L’Orchestre Kanaga De Mopti take their name from the Kanaga mask worn by members of the Awa Society of Masks, an initiatory society of the Dogon people of Mali.
The orchestra leader, Sorry Bamba (1938–2022), was born in Mopti, a town in the Inner Niger Delta region of Mali. He turned to music at the age of 10 after the passing of his parents, finding solace in playing a six-holed flute, imported from France, which was gifted to him by a friend. (1)
As a young man he explored the surrounding regions of Mopti, studying the music from the Niger River, the Fulani camps, and the Bandiagara cliffs in the heart of Dogon Country. Bamba gained the elders’ approval to perform the music of the Dogon ceremonies and named his group after the Dogon ceremonial mask that symbolizes Amma, the supreme creator god in the Dogon religion. (2)
Kanaga masks are worn at rituals called dama, whose goal is to transport the souls of deceased family members away from the village and to enhance the prestige of the deceased and his descendants by magnificent masked performances and generous displays of hospitality.
Art of the Dogon
Kate Ezra
Metropolitan Museum of Art (1988)
“Gambari” certainly enhances the prestige of an individual who otherwise appears to have been lost to history. In the opening monologue we hear Sékou Djankoumba proclaiming that this song was composed by the griot of the Fula King, Hamparé Hamadi Yara. I have been unable to find any information about Hamadi Yara, but the song describes him as a member of the Jogoramé people.
Sékou Djankoumba describes the journey King Hamparé Hamadi Yara made from Kounari in the Mopti region of Mali to Macina, a town approximately 100 miles south. His griot, Heménè Pattal, accompanies him and upon their arrival in Macina begins playing a praise-song titled “Gambari.” Captivated by this composition, Hamadi Yara commissions his griot to make it the exclusive soundtrack for himself and the Jogoramé people.
While deeply rooted in traditional music, L’Orchestre Kanaga De Mopti also incorporated electric guitars, synthesizers, a horn section, and amplified percussion into their arrangements of classical tunes. “Gambari” is the first track from their album, Kanaga De Mopti, recorded in July 1976 at the Radio Mali recording studio in Bamako.
My thanks to Djoliba Translation & Language Services ([email protected]) for the translation and transcription that follows.
Gambari
Well…
Brothers and sisters, speakers of Fulfulde, (3)
Listen and listen again to how the story of “Gambari” came to be
It’s me, Sékou Djankoumba, who will explain to you how “Gambari” came about
It is to the Fula King Hamparé Hamadi Yara that “Gambari” was offered,
And it is to him that “Gambari” belongs.
So…
Hamadi left Kounari to go to Macina accompanied by his Griot (4)
When they arrived, the inhabitants of Macina welcomed him and his companions.
His Griot started playing music,
He played over and over one particular piece of praising
Hamadi Yara asked his griot what this folk passage was called
He replied that it was called “Gambari”
He said:
“Well, I’ll buy it…
I’m not going to let it be played for anyone else
except for the Jogoramé people who, like me, are my father’s children…
And then, no one will hear and be affected by it
as a Jogoramé like me would be…”
Heménè Pattal then started praising Hamadi Yara: (5)
“Master of masters, a great true Yara,
generous patron of the griots and the beggars,
no one else will hear this praise song
except the real Jogoramé people like you,
children of your father…”
Well…
How strong Hamadi Yara was!
How strong Hamadi Yara was!
One’s life is measured by the work accomplished
But receive “Gambari”
And listen to “Gambari”
To whom “Gambari” was sung and offered?
“Gambari” was sung and offered to Hamparé
And he bought it for all the Jogoramé people
Hamparé was missed in Kounari
Hamparé was missed in Macina
Anyone who leaves will never come back (6)
They really felt Hamadi’s absence…
One’s life is only measured by their finished work,
and this is Hamadi’s legacy…
He was confident, admired, respected
He was honourable, righteous, brave
Kounari forgave you Hamadi.
