Guinea Suite | Wona Womalan, West African Drum and Dance Ensemble | TEDxCharleston

Ushering a colorful, vibrant energy of ancient times, Wona Womalan awakens the collective unconscious. This performance celebrates the seasons and the elements of life. The Charleston-based ensemble is influenced by traditional Guinean rhythms. Celebrating the distinctive style of an all-female Dun-Dun (bass drum) section, they are dedicated to preserving the arts and culture of West African dance, drum, musical and folkloric traditions. The drummers and dancers in this original performance are Patrice Camara, Stacia Council, Jametric German, Regina Hollingshed, Kamau Nesbid, Rhonda Richardson Shearis Richardson, and Julia Rodriguez. Fode Moussa Camara founded Wona Womalan West African Drum & Dance Ensemble in 2009. She is committed to connecting students and others to a cultural history of West Africa. Fourteen drummers and dancers comprise the Charleston-based performance group. The members play traditional West African instruments including djembe, doundoun, sangban, and kenkeni. Guided by traditional Guinean rhythms, Wona Womalan has created a distinctive style of their own, especially the all female Dun-Dun (Bass Drum) section. wonawomalan.com This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx