Cameroon

GME continue to work with the Baka Pygmies, particularly a group that live in a village called Banana near the border town of Moloundou. Since 2005 GME have also been working in Ethiopia, organising a festival of traditional music and dance in Arba Minch

You can see some videos of GME's work here

So far the following projects have been set up with the Baka :

• providing ID cards for the Baka people, thus protecting their human rights
• distribution of basic necessities
• establishing a Music House - Baka Cultural Centre
• basic medicine

The Baka wish to develop :

• good use of the Music House
• capacity building: new-life skills, helping them to make informed choices
• a medical centre that practices both Western and forest medicine
• the recording of Baka Music for release in Cameroon to raise their status as musicians and provide a way to earn a living
• the promotion and protection of the Baka way of life

In order to help the Baka as much as possible GME have started working in partnership with the Forest Peoples Program and CED, a Cameroonian NGO.

GME run educational workshops for children and adults of the songs, rhythms, music and dance of the Baka.
Su Hart and Denise Rowe also offer day workshops of song and dance inspired by their visits to the Baka – for more info contact su@baka.co.uk

More information about the Baka HERE

Ethiopia

GME have helped organise the Arba Minch Festival of Music and Dance for the last 2 years, funded by the Christensen Fund. In 2006 GME helped to set up a local organisation, GUGHE who will be running the festival in 2007.

2007 is the Ethiopian new millenium so it will be a very special festival this year.

See more information about the 2007 Arba Minch Festival of Music and Dance and GUGHE HERE

Music, pictures and videos of the last 2 years festivals can be seen HERE

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