Tradition, Transnational Connections, and Teaching through Sunjata’s Story

This article presents an interview with Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté, Lassana Diabaté, and Chérif Keita - a conversation facilitated by Ely Lyonblum, at the time a Research Assistant with Marcia Ostashewski at Cape Breton University’s for the Singing Storytellers Symposium. Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté is a jalimuso (female griot) who descends from a prestigious lineage of oral performers and wordsmiths from the village of Kéla in Southern Mali. Lassana Diabaté is a balafon player originally from Republic of Guinea who moved to Mali at a young age and is recognized as one of the best players of jali bala (the balafon of the Mande griots). Jali/Djeli and jalimuso often learn techniques and repertoire through extended familial networks of musicians within Mande society that often cross national boundaries. The two musicians discuss their musical upbringings, the importance of epics like the Sunjata Fasa in Mande culture, and the effect that new technologies have on musical performance and historical narrative. Chérif Keita acted as translator for the interview and provides an introduction to this article.