Etniik : Griots of Africa

The griots are the Masters of the word and the guards of the oral tradition and musical in the company Malian. These griots or "jelis" bears surnames like “Kouyate”, “Diabate” and even “Tounkara”. The griots Diabate are related to Keita their Masters of always. The griots are related to other “malinkes” aristocrats families. The musical tradition of the griots is very old. Virtuoso of will kora and the balaphon, the griots always animated the social life Malian. She is characterized especially by stories which evokes the heroes and the great events of the old political formations of “Mande”. Among the usually evoked heroes, there are “Soumangourou Kante”, king blacksmith of Sosso (beginning XIIIe century) which has, says one, had a magic xylophone placed under the protection of an eagle and Sunjata Keita, victorious of the first, hero founder of the Empire of Mali. The goni (the traditional guitar with four cords) is also an instrument of accompaniment of the narrations and praises which the griots make.

MUSICAL INSPIRATIONS

The Balaphon Xylophone made up of a low frame on which 17, 19 or 21 are in parallel laid out wood blades decreasing lengths. Each one has its own resonator. Realized with spherical water-bottles of progressive sizes, the resonators of Balaphon are provided each one with one or two mirlitons. Covering the holes bored in the water-bottles, these membranes vibrate during striking on the blades and colour the sound of it. The musical extent of the instrument is of approximately three octaves. The Balaphon mandingue is on the pentatonic scale. The musician plays with two rods surrounded by rubber at the ends and often carries bracelets of iron grelots to the wrists. The Balaphon is generally played by griots to make purely instrumental music or to accompany the song by the women.

Griots, transmission of the knowledge in music - [West Africa]

[sources : mali-music.com - afribone.com] African sonorities are inspired Etniik, for “Terre Brulee”