By Yunus S. Saliu
The 9th edition of the Janjanbureh Kankurang and Masks Festival, held from January 23 to 25 on Janjanbureh Island (McCarthy Island) in the Central River Region, has been hailed as a major success by the Director General of the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Hassoum Ceesay.
Speaking after the three-day cultural event, Ceesay said the festival continues to gain significance, visibility, and impact both nationally and internationally.
“I will describe this year’s Janjanbureh Kankurang and Masks Festival as a big success,” he said, noting that the event was revitalised in 2018 by the NCAC with support from the European Union through the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), in close collaboration with the Janjanbureh community.
Janjanbureh is widely regarded as the cultural hub of the Kankurang tradition. Following UNESCO’s 2005 recognition of Kankurang as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, the Kankurang Centre was established on the island.
For this edition, the NCAC partnered with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard), GTHI, ITC, and the Janjanbureh Event Management Committee (EMC), alongside local communities.
Ceesay highlighted the growing participation of cultural groups from across the country. While the festival initially featured only a few groups, this year, 15 masquerade groups took part, including Janjanbureh Wulenwulayo, Nuimi Kankurang, Gunshot Hunting Masquerade from Banjul, Janjanbureh Jamba Kankurang, Kumpo from Berending, Kosewo from Bureng, Gisseh, Kundang Kankurang, and Zimba from Banjul.
Although Kankurang remains the festival’s main attraction, it now showcases other masking traditions, with guest masquerades adding diversity and colour to the programme.
“This is why it is called the Kankurang and Masks Festival,” Ceesay said. “We are using this platform to preserve the Kankurang tradition and also protect other masking traditions, while promoting unity, cultural understanding, and tolerance among our people.”
The festival also continues to boost tourism, drawing Gambian diaspora members and international visitors, while generating economic benefits for local communities.
Beyond celebration, the NCAC is positioning the festival as a model for cultural events nationwide. Communities seeking to revive their traditions are supported through training in festival management, marketing, fundraising, and programme packaging, with assistance from GTBoard and YEP.
On sustainability, Ceesay said post-event stakeholder meetings will now be held shortly after each festival to evaluate finances, visitor numbers, security, and logistics. He revealed that nearly D1.2 million was invested in this year’s festival through the YEP tourism and cultural promotion component, covering local organisation, performances, sound systems, ceremonies, and logistics.
Ceesay commended government support and reaffirmed the NCAC’s commitment to developing the festival as a flagship cultural event in The Gambia.
“The support is worth it,” he said. “This festival is about preserving our identity, promoting unity, and showcasing Gambian culture to the world.”
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