“How come we’ve never heard of this beautiful instrument until now?” This question was recently posed by a first-year college student in a world music course discussion. His inquiry echoed the sentiments of many who were introduced to the kora through the extraordinary documentary, Ballaké Sissoko: Kora Tales.
The film chronicles the journey of Ballaké Sissoko, a world-class musician, as he travels from his home in Bamako, Mali, to a sacred well and baobab tree in The Gambia. This journey is not just a physical one; it is a return to the roots of the kora, the instrument that has defined his life and career.
Sissoko is a jeli, a hereditary oral historian and musician traditionally associated with the ruling class. He plays the kora, a unique harp indigenous to the western African savannah, characterized by its 21 strings and played with four fingers. The kora is capable of producing intricate musical textures and delicate sounds that accompany the rich oral histories of the Mande people. It stands as one of the most sophisticated handmade musical instruments globally, both in its musical capabilities and the depth of its cultural significance.
Ballaké Sissoko: Kora Tales is a beautifully crafted film that should be viewed by anyone interested in African culture and history.
The kora has seen a remarkable global spread over the years. Since the release of Gambian Jali Nyama Suso’s debut solo album in 1972, numerous kora albums have emerged, showcasing the instrument’s versatility and appeal. The kora has garnered more Grammy Awards in the World/Global Music category than the sitar, and a recent album featuring the kora with the BBC Symphonic Orchestra was released in 2023. Its influence extends far beyond western Africa, with musicians worldwide incorporating the kora into their recordings.
My first encounter with the kora was through a 1973 album by Gambian Alhaji Bai Konte, which profoundly influenced my path toward becoming an ethnomusicologist. In the 1980s, I was inspired by Senegalese-American kora player Djimo Kouyate to study the regional differences in kora playing across four neighboring countries. This journey led me to Bamako, where I lived near Ballaké Sissoko and studied with Sidiki Diabaté, the father of the renowned Toumani Diabaté. This experience laid the foundation for my first book, Mande Music, published in 2000.
The kora’s history is rich and intertwined with the Mande homeland along the Niger River, which flows through modern-day Mali and Guinea. The Mande chiefdom rose to prominence in the 1200s when the legendary Sunjata defeated the oppressive king Soumaoro Kante, aided by neighboring allies. Kante possessed the primordial bala, a magical xylophone, which was passed down to Sunjata’s jeli, Balla Faséké Kouyaté. His descendants continue to guard this instrument in northeastern Guinea.
In 2008, UNESCO recognized the kora as a site of intangible cultural heritage, and a museum is currently being constructed to honor its legacy. At its zenith, the Mande empire extended across much of western Africa, with its mines supplying a significant portion of the gold circulating in Europe. The Mande king Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca in the 1300s solidified his reputation as one of the wealthiest individuals in history. Migrations westward to the Senegambia region led to the development of the Mandinka language and culture.
Just as the bala has its origins in Mali in the 1200s, the kora traces its roots to the Kaabu federation of the Senegambian Mandinka in the 1700s. Traditionally, jelis have held the exclusive right to play both the kora and the bala. Many African musical instruments are steeped in mythology, with origin stories often attributing their creation to a jinn or genie. The kora is no exception.
One of the most poignant moments in the documentary comes from Sissoko’s aunt, Kadiatou Diabaté, who states, “This person before you, he was born with the kora. The seventh generation of his lineage. Even if you just touch him, out comes the sound of one of the strings.”
As Sissoko embarks on his journey from Bamako to the Gambian coastline, he travels over 1,000 kilometers to the birthplace of the kora. This region was once part of the Mande empire at its height, extending to the northern reaches of the Niger River at Timbuktu. Sissoko stops at Sibi, a significant location where Sunjata united his armies and established the governing constitution of what would become the largest empire in Africa.
The cinematography in the film captures the breathtaking landscapes, much of it shot from aerial drones. As Sissoko travels through southern Senegal, he crosses the Casamance River by boat to visit kora master Malan Diébaté. This area is known as kora country, and several kora players appear, singing praises of Sissoko and his lineage.
Accompanied by the women in their families, they tap out a diasporic source of the signature Cuban clave pattern. Diébaté shares the supernatural origins of the kora, prompting Sissoko to journey to Sanementereng in The Gambia, a site believed to be the birthplace of the instrument. The arrival at this sacred well and baobab tree is a deeply moving experience.
The documentary’s writers and directors, Lucy Durán and Laurent Benhamou, have done an inspiring job of conveying the beauty of the landscape, the depth of the tradition, and the artistic persona of Sissoko. Durán, a professor of music and former radio presenter, has an impressive track record in this region, producing early albums by Toumani Diabaté and other Malian artists. Her pioneering documentary film series, Growing Into Music, explores the process of children learning the musical arts of jelis in Mali and Guinea.
Narrated by French-Malian rap star Oxmo Puccino, the documentary immerses viewers in one of Africa’s great classical traditions through the eyes of one of its most celebrated artists. For those interested in music, culture, and history, this film is a treasure.
Ballaké Sissoko’s influence extends beyond his performances. He has inspired a new generation of musicians, including South African guitarist Derek Gripper, who has dedicated his career to transcribing and recording kora music for the guitar. Gripper’s work has changed the landscape of classical guitar, demonstrating the kora’s profound impact on global music.
Gripper’s first album of kora translations, One Night on Earth, received acclaim from classical guitar legend John Williams, who remarked that he thought it was “absolutely impossible until I heard Derek Gripper do it.” Gripper has collaborated with both Williams and kora maestro Toumani Diabaté, performing at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Acoustik Festival in Bamako, Mali.
Since his initial recordings, Gripper has continued to explore the intersection of kora and guitar music, releasing albums that incorporate elements of his kora explorations into original compositions and improvisations. His recent works, including A Year of Swimming (2020) and Sleep Songs for My Daughter (2022), reflect this ongoing journey.
As Gripper tours globally from his home in Cape Town, he collaborates with Malian kora master Ballaké Sissoko on a new duo project, further bridging the gap between these two rich musical traditions.
The kora’s journey from the heart of West Africa to the global stage is a testament to its enduring appeal and the talent of musicians like Ballaké Sissoko. Through his artistry, Sissoko has not only introduced the kora to a wider audience but has also preserved and celebrated the rich cultural heritage of the Mande people.
As the world continues to embrace the kora, it is essential to recognize the profound history and tradition that accompany this remarkable instrument. The kora is not merely a musical tool; it is a vessel of storytelling, history, and cultural identity, passed down through generations of jelis.
In conclusion, the renowned Malian musician who introduced the kora globally, Ballaké Sissoko, stands as a beacon of cultural heritage and artistic excellence. His journey, as depicted in Ballaké Sissoko: Kora Tales, serves as an invitation for all to explore the beauty and depth of African music and its instruments.
Source: Various
