Toumani Diabaté, a masterful player of the kora – a 21-stringed West African instrument, passed away in Bamako, Mali at the age of 58. His manager, Saul Presa, confirmed that he died in a hospital due to kidney failure.
As a descendant of a long line of griots, traditional West African musician-historians spanning over 70 generations, Diabaté was deeply committed to honoring the legacy of Mandé-speaking peoples across West Africa and sharing their rich history with the world.
Describing the role of a griot, he once said, “If you think of West Africa as a body, then the griot is the blood. We are the guardians of West Africa’s society. We are communicators.”
Diabaté envisioned music as a universal language capable of transcending artificial boundaries imposed by colonialism and reestablishing ancient connections in a rapidly globalizing world. This vision led him to establish the Symmetric Orchestra, a group that aimed to revive the cultural essence of the historic Mali Empire.
In his own words from a 2011 interview with Uncut magazine, he explained, “I started building this band to rebuild Manden empire in a cultural way. The musicians are all from West African, Manden countries. I took the best from Senegal, Ghana, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mauretania, and I put them all together.”
Diabaté collaborated with Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré on two Grammy Award-winning albums in the Best Traditional World Music Album category, showcasing the depth and beauty of West African musical traditions on the global stage.
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| World Circuit |
