The first edition of Festival for the Islands of Casamance is expected to be onstage on 28-30th December, 2018 at Niomoume Island of Casamance region in Senegal.
This is first of its kind is a three days Arts and Culture organized by Art Events and Huile & Ad’ore under the theme: “Islands problems and peace of Casamance”
There will be a symposium, traditional display, stage performance and exposition.
Guest artist is Sen Sagna, a cultural artist based in UK, ES-Ow Diato Finland, Vally Ell Lavi Belgium, Weuz Et Le Samara Senegal, Fadel (Thionk Essyl).
Casamance, the southern part of Senegal, is home to an iconic, original and charming community, which those who have had the pleasure of visiting agree that it is truly unique and unlike any other.
The commune of Kafountine is composed of nineteen (19) villages of which fourteen (14) are islands. These islands are located on the left bank upstream of the Casamance river, south of the villages of the mainland They are divided into three geographical areas: The Karone Islands with Kassel as a village: Hillol, Mantate, Kouba and Combaloulou (05); Islands BlissKaroncomposed villages: Kailo, Boune, Boco and Saloulou (04); The islands of Bliss Cassa with Bakassouk: Haer, Hitou, Niomoune and Diogué (05) These islands have the same physical and socio-cultural characteristics. They are housed administratively, in the Department of Bignona, District of Kataba.
Ousmane Samoure, manager and organiser of The Festival of the Islands of Casmance said Casamance really needs support to develop, for this, beyond a the coming together of people at such a cultural event will consolidated ‘Peace’.
He explained that it is therefore planned that funds raised will help to disseminate, popularize and promote the cultural heritage of Casamance and these islands; promote the cultural actors of the islands of the commune of Kafountine through an artistic platform on Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th in Niomoune; Contribute to the revival of the tourist activities of Casamance and these islands before, during and after the festival.
He added that to train of 100 young people in Mao and 100 women in Batik during the festival; consult 1000 people during the festival.
“The benefits include helping with: The lack of drinking water which has become a major problem for the inhabitants of these islands The lack of rice huskers in most of the island villages Note that rice farming is the majority activity where women play a key role, The health posts or hut are limited with a recurrent lack of medicines As well as a lack of ambulance canoe like the island of Niomoune which misses a motor of canoe of 40 horses for the evacuation of the patients towards Elinkine, (25 km from Niomoune by sea),” he outlined.
Samoure lamented that the difficulties accessing administrative needs, (isolation problem), a problem of electrification arises hence the difficulty of supplying populations with electricity, for example the difficulty of preserving seafood or the beneficial use of wifi in certain villages or colleges.
“A remarkable lack of department stores or general food stores that can help the island populations to refuel, total isolation of these islands, lack of equipment in most of the market gardening perimeters of these islands, The non-modernization of fishing in these areas, salinization of local soils, The lack of micro-credits etc”