ekottomagazine
NO. 49 - ABRIL 2026
Cultural Magazine - Revista Cultural
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sonrisas De Rile'o
A Defined Identity
Iyabule Delicias Toichoa Nsegue
Fotos
Connection with the Language
The Cultura Bubi Platform
Interviews the Artist Bësákkò Biá Rihólè
Soésiöbo y Carlos Bolete Lobete
Culture, Society, Plus More
ekottomagazine.com
Ë KOTTÒ, is a magazine of the cultural field in all its disciplines.
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Our publications will be monthly and will focus on four basic sections and four complementary sections.
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1. EDITORIAL: A general account of a specific topic in each edition.
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4. ACTIVITY: Focused on our guest's current activities.
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It is a section for sociocultural opinion articles.
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Editorial
A DEFINED IDENTITY
When an identity is firmly established, it is difficult to undermine its existence. This is why the Bubi identity, despite the blows it has suffered throughout history, has always managed to recover and continue fighting in the face of all adversity.
Bubi culture and identity are a symbol of resistance, as its descendants have always managed to overcome the setbacks encountered during slavery, colonization, and, at times, the misnamed contemporary era, also known as the modern era.
After many ups and downs throughout each era, at some point in history the name or term was coined by which all expressions of the traditional Bubi dance art of the Katya genre came to be known as DAUGHTERS OF BISILA, in honor of the Bubi goddess Bisila Esa’a, who represents the symbol of resistance for an entire people as a mother and protector.
When the ancestors who gave a sense of belonging to all the manifestations that today represent the Bubi people knew what they had in mind, they were aware that they were building an almost unique identity. Their lineage and their spirit of African identity were clearly defined in this human journey that led many peoples to seek a place of refuge, a territory where they could develop socially and culturally as a community.
Through the spiritual power embodied in the Bubi people’s human history—which guided them as they fought against all odds, leaving behind a struggle for identity on the African continent—they chose the land of ERI, the ancestral name for what is now called Bioko Island. A land to which a writer gave the title in his work THE LAND OF THE BUBIS.
From this millennia-long presence in the land of ERI, the natives and indigenous people of this beautiful land began to build their own cultural history, one that is difficult to find within the African cultural mosaic, except for a few minimal similarities that represent their African identity.
This spiritual strength, in difficult times, has always found, in different eras, the rebirth of cultural and artistic movements that maintain and foster this artistic richness of Bubi dance.
It is cause for celebration that different generations have worked to rise from every setback suffered by the best-known genre of Bubi dance, the Katya, and that it continues to gain new life with each passing year and decade. This resilience ensures that many genres of Bubi artistic folklore can more easily be revived and promoted, allowing them to shine equally on stages around the world.
Story
BUBI TRADITIONAL FOLKLORE DANCE GROUP… KATYA… SONRISAS OF RILE'O
The “Smiles” group was founded in 2015 with a single goal: to perform at the patron saint festival of our town, Basakato, in honor of the Holy Family that same year.
This year was amazing; we had a choreographer from the Ceiba Bonay ballet and the singer Piruchi Apo.... They saw the group and were inspired to join the cause.... NO TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE.
After so many years, the town once again saw a mix of women of different ages on its stage, dressed in Teka and singing a cappella songs that were practically being lost.... The best moment was when everyone fell silent to listen to us—don’t cry, because my SMILE must have come out better.
Well, after this great performance, which we really enjoyed, they advised us not to disband the group, saying we would go very far—and that’s exactly what happened.
On February 21, 2016, Basakato participated for the first time in the Bubi mother tongue activities, and they took us to represent the town... It was the most talked-about event of the entire festival.
On March 8 of that same year, we were invited to the cathedral to dance during the offertory at the very heart of Mass... It was broadcast on TVGE and Asonga.
From then on, we started getting invited to private events like weddings, baptisms, communions, and patron saint festivals—the smiles of RILE'O singing and dancing spread across almost the entire island.
Before the year was up, the group broke up due to a misunderstanding; I couldn’t even explain it myself, but since I had really gotten into dancing and singing, I decided to continue with those who didn’t agree to go with the choreographer.
And so, dressed up, we sang in the church and paraded through the whole town, receiving money, fruit, food... We’ll never forget the look of amazement on the late Gilin’s face when we arrived at his house singing... He gave us money and blessed us... Mrs. Tachu Belobe sang and danced with us at her house, and that’s how she learned a few moves... it was wonderful.
