cd:

By Elisabeth den Otter

Mamou Thiero is a singer living in the Somono fishermen quarter of Thierola,

situated on the shore of the Niger river in the village of Kirango, 35 km from

Ségou.

She sings at the occasion of masquerades, weddings, baptisms, etc. On this cd,

she sings alone, without a microphone, accompanying herself rhythmically on

a half-calabash.

Her songs praise the great Bozo /Somono hunters and fishermen, mentioning

their lineage, the animals they have killed (hippopotamus, crocodile, manatee)

or captured (Nile perch, dog-fish), as well as the villages where they live or have

lived (Kirango, Ségou, Koulikoro, etc.).

Other important themes are: good relationships between people, persons that

support others, and death.

The titles and short descriptions of the 17 songs can be found inside this cover.

Duration: 55 minutes.

N.B.: The liner notes of the CD are in French.

➤ If you want to know more about the song texts, and listen to some sound

fragments, click here.

With thanks to Mamou Thiero, as well as Moussa Diakité and Lassine Sidibé

(transcription, translation, and analysis of the songs).

Recordings, texts, photos and production: Elisabeth den Otter