Salif Keïta’s melancholy song of praise for the first president of Guinea, Sékou Touré, was composed at a time when both the artist and the president felt under siege.
Salif Keïta had fled his homeland, Mali, and crossed the border into Guinea in the middle of the night to escape from president Moussa Traoré’s secret police. Traoré had led the coup d’état which overthrew the Socialist President Modibo Keïta in 1968. In common with many military leaders who seized power this way, Moussa Traoré now saw plots being hatched all around him, leading to the imprisonment of previous allies and suspicion of anyone with popular influence.
However, Guinea’s political situation mirrored that of Mali’s in many ways with Sékou Touré displaying the same paranoid dictatorial tendencies as Moussa Traoré. Sékou Touré had come to power in 1958, sixty years after the death of his great grandfather, Samory Touré, who had led the fight against French colonial rule in West Africa from 1882 until his capture in 1898. Sékou Touré’s father grew up in Mali and it has been claimed that he moved to Guinea after elders within the hunter’s society prophesied that a great son, who would surpass Samory Touré, would be born to him there. (1)
Sékou Touré’s attempt to unite the country against France led some ethnic groups, who held important offices within the colonial administration, to perceive this as an attempt to reduce their power. After an alleged Fulani plot to assassinate Touré was disclosed in 1976, Diallo Telli, a cabinet minister, was arrested and sent to prison, where he died without trial in November of that year. The following year saw riots, in which three regional governors were killed, triggered by Sékou Touré’s harsh clampdown on unauthorised trading. It’s against this backdrop that the somber lyrics of “Mandjou” are performed.
Sékou Touré had invited Keita to the capital Conakry in 1976 and made him an officer of Guinea’s National Order of Merit. But the motivation for writing this praise-song was more than just out of gratitude to a leader who offered shelter and protection to Salif Keïta at a dangerous time. The song is also an expression of Sékou Touré’s philosophy of authenticité which encouraged African musicians, writers, and artists to “look at the past” for their inspiration in creating modern compositions using western instruments and technologies.
The influences of Cuban and Congolese rumba rhythms and the organ, electric guitars and brass, are arranged in the unmistakable style of the traditional griot performance as Salif Keïta praises Sékou Touré as the worthy descendant of great ancestors.
Mandjou
Mandjou, don’t cry
Son of Alpha Touré, don’t cry (2)
Mandjou, don’t cry
Son of Mother Minata Fadiga, don’t cry (3)
Mandjou, don’t cry
Andrée Touré’s husband, don’t cry
Mandjou, don’t cry
André Madou’s father, don’t cry
I’ve come with hope; it’s not yet time to cry
Mandjou, God knows you are right like gold.
Mandjou, don’t cry
Son of Alpha Touré, don’t cry
Mandjou, don’t cry
Little Minata’s father, don’t cry
The world was created around hope; it’s not yet time to cry
Mandjou, God knows you are right like gold.
Mandjou, people boast about their fathers
God has already blessed you with that
Mandjou, parents boast about their children in this world everyday
God has already blessed you with that
Mandjou, the righteous boast about their righteousness, I’m not joking
God has already blessed you with that
Mandjou, don’t cry
Son of Alpha Touré, don’t cry
André Madou’s father, don’t cry
The death of a man with no grey hair hurts more; it’s not yet time to cry
Mandjou, God knows you are right like gold.
I’m calling on the Toure lineage
Can’t you see Mandjou’s great accomplishments
I’m calling on the brave men
Fun and hard work go hand in hand
But fun will give way, one cannot help it.
Son of Alpha Touré, the male hyena
True! Minata Fadiga’s son.
Mandjou works hard at dawn
Mandjou works hard in the dark of the night
Mandjou works hard in the morning time
Mandjou works hard at sunset
I’m calling on the brave warriors; truth is, no one can know God
I’m calling on the male hyena today, the male hyena today.
Whether it rains or not
The soursop tree always bears fruit
You are the soursop tree growing in the water streams and rivers.
Ramata and Siaka’s older brother
Nunkumba’s older brother, good afternoon to you
Mamadou’s father, good afternoon to you
Oh male hyenas, power is best in Mandjou’s hands
He was proven right in many places
I’m talking about the strong man
A son of Alpha Touré’s family
Who is generous to both friends and foes.
