Tiken Jah was born into a family of griots and christened Doumbia Moussa Fakoly on June 23, 1968 in Odienne, north-western Côte d'Ivoire. He discovered reggae at an early age, assembling his first group, Djelys, in 1987. He became well-known at a regional level, but would soon ascend to national recognition.
Concerned by the social and political evolution of his country, it was not long before Tiken Jah was writing incisive works on the political environment in Côte d'Ivoire. One such work was on the death of Felix Houphouet-Boigny in 1993, which resulted in a surge of popularity amongst the nation's youth. In 1998, Fakoly made his first international appearance in Paris.
Tiken Jah Fakoly plays music "to wake up the consciences". His music speaks about many injustices done to the people of his country, and those over Africa. As such, African listeners feel a deep affinity with his lyrics as Fakoly speaks for people whom are under oppression. This connection has helped make Tiken Jah Fakoly a much-listened artist throughout both Europe and Africa.
Discography
1. 1993: Les Djelys (cassette only - discontinued)
2. 1994: Missiri (cassette only - discontinued)
3. 1996: Mangercratie
4. 1999: Cours d'histoire
5. 2000: Le Cameleon (exclusive to West Africa)
6. 2002: Françafrique (a term coined by Francois Xavier-Verschave)
7. 2004: Coup de gueule
8. 2005: Africa wants to be free, compilation to support fr:Survie (association)
NOTE: Mangercratie was released in France in 1999 and in Canada in 2000. Cours d'histoire was released in France in 2000 and in Canada in 2001. The first two albums were only released in Côte d'Ivoire.
Outside Projects
Tiken Jah Fakoly has recorded various tracks with other artists. He is featured on Steel Pulse: African Holocaust, on Rike: Airt Frais, on Bernard Laviliers: Carnet De Bord, on Amadou & Marima: Dimanche A Bamaco, on Dub Incorporation: Life, and on Tata Pound: Cikan. He also appears on the compilation African Consiences with Mebgane N'Dour. He will be featured in the upcoming movie Les Oiseaux Du Ciel, directed by Eliane De Latour.
Awards:
2003: Victoires de la Musique 2003, in the category of Reggae Album/Ragga/World with the album Françafrique.
Bognan
Tiken Jah Fakoly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mani vakoma ko ngana siran Mani vakoma londó ko ngana hami Koili ngawa America Koili ngawa au Canada Koili ngawa Jamáica Koili ngawa dounougna yóróbé America doyabo negnéné Koner kórótie teyé Jamáica doyabo negnéné Koner tardé teyé Ibani fa bognan Allah bi braka Ibani fa bognan Allah bi kounadia
Mani vakoma ko ngana siran Mami va koma londó ko ngana hami Koili ngawa America Koili ngawa au Canada Koili ngawa Jamáica Koili ngawa dounougna yóróbé America doyabo negnéné Koner kórótie teyé Jamáica doyabo negnéné Koner tardé teyé Ibani fa bognan Allah bi braka Ibani fa bognan Allah bi kounadia
Nfatié komahan koneyewa Koningawa ko fddenan Bamousso komahan koneyewa Koningawa ko fddena Nfatié komahan koneyewa Koningawa ko fddena Tieme Moyamou komahan Koneyewa Komousso gnani djéla n'de Ode te sirena Ibani fa bognan Allah bi braka Ibani fa bognan Allah bi kounadia
Ibani fa bognan Allah bi braka Ibani fa bognan Allah bi kounadia
The song "Bognan" by Tiken Jah Fakoly is about the African diaspora and the struggles faced by descendants of African people who were forcibly taken from their homeland and scattered across different parts of the world. The opening lines, "Ibani fa bognan Allah bi braka, Ibani fa bognan Allah bi kounadia," translates to "May God bless our ancestors, may God be with us."
The lyrics go on to describe the experiences of people from different parts of the world who share African ancestry. The verses talk about individuals and their journeys - some have settled in America, some in Canada, and some in Jamaica. The lines "Koni ngawa dounougna yóróbé, America doyabo negnéné" and "Koner tardé teyé, Jamáica doyabo negnéné" refer to the struggles and difficulties faced by people in these different places. The chorus repeats the lines about God blessing our ancestors and being with us.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the resilience and strength of those who have survived the trauma of the African diaspora and continued to thrive in new places. It is a call to remember and honor the struggles of those who have come before us and to keep fighting for justice and equality for all people of African descent.
Line by Line Meaning
Ibani fa bognan Allah bi braka
We thank God for his blessings
Ibani fa bognan Allah bi kounadia
We pray to God for his guidance
Mani vakoma ko ngana siran
I have no fear of death
Mani vakoma londó ko ngana hami
I fear only God, not man
Koili ngawa America
I have been to America
Koili ngawa au Canada
I have been to Canada
Koili ngawa Jamáica
I have been to Jamaica
Koili ngawa dounougna yóróbé
I have been to many places
America doyabo negnéné Koner kórótie teyé
I met a lot of nice people in America
Jamáica doyabo negnéné Koner tardé teyé
I met some troublemakers in Jamaica
Nfatié komahan koneyewa
I have experienced many things
Koningawa ko fddenan
Some have been good
Bamousso komahan koneyewa
Some have been bad
Koningawa ko fddena
Some have been very bad
Tieme Moyamou komahan Koneyewa
I have lost friends and loved ones
Komousso gnani djéla n'de
Life is full of ups and downs
Ode te sirena
But I am still standing
Contributed by James W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TikenJahFakolyOfficiel
Écoutez mon nouveau titre / Listen to my new track : RELIGION 👉🏿https://TikenJahFakoly.lnk.to/Religion
Retrouvez-moi sur TikTok / Find me on TikTok 👉🏿https://www.tiktok.com/@tikenjahfakolyofficiel
@stephaneflean7484
Très important d'écouter sa anitché 🤲 le père
@laminebamby9264
🔥👌❤️🙌
@plumblineagency4740
saw you 20 years ago in Venezuela, when we had a country.
@aimeebaca9870
@@stephaneflean7484 cool
@aimeebaca9870
@@stephaneflean7484 ❤
@evrardinedarleine3974
2024 et je suis toujours là
@cannababa2390
Vous êtes une lumière pour plusieurs générations africaine. Merci grand frère pour ce bon message ❤
@arsenelialy3224
Qui écoute en 2024?
@alphabah8299
Le reggae ne meurt jamais 🇬🇳🇬🇳👊