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Manding Griot Ensemble
"Dialiya"
Dialiya brings together West African griots (oral historians and musicians) from Mali, Gambia, Guinea and Senegal in a
celebration of griot ensemble music and dance traditions. The
performance allows audiences to experience the mastery of the
presentation and of griot ensemble music, song and dance, along
with dramatic recitation and interpretation of oral history of
Manding West African cultures, while simultaneously experiencing
the presentation of individual master artists of West African
instrumentation and vocalization within the context of the Dialiya
style.
Dialiya is the tradition of Manding dialolu (pl.; diali, singular;
historian and musician) performing ancient and contemporary
songs, accompanied on various traditional African musical
instruments including the 21-string kora, the 7-string koning,
the wooden 21-key balafon and the djembe orchestra. Through the
artistry of music and poetic interpretation (usually recited and
sung in Manding languages) the Dialiya tradition balances
aesthetic appreciation with the educational process of
transmitting history through songs and music that inspire, impel,
captivate and entertain, a contemporary society while respecting
the knowledge and teachings of the ancestors through
ancient oral-based history that has been passed down from
generation to generation within Manding diali families.
For additional information, telephone/fax: MAC, Inc. at
202/726-1400 or write to: MAC, Inc. P.O. Box 50042,
Washington, D.C. 20091;
or emailakuakouyate@memoryofafricanculture.org
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