17:00-17:30
Eri Band from Rotterdam makes a form of traditional Eritrean music, the official term being
‘Guayla’. Expect hypnotic rhythms designed for dancing!
Eri Band consists of a group of musical refugees currently based in Rotterdam, who use House of
Urban Arts in Rotterdam neighborhood Tarwewijk as a meeting point and creative hub. The band
makes a form of traditional Eritrean music, the official term being ‘Guayla’. Expect hypnotic rhythms
designed for dancing!
Eritrean music has a unique rhythm, certainly when compared to music from other parts of Africa. It
also acts as a rallying call for the wider Eritrean diaspora. From early on, Eritrean musicians
understood the importance of music and purposefully used it to teach political and socio-cultural
messages. Atewebrhan Seghid’s song, ‘Aslamai Kistanai’ is a good example of this.
