Madagascar: Music of Mikea Province

by Pays Mikea / Various

Overview

The Mikea are a forest people on the great island of Madagascar, a country with one of the most diverse and complex cultures on the planet. The Mikea are mostly hunters and gatherers, though they do grow corn. The music of the Mikea is highly ceremonial in that each occurrence in life -- and death -- has its own repertoire of songs: Funeral rites are "havoaza," "bilo" are magic and therapeutic rites, "tromba" are possession rites, "ringa" are fighting matches, "savatsy" are circumcision rites, and so on. Most Mikea music is chanted and accompanies dancing with drums; certain repertoires, such as the bilo, are elaborate ceremonies that invoke ancestral ghosts depending on what the occasion or illness is -- according to custom, they are accompanied by a valikha (a mounted zither) and require a "fomba" (a money offering to the musician) before they can be performed. Other instruments employed include everything from djembes (the classic African drums) and langoro drums to conch shells and the marovany (a box zither). The music collected here by Ocora showcases 18 different segments of Mikea life and the 18 different kinds of music that accompany it. The vast majority of the pieces here are chants with percussive and choral responses to whistling in everything from hunting songs to healing ceremonies to funeral rites. One example is a hunting and gathering song performed with a jejo lava -- a musical bow with a resonator -- which is played by the singer who beats on the string with varying force. The once common instrument is now a rarity and, when procured or made, is still popular with men who sing to one another. As in the case of so many recordings on Ocora, it would be wonderful to see the dances and rituals this music normally accompanies, but not being able to in no way diminishes a rich, colorful listening experience. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	09/19/1997
Label:	OCORA FRANCE
UPC:	0794881403622

Tracks

1. Antsivari-Dringa  -  Dimby  -  Fienena  -  Fitoera  -  Tsihiamina
2. Antsa an-Kasaky  -  Nanoty  -  Repala
3. Koiky  -  Nanoty  -  Repala  -  Repela  -  Retote  -  Totagila  -  Zozy
4. Marovany Tromba  -  Fitoera
5. Antsa an-Katsaky  -  Rekolo  -  Rezafy
6. Langoro Bilo  -  Nanoty  -  Repala  -  Repela  -  Repety  -  Retote  -  Totagila  -  Zozy
7. Antsan-Jejo Lava  -  Rezara
8. Kilangay Kiloloky  -  Repela  -  Retote
9. Iha Lahy Misera  -  Nanoty  -  Repala
10. Langoro  -  Rekolo
11. Valala  -  Repela  -  Retote
12. Kivaleo  -  Repela  -  Tsimidry
13. Lintata  -  Repela  -  Retote
14. Pelaboka  -  Fiaigna  -  Fitoera  -  Mbohore  -  Nadona  -  Remana  -  Tsikosehy
15. Jejo Lava  -  Rezara
16. Antsatsa  -  Repela  -  Retote
17. Kolo  -  Nanoty  -  Repala  -  Repela  -  Retote  -  Totagila  -  Zozy

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Zozy   Primary Artist
Repela   Primary Artist
Repety   Primary Artist
Fiaigna   Primary Artist
Nadona   Primary Artist
Nanoty   Primary Artist
Dimby   Primary Artist
Retote   Primary Artist
Rezara   Primary Artist
Tsimidry   Primary Artist
Tsihiamina   Primary Artist,Drums
Totagila   Primary Artist
Mbohore   Primary Artist
Remana   Primary Artist
Rekolo   Primary Artist
Repala   Primary Artist
Rezafy   Primary Artist
Fitoera   Primary Artist
Fienena   Primary Artist
Tsikosehy   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Jean-Michel Bernot   Editing
Tsikosehy   Composer,Performer
Victor Randrianary   Engineer
Totagila   Performer
Zozy   Performer,Composer
Tsihiamina   Performer
Tsimidry   Composer,Performer