Black Atlantic Diaspora and African emigres bring circles of improvisation and heritage to the world.
Coded circles of collective syncrony and improvisation
Abodan Rhythm: the lyrics are a call to gather. In the Agni village by the lagoon, this rhythm is played on indigenous intruments not shown in this video. One resembles a cajon (resonant wooden box) and is struck with the heels of the hands. There are usually many more drummers. Learn more in interviews with Clément Assémian – coming soon!
I commissioned, directed and filmed this performance of Abodan, with 2nd camera by Annabel Andres. It was a pleasure to work with talented Akan culture-bearer Clement who kindly arranged everything else – venue, live percussion, costume. My aim is mimalist, timeless ambiance, to highlight drum-dance dialogue's continuity, aesthetic and beauty. No doubt, the full power of this ritual can only be found at source, in community, and through participation in this call to gather. As the Zimbabwean ethnographer of the Shona Gwerevende Solomon testifies, African dance unites people in Ubuntu, in being together.
Circles of rhythm to celebrate a new life and mutual support among women, emigrées from West Africa to France. What began like a seated sermon by the griot, became a ritual of continuous movement and discussion unlike anything I have experienced before. Joining the party on the spontaneous invitation of my griot friend, I found myself a total outsider – no dress, no cash, no language. I embraced my outsider status by filming rather than dancing. This 16-minute video identifies rhythms, thanks to an interview with the griot Karamoko Sanogo – who also explained aspects of the ritual I had not understood.
On an autumn evening in 2023, a wave of glamour and sound filled a windowless, decorated room next to a wholesale warehouse in suburban Occitanie. Powerful female vocals, live djembe, and synth doun, guitar and kora rumbled from about 10pm to 4am. The Malinke language spoken was Bambara. Long dresses and absence of alcohol hinted at the mainly Muslim attendance, but religion was not overtly invoked. Surrounded by African language, music, dance and fabric, I could have been in Ivory Coast, Mali or Guinea.
The griot vocally leads a continuous flow of collective movement – from sitting to standing, to lining up with gifts of 'pagnes' (fabric) for the new mother, to dancing. To the rhythms, the griot mainly praises the names and family lineages of the guests ('chanter louanges'), addressing each one individually. A euro bill strokes a cheek or is placed in the hand of the godmother or of the griots. As the party warms up, participants throw a dance step or vocal rhythm from their village into the circle, and the griots respond in kind. I heard no French until I was addressed directly, with thanks for taking photos and for volunteering to sweep and mop. As guests departed, I gratefully received a waxed fabric gift from la marraine – this was my welcome.
"NAMA (Sansene foli) Rhythm accompanies the collective field work with the associated mask, region of Kangaba, Mali." – Bourget (2020)
The role of the drum in syncronising Mande collective farm work comes through in the imagery of this dance, as it does in the interview with Karamoko Kone. Musically this brings to mind African American work songs, although of course, dance was incompatible with chain gangs. The Mandé stylising of work gestures into collective performance, percussion and imagery – gives us a glimpse of indigenous cultural coherence – poetic syncrony of social sphere and biosphere.
A YouTube playlist of West African rhythms curated by Karamoko Kone for DecodeNoir.
Kako Kone searches rhythms according to rituals (eg: marriage) and ethnic group names. These names reflect languages, within language regions of ancestral empire or migration such as the Kongo language within wider Bantu language region, or the Soussou within the ancestral Mandé empire language region.
Soussou : Guinè Fare à Conakry
La danse des femmes, appelée Guinè Fare est une danse traditionnelle du groupe ethnique Soussou en Guinée. Ces rythmes sont joués avec des balafons, tambours boté et djembé.
Soninke : Mali
Akan : Abodan Rhythm
Akan talking drum demonstration
Talking drums, voiced, Côte d'Ivoire
Festival de la rue, Bobo Dioulasso,
Burkina Faso.
Guro of Côte d’Ivoire : Zaouli rhythm
(dates from the 1950s)
UNESCO: Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - 2017
Zaouli is a popular music and dance practised by the Guro communities of Côte d’Ivoire. A homage to feminine beauty, Zaouli is inspired by two masks: the Blou and the Djela. The practice combines sculpture, weaving, music and dance. Zaouli conveys the cultural identity of its bearers and promotes social cohesion and environmental preservation.
Guro: Zahouli - Manfla
This video has poor sound/img quality...
but some great dancing of Zaouli in Côte d'Ivoire
Kako: the musicians follow the dancer, his every move is marked.
Mandinka Marriage Rhythms
Kako: Most of the rhythms we (drummers) play originate here, with the women.
Author's note: accompanied by a gourd rattle and chant, dancers shuffle in a circle – formation reminiscent of a Ring Shout. No need to watch the full video as its very long.
Culture-beaers share the stories behind these rhythms