Lush Life and Zansa present Asheville's 3rd Annual Soumu at New Mountain on March 20, 2015. Proceeds from this event will go to the fundraising campaign to rebuild the Dembele family home and Djembeso Drum and Dance Education Center in Abobo, Ivory Coast. More on that here > Soumu, which is a West African term for an all encompassing party featuring music, dance, food, and art began as a fundraiser when in 2011 when Adama Dembele, a 33rd generation djembe player and Asheville favorite needed financial support to obtain his green card. The community came out in force to a sold out event at the YMI Cultural Center, raising enough money to cover the legal costs of obtaining his permanent U.S. green card.  The tradition continues as Dembele and his band, Zansa, with new special guests each year, keep up this celebration of the culture of his native home of Cote D'Ivoire. This year, Soumu features NC Piedmont based band, Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba. There will also be guest performances by drummers, dancers, and musicians. Traditional African food will be available for purchase by local Chef Soce and attendees can shop in an "African Marketplace" of native wares. Also, children can create African art in our kids craft area.   3rd Annual Soumu at New Mountain Dinner Served at 6:00pm (not included in ticket price) $12 in advance / $15 at the door Children under 12 are half price Children under 5 are free Tickets on Sale at www.ashevillesoumu.com About Djembeso Music and Dance Education Center Djembeso (meaning "house of the djembe") is the namesake of the Dembele family, whose musical lineage dates back over seven centuries. This music and dance education center is a place where people can go to learn about traditional West African music. Without places like Djembeso these traditions can get lost. It also helps bring kids off the streets to learn about their rich culture and history. Djembeso also welcomes adult students and international travelers, historians, musicians, and dancers. In other words, everyone is welcome!