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Malonga Casquelourd was a prominent leader in the performing arts community.
He was instrumental in advancing African Cultural Art forms throughout local
and national communities.

Malonga’s efforts and contributions crossed international borders as well. He invited and welcomed artists from every continent, forging dialogue and a bridge for cultural exchange.

His artistic contributions reflected his spirit and the essence of cultural traditions. Malonga greatly impacted the performing arts communities at large by founding

• Congolese Dance & Drum Camp, the first and longest running African dance, drum percussion workshop
• Diata Diata, an all female drumming Congolese drum ensemble
• Fua Dia Congo, a non-profit performing arts company based in Oakland, California
• co-founding Tanawa, the first professional Congolese Dance Company, New
  York, New York.

Malonga was also instrumental in establishing Everybody’s Creative Arts Center, which, today, is known as the Alice Arts Center in Downtown Oakland.

Malonga was a faculty member of Stanford University in Palo Alto and
San Francisco State University and introduced Congolese Dance and Drum to
each university.

He was influential in solidifying the legitimacy of Ethnic
Dance as a viable art form to these universities’ curriculums.

Malonga was more than an artist. He was a father, a son, a friend, an educator, a director, and a leader. He was a visionary and always engaged in the politics of African Dance and communities of color throughout the United States and globally.

Malonga touched many lives through his passion and artistic vision. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on…

Malonga is survived by

His wife, Cynthia Phillips; Daughters, Muisi-Kongo Malonga, Lungusu Malonga; Sons, Kiazi Malonga and Boueta Mbongo Malonga

Internment was held on Tuesday, June 24, 2003, at Mountain View Cemetary, 5000 Piedmont Ave., Oakland

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Tuesday June 24, 2003,at Acts Full Gospel Church, 1034 66th Ave., Oakland.

A quiet hour was held at 6 to 8 p.m.Monday June 23, 2003 at C.P. Bannon Mortuary, 6800 International Blvd., Oakland.

A Memorial was held on June 19, 2003 at Alice Arts Center.