African Drums at Mondo’s Evening of Travel Stories

On this September evening at Mondo’s Telliskivi office, East Africa meets the Caucasus: journalists come home with notebooks full of dust, altitude and stories from Kenya, Uganda and Armenia. Before the first tale is told, and again during the interval, a djembe speaks — Senam’s hands find the drumhead, and a West African heartbeat rises quietly through the room, carrying a second continent into the evening.

The evening’s storytellers on stage, with a photograph from Uganda projected behind them.

The audience settled in as travel photographs from East Africa were projected on the wall.

Guests gathered close around the storytellers, drinks in hand.

Senam among the audience, listening to the journalists’ stories before taking up the djembe.

A full house at Mondo’s Telliskivi office for the evening of travel stories.

TogoSunny’s corner buzzed quietly at the back of the room while the stories continued.

Friends of the TogoSunny team in the craft corner, surrounded by baskets and West African textiles.

African herbal teas, samosas, chapati and Kenyan pastries — the tasting table prepared by TogoSunny’s friends for the evening.