The Arts and Culture Newspaper

20/02/2025

*How Sona Jobarteh is Influencing the Educational and Cultural Landscapes of The Gambia*

Sona Jobarteh, a distinguished Gambian musician, is profoundly influencing both the educational and cultural landscapes of The Gambia. As the first professional female kora virtuoso from a renowned griot family, she has broken a 700-year-old tradition, bringing the 21-stringed instrument to global audiences and challenging gender norms within her heritage.

In 2015, Jobarteh founded The Gambia Academy, a pioneering institution aimed at educational reform across Africa. The Academy integrates a mainstream academic curriculum with Gambian culture, traditions, and history, addressing the post-colonial educational frameworks that often marginalize African heritage. Jobarteh emphasizes the importance of students being educated within a system that places African values at its core, fostering a sense of pride and identity.

The Academy began with 21 students and has expanded its vision to accommodate 300 students on a newly acquired 50-hectare campus in Kartong, a location chosen for its proximity to the beach and connection to the rural community. This setting provides a natural environment conducive to learning and cultural immersion.

Beyond her educational endeavors, Jobarteh's musical career serves as a vessel for cultural preservation and promotion. Her performances blend traditional Manding music with contemporary influences, captivating international audiences and bringing Gambian music to the global stage. Through her artistry, she educates listeners about her culture, ensuring that the rich musical traditions of The Gambia are both preserved and celebrated.

Jobarteh's multifaceted contributions exemplify a harmonious blend of cultural heritage and modernity. Her dedication to redefining education and promoting Gambian music underscores her commitment to empowering future generations and preserving the cultural identity of The Gambia.

Musa filly Jobarteh Sona Jobarteh

11/09/2023

One of Gambia's finest singers, music producers, songwriters, and sound engineers, Uchee, who is also known as Uchee Made It or Civilized Bandit, will be launching his second album in November 2023. The celebrity musician took to Facebook, where he made the announcement publicly. Thousands of fans anticipated his album and reacted positively to his post. Uchee has been making names in the music industry as well as helping Gambian artists by producing beats for them. He is every lady's crush in town.

11/09/2023

The most anticipated EP by Gambian singer and instrumentalist Musa Filly Jobarteh will be available on September 22, 2023, on every platform.The song "Wakalo", on the EP is a reflection of Musa Filly Jobarteh's big-time blessing and career path to music. Musa dedicated the EP to all Gambians with special thanks to his dad, entire family, Mo Boi beats, JLive Music, Stylzz, She Mena, Sona Jobarteh, Abdoulie Attack Gaye, Tee, Hussain Dada Ceesay, and all his fans worldwide.

Musa filly Jobarteh

05/09/2023

Happy birthday to Miss Jobizz, one of Gambia's finest female artists.

We celebrate you with the highest of festivities and human recognition. 🥳😍😘🎂🍾

05/09/2023

Photographs of His Excellency President Adama Barrow at the Serrekunda and Bundung Police Station Inauguration Ceremony.
His Excellency, Corrado Pampaloni, EU Head of Delegation, Inspector General of Police, the Alkalo of Serrekunda, and Ms. Tanja Roy, Chargèe d' Affaires of the German Embassy, among others, attended the colorful occasion.

Photo credit: Paradise TV Gambia.

04/09/2023

St. Brikama Boyo and Attack the face of Gambian music

Two of Gambia's most sought-after and celebrity artists, ST Brikama Boyo and Attack, are currently touring the United Kingdom and performing on international stages. Distinctively, Gambians are now embracing their music and honoring their musicians. Gambian music has suffered low attention and marketing setbacks in the past but now faces an impressive boom. ST and Attacks's spectacular performance in the UK was met with huge satisfaction and a crowd of over 10,000 people. The duo has been considered the face of contemporary Gambian music. They have been well-established in their music careers, both at home and abroad.

14/05/2023

Sona Jobarteh awarded Ph.D. in Music from Berklee College of Music in the US!

The world-renowned Gambian International Kora Virtuoso Sona Jobarteh has been awarded Ph.D. In music from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts, Boston, United States of America.

