New series focuses on the music, culture of Africa

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

It was a need that gave birth to Greater Grand Rapids’ newest cultural enterprise, the Motherland House Concerts.

Mirabel Umenei, who goes by the stage name Myra Maimoh, os a musician from Cameroon. When she arrived in Grand Rapids seven years ago, she began “looking for places to perform, to showcase my art and I was finding it difficult to do that. I also was finding other musicians from Africa who were facing the same issues,” Umenei said during a recent Locally Entertaining podcast.

From the right, Netty BM, Ruben Ndjerareou, Beatrice Muriithi, and Miracle Umenei join host Joanne Bailey-Boorsma for the Locally Entertaining podcast. (WKTV)

Umenei believed that if the various musicians and artists came together, they could do something to showcase the talents of the people from Africa. Thus Motherland House Concerts was born.

“The Motherland House Concerts is a platform where we showcase African music, African art, African storytelling, poetry and sometimes we have food and wines from Africa,” she said.

This Saturday, July 27, the Motherland House Concerts will feature a Padiman Experience Event, which provides an intimate showcase of African music and poetry. Saturday’s event, which is from 6 – 8 p.m., will focus on Senegal, the home country of featured artist Netty BM. The show is at Rising Grinds Cafe, 1167 Madison Ave. SE with tickets $25/advance, $30/at the door. The Padiman Experience will take place every fourth Saturday of the month.

In September will be the Banin Experience which pairs food, wine, poetry and music together. Those concerts will be Sept. 6 and 7 from 6- 9 p.m . at Rising Grinds Cafe. Tickets are $130.

“We hope to show that Africa is huge,” Umenei said. “That Africa is diverse, but it is oh so much fun!”

For more about The Motherland House Concerts, visit the Facebook page, Motherland House Concerts or go to Umenei’s website www.myramaimoh.com.