11. edition of the Brave Festival takes place from 10 to 17 July, and the tickets are available from 22 May at http://2015.bravefestival.pl.
Curator from Gambia
Sona Jobarteh comes from Gambia, where the tradition of storytelling has been transferred in five different clans from generation to generation and for seven centuries now. She is also the first woman to master the kora, the sacred instrument of the griots. A popular instrumentalist, singer and composer, she excels in the world music repertoire and combines African and European traditions.
"I thought it would be nice to invite someone who could guide you in the world they knew best," says Grzegorz Bral, Director of the Brave Festival.
Balla Kouyate, a balafone virtuoso, is also coming to present his storytelling roots at the festival. His clan has been carrying on the griot tradition for more than 700 hundred years now. He has been awarded many times, and his music was registered by the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
Kasse Mady Diabate, Lansine Kouyate, Ballake Sissoko & Badie Tounkata are also expected to appear. They represent various griot clans and are going to initiate the audience into the ancient rhythms and melodies of West Africa. Abou Diarra in turn plays the n'goni, a musical instrument popular in Mali, and he continues the musical tradition of the hunting people of Mandingo by combining it with blues, jazz and reggae. Kucha Kassem come from Gambia and are going to showcase Kumpo dance, a ritual which protects you against evil spirits. The poems and stories of the deserts will be presented by Coumbane Mint Ely Warakane, a female griot and a native of Mauretania. Sona Jobarteh is coming to Wroclaw to present her first ever performance with her father, Sanjally. Vieux Farka Toure, a native of Mali and a guitarist and singer who combines rock and blues with West African rhythms, may also turn out to be quite a surprise.
This year's edition also features musicians from Zanzibar: Zanzibar Taarab/Kidumbak Ensemble. Their repertoire draws upon the Indian Ocean sailors' tradition, which combines East African rhythms with the legacy of the Arab world.
Wroclaw is also going to host Ndima, a group of musicians, dancers and singers from representing the Pygmy community of rainforest Africa. They are going to perform on their massive drums, which they make from hollow tree trunks, and on instruments they use for hunting.
Conference on storytelling
The first weekend of the Brave Festival 2015 features a two-day conference devoted to storytelling, oral tradition and oral literature. The event gathers a number of artists hailing from a variety of storytelling traditions, e.g. Balla Kouyaté, a native of Mali and a member of the oldest griot family. A number of academic researchers who specialise in the cultural impact of various kinds of narratives are going to arrive, including Professor Mitchel Strumpf, an American ethnomusicologist who has been living in Africa for more than 40 years now and specialises in the history of African music. The ardent lovers of African tradtions are also invited, including Magda Podsiadły, a journalist working for Gazeta Wyborcza in Wroclaw and an expert on all things West African. No prior registrations or fees are required to take part. Admission is also free of charge.
Storytellers
It is a natural human need that you want to spin a yarn and also listen to it. This year's edition of the Brave Festival offers six evenings to engage with narratives from unique storytellers. Every day at 10 p.m. from 11 to 16 July, they will guide the listeners through the world of stories which are both amazing feats of imagination and inspiring eye-openers. Children will also have a storytelling session of their own at the weekend of 11–12 July from 11 a.m.
Mleczarnia, which is located in ul. Włodkowica 5, next to the White Stork Synagogue, is set to become a centre for live storytelling during the festival. Mleczarnia also serves as the official club of the festival. Admission to "Storytellers" is free of charge.
Brave Festival 2015, "Griot", 10-17 July 2015
