beautiful words by the masters (famoudou, mamady...)

[davidognomo]

Famoudou explaining why he chose not to live in europe like "the others"

[michi]

Famoudou explaining why he chose not to live in europe like "the others

Seems like you posted the wrong link.

Michi.

[davidognomo]

thanks, michi.

"I didn't want to stay in Europe... Like the others, that are there. I haven't wanted it... I've prefered to live in Africa than in Europe. 1) I've allways loved my family a lot, my parents. I love them dearly. Even at the capital, Conacry, I say that if God gives me a long life, when I'm an old man, I want to die at my tiny village, where there are no vehicles, there are no airplanes - one doesn't even listen the sound of airplanes - there are no trains. Our vehicle is the bicycle. And my village is truly a small beautiful place where one cannot make "business", at all, at all... Well... I love this small village. Everytime I come to Guinea, I can travel within my region for at least five times... Several times I go there (Sangbarala). So, even if you give me thousands to stay in Europe, I'll say no.

If I have what to eat, I have a house, to sleep, that the cold doesn't kill me, and a means of transportation... it's ok! But I want to devellop the malinké music. That's what's in my mind."

[davidognomo]

These words remind me of another piece of interview with Mamady. At 2:48



"Tradition simply wants you to give it its proper value, that you acknowledge its spirit. One may say that it doesn't evolve. It's like a mountain. It's a history. You don't transform History. The morning is the morning, the evening is the evening, you see? The afternoon is the afternoon. You see, you cannot mix Monday with Tuesday, as you cannot confuse Saturday to Sunday. So, tradition is like this. It's a history, it's a life."

[michi]

Thank you for the clip and the translation!

Michi.

[Afoba]

hey guys,
Famoudou has never travelled to Sangbarala 5 times in one year.
Do you believe he will die in Sangbarala? not really, do you?

You don't transform History.

Mamady Keita????????

you cannot mix Monday with Tuesday

Mamady has invented at least 3 new days!

d;-)))))

well: "beautiful words"
d:-(

I saw the video with Genero once and I think Mamady wanted to explain something very good, but he didn't find the right words in that situation (something like "something real deep inside"...).
If you take it literally, there's not much sense in it.
Just as for Famoudous remarks: I believe him that he would like to spent his last days where he comes from. But he won't.


Greeks, no: Greets

D

[davidognomo]

You don't transform History.

I guess that here it's a matter of translation. It's more like: You can't change History. Not in the sense that you cannot change the course of History, no, not that, but in the sense that you cannot chance what is already written.

I find more strange when Mamady says that tradition doesn't evolve. Because it really does. And I really like the kind of "Yoda" wisdom when he talks about the moments of a day or the days of the week. I'm guessing you are referring to the fact that he invents and creates stuff, is that it?

As for Famoudou, I thaught he lived in Germany.

Even that one may criticise things they do in relation to what they are saying, and I guess we're all aware of the incongruences that their speech may contain, I can't help liking these words in theirselves, for what they are: words.

I didn't quite catch you about the "Greeks"

See ya

[Afoba]

Mamady says that you can't change history (or tradition), which literally is complete nonsens.
BUT: I think he wants to express something like: you can't delete or undo westafrican musical history (so tradition), it is there as a reference system and (for some) identity-establishing value, whatever you actually play today (I admit, I had to look for some of these words in the net).

Famoudou spents about 5 months in Germany and about 5 or 6 months in Guinea each year and the rest in Japan, Italy, US...

They are very fine guys, the two of them. We just have to take care that we don't take every little sentence serious.

The Greeks thing was just a silly language play, nothing deeper or linked to this thread, sorry!
(or maybe there was a link and I didn't even get it myself)

Daniel

[Garvin]

...They are very fine guys, the two of them. We just have to take care that we don't take every little sentence serious...
Daniel

Exactly. Excellent point Daniel. These guys are fountains of knowledge and experience, but they are also human beings. It must be very difficult to have every word you say picked apart for special meanings. I think its common for us to want to draw connections to solidly defined elements in our world in order to express our understanding of things as amorphous as history or art or feelings. I think we all do this. But with the great reverence and respect that we have for the living masters, it is also just as important to accept that they are as human as we are and are not always dictating "hidden secrets of the djembe". All that said, I did take a really great nugget of insight out of what Mamady says here regarding tradition. <-bearhug?

[davidognomo]

well...

one thing, Daniel. It's just a question of semantics. History, what's in the past, can't be changed. I agree with what you say about what was Mamady's intention with what he said.

I don't think these statements deserve all this debate. I put them here because I found them nice in an aesthetic point of view. Otherwise I would put on the title of the thread "wise words", instead of "beautiful words". I think that fundamentally we all agree in our ways to look at these statements. With a due perspective. I like Mamady's metaphor with the thing of the days of the week, as a nice alegory. And what I like the most on Famoudou's tone of speech is a kind of ingenuity in the way he expresses himself. As for what the content is, I find it beautiful in the idea it expresses. But as I said it's more in an aesthetic perspective.

see ya

[bubudi]

yes, i think words are open to be over-analysed and taken out of context, and much more so when it has to be translated.

like david i was also immediately struck by the 'tradition doesn't evolve' statement. both mamady and famoudou are so much about preserving the music. they wouldn't be doing that if they didn't feel that the music culture wasn't under danger of too much outside influence. afoba is not wrong to say that they don't give an accurate impression of the tradition, but that's why they always emphasize for people to go to africa and experience the culture for themselves. in the bigger scheme of things, they are doing a commendable job!

[e2c]

History: well, there are dates and names, and those don't change, but how the past is viewed (in other words, how it is interpreted) is another thing entirely.

How we view historical events - and the people who participated in them - is very, very much influenced by the society we grew up in, the schools we attended, the texts used in teaching, etc. etc.

I could say lots more, but will leave it for now - except to say that I think it is very important to realize that each and every person - no matter where they are from - views things through their own lenses.

That includes Mamady and Famoudou (for whom I have a great deal of respect!) and every other person who teaches this music, whether they are from W. Africa or not.

A big "yes" to the over-analysis thing as well.

And David, muito obrigada for the translations!

[davidognomo]

de nada (or "por nada", as the brazilians say).

I digged your comment on the philology of History. Thanks

[e2c]

david -