The Griot Tradition With Tam Tam Magic

The drumming of Tam Tam Magic, a performance group in the West African griot tradition, drew a crowd to the Word Is Art Stage at the Columbus Arts Festival on June 7, 2024.

“What a beautiful day to be alive,” said Lynn Tramonte, Director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance. “It’s like you’re hearing your heartbeat out loud.” The Alliance co-sponsored this event with Columbus Free Press, in its third year bringing the Ohio Migration Anthology to the Word Is Art stage.

West African griots are storytellers, memory-keepers, and historians of families, communities, and societies. It is said that when a griots dies, a library burns.

Added Maryam Sy, an Organizer with the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, “Tam Tam Magic is led by Papa Assane M’baye, a member of the biggest griot family in Wolof culture worldwide. He is the nephew of Thione Balago Seck and the cousin of Waly Seck, one of the best singers of Africa. Assane is truly a legend in our culture.”

Mark D. Stansbery with the Columbus Free Press; author Dr. Tarunjit Butalia; and Milenko (Miles) Budimir, educator and contributor to Ohio Migration Anthology Volume 2, “(Everything Is) Cells and Bodies” joined Tam Tam Magic on stage.

While the drumming accelerated, people from around the green were called to listen and take part. Dancers appeared on stage, including four young boys who had been enjoying the spray park nearby.

One took to the mic and said, “I’m about 2% African, and I’m proud to be African.” Check out videos here.