On Wednesday,  December 31, 2014, while defying the mildly cold winter weather, Gambians in Minnesota turned out in a fairly good number at the Minnesota National Guard Amory in Bloomington for the Annual New Year Party. The Party was organized and exclusively funded by the Leadership of the Gambian Association as part of its mandate to promote Gambian culture and tradition.

Reigning top DJ Bless Jagne was the magnetic source of a mix of reverberating Senegambian music. The combination of musical choice did attract most of the attendees to showcase their dancing ability. The Master of Ceremony (MC) was Gambia’s renowned actor, Momodou Musa who excellently exhibited his mastery of the microphone by energizing everyone, especially the women to dance to their satisfaction.

The New Year was traditionally welcome at Midnight with toss of non-alcoholic champagne amid slow jammed relaxing and love musical background. Attendees were later treated to assortment of delicious and mouth- watering Senegambian food and beverages.

Jaliba in Minnesota

On November 20^th, 2014, Gambia’s Kora maestro and the newly crowned King of Kora, Jaliba Kuyateh made another unforgettable live musical performance in Minnesota at the same venue. This was the 2^nd live stage appearance by the Kumareh band in Minnesota, the first one being in 2012 and it was Jaliba’s 4^th visit in the cold mid-western state. Sponsored by the Gambian Association, the event was attended by Senegambians and friends of the Gambia, including Americans, Sierra Leoneans, Ghanaians and Liberians, to name just a few.

In a brief remark, the Vice President of the Gambian Association, Lamin Sabally recognized and praised Jaliba and his band’s contribution in promoting Gambia in the world musical map. He thanked Jaliba on his recent crowing as the King of Kora. Alkali Yaffa, the Association’s president thanked everyone for coming out to support the Gambia Association in its promotion of Gambian culture in the diaspora.