Artists

Kaddu Yaraax

Kaddu Yaraax means the voice of Yarakh in Wolof, an inter-ethnic vehicular language spoken in Senegal. The forum theatre is situated in the Yarakh district of the municipality of Hann Bel-Air on the east coast of the Senegalese capital Dakar. Kaddu Yaraax was created in November 1994 to support community mobilisations by initiating frameworks for dialogue on all forms of social oppression such as sea pollution, pandemics, poverty, and its consequences. With their travelling theatre, the group performs in public spaces, organises trainings and workshops on forum theatre techniques in urban and rural areas throughout Senegal and abroad. Thereby it enters an exchange with local associations and communities. Their repertoire includes local languages and draws on the methods of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. It is a powerful dialogic and interactive tool that allows the »spect-actors« to intervene on stage and change the course of action. In their public plays, taboos and unspeakable political and socio-cultural issues are brought up for discussion. Currently these are migration, mobility, climate change, food security, gender-based violence and human rights. Today, the community practice of Kaddu Yaraax continues to link diverse initiatives and actors to promote collective solidary action as resilient method against societal inequalities.

Mamadou Diol is the founder and artistic director of Kaddu Yaraax. Leity Kane is the vice president and moderator of Kaddu Yaraax.

The comediens are Arona Mbodj, Cheikh Ndiaye, Daouda Ndoye, Khadim Beye, Khady Fall Diaw, Leity Kane, Malick Mbaye, Mamadou Diol, Masseye Ndiaye, Maty Sarr, Ndeye Fatou Ndongo, Ramatoulaye Thiam, Sega Samb, Serigne Babacar Ndiaye, Seynabou Diop, Sona Mancagne Diatta and Yacine Diop.