There have been a couple of excellent radio/podcast shows broadcast in the past month that I thought readers of this site will enjoy.
The first is a treat for lovers of the music and oral poetry traditions of Mali, brought to us by Afropop Worldwide. Professor Chérif Keïta (teacher of Francophone literature of Africa and the Caribbean at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota) expertly guides us through the early history of Mali, up through the end of the 20th century, told through the music of the country’s great musical artists, Salif Keita, Toumani Diabate, Ali Farka Toure and others.
As well as covering the music of Mali, Professor Keïta also explores the history of the djeli or griot poets. We discover the origins of the oral poetry traditions in Mali and the role the djeli played in the development of the Mali Empire.
The second is from the podcast 2centspnf presented by Lindsay Thebe. In this episode Lindsay guides us through an introduction to the poetry of Ghana, covering the ancient and pre-colonial oral traditions through to modern day poets, including an interview with frequent contributor to AfricanPoems Adjei Agyei-Baah.
