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Mamady Keïta's - A musical biography

Balandougou is a small, quiet village whose inhabitants are peasants and earn their livelihood with farming. The women also trade a little in vegetables, fabrics, etc.

Mamady says: "At the time when I was born the village was under colonial government. We children were afraid of the colonizers because they came with their Jeeps and without explaining took the bigger boys with them - they were abducted and put in the French Army Some of them we never saw again [...] As long as I can remember I have been told that I was born a drummer Before my birth a soothsayer had announced to my mother that her son would be well known all over the world in all four cardinal directions. My talent was evi­dent from very early on since I always rhythmically tapped on everything that Icouldfind When I was two years oldI was given my first own little djembe which I always had with me; I even took it to bed with me.[...]

I seriously learned to play when I was five and my parents took me to the diembefola of the village for instruction and training. My teacher Karindkajan Conde was not a famous musician. He lived as a simplefarmer in our village. But he was a true master who had practised the tradition and the magic of this instrument since many years. A master, a djembefola, must know all rhythms and know exactly when what is played and why Add to that the sounds of the d]embe, and all of this a master hands down to only one pupil who gives himself wholly and totally to the djembe.
My master knew the seven secrets of the d]embe and initiated me into these secrets: that was and is a great honor for me, and at the same time a big responsibility.

Another important quality of the djembe are its healing effects, and how you can achieve strength and precision in playing the drum; and certain magical practises, for example as a protection against bad influences. Of course here in the western world one has to be very careful with these things since they are not imbedded in the tradition.

http://www.pragmasoft.be/Mamady/