Music of Mali
The music of Mali is, like that of most African nations, ethnically diverse, but one influence predominates: that of the ancient
While internationally Malian popular music has been known more for its male artists, there are some exceptions: Fatoumata Diawara, prominent Malian singer and guitarist, has even been nominated to two Grammy Awards. Domestically, since at least the 1980s, female singers such as Kandia Kouyaté are ubiquitous on radio and television, in markets and on street-corner stalls. Fans follow them for the moralizing nature of their lyrics, the perception that they embody tradition and their role as fashion trend-setters.
National music
The national anthem of Mali is "
Most of Keita's support for the arts was cancelled, but the "Semaines Nationale de la Jeunesse" festival, renamed the "Biennale Artistique et Culturelle de la Jeunesse", was held every 2 years starting in 1970. Notable and influential bands from the period included the first electric dance band, Orchestre Nationale A, and the Ensemble Instrumental National du Mali, comprising 40 traditional musicians from around the country and still in operation today.
Mali's second president, Moussa Traoré, discouraged Cuban music in favor of Malian traditional music. The annual arts festivals were held biannually and were known as the Biennales. At the end of the 1980s public support for the Malian government declined and praise-singing's support for the status quo and its political leaders became unfashionable. The ethnomusicologist Ryan Skinner has done work on the relationship of music and politics in contemporary Mali.[1]
Traditional music
The
Historical interethnic relations were facilitated by the Niger River and the country's vast savannahs. The Bambara, Malinké, Sarakole, Dogon and Songhay are traditionally farmers, the Fula, Maur, and Tuareg herders and the Bozo are fishers. In recent years, this linkage has shifted considerably, as ethnic groups seek diverse, nontraditional sources of income.
Praise-singers
Mali's literary tradition is largely oral, mediated by jalis reciting or singing histories and stories from memory.[2][3] Amadou Hampâté Bâ, Mali's best-known historian, spent much of his life recording the oral traditions of his own Fula teachers as well as those of Bambara and other Mande neighbors.[3] The jeliw (sing. jeli, fem. jelimusow, French griot) are a caste of professional musicians and orators, sponsored by noble patrons of the horon[disambiguation needed] class and part of the same caste as craftsmen (nyamakala).
They recount
Their repertoire includes several ancient songs of which the oldest may be "Lambang", which praises music. Other songs praise ancient kings and heroes, especially
These are typically accompanied by a full dance band The common instruments of the Maninka jeli ensemble are;[4]
- kora (21-24 string lute-harp, classified by the manner of playing as well as the bridge structure)
- balafon (slat xylophone with small gourd resonators)
- n'goni(4-7 string lute)
- bellplayed with the opposite hand)
- , large and small variants)
- tabale (tall conga-shaped drum played with long, thin flexible sticks)
Mande music
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The Mande people, including the Mandinka, Maninka and Bamana,
Instruments
The kora is by far the most popular traditional instrument. It is similar to both a harp and a lute and can have between 21 and 25 strings. There are two styles of playing the kora; the western style is found mostly in Senegal and The Gambia, and is more rhythmically complex than the eastern tradition, which is more vocally dominated and found throughout Mali and Guinea. Ngoni (lutes) and balafon (xylophones) are also common.
Mande percussion instruments include the
drums. Jeli Lamine Soumano states: "If you want to learn the bala go to Guinea or Mali. If you want to learn the kora go to Gambia or Mali. If you want to learn the n'goni you have only to go to Mali." Each area has developed a speciality instrument while still recognizing that the roots of the related forms come from Mali.Djembe
The traditional djembe ensemble is most commonly attributed to the Maninka and Maraka: it basically consists of one small dunun (or konkoni) and one djembe soloist. A djembe accompanist who carries a steady pattern throughout the piece has since been added, as have the jeli dununba (also referred to as the kassonke dunun, names derived from the style of playing, not the physical instruments), and the n'tamani (small talking drum). Many ethnic groups, including the Kassonke, the Djokarame, the Kakalo, the Bobo, the Djoula, the Susu, and others, have historical connections with the djembe.[citation needed]
Most vocalists are female in everyday Mande culture, partially due to the fact that many traditional celebrations revolve around weddings and baptisms, mostly attended by women. Several male and female singers are world-renowned. Although it once was rare for women to play certain instruments, in the 21st century women have broadened their range.[citation needed]
Bamana
Bamana-speaking peoples live in central Mali: the language is the most common in Mali. Music is simple and unadorned, and pentatonic. Traditional Bamana music is based on fileh (half calabash hand drum), gita (calabash bowl with seeds or cowrie shells attached to sound when rotated),the karignyen (metal scraper), the bonkolo drum (played with one open hand and a thin bamboo stick), the kunanfa (large bowl drum with cowhide head, played with the open hands, also barra or chun), the gangan (small, mallet-struck dunun, essentially the same as the konkoni or kenkeni played in the djembe ensemble).
