🪘 In Honor of Brother Babba Jamal Koram

Master Storyteller | Cultural Keeper | Wisdom Bearer

Brother Babba Jamal Koram was a griot in the truest sense—an eternal flame in the tradition of African storytelling. His voice carried the weight of history and the warmth of belonging. With every story he told, he reminded us who we were, whose we were, and why our stories matter.

As one of Chihamba’s foundational figures, Babba Jamal did not just perform—he preserved. He passed down the truths that textbooks forgot. He held our children close with tales of strength, justice, and ancestral power. He taught us that storytelling is resistance, healing, and celebration all in one breath.

Brother Babba Jamal was a community institution. Whether under the festival tent, in a classroom, or on a street corner, when he spoke, we listened. And when we listened, we remembered. He gave generations the gift of seeing themselves reflected in brilliance.

Now he rests with the ancestors he so often invoked, surely seated beside the elders, smiling wide, drum in hand, voice lifted in praise.

We honor your legacy, Babba Jamal. May your words echo through us always.
Ashé. Ashé. Ashé.

🌿 In Loving Memory of Sister Marie Whitten

Keeper of Community | Rooted in Joy | Eternal Matriarch

Sister Marie Whitten was more than a member of Chihamba; she was its heart. For nearly four decades, she moved with quiet power and deep devotion, nurturing not just the work but the people who made the work possible. She was the kind of presence that wrapped you in calm, uplifted you with wisdom, and modeled service without seeking the spotlight.

Marie’s journey with Chihamba began in 1986 when she enrolled her daughter Erika in Dancescape classes. From there, her whole family became woven into the fabric of our movement. She danced. She mothered. She made space. She opened her home for late-night grant writing, hosted rehearsals, and carried the vision when others were too weary to see it clearly.

As we reflect on her legacy, we feel the imprint she’s left on every festival, every gathering, every child who danced, and every elder who felt seen. Her humility and grace carried us forward, and her spirit remains in all we do.

Marie walks now with the ancestors. But her joy, her laughter, and her unwavering commitment to community live on in every drumbeat, every dance step, every act of love we offer through Chihamba.

“The Elders are pleased; the Ancestors dance for joy.”
We will always honor you, Sister Marie. Ashé.