Hewaleh comes not only from one’s flesh, but also from the soul. Find it in the rapid flow of a rising river, the swelling tide of spirituality or in the pounding of a drum.

Hewaleh, in the Gold Coast language of Ghagh, means strength. Seated upright by the rushing Platte River, Omaha singer/songwriter Edem Kegey embodies strength. The steady djembe beat and her rhythmic vocals are centered, calm and confident, strikingly so against the backdrop of a rain-surged flow.

Kegey moved to the Midwest from Maryland in the early 2000’s following personal tragedy. Since 2013, she has developed a sound based on her African heritage and with a simple belief: “Music should be made from the soul. If you don’t feel it, how can anyone else?”

Watch Edem perform “Hewaleh” river-side at Schramm Park: