Rhythm called Wula?

[Rhythmtree]

Does anyone know where to find notation or info on a rhythm called Wula? It was being played for a Youssouf Koumbassa dance class at camp Mabina last week. Really fun rhythm but I've totally forgotten how it went and can't find any info about it anywhere.

[Dugafola]

it sounds exactly like dibon on Famoudou Konate's malinke rhythms and songs volume 1. dibon is in the kassa family of rhythms.

i remember YK saying that wula is/was a full moon dance celebration.

[Rhythmtree]

Awesome. Thanks Dugafola. I have a few versions of dibon that I'll check out.
~Bruce

[Rhythmtree]

I lucked out last weekend and Famoudou taught dibon 6 at his workshop in Phoenix. Later i asked him if Dibon 2 was the same rhythm as Wula. Mamady and Famoudou said they had never heard of a rhythm named wula, and when Amara Mansare sang the dunun/sangaban parts that we played for Yousouf's Wula class Famoudou said that rhythm was indeed Dibon 2. I think that maybe Wula is just the name of the dance then? Dibon 6 was really a fun rhythm to play too. Cool background story on how the rhythm is based off of bird calls.
~Bruce

[Dugafola]

I lucked out last weekend and Famoudou taught dibon 6 at his workshop in Phoenix. Later i asked him if Dibon 2 was the same rhythm as Wula. Mamady and Famoudou said they had never heard of a rhythm named wula, and when Amara Mansare sang the dunun/sangaban parts that we played for Yousouf's Wula class Famoudou said that rhythm was indeed Dibon 2. I think that maybe Wula is just the name of the dance then? Dibon 6 was really a fun rhythm to play too. Cool background story on how the rhythm is based off of bird calls.
~Bruce

nice. i'm not surprised that MK and FK said they've never heard of Wula. seems like an adapted rhythm from the coastal region of guinea. i'll ask Yousouff when i see him at camp.

[Afoba]

It's an upper guinean rhythm, that Mansa calls Kondenabendundun (I know what you are talking about from the name "Dibon 2" that Famoudou uses. I've never heard "Wula" (="distance"?)).

Not the best version, but the one I found on youtube:


well, Casamance version with an old Lafè arrangement from CKY (Famoudou?) and the sangban player turns around the rhythm everytime he plays a long variation.

But to get an idea...

Greetings and best wishes,
D