\usemodule[oldfun] % really ?

\environment columnsets-000

\unprotect

\def\SpreadGapText#1#2{{\def\+{\blackrule[\c!width=#1]}#2}}

\protect

\definecolumnset[example][n=4,page=left]

\definecolumnsetarea
  [title]
  [x=1,y=1,nx=8,ny=8,
   background=contrast,
   color=white,
   align={lohi,right},
   state=start]

\setupcolumnsetareatext
  [title]
  [\setups{the title}]

\startsetups[the title]

  \GapText
    {\dimexpr(\makeupwidth+\backspace)} {6pt}
    {RegularBold} {sa 4}
    {A Title Spanni\+ng 2 Pages}

\stopsetups

\starttext

\startcolumnset[example]

  \dorecurse{30}{\fakewords{50}{100}\par}

\stopcolumnset

\stoptext