Creating transformative cross-cultural experiences between griots and people interested in West African culture, music, and the arts.
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We facilitate cross-cultural connections through video, audio, concerts, music workshops and seminars.
Griot (or jeli) music comes from the Manding, West African culture. Since 1235 CE, the start of the Malian Empire, the music and words inspired its listeners toward a greater good, toward living together in harmony. This noble profession and the style of message that it sends need not, nor should not, be fixed to one culture anymore.
Manding Grooves bridges the gap between local and global while simultaneously preserving the deep humanity in Manding culture. We work creatively with Manding musicians and a cross-cultural team worldwide to generate a sustainable income for the musicians and their families.
Read about it!
Lisa Feder, a cultural anthropologist, wrote "Jeliya at the Crossroads" about her experiences of over 20 years, working with Manding Griots. These oral-historian/musicians live between the long-standing profession of their forefathers and mothers, passed down orally for 800 years, and their careers in the global music arena. To read more about it, see Lisa's webpage. A version of this book will be available in French in 2024!