Since then, the Holy Family has counted on the smiles of RILE’O for ABOBE/AVOVE activities.
From 2015 to the present, we’ve danced at weddings, birthdays, and events like the Teg Campus, Ideal Woman, and private parties for tourists. We love it and really enjoy dancing.
People have come and gone, but we remain here, grateful to those who still trust us. In all these years since Sonrisas de Rile’o was founded, as the director, there is a phrase I make part of my daily life: “CHALLENGE ME AND I’LL SURPRISE YOU.” And in 2024, I set out to continue establishing the Katya dance school in the diaspora and in Valencia, Spain. It was a challenge; I began teaching our traditional dances to some young girls. It wasn’t easy at all to train girls born and raised far from the land of our ancestors, but I succeeded.
Today, we can proudly say that we have two groups that are one.
Sonrisas of RILE’O from Equatorial Guinea and Sonrisas of RILE’O from the diaspora.
The difficulties are the same: the girls depend on their parents, and as they get older, they have other responsibilities, but we’re moving forward.
SONRISAS OF RILE’O.
Interview
SONRISAS DE RILE’O
A DECADE AT THE FOREFRONT OF TRADITIONAL BUBI DANCE
HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF ESTABLISHING THE SCHOOL
This April issue is a special one for our magazine, which began its journey four years ago with the Bubi KATYA dance group , featuring an interview with the director of Sonrisas de Rile’o.
Before we begin our interview, please accept our congratulations.
Good afternoon, and thank you so much for helping us get noticed. Ten years already—it’s hard to believe, and it really makes us realize that time doesn’t stand still. Thank you once again.
Thank you for accepting the invitation from Ë Kottò magazine.
1. Hello, Iyabule Delicias. Could you explain to our readers what makes the Sonrisas de Rile’o traditional Bubi dance group’s approach so successful that, after a decade, it remains at the top of the dance world?
I don’t think we have any secrets as such. But there is a principle that we, the founders of Sonrisas de RILE’O, follow—even though new members sometimes find it hard to understand or adapt to it, given their individual circumstances—and that is: DO NOT TREAT IT AS A MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME OR A JOB. So, those who are old enough to work do so, and Sonrisas is their space to escape their daily routine, while the younger ones learn to enjoy our dance. That doesn’t mean we aren’t happy when we receive financial support. Money is always welcome and appreciated.
2. Looking back over the past 10 years, what would you have done differently with the future in mind?
Looking back over the past 10 years, I really should have worked on my impulsive nature. Ugh, I think sometimes I forget that I don’t pay anyone and everyone is here of their own free will, but my irresponsibility gets the better of me—which is why I think I should have focused on finding sponsors.
3. Just out of curiosity: How many Sonrisas de Rile’o are there right now? From the diaspora, the name Sonrisas and its activities are in the spotlight every other weekend. Does Sonrisas de Rile’o have its own private plane that flies them back and forth from Bioko to the diaspora every weekend? Because sometimes it’s hard to tell the two versions apart, considering there are images where members of the mainland cast appear alongside those from the diaspora. And it’s definitely not Photoshop.
Hahahahahahahaha, a private jet? That would be great, but no, no, nooo, it’s not like that. Right now, we’re still the same group, SONRISAS DE RILE’O, but one branch is in Malabo and the other in Spain. When I returned to Spain, my sister-in-law Josefa May—who’s also a founding member of the group—and I decided to start another group with the same name. I think I’m good at teaching, hahahahahaha, because the girls who dance with us were born and raised in Spain. At first, they couldn’t dance katya, but nowadays, when I draw a blank, they’re able to come up with a step, and honestly, that fills me with pride, and everything that happens to me in Spain, I’ve already experienced in Malabo—people who come and go, and others who come and stay. And we, the ones who’ve always been here, are still standing with our smiles.
4. Well, let's put the humor aside for a moment. What's the strategy behind a group having two versions in one? Is there a connection between the two artistic versions? Is there any way to find out the names of the people behind this amazing work?
For a group to be able to combine two versions into one, it all comes down to COMMUNICATION—staying true to our shared values—and technology really helps…. We have a WhatsApp group where we introduced ourselves back in the day, and our chats are always lively.... We have a member who’s very skilled at speaking our language; he always delights us with songs and audio clips, all in Bubi—Cristo Bocubo. He’s our private teacher.
