ELIE KIHONIA - Master Drummer from Congo Elie Kihonia is the founder of Afrika Yetu and UMOJA African Arts Company. He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) and exposed to both traditional and neo-traditional African music and dance at an early age. He began performing at age nine with various youth choirs and in 1980 joined the international GEVAKIN Choir/The Musical Bridge. As a multi-instrumentalist who plays both African percussion and contemporary instruments, his expertise includes the xylophone, mbira, hand and set drums, keyboard, accordion and guitar.   While in Zaire, Mr. Kihonia developed his passion for keeping the roots of African arts alive, and he became a pioneer in intermixing traditional and neo-traditional music. In 1989, under his direction, GEVAKIN toured Africa, Europe and the United States. Seeing the need to introduce and promote Africa's rich and diverse history, culture, and traditions through song and dance, Mr. Kihonia became a co-founder of UMOJA African Arts Company, in order to create an organization in the U.S. to unify and promote the arts of diverse African cultures. He performs, teaches, choreographs, writes, and produces multi-cultural productions internationally. Mr. Kihonia has been associated with the Ministry of Culture and Arts in his native Democratic Republic of Congo, as National Director of Production. Currently he serves as an artist consultant for the Museum of African Art in New York, The Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, PA, The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and various Universities such as Carnegie Mellon University, La Roche College and Natal University of Durban in South Africa. Elie Kihonia was the driving force behind UMOJA African Arts Company to becoming an internationally known African dance company. Elie has collaborated with the Pittsburgh Dance Council and the Three Rivers Arts Festival as a production consultant, and with individual artists such as Mary Miller, Kevin Maloney, and Mark Taylor and The Glorious Rebirth. He also wrote music for the Pittsburgh Symphony and various performing arts organizations throughout the United States. In 2001, Mr. Kihonia has developed Safari, Afrika Yetu's educational residency program and tours with the WACONGO Dance Company. Elie is currently conducting healing drum workshops with various health and Aids-related organizations such as the Renaissance Center, Persad and Citipark/Senior Citizens. In 2002, Mr. Kihonia made history in Salvador/Bahia, Brazil participating with his group of 10 percussionist from various African countries, who led a parade of 600 percussionist from Brazil in the first African Carnival ever done in Brazil. In 2003, Mr. Kihonia was the Music Producer for the 2003 National Urban League Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.