Regional Serahule festival starts tomorrow

By Tabora Bojang The second edition of the Domban Wuru regional festival, featuring Serahule culture and tradition will start tomorrow and run until Saturday December 1. The initiative is jointly organised by the National Centre for Arts and Culture, NCAC, and the regional executive committee of the Garankata Goolibiire, Gambia chapter. The ‘Garankata Goolibiire’ is an association of Soninkara-Garankos, a heritage of leather workers from Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, Mali and Guinea Conakry and descendants of a Serahuli historical family called the Garankos who gather annually in one of the five countries they are found to celebrate their cultural heritage through networking and promoting peace. The regional festival is also set to host some prominent Serahule leaders from the Garankos communities across the five member states. The director of literature, performing and fine arts at the NCAC Sheikh Omar Jallow said his institution is committed to supporting cultural promotions for both regional and international initiatives. He said the festival will help the country’s reconciliation and peace building process with the coming of the TRRC. Asa Hakum Sillah a diaspora representative of the Garankata Goolibiire Association said the hosting of the regional festival in The Gambia is a manifestation of the country’s embracement of its rich cultural heritages in promoting peace and unity in the sub-region. He said the festival belongs to all Gambians irrespective of tribe. The festival will take place at the Youth monument, Alliance Francaise and paradise Suites hotel.]]>