From Malabo, we have Esperanza TOICHOA handling the choreography. Delicias NSEGUE is the treasurer, and Cristo Bocubo corrects how we express ourselves in Bubi. Consuelo, Aitana, Nancy, Nely....
In Spain
Josefa May, a founding member; whenever I have a question or there’s an event, I consult her
Francisco May, our chief of protocol
Carmen Bonai, Victoria Rieka, Leticia Senobua, Auxiliadora Sepa, Besako, Leticia Site
5. As you know, this interview was arranged nearly a year ago as part of the group’s tenth-anniversary celebration, and there was interest in having some members of the group travel to Malabo to celebrate at the starting point of “Sonrisas en el mundo de la danza”—that is, in the town where the project began. We’re talking about Basakato S.F. Did that meeting take place?
Phew, that was the plan—I was supposed to travel, but for personal reasons it got canceled, and we all agreed that we’ll celebrate it in style some other time.
6. Given the momentum of this project, Sonrisas de Rile’o, have you ever considered starting a dance academy focused on African dance in general, and traditional Bubi dance in particular?
As you say, our vision is to create an academic project, but the burden always falls on just one person, and given the lives we lead, we really need someone with more drive to make it happen. I think for now, this is just for fun—we like what we do, and since we enjoy it, we’ve gotten pretty comfortable. We’d need someone to take us by the hand and get us working on a project like this.
I remember once after a dance, a girl approached me and offered to manage my social media, and I agreed, but in the end, I was the one who had to post the content. I practically had to learn how to cut and edit videos myself—ugh, there’s just not enough time for all that, and the other members have even less.
7. How was your artistic reception at the International Tourism Fair in Madrid?
Oooohhh, the international tourism fair in Madrid was a huge success. First of all, our costumes really caught people’s attention, and the Equatorial Guinea booth had a lot of visitors; the Secretary of State from the Ministry of Tourism was very grateful. She congratulated us on the show. Hahahahahaha—just to tell you, we represented all the ethnic groups of Equatorial Guinea. We had fun, we had a great time, and people almost didn’t want to let us leave the stage to change. Everyone wanted photos…… As I said, for a few hours we escaped our daily lives in the best possible way. We loved the experience.
8. After a decade of bringing joy to so many people, do you have any short- or medium-term plans?
To be honest, we don’t really have any specific long- or short-term plans; as I mentioned, we’re just focused on enjoying each experience. This year I had about 10 events scheduled, and we all love that because it involves traveling and meeting people. In Germany, there’s a fellow villager named Marisol who has a project in mind that she’d like us to be a part of, but the distance—whether we like it or not—makes a lot of things difficult. But anyway, we’re still open to viable proposals and collaborations.
9. Iyabule, this ninth question is a follow-up to the same question this magazine asked you four years ago. What does it mean to you to continue championing Bubi culture and making it known to an ever-wider audience around the world?
To explain what it means to me to defend Bubi culture and share it with others, here’s a little illustration or reflection. I work because I need money to live, I take care of my son because it’s my duty, and so on...
Dancing Katya, singing in Bubi, dressing up as a Bula queen—no matter where you look, it’s on another level… I’m passionate about it and I enjoy it. Thanks to this dance, I’ve learned to sing and understand many songs.
I feel a real need to make sure that anyone who sees me—even if they don’t understand what I’m saying or dancing—enjoys it as much as I do. I’m Bubi, I’m very proud of it, and I love sharing our culture.
Those who know me well know that I’m not great with verb tenses in Bubi, but I say them with such conviction that people correct me and we carry on as if nothing happened. And I also admit that there are songs I’ve had to listen to with my parents, Luis TOICHOA and Imelda NSEGUE, so they can explain what the lyrics mean—knowing what you’re singing gives the expression and the performance a better vibe. I definitely enjoy it.
10. This question comes from Ekotto Magazine’s personal wish for Sonrisas de Rile’o. As this new decade has already begun, with the group performing from stage to stage across the diaspora, asking for a feature film might be asking too much, but we’re convinced that a documentary is possible.
When will the public be able to see a documentary about the artistic achievements of Sonrisas de Rile’o?
Wow, I don't think we'd ever considered it before, but given how things are shaping up for December this year, we might just surprise our audience with a documentary. I'll discuss it with the team, and I'm sure you'll hear from us very soon. Thanks for the idea.
11. After ten years in business, what do you consider to have been the most exciting or significant moment for Sonrisas de Rile’o?
