When I question if writing matters... if singing matters... if spitting poetry matters... if the voice matters... affirmations like this help me: From *African Music* by Francis Bebey (1973) Musical tradition is making a serious attempt to keep abreast of the times and many current events are regularly set to music. The following song is a typical example of this kind of adaptation: Listen to me, you people whose land is poor; you people who can only rely on hunting to stay alive. Dont be impatient: the development plan will bring you irrigation and fertilizers to improve the soil. When all this has been achieved, you people will have to roll up your sleeves and work the land, to grow the grain which will give you a better life. You will have to organize cooperatives to ensure that your products are carefully controlled and sold at a fair price. (Inchallah, Senegal, la musique des griots) This is an authentic griot song, performed by a young woman with a most delightful voice. Its total lack of poetry may appear mildly amusing, unless we stop to consider the far-reaching consequences it may have. It is no mean achievement if traditional music can convey in a harmonious and artistic manner the angular and sometimes difficult, modern message of the leaders to their people.
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 18:03:09 +0000
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