Women's Songs from West Africa (African Expressive Cultures)

Exploring the origins, organization, subject matter, and performance contexts of singers and singing, Women's Songs from West Africa expands our understanding of the world of women in West Africa and their complex and subtle roles as verbal artists. Covering Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and beyond, the essays attest to the importance of women's contributions to the most widespread form of verbal art in Africa. Introduction : new perspectives on women's songs and singing in West Africa -- Thomas A. Hale and Aissata G. Sidikou Wolof women break the taboo of sex through songs -- Marame Gueye Jola kanyalen songs from the Casamance, Senegal : from "tradition" to globalization -- Kirsten Langeveld Azna deities in the songs of Taguimba Bouzou : a window on the visible and invisible -- Boubé Namaïwa Initiation and funeral songs from the Guro of Côte d'Ivoire -- Ariane Deluz Praises performances by jalimusolu in the Gambia -- Marloes Janson Saharan music : about a feminine modernity -- Aline Tauzin Songs by Wolof women -- Luciana Penna-Diaw A heroic performance by Siramori Diabaté in Mali -- Brahima Camara and Jan Jansen Women's tattooing songs from Kajoor, Senegal -- George Joseph Drummed poems by Songhay-Zarma women of Niger -- Fatima Mounkaïla Space, language, and identity in the palm tree -- Aissata G. Sidikou Bambara women's songs in southern Mali -- Bah Diakité Patriarchy in songs and poetry by Zarma women -- Aissata Niandou Muslim Hausa women's songs -- Beverly B. Mack Lamentation and politics in the Sahelian song -- Thomas A. Hale Transformations in Tuareg tende singing : women's voices and local feminisms -- Susan J. Rasmussen Income strategies of a jelimuso in Mali and France -- Nienke Muurling. "Exploring the origins, organization, subject matter, and performance contexts of singers and singing, Women's Songs from West Africa expands our understanding of the world of women in West Africa and their complex and subtle roles as verbal artists. Covering Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and beyond, the essays attest to the importance of women's contributions to the most widespread form of verbal art in Africa."--Publisher's description Exploring the origins, organization, subject matter, and performance contexts of singers and singing, this book expands readers' understanding of the world of women in West Africa and their complex and subtle roles as verbal artists. Covering Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and beyond, the essays attest to the importance of women's contributions to the most widespread form of verbal art in Africa