Mali
All countries-
Album review: Diali Cissokho and Kaira Baʹs "Routes"
Marrying music and culture
Diali Cissokho left his native Senegal for North Carolina years ago. Raised as a griot, one of the traditional musical story tellers and historians of West Africa, he wanted to continue playing music in his new home. It may have taken a while to find the musicians he was looking for but, writes Richard Marcus, it was worth the wait
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Radical Islamism
Negotiating with jihadists?
In Asia and Africa, Muslim terrorists are regarded as combatants with concerns that should be taken seriously. Experts advise dialogue in lieu of extermination. By Charlotte Wiedemann
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Africa's Muslims
Pawns of the Saudis
Rich Saudis are investing millions in building mosques in Africa. And they are being accused of using radical preachers to destabilise the region. But there has long been much more at stake on the African continent than proselytising. By Gwendolin Hilse
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Album review: ″Kidal″ by Tamikrest
Encompassing the endless space
With ″Kidal″, its latest album of beautiful, heart-stopping music, Tamikrest is following in the footsteps of its Tamasheq predecessors and attracting a global following. Richard Marcus shares his impressions
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Islamism in Mali
Between fear and disappointment
Gao was once regarded as a jihadist stronghold. French intervention at the beginning of 2013 managed to quash the rebel insurgency, yet there has been little stability since. Mali continues to be shaken by attacks despite the presence of UN blue helmets. By Katrin Gansler
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Album review: "Jamal" by Alkibar Jr.
Mali's musical resistance
Despite attempts by the former Malian government to brand the Tamasheq as terrorists and turn the general population against them, not to mention the Islamists′ drive to ban music and turn Muslim against Muslim in a bid for control and power, the album "Jamal" by newcomers Alkibar Jr. stands for unification and a better future. By Richard Marcus
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Album review: "Alone" by Terakaft
The lions of Tamasheq music
Since 2012, the Kel Tamasheq way of life has been under renewed threat from the violence of insurgents. But according to Richard Marcus, if the insurgents thought they would be able to shut Tamasheq bands up and obliterate Tamasheq culture by forcing them into exile, they were very wrong indeed. Bands such as Terakaft are determined to keep their traditions and culture alive through their music
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Refugees in Libya
An unlikely safe haven
Migrants and refugees from Africa and beyond find shelter in a former major smuggling route to Italy. Zuwara, once a muster point for those seeking to jump on a raft to Europe, is now proving a haven for those fleeing conflict and instability in other countries. By Karlos Zurutuza
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Album: ″Lost in Mali″
Celebrating a musical landscape
Showcasing a rich diversity of West African music traditions, ″Lost in Mali″ plunges the listener into a world apart. Incidental audio footage of street sounds and children playing enhances the ″on-location″ feel. Richard Marcus reviews the album
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Album review: "Bamako Today" by the BKO Quintet
A fascinating mix of the old and the new
The BKO Quintet was founded during the state of emergency in Mali in 2012. Even though the tracks on the quintet's album "Bamako Today" feature primarily traditional Malian instruments, the resulting sound is anything but typical of the music of this country. According to Richard Marcus, it is raw and both extraordinary and thrilling to the ear
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Album review: "Kirike" by Kasse Mady Diabate
"Understanding is what we wish for: to live in peace"
Kasse Mady Diabate has been described as "the greatest singer in Mali". He is more than just a singer, he is also a griot: an oral historian and musical storyteller. On his latest CD, "Kirike", Kasse Mady Diabate goes back to his musical roots. The result, says Richard Marcus, is captivating
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Abderrahmane Sissako's film "Timbuktu"
In the beginning there was violence
Abderrahmane Sissako's film "Timbuktu" portrays the nightmarish horror of Islamist rampages and at the same time invokes gentleness as a source of resistance. The compelling story is captured in masterful imagery by the cameraman Sofiane El Fani. By Hans-Jörg Rother