Love the sound of Kora and I was stunned the first time I heard it in the subway of NYC. The combination of the instrument and singing talent creates a magical way to convey a story! Jali Alagi MBye is a true master!
I first saw a person playing Gambian kora in the subway of NYC (Malang Jobarteh), can't forget it ever since. Combined with melodic singing and a story it creates the whole theatric experience
History has been misinterpreted and mixed up and this has to stop. The nationalism that emanates from the current geographical separation must not continue to divide us and mix histories. We are all the same and it doesn't matter the surname of those who play the kora, what matters is the soul of those who play the kora. The song is saying everything, Jola Kelefa Meaning the Jola/Beafada warlord (Initially the Mandingas called the Beafadas by the name of Jolas. Currently the name Jola refers to the Jola ethnic group from Casamance, Guinea-Bissau and Gambia, not to Beafadas, for example Yahya Jammeh was Jola but has nothing to do with Kelefa Ba Sane who is Beafada); Badora jola y'ela the Warrior Jola/Beafada from the Badora region is dead, Again the song: Tambo be Baria his spear is leaning in Baria village Explaining, Baria is a village located in Guinea-Bissau, in Badora region, nowdays, Bambadinka, Bafata region. Djola/Beafada/Sane/Mane/Sonko/Sanha, Nyantchos, are all originally from Guinea-Bissau, the rulers of Kabu. There was a large movement of people and griots out of Kabu/Gabu from 1800 to 1870 because of wars with the Fula from Kolda/Fuladu in Senegal and the Fula from Futa Djalon in Guinea-Conakri which culminated in the fall of Kansala /Gabu in 1867-1869. This helped to take the kora to other regions where only 4-5 generations ago people started playing this instrument. It is because of this exodus that Gambia currently has many kora players, as well as casamance, in senegal. The kelefa Ba Sane that the song originally talks about has to do with the first invasions and wars with the Fula in the regions of senegambia (currently, parts of Guinea-Bissau/Gabu, Casamance and Gambia), which are from the period 1490 to 1560 and which ended with the victory of the Mandinka, helped by the Nyantchos/Sane/Mane/Sonko/Sanha who became lords of Gabu, reigning 300 years, until the defeat of Djanke Wali in 1860s. The Gambians and Bissau-Guineans are the same people and the Djelis have always moved freely between these two regions that were part of the empire of Gabu, as you said, but that does not make the kora from Gambia. In Gambia, Senegal and Guinea-Conakri, everyone knows that kora is from Guinea-Bissau.
He didn't say the Kora was discovered first in Gambia or originated in Gambia ..he said this was the first sigting/ introduction of the Kora in Gambia.
I have heard of these histories too but much needs clarification, as most histories are recounted by jali and can’t be checked by ‘others’…also I think many jali-jeli-griot traditions have been corrupted and changed by colonialism and that makes any statements very hard to prove…but thank you for giving insights! 🙏🏽👍🏽🇸🇳🇬🇲✊🏽
Alagi MBye, my Master my teacher and good friend in the years 1995 - 2001. His strength, depth and sincerity with which he has lived and shared the culture of the Mandingos, the culture of the griots, their Kora music is unique. A great artist and upright preserver of antiquity, with all its reduction to the essential. You deserve great thanks and honour forever and ever. Stefan Charisius DUNDUMUSIK Charisius-on-Kora.
A very beautiful and highly inspiring narration of Manding history and, by extension, of African history. Asante sana Jali for advancing African history and may your contribution be carried forward by the aspiring younger generation of African kora musicians
Amazing story and a great performance from string of a precious kora instrument. Indeed, the Gambia lost loss a great son, a kora mestro and a historical gem.
