Sory Kandia Kouyaté (1933–1977) was born into the Kouyaté line of griots who have served as poets, oral historians, advisors and counselors to the Keita dynasty since the 13th century, when Sundiata Keita founded the Mali Empire.
He was from the first generation of singers raised within the griot oral traditions that went on to become frontmen for the popular bands that were springing up in Sekou Touré’s independent Guinea during the 1960’s and 70’s.
Praised as the “Voice of Africa” for his “gale-force vocals”, Kouyaté’s early death at the age of 44 cut short a promising career. In the following years other artists trained within the griot traditions, such as Salif Keita and Mory Kante, would go onto become international stars.
Malisadio is a song from the folklore of West Africa and is set in Bafoulabé, a town located in south-western Mali. Bafoulabé means “meeting of two rivers”, referring to the Bafing and Bakoy rivers that meet to create the Sénégal River that forms the border between Senegal and Mauritania.
One of the inhabitants of these rivers is the hippopotamus, a formidable, powerful animal that is hunted for it’s meat, ivory and the thick hide that can be used for making shields and whips.
From Bafoulabé several myths about a legendary hippopotamus and his interactions with the inhabitants of the town have been preserved within the Mande jeliw oral traditions. Various artists have recorded their own versions of the story under the title, Malisadio.
Although there are many variations of the Malisadio legend, the common theme is the friendship that develops between a young woman who washes her clothes or dishes at the river in Bafoulabé, and the hippopotamus that resides within the river. In some tellings of this tale the relationship blossoms into a romance with the young woman becoming pregnant, leading a jealous hunter to slay the hippo.
The interpretations of the myth change according to the jeli performing the story and what elements they choose to emphasise. Kouyaté’s Malisadio is a song that sympathises with the innocence of lovers who cannot escape the judgement of society and the tragic consequences that can result from this.
My thanks to Wilfred Willey for the translation from Malinke into English.
Malisadio
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
A man can feel love for another man
They can carry on loving each other
And no one would give that any other meaning
A woman can love another woman
They can carry on loving each other
And no one would give that any other meaning
But when a man feels love for a woman
And they try to live loving each other
People will always find something to say
Even the most innocent of love stories
Will be judged by today’s society
I say, even the purest of love stories
Will not escape judgement from society
She fell into the grip of love
The woman with beautiful white teeth
Could not escape the grip of love
He fell into the grip of love
The man with a long neck
Could not escape the grip of love
People will gladly follow their loved ones
People will gladly settle down with their loved ones
The way we recovered our dignity
Was all down to people coming together
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Love does not start from the head
So the feet cannot entangle you in it
Whatever can spoil love
Distance can destroy love
Whatever can ruin love
Death can ruin love
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Oh Sadio, the hippopotamus from Bafoulabe
Sadio, Sadio, Sadio the hippopotamus.
This is a transcript of the lyrics in the original Malinke language.
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Kè ba kani kè, kè ba kani kè
Kè ni kè y’i la kani kèla
Kòrò tè lala kani na
Muso ba kani kè, muso ba kani kè
Muso ni muso y’i la kani kèla
Kòrò tè lala kani na
Kè ba kani kè, kè ba kani kè
Kè ni muso y’i la kani kèla
Kòrò ye lala kani na
Ali kòrò tè kani min na
Bi mòo ye kòrò si la kani o la
N’ko ni kòrò tè kani min na
Bi mòo ye kòrò si la kani na
Tonin kanima
Nyinkisènigbè tonin kanima
Tonin kanima
Kanfalaninjan tonin kanima
Mòo ye wala mòo le fè n’fa
Mòo y’i siila mòo le fè
N’ulu kòni na hòrònya sòrònya
Bèe ma sòròle mòo le fè
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
N’kun ma deri la
Sen tè sen bilala derirò
Fènfèn ma deri goya
Tala le ka deri o goya
Fènfèn ma deri kasa
Saya le ka deri o kasa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, Sadio mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali Sadio, bafilabè mali saaa
Aaaaah mali saaaa, bafilabè mali saaaaaa
Saaaadio, saaaadio, saaaaadio mali saaaaaa.
Performed by Sory Kandia Kouyaté
from his album Grand Prix Du Disque,
Bolibana Collection (1970).
Translation by Wilfred Willey.
