This article was originally published in The Examiner on Jan. 5, 2017.
By Eleanor Skelton
Staff Writer
A special performance on the West African Kora by Sean Gaskell will take place Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. at the Elmo Willard Branch Library.
The West African Kora is a 21-string harp that is native to the Mandinka people of Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Guinea and Guinea Bissau. It dates back 300 years, although some of the music comes from the middle 13th century around the founding of the Manding Empire.
Gaskell studied with master Kora players Malamini Jobarteh and Moriba Kuyateh from Gambia.
The Willard Branch Library is now offering Sahaja Yoga Meditation on Tuesday evenings from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Sahaja Yoga Meditation is a simple, time-honored technique that is easy to learn and helps reduce stress and increase wellness, the Beaumont Library system said in a news release. Event organizers said it brings better focus and helps people become centered and better balance.
Sahaja Yoga meditation is a technique started in 1970 by Nirmala Srivastava. Classes are always offered free of charge, according to the international organization’s website, since “one cannot pay for the experience of Divine Love.”
For additional information, contact Elmo Willard Library, located at 3590 E. Lucas Drive, by calling (409) 892-4988 or visit beaumontlibrary.org. Library hours are Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Eleanor Skelton 