Donso music is usually associated with donson’goni, the six-stringed harp-lute played by the musicians of the brotherhood. Sometimes I saw a few drums being added, but only with a secondary role. The foreground is taken by the bard’s voice, and instrumental music often represents just a background for his praises and epic songs. With surprise I discovered that my teacher’s junior brother, Lacole Traoré, is leading a group that also includes a balan, the xylophone usually known as balafon, plus some talking drums. Diakari Traoré, my teacher’s first son, is the leading voice and donson’goni player, the accompaniment is taken care of by Bakari Ouattara, who played at my initiation.Today I asked Lacole about the birth of the group and its activities. The idea of adding the Samogo balafon and drums to donso music was originally of the donsoba of Samogogwan, Batara Traoré. The group started its activities under his influence in the early eighties, and took its name from the leading personality and donson’goni player Massa Konaté (now deceased). They performed in France and Belgium in 1992 and 1998, during a two months long tour. In 2005 they acquired their present formation and name. Yere Majigi means, in Jula, diminish yourself, with reference to a attitude of humility in front of a teacher. The group plays in the Samogogwan area for authorities, weddings, funerals or hunters’ ceremonies, and participates to national culture festivals like the Semaine Nationale de la Culture. This video I shot in Samogogwan on October the 29th, 2010.

Musicians are: Lacole Hamadou Traoré – balafon, Diakari Traoré – donson’goni and leading voice, Sie-Bakari Ouattara – donson’goni and accompanying voice, Fuseni Traoré – negeshien and donsoflé, Tiemogo Traoré – negeshien, Daouda Traoré – longa, Moussa Traoré – longa. Also part of the group: Dramane Diabaté – balafon, Ibrahim Konaté – donson’goni, Mangan Traoré – longa, Madou Diabaté – negeshien, Issouf Traoré – balafon.