Traoré was born in Kolokani, Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group. As her father was a diplomat, she travelled widely in her youth travelling to Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium. As a result of this travel, she was exposed to a wide variety of influences.
The Bambara also had a tradition of griot performing at weddings although members of the nobility such as Traoré are discouraged from performing as musicians. Traoré attended lycée in Mali when her father was stationed in Brussels and started performing publicly. As well as guitar she plays ngoni (lute) and balafon.
In 1997 she linked with Mali musician Ali Farka Touré which raised her profile. She won a Radio France Internationale prize as African discovery of 1997, an honor previously won by Mali's Habib Koité in 1993.
Her first album Mouneïssa (Label Bleu), released in late 1997 in Mali and 1998 in Europe, was acclaimed for its fresh treatment and unqualifiable combinations of several Malian music traditions such as her use of the ngoni and the balafon. It sold over 40,000 copies in Europe.
In 2000, her second album Wanita was released. Traoré wrote and arranged the whole album. The album was widely acclaimed with the New York Times nominating it as one of its critics' albums of the year.
Her 2003 album Bowmboï has two tracks recorded with the Kronos Quartet but still sung in the Bambara language, and was awarded the prestigious BBC 3 World Music Award. As of 2005, she has been nominated three times for this award.
In 2008, her latest album "Tchamantché" was released.
ADDITIONAL READING:
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Rokia Traoré’s Beautiful Africa will be released on April 1, 2013, by Nonesuch Records in France and April 8, 2013 in Europe, Canada and USA. The record was produced by English musician John Parish (PJ Harvey, Eels, Sparklehorse) and recorded at Toybox Studios in Bristol, UK. Its lyrics are sung in the Malian–born Traoré’s native languages of French and Bambara, as well as some English.
Pitchfork described Traoré’s most recent record, 2009’s Tchamantché, as “a guitar album of a particularly understated bent...hauntingly spare yet ridiculously well-defined, the timbre and tone of every string presented in perfect resolution.” And the BBC World Service called it “One of the best albums of the year. An absolute stunner.” Tchamantché also won a Victoires de la Musique (the equivalent of a Grammy Award in France) and a Songlines Artist of the Year Award for Traoré.
The daughter of a Malian diplomat who was posted to the US, Europe, and the Middle East, Traoré studied sociology in Brussels before embarking on her musical career. Although based in Bamako, Traoré has, for her son’s safety, temporarily relocated to Paris due to the current conflict in Mali. Her music draws upon her homeland’s traditions as well as the European and American rock and pop she has listened to throughout her life.
Traoré has explored a breadth of directions in her career. She recently collaborated with Nobel Prize–winning novelist Toni Morrison and MacArthur “Genius” Grant winning director Peter Sellars on the theater piece Desdemona. The piece premiered in Vienna in the summer of 2011 and received its New York premiere at Lincoln Center that fall; its UK premiere was at the Barbican in London in the summer of 2012. The Guardian called it “a remarkable, challenging and bravely original new work.”
The Barbican also produced a three-night series of shows by Traoré that summer, entitled Donguili – Donke – Damou (Sing – Dance – Dream). For the Sing evening, held at the Barbican, Traoré and mandolinist/former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones joined young musicians from Traoré’s training program in Mali, Foundation Passerelle. Dance, at the Village Underground rock club, featured Traoré and her band playing the high-energy, danceable shows she is well known for—joined by Parish on guitar. And for Dream, which took place in an East End theater, Traoré narrated an ancient Malian tale, with occasional musical interludes. Australia’s Sydney Festival also presented Donguili – Donke – Damou in January 2013. Traoré was awarded the inaugural Roskilde Festival World Music Award in 2009 for her work with Foundation Passerelle.
In the autumn of 2012, Traoré joined Damon Albarn’s UK train tour Africa Express, performing scheduled concerts in Middlesbrough, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol, and London as well as pop-up performances at railway stations, schools, factories, offices, shopping centers, and private homes. Other musicians on the tour included John Paul Jones, Amadou Bagayoko, Baaba Maal, and Paul McCartney.
Sakanto
Rokia Traoré Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I furunyokòn mana kè danaya maa ye
Saa ka n′i kòròbò k'o furunyan ni′n ta k'a jira ala la
Welele ee jiki yiri karila
Saa ka n'to, saa ka n′to oo jiki karila
Saa de bè se ni′n kè, n'gala de bè se ni′n kè
Fè ni kelen ta baa, makari bèlii
Furukè bè jikiya bò bè ye e ta dun tanya la
Y'i kelen to
Saa ka n′to, furukènin saa ka n'to, furumuso saa ka n′to
Oo jiki karila
Danaya maa bè, tikèna maa bè
I furunyòkòn mana kè danaya maa ye
N'uhun n'gala k′aw to nyuan ye
K′aw to nyuan ye den'iw koòsòn
K′aw to nyuan ye deli faari mandii
Maa n'i wolofa ja′o ja aw tè saa ni nyuan ye
Aw mana ni nyuan ye wa'w tè saa ni nyuan ye
Maa ni woloba ja′o ja aw tè saa ni nyuan ye
Aw mana ni nyuan ye wa'w tè saa ni nyuan ye
I n'i furunyòkòn ja′o ja aw tè saa ni nyuan ye...
