Percussions.org

[François Kokelaere]

It should indeed be considered that Guinea is the only country of Africa to be had more than forty years of history of the ballet. All the major national ballets of West Africa were inspired famous Guinean ballets (Ballets Africains, Ballet Djoliba). Twenty-six years of marxism (Sékou Touré 1958-1984) did nothing but strengthen this genuine culture very specific to Guinea.

The major inventors and designers of years 70 had a panafrican vision of their art which advocated the meeting and the pluriethnism. This vision resulting from the movement of the "négritude" generated sure artists of their identity and who do not have any problem to adapt to specific techniques of the "theatre to Italian". It acts there of a genuine "African contemporary art" which only has relation to the ancestral tradition its inspiration. The artists, who are immersed permanently in the traditional middle in which they take part daily while playing in the popular or ritual ceremonies, pass from the one to the other without state of individual soul. They live their scenic benefits like one of the elements of their situation of professional musician whose life is argued around the repetitions of the group, of the "sabars" (popular festivals), of the ritual ceremonies and shows of the troop at the country or in international rounds.

The artists of Wofa ! bathed, on the one hand, in this considerable artistic heritage and moreover, in very present traditional culture still in Low-Coast. Perhaps is it to seek in this very individual cultural environment, the fact that the Guinean artists point themselves throughout the world by their original and coherent artistic step, which tries to connect, without rupture, the past and the present in contemporary Africa in full change?

The artistic step : a genuine concept

The artistic step of Wofa ! is based on some simple principles which be ablenot be dissociated from the operating mode of the group. It should indeed be considered that the music which it practises be ablenot function, on this level of quality, which if the musicians "clearly understand"; to the literal meaning as to the illustrated direction. The very individual breathing of the Guinean polyrythmies is fragile and less tension between the artists is felt immediately in music. The principal matter remains the traditional rhythms but reconsidered, rearranged in a more contemporary way with contribution of nuance of play than does not require the traditional play. Scenography comes to stress displacements, movements, attitudes, volumes which exist already naturally.

The light puts in shades, insinuates, watch without revealing, a plastic which is self-sufficient itself. A "African" aesthetics in the spirit, which tends to develop the essence of its specific character.

Wofa ! wants to escape the exotic "clichés" of the type, to pass the caricatural images and reducing associates with the dancing and African percussion, without for misrepresenting its contents as much or gumming its strength, its smoothness connected with elegance of its gestural and while keeping its most spectacular aspects. The energy which request play of percussions not being incompatible with breathings and moments of calm, melodies, songs so also that the Western witness, little to this culture, does not suffocate in front of a plethora of information.

François Kokelaere