Sowande Keita of Detroit has been playing the drums for as long as he can remember. “There’s a legendary story, that is actually very true, my father tied the DJembe around my waist before I could actually walk in my crib,” Keita said.
He said his parents agreed that he should walk in the path of a drummer, something he would see for himself years later. “Age 13 is when I really decided I would like to continue this family legacy,” he said. Keita said his family legacy began years before he was born, and started with his father King Sundiata Keita, who would frequently travel from Detroit to West Africa. During his travels he would explore and learn about the African culture and bring his findings back to the city to share with the community.
King Sundiata Keita started the Omowale Cultural Society in Detroit, and for the past 50 years, the organization has been teaching Detroiters, and people from around the world, all about the history of West Africa.
Sowande’s mother, Empress Kahemba Keita-Grweenwood, runs the organization where she’s spent more than 30 years teaching West African dance.
Since the passing of King Sundiata Keita in 2005, the family has been continuing his life’s journey.
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