ST. GLORIA’S SCHOOL CULTURAL TROUPE

Edition 2020/2021
Situated on the Gulf of Guinea, Lagos, a former capital of Nigeria, is one of Africa’s largest urbanized areas and the country’s economic centre. There, in 1988, St. Gloria's School was established - a private educational institution attended by children aged 2-16 and operating on the basis of Christian values. With the benefit of numerous extracurricular programmes, the pupils are provided with an opportunity to learn about the environment they live in, as well as about other people’s cultures and traditions. They volunteer for a number of social institutions, e.g. SOS Children's Villages, Pacelli School for the Blind, Old People’s Home. Thus, from childhood they learn to help the underprivileged social groups and to exert positive influence on their lives. In the year 2002 the school started an ensemble called ST. GLORIA’S CULTURAL TROUPE, whose aim has been to present Nigeria's rich culture. Thanks to the industriousness and commitment shown by the whole school community, in 2005 the ensemble visited the US, where it represented its country at the 35th edition of the International Folk Festival in Washington, DC. In the subsequent years the ensemble performed in Kenya, Dubai, Malaysia, Ghana and Togo. African music is typically intended to be performed communally, and is strongly connected with the life of a given social group. More often than not, it also fulfils a magical function. Characteristically, its melodic pattern is subject to the rhythmic pattern, and it boasts a vast array of instruments made of natural materials such as gourds, coconuts, seashells, stones, pieces of wood, animal bones and horns, etc. At the Festival of the Children of Mountains the ensemble will present a programme composed of Nigerian fishing traditions, customs followed by the Lagos inhabitants, as well as Zulu dances. The dancers will be accompanied by musicians playing all manner of drums, maracas, wooden bells and gongs. Odufuye Adeniyi Isiaka is the ensemble leader, and Alami Oluwatosim Daniel is the choreographer and musical director.