4th Annual Soumu Comes to Salvage Station on September 16th

On Friday, September 16th, Salvage Station on Riverside Dr. will host Asheville’s 4th Annual Soumu, presented by Lush Life Productions and Zansa. The event is free of charge and open to all ages.

The event begins at 5:00 pm and continues until 11:00 pm.

Soumu, which is a West African term for an all encompassing party featuring  music, dance, food, and art began as a fundraiser when in 2011 when Adama Dembele, a 33rd generation West African musician and Asheville favorite, needed financial support to obtain his green card. The community came out in force to a sold out event at the YMI building raising enough money to cover the legal costs, and Adama Dembele now has his permanent green card.

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The tradition continues with new special guests each year as Dembele and his band, Zansa, have kept up this celebration of the culture of his native home in Cote d’Ivoire. This year, Soumu features performances by Les Amis, the Imani School of Dance, Kevin “KalimbaMan” Spears, Zansa, and Adama’s student drummers from LEAF. Last year, Soumu raised money to purchase land for a new drum and dance school in Mali, West Africa. This year, proceeds will to go start building the Djembeso Drum & Dance Education Center.

Traditional African food will be available for purchase by local Chef Soce and attendees can shop in an “African Marketplace” of native wares. Also, this year, children can create African art in our kids craft area. There will also be surprise guest performances by drummers, dancers, and musicians.

(Photo credit: KMG Photography.)