Kissidugu

Kissidugu, which means, “a safe place,” in the Kissi language of Guinea, was founded in 2004 by Fara Tolno. Our troupe is a merging of cultures. We share a common goal of learning and sharing the rich musical tradition of Guinea. While performing, we hope to create “a safe place” for people of all cultures and races to re-connect through this powerful music.
Kissidugu is one of the only groups in the country attempting what we're doing. We are currently developing a contemporary show including stilting, masks and puppetry built on a solid foundation of West African percussion, song and dance.
Kissidugu has rocked audiences around Colorado and will rock the house at your event. Our music will add a totally different flavor to your event. If you want to mix things up a bit, we are the perfect group to do that. You won't be disappointed.
Master Drummer and Dancer Fara Tolno was born in Guinea, West Africa. He spent most of his youth in Kissidugu and Conakry. Playing djembe since the age of 9, he has traveled extensively teaching both drumming and dance. He spent 9 years as the lead drummer for the “Les Merveilles de Guinea” (the younger ensemble akin to Le Ballet Africans) under the tutelage of Kemoko Sano.
Today, Fara lives in Boulder, Colorado and teaches extensively both locally and nationwide, while devoting an enormous amount of time and energy to Kissidugu.
Master Balafon player Facinet Bangoura was born in the village of Tassen, Guinea. He comes from a long line of musicians and began playing balafon as a young child. He moved to Conakry in 1993 and played with several troupes, most notably “Traditionnel de Conakry.” Facinet joined “Wofa” in 1995 and began to travel internationally. Facinet moved to New York in 2003 and finally to Boulder to join Kissidugu in 2006.