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Akele songs
Following our July video series on marriage and its side issues among the Akele people of Gabon, Sorosoro continues its journey throughout the culture of the Lake region around Lambaréné. We are starting off a new video series, which will take us right through to the end of the summer: August will be all about songs – be they ritual and ceremonial songs or simple songs from everyday life.
We’re kicking it off with our first batch of songs that all focus on the departure of men…Obviously! Considering that they are sung by women!
One of these songs, entitled Foker, especially caught our attention: a wife weeps for her husband who has left. But where does this name Foker come from? It’s actually not the name of the man… but the name of the airplane!
And while the lyrics of the other songs featured here are not exactly upbeat (an orphan’s lament, a woman who fears that her husband will kill her, a song of mourning), their melodies are nevertheless seductive, carried along by these women’s beautiful chorus…
Linguist: Jean-Marie Hombert
Camera and sound: Luc-Henri Fage
Translation: Hugues Awanhet
Editing: Caroline Laurent