Instruments 4 Africa is a nonprofit founded by Tama Walley and Paul Chandler. This video is their first in a series of short vignettes on traditional music in Mali. Paul has been living and teaching in Mali since 2003, and founded I4Africa with the hope of reinforcing traditional music and the arts in Africa. The video shows Inna Baba Coulibaly, a singer from Nara, and Sekénai Doukara and Djeliba Bah playing their instruments. In the video, they discuss the history of griot singing in Mali, the ngoni instrument, and the importance of valuing humanity over money. The aim of the videos is to highlight musical traditions in Mali with a focus on cultural preservation.
The video itself is beautifully shot, and Inna Baba's performance is a powerful reminder of the enduring strength of her tradition. Check it out below, and stay tuned for more of Instrument 4 Africa's shorts coming in the near future.
Endangered Musical Traditions in Mali: "Now, having money is more important than having one's humanity." From instruments4africa on Vimeo.