Your grandfather was victorious in Miniambalandougou (4)
Your grandfather was not defeated in the battle of Sikasso
Your grandfather came out victorious in the battle of Woyowayanko.
If you dare attack Mandjou
He will batter you beyond recognition
Oh brave warriors, all agreed that papa was right
Truth is best with Mandjou, no one can know God
Minata Fadiga’s son, warrior men
Oh papa, nobody can learn the mysteries of this world
Brave men, power is best in Mandjou’s hands
A son of Alpha Touré’s family; such a joy to praise his name.
Touré the erudite (5)
Master of the word
Diané the erudite
Cissé the erudite
Bérété the erudite.
Mandjou, the master of the word
Mandjou, holder of the truth
Mandjou the good neighbour
Mandjou the good husband
Mandjou the good lover
I’m calling on the brave men; the world is old
I’m calling on the hyena today, calling on the hyena today
No doubt papa is right, hyena from Alpha Touré’s family
Who is generous with both friends and foes.
Papa, a woman’s hope is her beloved husband
She can count on Mandjou
Wild animals rely on the bushes to hide, God
They can count on Mandjou
Papa, fish rely on the deep waters of the river
They can count on Mandjou
Papa, birds rely on the tree branches to rest and nest
They can count on Mandjou
A child relies on their mother for comfort
They can count on Mandjou
Papa, the entire world relies on the creator
It can count on Mandjou.
Mandjou, don’t cry
Son of Alpha Touré, don’t cry
Mandjou, don’t cry
Son of Mother Minata Fadiga, don’t cry
I’ve come with hope; it’s not yet time to cry
Mandjou, God knows you are right like gold.
Mandjou, people boast about their fathers
God has already blessed you with that
Mandjou, parents boast about their children in this world everyday
God has already blessed you with that
Mandjou, don’t cry
Son of Alpha Touré, don’t cry
Mandjou, don’t cry
I’ve come with hope; it’s not yet time to cry
Mandjou, God knows you are right like gold
God knows you are right like gold
God knows you are right like gold
Here are the lyrics in the original Maninka.
Mandjou
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Alifa Turela den kana kasi
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Na Minata Fadiga den kana kasi
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Andere Ture kè kana kasi
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Andere Madu fa kana kasi
Ne nani jigiya le ma kasi tuma ma se
Mandjou, Ala Mandjou jo sanu jo ye.
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Alifa Turela den kana kasi
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Minatacini fa i kana kasi
Duniya dani jigi le ma n’fa kasi tuma ma se
Mandjou, Ala Mandjou jo sanu jo ye.
Mandjou, fatigi bè fa ko waso la
Fama Ala y’o k’i ye
Mandjou, dentigi ye denko waso la duniya lon o lon
Fama Ala y’o k’i ye
Mandjou, tonyatigi ye tonyako waso la tolonkuma tè
Fama Ala y’o k’i ye
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Alifa Turela den kana kasi
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Andere Madu fa kana kasi
Sifin na saya mandi n’fa kasi tuma ma se
Mandjou, Ala Mandjou jo sanu jo ye.
Subaaaa eeeeh Ture
Alu ma ye Mandjou bara baara bi
Nale jata kèmannu
Tolon ni sobè bèn kadi
Tolon bè la sobèrò, i se tè.
Alifa Turela den nama kèman
Tonya, Na Minata Fadiga denkè.
Fayiridala Mandjou bara baara bi
Subadibila Mandjou baarala
Wuraterela papa bara kocaman kè
Sògòmadala jula bara baara
Fitiridala nama bara baara
Nale jata kèmannu, tonya Ala tè lònna
Ne bè nama ma bi, n’bè nama ma bi.
San nana sunsun ye denna
San mana ja sunsun ye denna, aaah Ture
Kòtèma sunsun ani batèma sunsun.
Aramata kòròkè, Siaka kòròkè
Nunkunba kòrò i ni wurala
Mamadu fa i ni wurala
Aaah nama kèmannu fanka bènni Mandjou le rò
Jo dile Mandjou ma yòrò siaman
Ah ne kan ye dabi le ma
Alifa Turela den, nyin sòn ni jugu sòn.
Miniyambalandugu kèlè ma goya i benbakèla n’fa
Sikaso kèlè ma goya i benbala
Woyowayanko kèlè ma goya i benbala.