The melodic instruments of the Bamana are typically built around a
Well-known Bamana performers include Mali's first female musical celebrity,
Mandinka
The Mandinka live in Mali, The Gambia and Senegal and their music is influenced by their neighbors, especially the Wolof and Jola, two of the largest ethnic groups in the Senegambian region. The kora is the most popular instrument.
Maninka
Maninka music is the most complex of the three Mande cultures. It is highly ornamented and
Maninka music traces its legend back more than eight centuries to the time of Mansa Sunjata. In the time of Mali Empire and his semi-mythic rivalry with the great sorcerer-ruler Soumaoro Kante Mansa of the Susu people, Sunjata sent his jeli Diakouma Doua to learn the secrets of his rival. He finds a magical balafon, the "Soso Bala", the source of Soumaoro's power. When Soumaoro heard Diakouma Doua play on the bala he named him Bala Fasseke Kwate (Master of the bala). The Soso Bala still rests with the descendants of the Kouyate lineage in Niaggasola, Guinea, just across the modern border from Mali.[citation needed]
Tuareg music
Tinariwen is thought to be the first Tuareg electric band, active since 1982.[6] They played at the Eden project stage of the Live8 concert in July 2005.
Fula music
The Fula use drums, the hoddu (same as the xalam, a plucked skin-covered lute similar to the banjo) and the riti or riiti (a one-string bowed instrument, in addition to vocal music. "Zaghareet" or ululation is a popular form of vocal music formed by rapidly moving the tongue sideways and making a sharp, high sound.
The Mansa Sunjata forced some Fulani to settle in various regions where the dominant ethnic groups were Maninka or Bamana. Thus, today, we see a number of people with Fula names (Diallo, Diakite, Sangare, Sidibe) who display Fula cultural characteristics, but only speak the language of the Maninka or Bamana.
Songhay music
The Songhay are an ethnolinguistic group that traces its history to the
20th century popular music
After
Old dance bands reformed under new names as part of the
Not all bands took part in Traoré's roots revival. Les Ambassadeurs du Motel formed in 1971, playing popular songs imported from Senegal, Cuba and France. Les Ambassadeurs and Rail Band were the two biggest bands in the country, and a fierce rivalry developed. Salif Keita, perhaps the most popular singer of the time, defected to Les Ambassadeurs in 1972. This was followed by a major concert at which both bands performed as part of the Kibaru (literacy) program. The audience fell into a frenzy of excitement and unity, and the concert is still remembered as one of the defining moments in 1970s Malian music.
The mid-70s also saw the formation of National Badema, a band that played Cuban music and soon added Kassé Mady Diabaté who led a movement to incorporate Maninka praise-singing into Cuban-style music.
Exodus
Both the Rail Band and Les Ambassadeurs left for Abidjan at the end of the 1970s due to a poor economic climate in Mali. There, Les Ambassadeurs recorded Mandjou, an album which featured their most popular song, "Mandjou". The song helped make Salif Keita a solo star. Many of the biggest musicians of the period also emigrated—to Abidjan, Dakar, Paris (Salif Keita, Mory Kanté), London, New York or Chicago. Their recordings remained widely available, and these exiles helped bring international attention to Mande music.
1980s
Les Ambassadeurs and Rail Band continued recording and performing under a variety of names. In 1982 Salif Keita, who had recorded with Les Ambassadeurs'
Another
Wassoulou
The region of Wassoulou, south of Bamako, became the centre of a new wave of dance music also referred to as wassoulou. Wassoulou had been developing since at least the mid-70s. Jeliw had never played a large part in the music scene there, and music was more democratic.
The modern form of wassoulou is a combination of hunter's songs with sogoninkun, a type of elaborate masked dance, and the music is largely based on the kamalengoni harp invented in the late 1950s by Allata Brulaye Sidibí. Most singers are women. Oumou Sangaré was the first major wassoulou star; she achieved fame suddenly in 1989 with the release of Moussoulou, both within Mali and internationally. Wasulu region of southwest Mali. The soku is a traditional Wassoulou single string fiddle, corresponding to the Songhai n'diaraka or njarka, that doubles the vocal melody.
Since the 1990s, although the majority of Malian popular singers are still jelimusow, wassoulou's popularity has continued to grow. Wassoulou music is especially popular among youth. Although western audiences categorise wassoulou performers like Oumou Sangaré as feminists for criticizing practices like polygamy and arranged marriage, within Mali they are not viewed in that light because their messages, when they do not support the status quo of gender roles, are subtly expressed and ambiguously worded, thus keeping them open to a variety of interpretations and avoiding direct censure from Malian society.
