Griot and Drummer
Storyteller Demonstration:
Tales of the Griot
Atumpan

Atumpan teaches the importance of the drum and the storyteller as a means of communication in Malian society. The memory of ancient Mali is alive today in the tales of the griots—the professional historians, praise-singers and musical entertainers of the Manding people. Malians still depend on their griots, or jelis, to remind them of their place in history. The griot will use drumming and storytelling to take students back to the glory of ancient Africa.

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Dance
Dance Demonstration:
Dance from the Kingdom of Mali
Ancestral Footprints

Ancestral Footprints explores the rich tradition of music and dance in Malian culture. Students experience exciting and informative demonstrative performances of African dance and music based on traditions from the empire of Mali. Dancers introduce students to traditional themes of respect, harmony, teamwork, and cooperation through rhythm and dance.

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Mask-Making
Visual Arts Demonstration:
The Masks of Mali
Phillip Muzi Branch

Masks are face coverings that alter and transform the identities of the African performers wearing them. Most masks and costumes in Africa are physical representations of spirits, beings associated with spirits or cultural heroes. They are an important part of ceremonies of initiation and transformation. They bridge the human and spirit realms through elaborate spectacles that combine music, dance, costumes, sculpture, and feasting. Phillip Muzi Branch will demonstrate to your students how to create their own masks in the tradition of Mali using simple materials.

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Arts and Culture
Discussion with a Collector:
The Arts and Culture of Mali
Anne Cipriano

Educator and collector Anne Cipriano will lead students on a tour of Mali using photographs selected from the Eliot Elisofon Archives of the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, and traditional objects. Cipriano will discuss masks, trade and ritual objects in the context of historic and contemporary Malian existence. The history of Africa will come to life as students learn about the ceremonial and utilitarian importance of the arts in Malian culture throughout the centuries.

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