Media :
Availability:
Available to listen.
Last broadcast on Sat, 15 Jan 2005, 15:00 on BBC Radio 3 (see all broadcasts).
Synopsis
Lucy Duran is in the West African Republic of Mali to celebrate the life and music of one of Africa's best loved divas: Oumou Sangare. Lucy travels to the remote region of Wasulu in search of Oumou’s roots, and talks to this iconic African about her music, her background and the controversial subject of women’s rights.
Oumou Sangare
Oumou Sangare in Yanfolila being entertained by hunters' music.
Wasulu Hunter Musicians
Amara Sangare (middle) and Modibo Sidebe (right) playing the donsongoni (Wasulu hunters harp)
Hunter Musicians
Hunter musicians playing the Karinyan (metal scraper).
MALI’S SONGBIRD, OUMOU SANGARÉ
Read Lucy Duran's essay 'Radio as research: fresh perspectives on Oumou Sangaré’s music'
Music and featured items
Timings are shown from the start of the programme in hours and minutes.
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Chapter 1
00:00
The programme is dedicated to one of Africa’s most iconic singer known as the ‘Songbird’ of Wasulu, Mali’s most remote southern region - Oumou Sangare, celebrating the release of her new album.
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Music Played
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Oumou Sangaré
— Maladon
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00:03
Oumou Sangare and villagers — Untitled Song
BBC Recording on Location -
Chapter 2
00:03
We hear Oumou singing with local villagers. Then she tells us about her mother, and about polygamy and sings a song she wrote about her mother.
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Music Played
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Oumou Sangaré
— Magnoumako
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Chapter 3
00:09
Oumou tells about her career development from a poor singer at street parties, via a singer in an experimental group thus breaking the Griot tradition, to her solo career.
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Music Played
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Oumou Sangaré
— Diaraby Nene
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Chapter 4
00:14
Oumou is on a voyage back to her musical and family roots in Wasulu which she visited only 5 times before. Lucy tells us about the hunters and their roles as philosophers, sorcerers and diviners.
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Music Played
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Oumou Sangaré
— Choukelefoli
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Chapter 5
00:19
Lucy and Oumou in the remote village Dusujana in the Wasulu region with a group of hunters, who gather under a tree and sing the rare and ancient hunters’ music.
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Music Played
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00:19
Hamara Sangare and his group of Hunters from Dusujana — Mankan Ba
BBC Recording on Location -
00:24
Hamara Sangare and his group of Hunters from Dusujana — Democratie
BBC Recording on Location
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Chapter 6
00:26
Lucy and Oumou with the women at a compound of an extended family in the village. Oumou sings about the hard life of the women and about the cultural and religious issues related to their life.
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Music Played
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Oumou Sangaré
— Sigi Kuruni
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Chapter 7
00:31
Lucy in an outdoor party with a traditional youth group playing the typical kamalengoni (the youth harp that Oumo Sangare uses as the basis of her music on stage).
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Music Played
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00:31
Kamalengoni group in Yanfolila — Bouba Diakite
BBC Recording on Location
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Chapter 8
00:36
The highlight of Lucy and Oumou’s visit to Wasulu –a special masquerade called sogoninkun, (“the little antelope head”), which Oumou remembers from her childhood.
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00:37
Unknown group of musicians — Masquerade music
BBC Recording on Location -
Chapter 9
00:42
Back in Bamako, we hear Oumou’s nightclub hit in Bamako “Yala”. Oumu Sangare expresses her views against female excision, polygamy and sings a song about polygamy where she warns young Malian women.
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Music Played
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Oumou Sangaré
— Yala
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Oumou Sangaré — Dugu Kamalemba
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Chapter 10
00:52
Lucy sums up the programme on a canoe on the Niger river with Oumou Sangare’s beautiful song “Djorolen” ending the programme.
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Music Played
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Oumou Sangaré
— Djorolen
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Broadcasts
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Sat 20 Sep 200315:00
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Sat 15 Jan 200515:00
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