África estará presente en la Cabalgata de Reyes de Madrid

As every year, the Town Council of Madrid organises the traditional Three Kings Parade, which brings enthusiasm and colour to the streets of the capital, lighting up children's faces, those that will hardly be able to sleep waiting for the presents that their Majesties will leave.

This year, Casa África has wanted to join in this important event and has done so by providing the African part of this great parade, in which the giant puppet company Les Grandes Personnes d'Afrique,will take part. It is a group of artists that began in 1998 with the idea of developing and bringing a popular practice of plastic arts to the streets: the giant marionettes. With their headquarters in Boromo (Burkina Faso), this group brings together about thirty people amongst which we find, puppeteers, body artists, sculptors, painters, musicians, dancers and actors.

The main players are Soumaila and Assetou, grandparents but not like any others. They are three metres tall and their bodies move thanks to the fine strings that hang from their limbs. Their heads are made from clay, white clay and paper and their bodies are made from a carcass of lightweight metal, which is perfectly covered with traditional costumes. Soumaila are Assetou are giant puppets and they come directly from Burkina Faso to take part in the Great Three Kings Parade on Thursday 5th January 2012 starting at 18:30h. They will go past the Paseo de la Castellana from Nuevos Ministerios to Cibeles, where the parade will finish with a firework display.