He was confident, admired, respected
He was honourable, righteous, brave
Macina forgave you Hamadi
One’s life is measured by the work accomplished
But receive “Gambari”
And listen to “Gambari”
To whom “Gambari” was sung and offered?
“Gambari” was sung and offered to Hamparé
And he bought it for all the Jogoramé people
Hamparé was missed in Kounari
Hamparé was missed in Macina
Anyone who leaves will never come back
They really felt Hamadi’s absence…
One’s life is only measured by their finished work,
and this is Hamadi’s legacy…
Here are the lyrics in the original Fulani.
Gambari
Mojji…
Banndiraabe nanoobe Fulfulde kedee keetinee
No “Gambari” waardi
Miin Sekou Jamkummba warta jantanaade on no “Gambari” waardi
Hammpare Hammadi Yara
Kanko jey “Gambari” kanko seekana “Gambari”
Mojji…
Nde Hammpare iwnoo Kounaari tiidi yaade Macina kortungu omo wondi e bambaajo makko
Nde be jettinoo Macina
Macinakoobe tilminiimo kannko e jaama makko
Bammbaajo makko hiilni ana hoda gaatchi muudum
Ana hoda ana hoda
O wii Hemene hono ndee wudere ndai wiyaitai
O wii ndee wiyaitai “Gambari”
O wii mojji mi soodi nde mi yidaa ndu nde fewnanee goodo
So wonaa jaawanɗo hono am bii babaajo am
Kooni aduna fay gooto nanantaama nde so wonaa jaawando hono maada
Hemene Paatal jaabi Hammadi Yara nangoore Yara guu faardu
Dokkoowo gnamakala e gaagotoobe mo dokkal mum tayaa e gnaignebe
Fay gooto nanantaama ndai sowanaa jaawando hono maada bii babaajo mada.
Mojji…
Eh ngalla jeebe no Hammadi Yaarata
Eh ngalla jeebe no Hammadi Yaarata
Anye dugna ye gnalaande na
Dum ndaardumi laamdo mbaawdo
Anye dugna gnalaande na
Jaabe naanne “Gambari”
Jaabe keede “Gambari”
Homo sekaana “Gambari”
Hammpare sekaana “Gambari”
Somo soodanii jaawambe fu
Kounaari yeewamaa Hammadi
Macina yeewaama Hammadi
Jaado kala wartataa badaaa
Jaawambe duwiimi Hammadi
Anye dugna ye gnalaande na
Ni golle nani ko Hammadi gollanoo
Laamdo hinna mo yafoomo
Ko kolaado korsindo dambe mum
Ko koolniido kersindo waybe mum
Kounaari yafiima Hammadi
Ko kolaado korsindo dambe mum
Ko koolniido kersindo waybe mum
Macina yafiima Hammpare
Anye dugna ye gnalaande na
Jaabe naane “Gambari”
Jaabe kedee “Gambari”
Homo sekaana “Gambari”
Hammpare sekaana “Gambari”
Somo soodanii jaawambe fu
Kounaari yeewaama Hammadi
Macina yeewaama Hammadi
Jaado kala wartataa badaa
Jaawambe duwiimi Hammadi
Anye dugna gnalaande na ni golle nani ko Hammadi gollanoo
Laamdo hinnomo yafoomo.
by L’Orchestre Kanaga De Mopti,
Syllart Records
Transcribed and translated by Djoliba Translation & Language Services.
Footnotes
- https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/apr/21/sorry-bamba-mali-pop
- https://www.africanews.com/2020/11/16/sory-bamba-mali-s-unsung-music-legend/
- Fulfulde: Another name for the Fulani language.
- Kounari: A name that can refer to the Mopti region or even the whole of central Mali.
- Heménè Pattal: The name of the griot who accompanied Hamparé Hamadi Yara, from Kounari.
- A reference here to death.
