The History

The name “Sankofa” is an Akan (Ghanaian vernacular) word that means, "We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today”. The band opted to use the name because it believes that one must return to the past in order to move forward. Musical knowledge of the past must be revisited in order to inform the future of musical ideas.

The band was started in 2005, by a dedicated and experienced team of Wits University students, who enrolled at the Wits School of Arts (WSOA). This led to Sankofa becoming the band that it has evolved into today, with a membership comprising of seven professional musicians, pursuing musical development endlessly.

The band is a four piece African Marimbas band, comprising also of African flutes (self-made), mbiras, Jaw Harp, Uhadi and other percussive instruments-agogo, cow bells, rattles, rain stick, djembe‟s, congas, bongos.

Vision

To be an excellent entertainment company that will promote and perform indigenous African musicalinstruments within the creative industry in South Africa and abroad.

Our mission

To increase the level of artistic growth

To promote and nurture the knowledge of ancient African music through music workshops in high schools in

Johannesburg.

To restore the heritage of indigenous African music and its instruments so as to produce informed musicians

To carve new musical directions in which African musical instruments can be fused with modern musical instruments (i.e.guitars, violins, etc) to form an eclectic sound.

To restore the traditional heritage of the past.

Eventually establishing ourselves internationally and sharing our music with the rest of the world, both young and old.

To infuse a mixture of other art forms such as dancing, poetry, acting and singing with our music.

Objectives

2010

Kaelo Worldwide Media: Hyundai Conference, Sandton

Wits University: WALE Opening Function

Church of Scientology Johannesburg: The grand opening of the Braamfontein Life Improvement Center

Wits University: New Hominid Species Discovery: Maropeng

Wits University Chamber of Mines: SAUPEC Conference

Mangwa Valley Game Lodge: Belinda Finch’s wedding

Previous Acclaimed Performances

2009

Johannesburg Earthdance Arts Festival

Brent Russell’s Wedding at Mangwa Valley Game Lodge

Monte Casino: Launch of website Rise Africa

Collaborating on Sankofa‟s first studio album with Bheki Khoza & Tim Kraft at the Academy

of Sound Engineering

Wits University: Judge Edwin Cameron’s Farewell Dinner Wits University Open Day Functions

Shared stage with Ringo Madlingozi at the Gallagaher Estate for Media Awards Ceremony

Apartheid Museum: Human Rights/Gay Rights Function

Recorded with Pops Mohamed for German Audio Library

Another Collaboration with Sydney Mavuso & Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph as part of the Celebration Orchestra in aconcert celebrating the State of Israel’s 60th Anniversary in Wits Great Hall

2008

Gallagher Estate: Local Government Award Ceremony

SABC 2 Morning Live Programme

Stellenbosch University‟s International Chamber Music Festival

Grahamstown National Arts festival doing our production- Echoes of Remembrance

Showcased Echoes of Remembrance in the 969 festival at Wits Amphitheatre

Collaborated with Marcus Wyatt, Sydney Mavuso & Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph as part of the Celebration Orchestra in a

production entitled Voices for Africa in Wits Great Hall

2007

2006

Stellenbosch University‟s International Chamber Music Festival

SABC Headquarters : launch of the Vukuzenzele Radio Programme

Hilton Hotel: The South African-Italian Awards Ceremony

Market Theatre- international musical production „Elephant‟

Winners of the Open Category Section in the very first National Marimba Competition in

Boksburg, Gauteng, South Africa

Workshops

2009

Joburg Carnival Kids Music Project initiated by the Dept. of Sports & Recreation in collaboration with Sankofa (SMDA)

& Curriculum Development Program Centre of Arts & Culture (CDP)

Initiated Marimba & African Percussion Workshops project in primary & secondary schools under our NGO Sankofa

Music Development Association (SMDA)

2007

Sankofa conducted African music composition, improvisation & playing techniques workshops

at Stellenbosch University‟s International Chamber Music Festival

Worked with Pedro ‘The Music Man’ Espi-Sanchis on Vuvuzela Orchestra (ongoing project)

Discography

Demo Album (recorded at SABC RBF Studios)

Sankofa “Live” Recorded at Stellenbosch Univ. International Chamber Music Festival

www.liber8music.co.za/samples11.htm (ongoing recording with KK Diaz MD of Liber8 Records)

Videography

www.youtube.com/sankofapercussion (containing footage of workshops, rehearsals, performances, documentary clips)

DVD (Celebration Orchestra concert celebration of State of Israel’s 60th Anniversary in Wits Great Hall)

DVD (Sankofa‟s Echoes of Remembrance Theatre Production)

Samora Ntsebeza

Director

Sankofa Afro-Indigenous Band

C: 082 798 4028

Email: eitaniel@gmail.com

Joe Makhanza

Head: Marketing

Sankofa Afro-Indigenous Band

C: 082 934 7735

Email: joe@sankofa.co.za

Contact Details