For its essential Mandingo Christmas, its founding base since its birth 36 years ago, the Africolor festival invites the Morello cherry Mah Damba. A singer with a stunning voice who has always oscillated between her commitments to diaspora communities and her artistic career beyond tradition.
After a month and a half of musical celebrations, sounds in all directions, daring creations, Africolor, in the Paris suburbs, is preparing to bow out. A 36th edition marked by a Guyanese week, led with beating drums by the Cippe brothersand a spotlight on the Caribbean suns.
The festival has also chosen, this year, to launch its “Etats général”. “ The opportunity to question ourselves, to establish a point of progress, and to envisage the future, while society changes, listening modes evolve, musical styles transform, etc. », explains its director, Sébastien Lagrave.
But if the festival displays a perpetual reinvention since its birth in 1989, echoing the new vibrations of the African worlds, there is this final bouquet, its very base, this institution from which everything else flows, which will not change: Christmas Mandingo, on the evening of the 24th.
“ It is our lighthouse, our DNA, our mast! »he adds, laughing. For two years, this founding evening, imagined in its time by the creator of the event, Philippe Conrath, has left its Montreal neighborhoods for Bobigny. For two years also, this concert, now accompanied by a meal, a thiep this year, has taken on the appearance of a gala, which brings together spectators from the diaspora, African associations or even isolated people.
A voice, beautiful to cry
And to delight the ears of the public with a delicious nectar, part of the evening will be performed (before the singer Fanta Sayon), by the griote Mah Damba, “ one of my greatest musical shocks, with his astonishing voice, beautiful to cry », assures Sébastien. It is therefore this daughter of the legendary Malian djeli Baba Sissoko, guarantor of Mandinka traditions and epics, who will ensure this African Christmas.
And yet, assures the diva, reached by telephone, with the intact accent of her country, between two bursts of laughter that explode like fireworks: “ Christmas is not my thing at all. Even though I have lived in France since 1983, I don’t know this celebration at all. I never bought my children gifts. They spoil my grandchildren themselves, they celebrate, they bring food…The log? Foie gras? I eat if I’m hungry. So. In Mali, some people celebrate Christmas. In France, it’s very pretty, all these decorations… But for me, it’s not in my plan. That doesn’t mean anything to me…. »
In 2024, Mah’s Christmas will have a special flavor, and even over the phone, we can see his eyes sparkle. “ There, I will be on stage, singing, celebrating with people from my community, and those who are far from their families. It’s different… »
Live a righteous life
Because, since her arrival in France 41 years ago with her husband, the famous ngoni player Mamaye Kouyaté, who died in 2009, Mah Damba has continued the mission entrusted to her: her role as a griote with “her nobles” in exile, during birthdays, baptisms, weddings, or simply on a daily basis.
“ I was born into thisshe affirms with the obvious shrug, perceptible even in her voice. My parents taught me tradition and I must follow their path. The griot must do good. Cultivate respect for oneself and others, lead a just life. In my community, I am often called upon to play the role of messenger or conciliator. I am proud to serve my nobles, the Fofana, the Camara…”
If Mah affirms, despite the nostalgia for her country which gnawed at her heart, to have been well received in Paris, if she feels “a little” French thanks to her children, not a year goes by without her returning to country, nor a day without her calling her family by WhatsApp. “ When you put a tree in water, it can’t become a caiman “, she says. In other words? “ I am Malienne “. She will not say a word about the difficulties her country is going through: “ I don’t talk about politics, except in my songs, in which I try to give courage to my people. »
A rich artistic career
In parallel with his role as a griote, Mah Damba developed his artistic path early, because “ she likes music “. In the broad sense. And this is thanks to the long partnership initiated with Africolor in 1996. Thanks to this festival, she played—she doesn’t know anymore, more than 30 times? Through Philippe Conrath, who was her tourer, she sang in several European capitals, and as far as America, notably in the project Women’s voices which brought together, at the end of the 1990s, the Breton Annie Ebrel, the Colombian Totó la Momposina and the Tibetan Yungchen Lhamo.
At the Reunion, she sang with Daniel Waro ; in France with –M-. And recently with the violinist Clément Janinet in The litany of the peaks. And more distantly with the pianist Jean-Philippe Rykiel at Macoumba in Lille in 1989.
Today, his personal projects are accompanied by the guitarist, oud and ngoni player Thierry Fournel, and the accordionist Antoine Girard. “ Very nice, very talented musicians “, she said. “ Mah masters both Mandinka and Bamanan traditions, more focused on pentatonic scales, which gives him a blues side”, says Thierry Fournel.
A rich and eclectic career, which was almost undermined by his commitment to his community. During an Africolor concert in Saint-Denis in 1990, she went on stage, where her father was already there, 45 minutes late, due to a baptism. Result ? A severe falling out, before reconciliation, with Philippe Conrath.
Mah learned his lesson. She now declares herself to be flawlessly punctual. And it is therefore with a good head start that she will take over the Pablo-Neruda room in Bobigny for New Year’s Eve. Surrounded by five musicians – including her two sons Makan “Badjé” Toukara on the ngoni (Salif Keita, Baaba Maal, etc.) and the guitarist Guimba Kouyaté (Youssou N’Dour, Salif Keita…) – she will play her old songs , but also, exclusively, his new album, on Jean Lamoot’s mixing desk, to be released in March. “ In Bambara and Soninké, I talk about ancient warriors, the education of children… In short, I share my life lessons “, she said.
In the meantime, the diva makes a wish: “ I wish you all a year 2025 of happiness, peace, harmony and prosperity “. And of course… A Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 24, at 8 p.m. Salle Pablo Neruda, 31, av. of President Salvador Allende, 93000 Bobigny. 5-20€meals included. 01-47-97-69-99