“A river that forgets its source will soon dry up.” – Fulani Proverb
You are invited to a Fulani wedding-style celebration on Saturday, June 7, at 3pm at the Columbus Arts Festival, hosted by the Ohio Immigrant Alliance and Demgalam.
In Pulaagam: A Celebration of Fulani Heritage, the two organizations unite to present scenes from a traditional Fulani wedding. Fashion, storytelling, and singing will draw the audience to the stage. This is a follow-up from last year’s Ohio Immigrant Alliance collaboration with Columbus Free Press, which introduced Columbus Arts Festival attendees to Tam Tam Magic’s drumming and the West African griot tradition.
Griots are the memory-keepers, and historians of families, communities and societies. Habi Gawlo, a renowned Griot in Columbus, will sample this oral tradition before a live audience at the Columbus Arts Festival. Griots are guardians of Fulani lineage; with one glance of a person’s face, a well-seasoned Griot can recount the lineage of one’s family, showering them with honor and praise.
In addition to the Griot oral tradition, the audience will be treated to scenes from a traditional Fulani wedding and music from Columbus’s very own Salif Sarr, a Fulani artist who has been vocal on advocacy for Fulani people in Mauritania. The Fulani are the largest nomadic ethnic group in the world, with significant presence in Ohio.
This program is being organized by Ohio Immigrant Alliance — a group of immigrants and U.S. born citizens working together to make Ohio a better place for everyone — and Demgalam, a project from Columbus leaders Fatima and Nourrou Barro, to preserve and promote Fulani languages and cultural expressions in the international diaspora.
Check this page close to June 7 for the exact location.