How Sioux Falls will celebrate the nation's largest Kunama community this weekend
The Levitt at the Falls is preparing to celebrate African music with two headlining African artists and a combination of musical performances on the Levitt mainstage Saturday throughout the day.
“African Music Day has been planned in partnership with the Kunama Community Festival,” Levitt officials stated in in a press release.
Kunama people have come to the United States from Eritrea and Ethiopia, escaping civil war. Sioux Falls is home to the largest Kunama population in the United States.
In addition to cultural events, soccer teams from Phoenix, Atlanta, Canada, Kansas, and elsewhere will come to compete, and celebrate Kunama history and culture during the Kunama Cultural Festival.
The festival is a multi-day event between this Wednesday and Sunday that brings together communities and individuals from all throughout the United States to raise awareness about Kunama people through a soccer tournament, music, traditional dances, and a cultural fashion show, the press release stated.
The festival that is now in its second year is organized by the Sioux Falls-based non-profit Kobabala Farda Kunamasi, which can be translated to English as Kunama cultural and entertainment platform.
African musician Christian Adeti will kick off the music at the Levitt, with a children and family performance accompanied by the Titambe West African Dance Ensemble.
This performance group has a repertoire of authentic drumming, dances, music, storytelling, and cultural teachings. Composed of artists originating from all over the world, including Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Trinidad, and America, each of their performances celebrates diversity and unity.
The performance will also include the Kunama Cultural Festival Band at 6 p.m. Saturday, sponsored by Avera Health. The band is a gathering of prominent and rising Kunama musicians and dancers from throughout the region, including members from the Sioux Falls-based Siyaba and the Des Moines-based Nimena bands, who share traditional dance and music.
In addition, the event will feature vocalist Faytinga who is a prominent African musician performing around the world, representing Eritrea as a cultural ambassador for her country. Other featured singers will include Shega, Nimeri Shega, Shamba, and Kini.
Finally, Uganda musician Chinobay will headline Saturday evening's concert at 7:45 p.m., closing the day of music with African rhythms and melodies that emanate both from the diversity of his customized traditional instruments and his travels throughout the continent.
“Music is one way to communicate and connect with people,” event planning partner Aluda Sisto said. “We share our music only among Kunama community weddings and events, but we love to celebrate with all communities in Sioux Falls.”
African Music Day is only one of Levitt's special events, with concerts across 10 unique genres running through Sept. 9, and sponsored by Sanford Health, according to the press release.
“The Levitt is all about building community through music,” said Nancy Halverson, Executive Director of Levitt at the Falls. “We’re proud to partner with the Kunama community to help bring these fabulous artists to the Levitt stage.”
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Levitt at the Falls holds African Music Day with Kunama Community Festival