The impact of the 2012 Coup d’état on Malian Music
This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: sentence structure and grammar. (July 2022) |
Music was outlawed in August 2012 by
As a result of the conflict, Malian artists gained widespread attention to its music scene with artists such as the Songhoy Blues, gaining recognition from Julian Casablancas and Iggy Pop. The band as a direct result of the Coup d’etat had to go into exile however they continued to create music. The band collaborated with Iggy pop on the song ‘Sahara’ which featured on their critically acclaimed album ‘Résistance’.[14] Featured on their album “Optimisme’, the song ‘Barre’ provides optimistic lyrics such as ‘Youth! Let’s rise or this change!”.[15] Songhoy Blues Guitarist Aliou Touré stated that the track was about change and how it must be implemented in Mali and that the older generation must give space to the new generation.[16] The Songhoy blues affirmed that the bands’ goal was to spread Malian culture in the form of music and to promote peace and unity.
Referring to North Mali, Vieux Farka Touré, son of the critically acclaimed guitarist Ali Farka Touré, stated “There's no music up there anymore. You can't switch on a radio or a TV, even at home."[10] Malian Guitarist Anansy Cissé’s album ‘Anoura’ reached number 1 for May 2021 at the World Music charts for 2021. The album includes issues such as poverty, righteous conduct, and an indirect commentary on Mali’s parlous political situation. Anansy’s music implements Malian culture with the use of traditional instruments such as the ‘ngoni’ and ‘calabash’.[17] In 2018 Cissé was to play at peace festival in his hometown of Diré, Timbuktu when he and his band were held captive and their musical instruments destroyed by an armed gang.[18] The aftermath of 2012 is present in contemporary Malian music as musicians aim for artistic freedom and the promotion of peace and unity in Mali. Vieux Farka Touré has been quoted as saying that “Without music, Mali will cease to exist”.[19] Musicians in Mali continue to create music even in the face of persecution and violence. Mali traditionally has been renowned for its musical roots especially by the “Desert blues” guitarist Ali Farka Touré. Post-2012, the musical prohibition of Mali has indirectly promoted Malian music by its exposure to western mainstream music.
References
- ^ "October 11, 2012: The Art and Ambivalence of Afropolitan Patriotism: Making Malian Music in Times of Celebration and Crisis | Institute for Advanced Study". ias.umn.edu. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ Milet & Manaud, p128.
- ^ a b Velton, p28.
- ^ "Jeliya Instruments of Mandinka Hereditary Musicians from The Gambia · Grinnell College Musical Instrument Collection · Grinnell College Libraries". omeka-s.grinnell.edu. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
- ^ Turino, pgs. 172 - 173; Bensignor, François, Guus de Klein, and Lucy Duran, "Hidden Treasure", "The Backyard Beats of Gumbe" and "West Africa's Musical Powerhouse" in the Rough Guide to World Music, pgs. 437 - 439, pgs. 499 - 504 and pgs. 539 - 562; Manuel, Popular Musics, pg. 95; World Music Central Archived 2006-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Tinariwen | Amadjar".
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Vieux Farka Touré".
- ^ "Mali: Three years after the music ban". Freemuse. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- ^ a b "Mali: no rhythm or reason as militants declare war on music". the Guardian. 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- ^ S2CID 197833696.
- ^ Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | North African Salafists Turn on Sufi Shrines in Mali". Refworld. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- ^ Songhoy Blues - Sahara (Official Music Video), retrieved 2021-11-22
- ^ Songhoy Blues - Barre (Official Music Video) + Lyric Translations, retrieved 2021-11-22
- ^ "Barre (+ Lyric Translations)". Songhoy Blues. 2020-09-16. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- ^ "Malian Artist Anansy Cissé #1 in May 2021 at the World Music Charts Europe | World Music Central.org". 2021-05-01. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- ^ "Anansy Cissé: Anoura review – a heartfelt plea for Mali". the Guardian. 2021-02-13. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- ^ Deboick, Sophia (2020-04-06). "Mali and its wailers: How music unites this West African country". The New European. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- Duran, Lucy. "West Africa's Musical Powerhouse". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 539–562. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
- Hoffman, Barbara G. Griots at War: Conflict, Conciliation and Caste in Mande. 2000. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
- "The Mali connection", by Banning Eyre, from Boston Phoenix, September 2002
- A discography of Malian music - http://www.radioafrica.com.au/Discographies/Malian.html
External links
- 10 Malian musicians you should know - Flavorwire
- (in French) Audio clips: Traditional music of Mali. Musée d'ethnographie de Genève. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clips - traditional music of Mali. French National Library. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- BBC Radio 3 Audio (180 minutes): Music of Mali 1989. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- BBC Radio 3 Audio (75 minutes): Festival in the Desert 2003. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- BBC Radio 3 Audio (75 minutes): Mopti, Timbuktu and Bamako featuring Les Escrocs and Toumani Diabate. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Ali Farka Toure. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Mali Bambara Blues. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Oumou Sangare. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Neba Solo, Abdoulaye Diabate, Habib Koite. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Amadou and Mariam. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: N'goni. National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Kora. National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Sinbi. National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Jenbe. National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Yabaraw. National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Kònkòni. National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: N'tama (talking drum). National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Bala. National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Kamalenkòni. National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.
- Audio clip: Maninka Bala. National Museum of Mali. Accessed November 25, 2010.