“ Sona Jobarteh is the first professional female Kora virtuoso to come from any of the West African Griot dynasties. Her lineage carries a formidable reputation for renowned Kora masters, most notable amongst these are her grandfather Amadu Bansang Jobarteh and her cousin, the legendary Toumani Diabaté.
Sona is reputed for her skill as an instrumentalist, her distinctive voice, infectious melodies and her grace onstage, and she has rapidly achieved international success as a top class performer.

The demand for Sona Jobarteh’s live performances has rocket in recent years, and 2019 saw her perform at some of the world’s most renowned festivals and venues such as the Hollywood Bowl in LA, WOMAD in Australia and New Zealand and Symphony Space in New York City, whilst also performing all over Europe, in China, Africa and Canada.

Sona has the unique ability to touch audiences from all over the world and from all backgrounds and cultures, whilst also commanding the attention of sitting presidents and royalty alike. Her captivating stage show has proved to be popular everywhere, and with a repertoire that exudes accessible sophistication, her audience demographic is forever expanding.

As a vocalist, Sona has featured in award-winning films such as the Hollywood movie Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and The First Grader – the latter winning the “Discovery of the Year” prize at the Hollywood World Soundtrack Awards in 2012,” Her biography posted on her official website said of the rising Kora star.

Source: The Alkamba Times

14/05/2023

The Gambia's youth Pan-Africanist win the Heroes Award

Gambian Ousman Touray was last night awarded the Exemplary Youth Award Category at the maiden Heroes Award hosted by Fatu Camara of The Fatu Network. Ousman Touray is a prominent youth leader whose focus is on development and who firmly believes in pan-Africanism. He completed his bachelor’s degree in development studies at the University of The Gambia and is the founder of the Young Ancestors Foundation.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Touray thanked the organizers for the recognition and called on Gambian youth to believe in themselves enough to pursue their dreams.

Photo credit: The Fatu Network

14/07/2022

24/06/2022

Come and witness fantastic storytelling, spoken word poetry, drama, music, kora, fashion, and amazing speeches.

28th June 2022 at Alliance Francaise Banjul at 3-9 p.m. GMT. Contact +220 3494385

22/06/2022

🥉64 Years Of Things Fall Apart!

Chinua A Achebe's Things Fall Apart was published (yesterday, 64 years ago) in 1958.
It was his debut novel.

The Novel depicts the pre-colonial life in the southeastern part of Nigeria and the arrival of Europeans during the late 19th century.
It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English, and one of the first to receive global critical acclaim.

The book is read in schools throughout Africa and is studied widely in Europe, India, and North America, where it has spawned numerous secondary and tertiary analytical works. It has achieved similar status and repute in Australia and Oceania.

The novel was first published in the UK in 1962 by William Heinemann Ltd, and became the first work published in Heinemann's African Writers Series.
It is the most widely read African novel.

Considered Achebe's magnum opus, it was translated into 61 languages and sold over 20m copies and is often used in literature, world history, and African studies courses across the world.

In 2018, Encyclopedia Britannica named it as one of the 12 greatest book ever written.
The Novel was included in TIME Magazine's best 100 English Novel ever written.

AN ANALYSIS OF THINGS FALL APART (by eNotes.com)

—The title of Things Fall Apart comes from the William Butler Yeats poem “The Second Coming,” in which modernization has destroyed society. This allusion underscores the British imperialism that destroys traditional Igbo culture.
—Things Fall Apart is broken into three parts: the first explores Okonkwo’s pre-exile life, the second describes his time in exile, and the third finds him struggling to understand the changes Umuofia has undergone.
—Okonkwo’s tragic flaw is his pride. Due to his father’s failures, Okonkwo feels compelled to prove himself, but his successes make him arrogant, and he is unequipped to deal with failure and disappointment.

📹: Nigeria In Pictures

22/06/2022

The Young Writers' Association of The Gambia was hosted earlier today on the Good Morning Africa Show held live on Eye Africa TV.

We are hugely impressed by the level of maturity, eloquence and professionalism demonstrated by our SG, Kebba S. Juwara and PRO, Ansu Jatta.

✍️⁩ See y' all on Tuesday at Alliance Francaise Banjul for the award ceremony of the National Storytelling Competition 2022.

Watch the discourse here:

https://fb.watch/dOGDhkshc2/