A funny and stylish prantikɛ of Sotrama (minivan) in Bamako picked me up from Badalabougou (a neighborhood along southern riverside) and dropped me in front of the big market after crossing the bridge, seeing that their stops were still far from my destination.
He did not want to bargain the ticket price but was kind enough to tell me the stop where I got down.
Prantikɛ (in bambara means apprentice) is the one who sells tickets meanwhile learns how to drive Sotrama from his master, the veteran driver.
Language: Chinese
Interviewed by Yaya, Written by Jackie
Bamako, Mali
Gaoussou Sissoko is a jeli (griot) from Diabaté family with a long-lined jeli descendants in Mali and a grandson of old Sidiki Diabaté who played Kora in Sundiata Keita.
Gaoussou Sissoko: Not only women but men were neither permited, except the oldest son who should carry on the family line. The original kora had only one string, when first player handed kora over to his son, the son added one string on it symbolizing the second generation of kora player and then passed it down to his son who added one more string until the 21st generation when the father died before the son was born, this practice stopped. Therefore the kora has 21 strings. If it is a classical kora with braided-leather rings for tuning, mounted from top-to-down along the neck, you will see each string attaches to one ring and , at bottom of the neck, a circle of pins nailed by the kora crafter, a sign for the 22nd string not handed down, family heritage unfulfilled.Continue reading →
Language: Chinese KumaBiBolo interviewed by Yaya, written by Jackie
Koras are made by some numu (artisans) or griots in West Africa.
Bakary Cisse (left)
Today we arrived at Artisanal, a handicraft market, on Bagadaji street in Bamako to interview a skillful kora crafter who will explain us how kora was made. Bakary Cisse, a Tuareg raised in bambara society, acquired kora crafting from a well-known numu, Zen Fane who crafted koras for numerous musicians., has been selected by INA (Institut National des Arts) to present musical instruments (kora, ngoni, balafon and jembe) from his hands at expositions in France, Russia and China. Continue reading →
KumaBiBolo Interviewed by Yaya , written by Jackie
Today we visit Bougouni , a city in southern Mali, to interview a tattooist who will show us how to tattoo gums? Mali is landlocked in West Africa, start from the Sahara Desert in the north, follow along the Niger River towards the south, cross the semi-arid savannahs in the center, all the way down to the south, where the rains are plentiful and the population is dense. Continue reading →
