The Sambla-Diabate family around 1988

This an old video recording with my family. My grandmother Tene Traore sings, my father Penegue Diabate plays the balafon solo. On his left side my brother Sibiri and on the opposite side of the xylophone I play the basic ostinato. We play the most important music pieces of the Sambla people: 1/GBENE GOSARA SO This is an ancient praise song for the very first village chief of Gbene (Bouendé on modern maps), who was elected by the village people for his virtues. The xylophone says that all people are satisfied with his way of managing village affairs and that nobody can surpass him. (Nr.2 on my CD Keneya) 2/ TAN FOGO BO This is an ancient prize song for the founder-chief of Takon (Kongolikan on modern maps) whose Jeli were my ancestors. (Nr.8 on my CD Sababu) 3/ TOGONBO DON This is the praise song for the second village chief of Takon. The xylophone says that his fame has even superseded that of his legendary father. (Nr.9 on my CD Keneya)