Ee saa ka n′to, furukènin saa ka n'to, furumuso
Saa ka n′to oo jiki karila
The lyrics of Rokia Traoré's song "Sakanto" convey a message of unity, strength, and resistance. The repetition of phrases like "Danaya maa bè, tikèna maa bè" emphasizes the importance of coming together and supporting each other. The lines "Saa ka n'i kòròbò k'o furunyan ni'n ta k'a jira ala la" suggest that through unity, they can overcome any obstacles and find freedom. The phrase "Welele ee jiki yiri karila" can be interpreted as a call to action, urging people to stand up and fight for their rights and dignity.
The song also highlights the significance of community and the power of collective action. Lines such as "Saa de bè se ni'n kè, n'gala de bè se ni'n kè" imply that coming together as a group is essential in order to achieve progress and change. Additionally, the lyrics mention different aspects of culture and identity, asserting the need to preserve and celebrate traditions and heritage.
Overall, "Sakanto" is a song that encourages unity, resilience, and determination in the face of adversity. It calls for the recognition of one's own worth and the importance of supporting and uplifting each other as a community.
Line by Line Meaning
Danaya maa bè, tikèna maa bè
I have strength, you have strength
I furunyokòn mana kè danaya maa ye
But my strength is different from yours
Saa ka n′i kòròbò k'o furunyan ni′n ta k'a jira ala la
When they try to compare us, they cannot understand
Welele ee jiki yiri karila
We are unique in our own way
Saa ka n'to, saa ka n′to oo jiki karila
We are ourselves, we are unique
Saa de bè se ni′n kè, n'gala de bè se ni′n kè
I have my path, you have your path
Fè ni kelen ta baa, makari bèlii
But in the end, we all belong to humanity
Furukè bè jikiya bò bè ye e ta dun tanya la
Our essence shines through the darkness
Furumuso bè kònòfò nyuan bò e ta dun
Our voices resonate through the world
Y'i kelen to
We are connected
Saa ka n′to, furukènin saa ka n'to, furumuso saa ka n′to
We are ourselves, our essence, our voices
Oo jiki karila
We shine brightly
N'uhun n'gala k′aw to nyuan ye
I am who I am
K′aw to nyuan ye den'iw koòsòn
I am my own identity
K′aw to nyuan ye deli faari mandii
I am my own music
Maa n'i wolofa ja′o ja aw tè saa ni nyuan ye
In my language, I express my true self
Aw mana ni nyuan ye wa'w tè saa ni nyuan ye
You also express yourself in your own language
Maa ni woloba ja′o ja aw tè saa ni nyuan ye
In my identity, my true self is revealed
Aw mana ni nyuan ye wa'w tè saa ni nyuan ye
You also reveal yourself in your own identity
I n'i furunyòkòn ja′o ja aw tè saa ni nyuan ye...
But my strength, my true self is different
Ee saa ka n′to, furukènin saa ka n'to, furumuso saa ka n′to
Yes, we are ourselves, our essence, our voices
Saa ka n′to oo jiki karila
We shine brightly, being ourselves
Writer(s): Rokia Traore
Contributed by Kaelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tjuwantjutju
Danaya is here, Tikèna is here
In the village of Furunyokòn, Danaya is present
If there are conflicts, we must resolve them peacefully
Let's come together, and work towards unity
We must stand together, and move forward together
Let's strive for progress, and be determined
In the land of Furukè, let us cultivate harmony
In the land of Furumuso, let us seek wisdom
Let's come together, and work towards unity
In the land of Furukè, let us cultivate harmony
In the land of Furumuso, let us seek wisdom
Let's work together, and overcome our struggles
Let's work together, and achieve our goals
In Wolof, we say: "Let us unite and work together"
In Bambara, we say: "Let us come together and unite"
In the land of Furunyokòn, let us work together
Let's come together, and work towards unity.
Carlos Andrade
Hermosa canción! El ritmo me encanta! 💕💕🇸🇻
Ayel
Juste magnifique 🎶🙌🏿🕺🏿She slayed it🗡💅💎
The Maverick
Unfortunately, the top gear crew weren't so good at filming the wildlife...
ohdude
Their lost, our gain
Drissa Sidibé
Numéro 1 de ça génération. Je te kif depuis kuwait à assawi
M Charbo
Can somebody translate these lyrics for me??? I would love to know what this song is about...
Benek87
Did you found the translation? I think its bambara language. But you can always ask your soul for translation.
M Charbo
@Benek87 No I didn't.
Tjuwantjutju
Danaya is here, Tikèna is here
In the village of Furunyokòn, Danaya is present
If there are conflicts, we must resolve them peacefully
Let's come together, and work towards unity
We must stand together, and move forward together
Let's strive for progress, and be determined
In the land of Furukè, let us cultivate harmony
In the land of Furumuso, let us seek wisdom
Let's come together, and work towards unity
In the land of Furukè, let us cultivate harmony
In the land of Furumuso, let us seek wisdom
Let's work together, and overcome our struggles
Let's work together, and achieve our goals
In Wolof, we say: "Let us unite and work together"
In Bambara, we say: "Let us come together and unite"
In the land of Furunyokòn, let us work together
Let's come together, and work towards unity.
M Charbo
@Tjuwantjutju thank you!!!! Beautiful message ❤️