Artist Gallery 2
‘CHEKA’ KATENEN DIOUBATE
REPUBLIC OF GUINEA
Cheka’ Katenen Dioubate, was raised by the Manding people of the ancient city of Kankan, Guinea in the tradition of the Jeli or Praise Singer. Cheka’s main instrument is her voice, she can also dance, play some keyboard and a few traditional percussion instruments from the Guinea region of West Africa. The function of Djelis or griots, as they are sometimes called in the West, is a significant component of Manding cultural expression. Cheka was born into a highly musical family in which both mother and father were Djelis. They were also descendants of Djelis. In Manding culture children born into a musical family are encouraged to adhere to the cultural traditions and hold an honored place in the society. In Cheka’s family music was an integral part of everyday life and her training involved learning from the many musicians and griots residing in her area, who were bound by the code of Manding culture to pass on the ancient tradition of the Jelis with its training in technique, improvisation, musicianship, history and storytelling. Encouraged by her family and community, Cheka started singing for her school at age 7. They had competitions every year and her school was always the area champion. Despite being very young Cheka was identified as having a musical gift. She reveived a lot of support from her teachers. During rehearsals they would put her on a table so everybody could see her, because she was not tall enough. When Cheka was eleven years old she began to sing with her mother and her aunts. For several years they performed at baptisms, weddings and other ceremonies. This experience gave Cheka greater confidence and the ability to sing and dance in public. In 1997 Cheka formed her own group Cheka Music and started playing in hotels and restaurants of Conakry, Republic of Guinea. This was interrupted by her emigration to Canada. From 1998-2006, after migrating to Canada, Cheka performed for numerous ceremonies exclusively in her Guinea community. By the end of 2006 Cheka organised through TAMALA (Toronto African Music And Living Art) Toronto’s first Mamaya Festival and performed during the festival with her Snow Griot band every year till 2011. After participating in Afrofest 2007 at Queens Park in Toronto, Ontario. Cheka was encouraged by the welcome and positive reception she had received from Canadian audiences though singing mostly in Manding. In 2009 at York University, Cheka shared a stage with the world-renowned kora player Ballake Sissoko where she demonstrated and explained the history of the Manding Djeli and the meaning behind several Djeli traditions. Cheka also presented workshops on the role of the Djeli through dance and music presentations at primary and middle schools in Toronto, North York At AfroFest Toronto, Cheka shared the beauty of Manding Griot culture. In 2010 at Toronto’s Luminato Festival, Cheka shared the stage with Salifou Keita before an audience of 7,000. Encouraged by the great reception from the Luminato audience, two months later Cheka launched her first CD album titled Djelilou produced by Quammie aka Greybeard. The title track “Djelilou”, is a moving tribute to all Djelis, Cheka’s mother and father and the rich tradition that they have passed down. The CD launch featured Guinean superstar Sekouba Bambino and an all star band led by Ivorian keyboardist and arranger David Mobio. In January 2011 Cheka toured Guinea, West Africa, to promote her then new album, “Dielilou”. The tour was made possible in part by a grant from Ontario Arts Council national and the international touring program. Cheka was encouraged by the positive reception she received from Guinean audiences and their willingness to embrace her style of singing and dancing and continued to perform. Since September 7, 2014 after her Griot Night concert at Daniels Spectrum, she performed at Nuit du Basin Festival, Batuki’s African Spirituals event and for Music Africa, all in Toronto. Cheka’s second cd album, “Bimogo” will be launched on May 23, 2015. |
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DASHA KELLYMILWAUKEE
Dasha Kelly is founder and director of Still Waters Collective, a Milwaukee‐based outreach initiative utilizing the transformative power of the written and spoken word. Dasha has performed and delivered workshops to writers, youth, educators, co‐eds, executives, inmates and artists throughout the U.S. She is also an HBO Def Poetry alum. Dasha recently traveled to Botswana as a U.S. Embassy Arts Envoy. As a poet and novelist, Dasha’s writings have appeared in anthologies, text books, magazines and online. Her latest collection of work is titled Call it Forth. Her second novel will be available through Curbside Splendor Publishing in spring 2015. |
DAVID DELISCATORONTO
Toronto Poetry Slam alumni, 4x member of the TPS team. Winners of 2013 CFSW national competition in Montreal. David Delisca is a spoken word poet, writer. A versatile artist, he uses stories of the immigrant and diaspora experiences, as well as other various human realities, to bridge realms of communication. Founder and creator of art based social engagement projects, Right Beside You, collective member of Spoke N Heard.
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DEONTE OSAYANDEDETROIT
Deonte Osayande is a former track and field sprinter turned writer from Detroit, Mi. He writes nonfiction and poetry and his poems have been nominated for the Best of the Net Anthology, and a Pushcart Prize. He's been published online and in print in over two dozen different publications. He has represented Detroit at multiple National Poetry Slams, the Individual World Poetry Slam and multiple Regional Poetry Slam competitions and has been in the top 5 poets in the Midwest in poetry slams multiple times. He's given readings and headed many writing workshops at conferences including the Winter Wheat conference, the South North Griots Summit ( toronto canada ) and the Symposium for the Society of the Study of Midwestern Literature to name a few. He's currently a professor of English at Wayne County Community College, and teaching youth through the Inside Out Detroit Literary Arts Program.
Website:
http://deonteosayandepoetry.wix.com/homepage |
