“All my family were griots. Back in the time in Africa, many people didn’t know how to write. And the griot is someone who has a good memory, who collects and tells stories. A griot isn’t allowed to make trouble, he has to create peace between people. I learned on my own. Because I was the only boy, I had to go work in the fields. And people used to tell my parents: “You’re, he doesn’t work. He’s always singing!”. So they put me in the back with the cows. But I would climb up the trees and sing (laughs)!
In 86 I won a national contact in Ouagadougou, and I went to India with our President and the whole State. It’s thanks to this instrument that is called “goni”. You’ll never see me without it. It’s also because of it that I came here. One day, I friend saw me play in Bobo, and he told me to come to Switzerland with his group Ben Kadi. We were 8 : percussionists, balafon, djembe and doudou players, and me with the goni. It’s the City of Geneva that invited us for 8 months. At the time, African music was popular. We played everywhere in Europe!
I was 19 when I arrived in Geneva. Here, the Cropettes, was my first neighbourhood. We were in this house behind me. I came twice for 8 months with the group. But then everyone got married and had kids, and the group broke up. I married a Swiss woman, and I stayed here. I spent 10 years in road maintenance, behind the garbage truck and doing recycling. I also worked with kids and old people. But now I can’t find work anymore because of my age.
But I always kept playing music. Even when I used to work, I played music on the weekends. I play for myself, and I play for others also. When I sing, people are surprised. They often come and check if there are any microphones (laughs)! And even if the Europeans don’t understand what I’m singing about, they tell me : “Thanks a lot for sharing with us”. When I play music, I don’t think about bad stuff. It puts me far away, it helps me to relax. It’s like a medication, it heals you.”
(Parc des Cropettes | translated from French)
Share this story :
“All my family were griots. Back in the time in Africa, many people didn’t know how to write. And the griot is someone who has a good memory, who collects and tells stories. A griot isn’t allowed to make trouble, he has to create peace between people. I learned on my own. Because I was the only boy, I had to go work in the fields. And people used to tell my parents: “You’re, he doesn’t work. He’s always singing!”. So they put me in the back with the cows. But I would climb up the trees and sing (laughs)!
In 86 I won a national contact in Ouagadougou, and I went to India with our President and the whole State. It’s thanks to this instrument that is called “goni”. You’ll never see me without it. It’s also because of it that I came here. One day, I friend saw me play in Bobo, and he told me to come to Switzerland with his group Ben Kadi. We were 8 : percussionists, balafon, djembe and doudou players, and me with the goni. It’s the City of Geneva that invited us for 8 months. At the time, African music was popular. We played everywhere in Europe!
I was 19 when I arrived in Geneva. Here, the Cropettes, was my first neighbourhood. We were in this house behind me. I came twice for 8 months with the group. But then everyone got married and had kids, and the group broke up. I married a Swiss woman, and I stayed here. I spent 10 years in road maintenance, behind the garbage truck and doing recycling. I also worked with kids and old people. But now I can’t find work anymore because of my age.
But I always kept playing music. Even when I used to work, I played music on the weekends. I play for myself, and I play for others also. When I sing, people are surprised. They often come and check if there are any microphones (laughs)! And even if the Europeans don’t understand what I’m singing about, they tell me : “Thanks a lot for sharing with us”. When I play music, I don’t think about bad stuff. It puts me far away, it helps me to relax. It’s like a medication, it heals you.”
(Parc des Cropettes | translated from French)