SOAS - VERNON SQUARE CAMPUS, ROOM V111 - 24–26 JUNE 2015, 10am-8pm

IDENTITIES IN GREATER SENEGAMBIA AND BEYOND: Interdisciplinary Approaches through History and Music in Dialogue

Supported by:

CONVENED BY DR LUCY DURAN (SOAS) AND DR TOBY GREEN (KLC)Centre of African Studies, SOAS University of LondonThornhaugh StreetRussel SquareLondon WC1H 0XG

Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4370Email: cas@soas.ac.uk

https://bit.ly/senegambia

‘IDENTITIES IN GREATER SENEGAMBIA AND BEYOND:INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES THROUGH

HISTORY AND MUSIC IN DIALOGUE’SOAS (Vernon Square Campus room V111)

WEDNESDAY 24TH JUNE 10 AM - 5.30 PM

10am: Welcome, Lucy Duran and Toby Green

10.15 -12.15am: Music, History and IdentityBoubakar Barry (IFAN/Université Cheikh Anta Diop), Peter Mark (Wesleyan University), Lassana Diabate (Mali)Chairs: Lucy Duran (SOAS) & Toby Green (KCL)

12.45pm: Depart for British Library

1.30 - 2.30pm: Preview talk on forthcoming BL exhibition (opening in October 2015): ‘West Africa: word, symbol, song’ with exhibition curators Janet Topp-Fargion & Marion Wallace

3.15pm: Transmission of Knowledge; Death and RenewalDaniel Jatta (The Gambia-Sweden-UK), Patricia Tang (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Karim Mbaye (Senegal-UK), Toby Green (KCL)Chair: Bala Saho (Oklahoma University)

5.30pm: Close

THURSDAY 25TH JUNE 10.15 AM – 8 PM

10.15am: Religion and YouthMarloes Janson (SOAS), José Lingna Nafafe (Bristol University), Nakany Kante (Guinea-Spain)Chair: Toby Green (KCL)

12.45 - 2.45pm: Lunch

1 - 2 pm: Screening of video: ‘The Sunjata story’ (25 mins) Footage of a unique specially commissioned concert performance of Sunjata, featuring Hawa Kasse Mady Diabate (vocals), Lassana Diabate (balafon), and Cherif Keita (English narration).

Directed and edited by Ely Rosenblum (Cambridge University. Courtesy of the Singing Storytellers Public Outreach Program, Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada)Cherif Keita and Lassana Diabate will be available to answer questions afterwards

2.45pm: Urbanization and Rural lives; Land as a Spiritual ValueAssan Sarr -TBC-(Ohio State University), David Conrad (Mande Studies Association), Hassoum Ceesay (National Centre for Arts and Culture (Gambia)/University of the Gambia), Manecas Costa (Guinea Bissau-Portugal)Chair: Richard Black (SOAS)

5.30 - 8pm: Practitioners’ workshop (musical presentations and interaction)Manecas Costa, Lassana Diabate, Tony Dudu (Guinea Bissau-UK), Daniel Jatta, Nakany Kante, Karim Mbaye Chair: Patricia Tang

8pm: Close

FRIDAY 26TH JUNE 10.15 AM – 6 PM

10.15am: Kinship, Lineage, and Representation; Musical and Material Culture CrossingsFerdinand de Jong (University of East Anglia), Lucy Duran (SOAS), Ibrahima Seck (IFAN/Whitney Plantation Heritage Museum), Kadialy Kouyate (Senegal-SOAS)Chair: Peter Mark

12.45-2.30 Lunch

1 - 2.15 pm: Screening of film: Kásuumaay: an experience of peace in Casamance  -52 mins- GESA(Universitat de Barcelona) and ICIP (International Catalan Institute for Peace), 2014. With an introduction by Director Jordi Tomàs

2.30 pm: Language, Politics, and MemorySidiya Jatta (The Gambia), Bala Saho (Oklahoma University), Tal Tamari (Institut des Mondes Africaines/CNRS)Chair: Boubakar Barry (IFAN/Université Cheikh Anta Diop)

5pm: Closing session, led by Lucy Duran and Toby Green

Conference organisers: Dr Lucy Duran (SOAS), Dr Toby Green (KCL) - Sponsored by the British Academy and the African Studies Association of the UK