Kouyatejeli

Our Mission

As culture bearers, we carry and diffuse traditional values that allow individuals to recognize the discipline and richness of cultural arts, with the organic celebration of diversity, heritage, and community.

Empower the Community

Using traditional arts through cultural and educational experiences to empower individuals in community development.

Preserve Ancestral Traditions

Presenting, producing and preserving traditional West African art forms through music, dance, instrumentation, theatre, collaboration and innovation.

Create Access

Providing accessible opportunities that enable community and cultural change to maintain a more diverse, welcoming, and inclusive climate for all.

Experimental. Powerful. Creative.

Discover how cultural traditions evolve and are kept alive in contemporary society.

Leadership

Assane Kouyaté is a cultural arts practitioner and one of a few indigenous West African artists based in Atlanta, Georgia. Drawing on roots from Mali and Senegal, Kouyate’s practice comes to life through multidisciplinary, experimental, and theatrical works, that explore how African diasporic traditions have journeyed, evolved, and reconnected within Atlanta’s cultural scene. With 35+ years presenting traditional art forms, he is highly sought out in the USA and abroad, with individuals regularly assembling to study under his tutelage. Kouyate’s ability to bridge cultural and physical differences through the arts empowers individuals in education and community development.

Keeper of physical, musical, and oral traditions passed down through generations…over 800 years, from the Mali Empire

Creator of collective experiences through a blend of traditional and cultural works intersecting across a variety of artistic disciplines.

Entertainer + designer engaging audiences for 35+ years in public spaces, at major performance venues, and in conjunction with local and international organizations.

Innovator crafting vibrant experiences that foster cultural arts opportunities and programmatic accessibility to multigenerational audiences.

Providing diverse educational, cultural, and immersive arts experiences. Customizable services available based on preferences or curriculum. Services include:

01 Cultural Labs

West African Master Dance & Drum Labs and Choreography Intensives for multigenerational audiences (youth, adults, seniors, individuals with disabilities etc.)

02 Educational Programming

Programs for K-12 OR Tertiary/College/University. Students will discover traditional dance, rhythms, and musical art-forms as an important part of ceremonies that mark the experience of a person's life, teach social values, and depict stories and history of the community.

03 Performances & Events

Vibrant, high-energy dance presentations accompanied by 13th century Manding instruments OR live drum ensemble for special events including Corporate Celebrations, Black History Month, Juneteenth, Festivals, Weddings, etc.

04 Innovation & Technology

Software and web development, digital transformation consultancy, and grant writing services to support Georgia based artists and arts organizations.

05 Travel & Tours

International travel to West Africa (Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali) or the Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados. St. Vincent) and cultural excursions.

Signature Programs

Cultural Activations. Commissioned Works. Experimental. Theatrical Productions

La Culture Mandingue

LCM honors and celebrates the physical, musical, and oral griot traditions of the Manding (Malinké or Mandinka) and identifies similar heritage among various West African ethnic groups.

Exploring Griot Musical Traditions

The musical component of La Culture Mandingue (LCM), focusing on a selection of Manding djéli-jeli-griot songs and 13th century instruments from their origin to the Mali Empire, dating back to pre-colonial days.

La Nuit du Bazin

A biennial high fashion, music and cultural event that specifically highlights the bazin textiles of Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, and neighboring West African countries.

Cultural Arts in Neighborhood Community Spaces

A cultural arts activation and community initiative that transforms public spaces into inclusive, equitable, and dynamic hubs of cultural exchange and artistic expression.

REGISTER TODAY!

OCT 9-11, 2026

Atlanta, GA

Dance · Drum
Shop · Gather
Art · Culture
Wellness · Community

Conference & Cultural Event

Sabar Rek ATLANTA

Every Year. Every Fall. Every October.

The weekend prior to Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Learn More

01

Dance

Movement that celebrates rich & diverse West African traditions, to transform lives, open minds, & collaboratively uplift the community.

02

Drum

Live rhythms that compel us to move, in context with its origin, and from the perspective of the cultural practitioner.

03

Wellness

Shared cultural arts experiences are powerful unifying forces that can be used as a therapeutic tool for healing.

04

Community

Removing vast disparities in terms of access to public arts programs and services. Building awareness, understanding, and outreach.

TRAVEL WITH US

Our 2-week cultural and educational tours and excursions immerse and expose participants to traditional West African arts and culture, and the history and effect of the slave trade which led several West Africans to the Caribbean islands. Participants are encouraged to come with an open mind and spirit.

The Caribbean

When: Summer/Winter
Where: Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent

West Africa

When: Summer/Winter
Where: Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Guinea, Guinea Bissau