N’ko n’i bilara Mandjou le ra
A di so bad’i la lònbayalafili
Aaah jata kèmannu, jo di le papa le ma
Tonya bènni Mandjou la Ala tè lònna
Minata Fadiga den, jata kèlu
Aah papa aaah duniya tè lònna
Nale jata kèmannu fanka bènni Mandjou le rò
Alifa Turela den nama kili kadi sa.
Ture mandemori
Kuma mandemori
Jane mandemori
Sise mandemori
Berete mandemori.
Kuma Mandjou
Tonya Mandjou
Hakili Mandjou
Siginyòonyuman Mandjou
Furunyòonyuman Mandjou
Kanunyòonyuman Mandjou
Nale jata kèmannu, tonya bi ma dunya da
Ne bè nama ma bi, n’bè nama ma
Ja jo dile papa le ma, Alifa Turela nama
Nyin sòn ni jugu sòn.
Muso jigi y’a fudukè bèrè di, papa
A jii ye Mandjou le di
Sogo jigi ye wulaba kònò di, Ala
A jii ye Mandjou le di
Jèkè jigi ye bafaji di, papa
A jii ye Mandjou le di
Kònò jigi ye yiribolo di, papa
A jii ye Mandjou le di
Woloden jigi y’a wolona bèrè di, Ala
A jii ye Mandjou le di
Duniya jigi ye dali mansa di, papa
A jii ye Mandjou le di.
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Alifa Turela den kana kasi
Manju wo i kana kasi,
Na Minata Fadiga den kana kasi
Ne nani jigiya le ma kasi tuma ma se
Mandjou, Ala Mandjou jo sanu jo ye.
Mandjou, fatigi bè fako waso la
Fama Ala y’o k’i ye
Mandjou, dentii ye denko waso la duniya lon o lon
Fama Ala y’o k’i ye
Mandjou wo i kana kasi,
Alifa Turela den kana kasi
Ne nani jigiya le ma kasi tuma ma se
Mandjou, Ala Mandjou jo sanu jo ye
Ala Mandjou jo sanu jo ye
Ala Mandjou jo sanu jo ye.
Performed by Salif Keïta and Ambassadeur International,
from the album Mandjou,
Amons LP (1978).
Translation by Wilfred Willey.
Footnotes
- The author, Manthia Diawara recounts a conversation with a cabdriver in Guinea who told him the following story about Alifa Touré:
“Sékou Touré had derived his magic from his father, Alifa Touré, who had been a great sorcerer. Alifa Touré had come from Mali, and had moved to Guinea because he knew that a great son would be born to him there. Alifa Touré had known that he would have to make a big sacrifice to the gods to prepare for the arrival of the child, who was predestined to be a great ruler. The elders of the cult of hunters in Mali, who were masters at predicting the future and seeing beyond space and time, had recommended the sacrifice of sixty black bulls, after declaring that Farana was to be the birthplace of the future ruler, who would be greater than Samory Touré. Alifa Touré had been a poor man and could not afford to sacrifice sixty bulls. But as if possessed by uncontrollable forces, he had left Mali on foot, and, after walking many miles through several cities and villages, had settled in Farana, where he had become a butcher. Every time he had slaughtered a black bull, he had given away the left hind thigh to the oldest lady in Farana. He had stashed away a bundle of sixty sticks, and every time he had sacrificed the left hind thigh of a black bull, he had pulled out one stick, until there had been none left. Then he had married Aminata Fadiga, Sékou Touré’s mother.”
(In Search of Africa p 82, Harvard University Press 1998). - Alpha Touré: Refers to Sékou Touré’s father, Alifa Touré.
- Aminata Fadiga, Sékou Touré’s mother.
- This is in reference to Samory Touré, Sékou Touré’s grandfather who founded the Wassoulou empire in 1878 and led the resistance to the French colonial invasion. He defeated the French troops in 1882 in the battle of Woyowayanko, an area in the south of Bamako on the road leading to Guinea.
- The four family names: Touré, Diané, Cissé and Bérété represent the four clans tasked with dealing with education and religious matters in Mandé empire as prescribed by its founder Sunjata Keita in Kurukan Fuga where the Charter of Mandé was drafted in c.1236.
