Singing the praises of Mali's griots

Amy Koita: Praise singer

By Ruth Evans

Outside the house an old white horse stands tethered beside a rather newer looking Mercedes.

It is the only sign in this rather ordinary looking unmade street in Mali's capital, Bamako, that someone special lives here - one of Mali's best loved and most revered griot singers, Amy Koita.

When I sing, people expect my songs to have profound meanings

Amy Koita

Griots, or praise singers, are the repository of Mali's past.

They are said to provide this largely illiterate society with it's moral roots, and provide an aural library of Mali's immensely complex and proud culture of great empires that have come and gone.

Members of the noble caste often, even in modern Mali, have a personal praise singer to remind them of their ancestry.

Personal griot

Amadou Maiga, who runs one of Bamako's numerous radio stations, may play hip hop on air, but he is also accompanied to the office each day by his personal griot.

Amadou Maiga: Hip hop DJ with his own personal griot

Dressed in flowing white robes and a red cap, the elderly griot punctuates his day with shrill cries reminding him of his ancestral past and obligations as a noble.

Griots are thought to have strong magical powers and their skills are passed down from one generation to another.

Amy Koita herself is illiterate, but speaking in Bambara through an interpreter she told me that traditionally it was not unusual for women to be griot singers or jelimuso.

"It started with our ancestors. Men would recount history, and the women would sing. My mother and my grandmother still sing."

The songs are no ordinary songs. "When I sing, people expect my songs to have profound meanings," Amy Koita says.

"In the olden days it was like the king having his advisers or counsellors around him. That was the role of the griot."

Mali export

But what is the role of the griot in modern Mali?

Today, music is one of Mali's best known exports with many griots, like Salif Keita, Kandia Koyate and Ali Farke Toure becoming big international stars.

Their music has been popularised and commercialised, and sometimes they can earn much more than their traditional noble patrons.

Despite her enormous popular appeal, Amy Koita still sings about the same things that her mother and grandmother sang about.

"My grandmother sang songs about human nature and gave lessons about what to do and what not to do. My songs use the same themes, but I've also used violin and other western instruments, so the style has changed . They may be played in nightclubs, but still use the same themes as my mother and grandmother's songs."

It isn't a griot's job to criticise, merely to be an upholder of tradition

Amy Koita

The song that helped launch Amy Koita's international career was called "Love".

I asked her whether it is possible for Malian women to talk about love in a situation where marriages are still largely arranged.

"Yes, on the contrary. Love can be talked about because even where there are arranged marriages, it can make people think about forced marriages, and can trigger lessons. I think there has been an evolution in things. In the past there were forced marriages, today less so. When we sing songs like 'Love' it sends out messages to the villages and questions some of those traditions."

Education role

"It isn't a griot's job to criticise, merely to be an upholder of tradition."

"What I would say to young children is think about tomorrow and preserve your traditions," says Amy.

The role of a griot is to tell the truth

Amy Koita

"Our role is to educate people and those who come after will also challenge things that we have accepted. I sing about a lot of things in my songs, about selfishness, about the relationships between men and women and the need to get on, and I also sing about children because you are a child today but an adult tomorrow."

One of the most controversial issues in Mali today is that of female circumcision, and Amy says she would not shy away from addressing even this taboo subject in her songs.

"I am against circumcision and I think its in the interests of society not to practice circumcision. The role of a griot is to tell the truth and I would sing against it, but not in a way that would shock people. You can say the truth, but without hurting people's feelings. There are ways of saying everything."

Amy Koita has received many presents from admirers: money, gifts and even children to bring up in her household.

Such patronage is very liberating as it means she does not have to depend solely on recording contracts and the pressures of commercial sales.

She says there is an important role for griots to play, even in modern Mali.

"The traditional things we are talking about, will not disappear. With help of radios and other modern communications griots will survive."