After 10 years, the most exciting moments—or the ones that brought the biggest smiles—oh my goodness, there are quite a few! You know, because honestly, we’ve always been a group that’s made its debut at some event we never could have imagined. We were the first traditional dance group to perform at the GE Campus, we danced on March 8th at the cathedral during the Offertory, and so on.
Without a doubt, the most exciting one was in Madrid on Columbus Day. There were so many Spanish-speaking countries there, and there we were, representing Equatorial Guinea in our traditional costumes, parading down the entire avenue.... Oh my gosh, we were so excited after finishing the parade. We even brought a bonko. There were more than 40 members from each country, and we were a group of just 12 people, including the singer Muana Sinepi—we didn’t go unnoticed hahahahahahaha, as our fans would say, “that’s what you like” hahahahaha.
12. How do you manage to preserve the authenticity of traditional Bubi dance while bringing it to international stages?
How do we manage to preserve the authenticity of traditional Bubi dance on international stages? To be honest, I wouldn’t know how to answer that question, but I can tell you that the costumes we wear are all authentic and brought directly from Equatorial Guinea—the teka, siobo, betoto, elebo, and so on. Both the groups from Spain and those from Malabo wear the same types of costumes. We strive to preserve the essence of the Bubi people.
13. How important is training new dancers within the group to ensure the continuity of this cultural tradition?
Training new dancers is very important, because it is the surest way to ensure that our cultural tradition is carried on. In fact, it’s always better for children to see you enjoying yourself and for them to get excited about it on their own, without being forced by their parents; that way, we know they’ll take it seriously and stick with it for longer.
14. What message would you like to convey to the African diaspora who follow and support the work of Sonrisas de Rile’o from different countries around the world?
To all of you who support and follow us, I want to thank you for taking the time to help raise our profile, especially EKOTTO MAGAZINE.
Many times I’ve been tempted to give it all up and move on as if Sonrisas never existed, like other groups that have come and gone, but having people who value your work, encourage you, and envision big projects with you doesn’t give you time to give up—rather, it pushes you to keep going. These people are the source of energy for our journey. Please don’t ever stop cheering us on.
15. If you had to sum up the spirit and mission of Sonrisas de Rile’o in one sentence, what would it be?
CHALLENGE ME AND I’LL SURPRISE YOU.
If I had to sum up RILE'O's spirit in one word today, it would be “BRAVE.” We're so brave because no matter how much they try to bring us down, we keep coming back.
Hahahahahahahahaha, and I keep repeating it inside my head: CHALLENGE ME AND I’LL SURPRISE YOU
After the Fitur dance, I got a call—we’ve been invited to Benjamin Sarandona’s 10th charity gala. I’m terrified, but I know that whatever’s in my head, I’ll make it happen…
Words from our latest interview with the director of Sonrisas de Rile’o.
With your permission and kindness, we at Ekotto would like to make these words our own: CHALLENGE US TO SURPRISE YOU. It’s all up to you—what might the surprise be?
You'll be airing RILE'O's “Documentary of Smiles” on EKOTTO MAGAZINE.
Ugh, there's just no way to keep my mind at ease like this. Thanks for everything.
Activity
OPINIÓN
BÖSUBÓBBÈ MAY MATA
Connection to the Language
In an increasingly globalized world, where dominant languages tend to overshadow those with a smaller reach, the preservation of languages like Bubi becomes not only a cultural act but also a collective responsibility. In this context, social media has evolved from being mere entertainment platforms into powerful tools for learning, dissemination, and language revitalization.
The importance of social media in learning Bubi has been mentioned on other occasions. However, it is worth emphasizing this point, because its potential is far from exhausted. Platforms that allow users to watch videos and listen to audio offer a fundamental advantage over traditional methods: the possibility of learning in a dynamic, contextual, and accessible way. Hearing the correct pronunciation, observing everyday expressions in real-life use, and repeating them at any time makes the learning process a more intimate, intuitive, and effective experience.
Furthermore, these tools eliminate geographical barriers. People living far from their communities of origin can reconnect with their mother tongue from anywhere in the world. This aspect is particularly relevant for younger generations, who are often more exposed to international languages than to their own. Social media, when used effectively, can build bridges between generations and regions.
Another encouraging development is that people are already taking the initiative in this field, creating content and developing online Bubi language courses. Such initiatives not only diversify access to learning but also professionalize language instruction, providing structure, continuity, and quality. This represents an important step toward the normalization of Bubi as a language of study and daily use.
