By Staff
CASSOPOLIS – Drum, dance and sing your way through music from around the world!
Dunuya (pronounced Doonya) means "all the world" in Arabic and is the name of a drum and dance ensemble steeped in the music of North Africa, West Africa and the African Diaspora.
Dunuya is the featured performer at the Minority Coalition's sixth International Festival, coming to Sam Adams Elementary School in Cassopolis on Sunday, Sept. 7, from 1 to 5 p.m. The festival is free and open to the public.
Carolyn Koebel, Dunuya founder, has been described as an enthralling performer and one of the most exciting drummers in the country. To maximize Dunuya's artistic impact, two workshops were scheduled in advance of the festival.
Youth from Cassopolis Public Schools and the Institute for International Cooperation and Development (IICD) of Dowagiac are participating in the workshops and will perform with Dunuya at the festival.
The popular and exotic Sisters of the Nile belly dance troupe will return to the festival.
Song and traditional dance from South Africa, story telling/song/dance from Brazil, Japanese dance, a Tae Kwando performance, African hip hop and a Brazilian dance will also be featured.
The festival is funded by a grant from the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo.
Contributing partners include the Cass County Youth Council, Community Connections, Connelly's Funeral Home, Kemner-Iott Insurance Agency, Woodlands and the Cass County Council on Aging.
Ethnic clothing and craft vendors will be lined up under the trees bordering the playground.
A prevention fair will raffle off prizes.
The Museum at Southwestern Michigan College will offer children's activities.
Traditional Mexican, Brazilian, Japanese, Korean and soul food will be plentiful.
At 5 p.m. the FBI (Funky Blues Institution) will play.
For more information, contact Ruth Andrews at (269) 445-5019.