Zoumba will carry the voice of Senegalese oral heritage September 9, 2026
The Saint-Louis writer and storyteller, Pape Samba Sow known as Zoumba will once again represent Senegal at the World Storytellers Forum in Sharjah (United Arab Emirates). For his seventh consecutive participation, the artist will take part in the 26th edition of this major international meeting of orality, scheduled for September 20 to 23.
SAINT-LOUIS – His voice will resonate once again in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Senegalese writer and storyteller Pape Samba Sow, better known as Zoumba, is preparing to participate for the seventh consecutive time in the World Storytellers Forum. Organized from September 20 to 23 in the United Arab Emirates, this international event brings together storytellers, researchers, oral specialists and cultural journalists from different backgrounds each year. Since his first participation in 2019, Zoumba has gradually established himself as one of the most noted African representatives of this event. That year, he was awarded the “Magic Lamp” trophy. Three years later, in 2022, he won the Unesco-Sharjah Prize for best international storyteller and was elevated to the title of “Living Human Treasure”. This new participation thus confirms the place acquired by the Senegalese artist in the international world of storytelling. The Sharjah World Narrators Forum, organized by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, is one of the major events dedicated to the transmission and promotion of oral heritage.
A multi-talented artist
Since its creation in 2000, the event has welcomed more than a thousand storytellers, researchers and cultural professionals. For this edition, Senegal will be represented by a duo composed of Zoumba and Cire Zagbayou, specialist in sign language. A participation which extends that of 2025 and which reflects the desire to include the story in a more inclusive approach. On stage, Zoumba uses the kalimba, melodica and tonguedrum to accompany his stories. Special feature of his performances in Sharjah: he tells stories in English, while his partner simultaneously provides stage translation in sign language intended for people who are hard of hearing.
But this year, its participation takes on a special dimension. The Saint-Louis artist will be the torchbearer of the “Saint-Louis, Capital of Culture” label. Through its presence in Sharjah, it intends to contribute to the international influence of the 300-year-old city, its heritage and its artistic tradition. Sharjah, considered a major cultural capital of the Arab world, hosts this forum every year under the banner of safeguarding heritage and transmitting knowledge. The themes vary depending on the edition: tales from the Thousand and One Nights, tales of the sea, trees, birds and even travelers. A diversity that offers artists from all over the world a space for dialogue around their respective heritages.
Former Culture Manager at Saint-Louis Town Hall, Pape Samba Sow Zoumba has several strings to his bow. Writer, musician, theater director and actor, he is also a professor of literature and temporary teacher in the Communication section of Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis. Through storytelling, he works at the crossroads of literature, music, theater and oral transmission. Its repeated presence in Sharjah testifies to this desire to make Senegalese cultural heritage a tool for dialogue between peoples. Its seventh consecutive participation in the World Storytellers Forum therefore constitutes much more than an artistic meeting. It offers Zoumba the opportunity to carry, beyond the Senegalese borders, the richness of national orality and, from now on, the image of “Saint-Louis, Capital of Culture”.