If we add to all this the efforts of some cultural centers and community initiatives—such as the December gathering in Evobe—the outlook becomes even more encouraging. These actions, both in the digital and physical spheres, send a clear message: the battle to preserve our language is not lost. On the contrary, we are at a pivotal moment where the tools and the will are beginning to align.
However, the success of this process does not depend solely on those who create content or promote cultural activities. The community as a whole plays a fundamental role. We need to get more involved, support these initiatives, consume and share content, participate in learning spaces, and, above all, be consistent. The revitalization of a language does not happen overnight; it requires sustained commitment.
Bubi is not just a means of communication: it is a way of understanding the world, a cultural heritage, and a link to our roots. Leveraging social media as an ally in its learning is not a secondary option, but an essential strategy in the 21st century. The opportunity is on the table; now it is up to the community to decide whether to take full advantage of it or let it pass.
BÖSUBÓBBÈ MAY MATA
SOKKÒ
TIMELY NEWS
Friday, March 13.
The Spanish Cultural Center in Malabo
hosted a concert featuring two female vocalists.
Album launch for *ZORAIDA* by artist Katrina Lakefa,
accompanied by Chucu Nene and the band Quartet Root.
Kenny Jhumpue, Karrlesh, and George Sepa
Artists from the platform, with their distinctive Bubi accents, performed live at this spectacular concert.
Saturday, March 14, 2026.
Soésiöbo wins the mother-tongue poetry prize
at the French Institute in Malabo.
Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Madrid.
International singer Barón Ya Bug-Lu
presented his new album, ETOFILI, at the DAKAR restaurant.
Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Madrid.
Members of the Cultura Bubi platform interview the artist
Bësákkò Biá Rihólè, taking the opportunity during his stay in Spain to present his exhibition:
BUBI WOMAN IN AFRICAN TEXTILES
Location: MAMAH AFRICA Gallery – Navacerrada, Madrid
March 20 – May 24, 2026
The video will be available on the platforms very soon.
CULTURA BUBI and EKOTTOMAGAZINE
Poets Blog
LÖTÓ’ÓLLÓ
Ö lötó’ólló ló oberi lue ribellè
Ëbóbë Kó lötó’ólló luaò
Kó vöótè wè eria’.ö.
Ö lötó’ólló ká rihóle, ka eteba,ká rimmamabió
wë pálá o párá lötó’ólló á tyílèrò itè atá,
hèrahò ö winnòò, ë tébáò,
ö wétáò,
Ö lötó’ólló kò bösori wè
tyekkú bö lè ökana bö, lö lókka,
lë kárityöbbò, lö bötatté,
lé bíriia biaó.
Kò böhai bö lè alla ‘ bö ë tyé tö purí ë.
Ë bëkeu bia betyö bi la rekèssa
ë bó wella ò lötó’ólló,
I nokkò í útubbam ka’ó :
ë bëtyètye bié biöllo bi kákabia
ë biëtta wëlla biá bikëbíkë.
Ö lötó’ólló Kó vöótè wè eria’ö le ribobo re biëká biao.
Ö lötó’ólló Kó böe, ló bö’ó bottó wà ribötyö rito.
“É ribötyö welá rima o le’á tölló, wae a ló lötó’ólló luá abobé, ötyommá.”
Soésiöbo. ©️2024
Ë ILÁM (MI VOZ)
by Carlos Bolete Lobete
Ë ilám.
Ballá ná bá la ipölla
öámmo ö böém wëla.
Biebba la ëhëá ná ë nkòm wëla
ë la tuturó.
Ë ilám.
Ballá ná bá la etya.
Ë röppa wëla bí la seballa la ëháe,
bësari ná bí la sölla ë bi íkkiò bí hatte
lë sihúruru.
Mi voz.
Palabras que emergen
desde lo profundo de mi alma.
Ondas sonoras que en los túneles de mi cuello
se deslizan.
Mi voz.
Palabras que crecen.
En el dolor sueñan con la calma,
notas sinfónicas que dejan volar su resuello
con la brisa.
EmplusTV
Ë KOTTÒ
Publisher
Diversity Ëtyö Project
Magazine Director
Barbara May
Editor in Chief
Tomás May Pelico
Designer
Böhulá
Colaboration
Eduardo May Mata
ISSN 2833-4124
© 2026
All rights reserved.
May not be reproduced without the written permission of Ë KOTTÒ.
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