro, Kamuyandeh is poised to join forces with the Cotton Club band to give music aficionados a treat of a lifetime.

In an interview with this paper, the no non-sense manager of Cotton Club Mr. Nderry Sallah said that the weekend jam is organised to provide entertainment in a bigger better package to their valued customers.

“Member contribution is D150 per person per night,” he said, while urging all and sundry to avail themselves of the opportunity by attending the two-day history- making musical splash.

Having caused sensations in the just-concluded much-acclaimed Kanilai International Festival, Cuarteto Harvest, a famous quartet musical outfit from Venezuela yesterday paid a courtesy call on The Point, as they are set to leave the country on Saturday after a successful trip to the Smiling Coast.

The group, who arrived in the country about three weeks ago, was here on the invitation of the Gambian leader to partake in the Kanilai Cultural galore.

Speaking to this paper in an exclusive interview, the bandleader, Mr. Anilar Martinez, thanked President Jammeh and the Gambian people for the hospitality accorded them, saying that they really enjoyed their stay in the country. He said: “The Gambia is a wonderful country and the people are so nice, friendly and hospitable,” adding: “Your president is a friendly man and he has invited us again to visit this country in November this year.”

Meanwhile, this is the first time for the Venezuelan band to visit Africa. The band was formed in 1976 and since then they have been making waves in the entertainment scene in Venezuela and beyond. In fact it was reported that the band took second position in the Kanilai cultural competition.

The Sierra Leonean Cultural Troupe taking part in the 4th Edition of the Kanilai International Cultural Festival and champions of the famous Mystical Powers Competition in the last festival, have vowed to retain the title again this time.

Speaking to the Daily Observer in Kanilai over the weekend, Kolleh Dura Suma, the Director of Culture of Sierra Leone who heads the delegation, said: ”We are more optimistic of regaining the trophy. We are ready because the Malians lost to us last time and they will be prepared but we are more prepared. We did not put on display all the things we have at the moment. We have a lot of things that were not displayed during the last festival.”

Mr. Suma then paid respect to President Jammeh for conducting such a wonderful festival. ”I hope other African leaders will emulate President Jammeh so that the culture of Africa will be revived”, he said.
For his part, Salamu Karew, a choreographer with the Sierra Leonean troupe, said they have more to show during the festival. ”We have seen our opponents’ performances and whether they have anything they did not show, I don’t know. But we are ready to regain the title and win more trophies”, he said.

Mr. Karew also described President Jammeh as a hardworking leader who is developing The Gambia. ”We really admire him and if we can have his type in Sierra Leone it will be good for our country. I have travelled to Banjul and Serrekunda and all I could see was development and the popularity of him [President Jammeh].

As Groundbreaking Cultural Fiesta Opens

Kanilai, the birthplace of the Gambian leader, will be involved in a weekend celebration of culture as the much-hyped Kanilai International Cultural Festival kick-starts this evening in Kanilai, Foni Kansala District.

The event, which will run from 22nd June to 8th July 2007 under the distinguished chief patronage of His Excellency President Dr Alhaji Yahya Jammeh, is designed to revive, promote and develop our rich cultural heritage and showcase the diverse performance traditions of the different ethnic groups of the sub region.

Featuring cultural troupes from the nook and cranny of the Gambia and its neighbouring countries, the festival will be characterised by mystical displays, masquerade performance, music, dance and drama extravaganzas.  Renowned musical giants in the sub-region will also attend and participate in this show of exceptional African talent, which is increasingly gaining popularity.

In what could be described as groundbreaking move to revive and rejuvenate the culture of acting, a Niamina Dankunku-born actor and traditional communicator, Lamin Keita widely known as Takatiti, recently established a drama and musical outfit called Totokunlung in Janjanbureh, CRR.

In an interview with our reporter Takatiti pointed out that the outfit is out to train young talented Gambians on acting, adding that they also give training on drumming and traditional dancing.

"We are committed to revive the rich African cultural heritage, which is on the brink of extinction" he added.