Malian Sounds and Voices for the World

Welcome to the first NF of Mali

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VENUE

Musée National du Mali, Bamako

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OPENING ACT

Mamadou Diabaté performing Tunga 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqQORtGfPIQ

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THE PRESENTER

Fashion model, Tene Gaye

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THE PARTICIPANTS

Fatoumata Diawara

Habib Koite

Tamikrest

Rokia Traoré

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THE SONGS

Song No1: ”Timbuktu Fasso”  by Fatoumata Diawara (singing in Wassoulou language).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yOfimHhARw

Meaning: The song serves as a soundratch for the 2014 film ”Timbuktu” which sums up the current political and social life in north Mali (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbuktu_(2014_film).

Song No2: ”Baro” by Habib Koite (singing in Bambara language).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE609SHzms0

Meaning: Baro (the chat); the ‘Sanankuya’ is a relationship kept between ‘Sanankus’,joking relations. They provoke each other, argue, poke fun and sometimes even insult each other. But always as a laugh. This relationship is handed down from a sacred act of tolerance, gratitude and solidarity, established between the ancestors of several ethnic groups in Mali. Through humor, the joking relations re-live this relationship which is now an inestimable element of harmony and social peace.

Song No3: ”Tisnant an Chatma” by the band Tamikrest (singing in Tamashek language).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3mbeo7pwxY

Meaning: “Chatma” means “Sisters” and the band has dedicated the album in their own words to: “the courage of the Tuareg women, who have ensured both their children’s survival and the morals of their fathers and brothers.”  The opening track “Tisnant an Chatma (The suffering of my sisters)” is a heartbreaking homage: «Who can estimate the suffering felt by the soul / of one who sees her sisters exhausted from waiting/ of one who sees her sisters exhausted from waiting between countries, in deep distress /and daily oppression?

Song No4: ”Kounandi” by Rokia Traore (singing in Bambara language).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7sqlQfev9I

Meaning: I am afraid I have not found any info about ”Kounandi”. It is there though; something sad and emotional. Gloomy, but not Nordic/Anglo-Saxon ! 🙂 

To vote to the Malian NF you should rank the songs from your favourite (1st) to your least favourite (4th). Myself I will not vote this time. So it is all up to you!

The email is the following: cosdino83@gmail.com

The deadline is 8th November 23:00 CET.

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MALI in a NUTSHELL 

Grande Mosque of Djenne

Mountain Hombori

A village of the Dogon people

Timbuktu

Woodcarving 

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HISTORY of MALI (important empires of West Africa)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana_Empire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali_Empire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songhai_Empire

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INTERVAL ACTS 

Tani Diakite & the Afrofunkstars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGRaMOeb1PU

Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Ségal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAIwGw1paIc

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RESULTS

1. ”Kounandi” 44

2. ”Tisnant an Chatma 45

3. ”Timbuktu Fasso” 49

4. ”Baro” 62