West African Dance
Master Artist: Moustapha Bangoura
Apprentice Artists: Dorothy Wilkie and the Kulu Mele African Dance Ensemble

Description of the Art Form

The art forms derived from Africa are of a spiritual nature, and understanding the religious and cultural contexts and practices associated with these traditions is important. Thus, many members of Kulu Mele are practitioners of these spiritual traditions. One form of dance which is practiced by Kulu Mele is Oricha dance, which originated out of the Yoruba spiritual traditions (called Ifa) of Nigeria. It has been transported and transformed by way of colonialism to African Americans.

The dance that Kulu Mele will study with Master Artist Moustapha Bangoura is the national dance of Guinea, Dununba. Dununba is a type of dance that is popular in Upper Guinea in Kankan, Siguiri, and Kourousa regions, but also wherever the Mande peoples of West Africa reside. The roots of Dununba are said to be found in Hamanah, a canton of the prefecture of Kourousa. Called the “Dance of the Strong Men,” historically it was primarily danced by men. Today women actively participate, because during the independence movement in Africa, women played key roles in leading independence movements. For this reason, the Women of Kulu Mele are especially interested in Dununba as a dance of strength, and in the stories that accompany the dances and rhythms of Dununba. Dununba has many rhythms; all taken from their places of origin, dedicated or named persons, and from characteristics from their structure or from how the dancers appear.

Moustapha Bangoura, Master Artist

Date of Birth: 1955
Place of Birth: Conakry, Guinea, West Africa
Current Place of Residence: Chicago, IL

Artist Statement

My people are Baga, an ethnic group of the Mandingue of West Africa. My people are very significant because we have maintained our traditions throughout colonialism. The pride we have in our traditions is the reason why I have always been interested in maintaining the integrity of our traditions, including researching and learning the traditional dance and drum forms from all of Guinea and not just my region on the coast. I have been dancing and drumming all of my life. I can remember my mother singing with me in the rice fields and from there I did not stop.

For my people to maintain and practice our traditions is of great importance because of the struggles we made to maintain them in the face of colonialism and because they are a part of life. A child is not born without the drum being played and the village griot announcing with song the name of the child to the community. We celebrate with music and dance even for death, in order to aid that person to their destination back to the universe, it’s a circle. For myself I was chosen to carry on the traditions. It is my job to share my culture with the world.

Accomplishments/milestones

As a youth, Moustapha Bangoura traveled throughout Guinea, learning and participating in ceremonies. When he grew older and began competing on a national level, he was honored as a number one dancer for his district, and became a primary dancer and drummer.

Kulu Mele African American Dance Ensemble (Dorothy Wilkie), Apprentice Artists.

Began: 1966
Current Location: Philadelphia, PA

Kulu Mele African Dance Ensemble

Kulu Mele African American Dance Ensemble originates out of the African American experience. Kulu Mele is the fruit of many people’s dreams and its members have been perpetuating African culture since our beginnings. Kulu Mele has explored various cultural mediums and folklore from places such as the Mandingue of West Africa, Yoruba of Nigeria, Afro-Cuba, the Caribbean, and the African American diaspora. Kulu Mele’s mission is to learn, preserve, and continue this priceless community heritage of music and dance. Kulu Mele members have apprenticed themselves to older recognized masters and artists, traveling to study music and dance, and to become immersed in the cultures and traditions of Senegal, Guinea, Cuba and elsewhere.

Kulu Mele serves in the community as a beacon of preservation and reclamation of tradition. We teach specific dances (along with rhythms and music), dance and drum technique, related dress and cultural protocols, the interrelationship of drum rhythms and dance, and the particular values and traditions that inform songs and dances. As well, when working with young people we teach, from our own experiences, how to find and follow a dream and how to develop creativity and artistic potential. It is an honor to learn, teach, dance, and perform these ancient forms of African folklore and offers a place for members of the community to shine, to grow in self understanding, and to accomplish a dream.