performance
BARAFOLLY
Music and dance from Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso)
Artistic direction: Souleymane Coulibaly
Souleymane (known as Solo) Coulibaly established the Barafolly group in Bobo-Dioulasso, which is East Africa’s cultural crossroads. The Coulibaly are griots, which means they have the responsibility of perpetuating their musical heritage. They are not only the guardians of memory, but also the witnesses and agents in a society that continues to change.
In 1989, Solo founded the Les Frères Coulibaly ensemble with his twin brothers Lassina and Oussèni. Under the name of Badenya, this group soon expanded to eight members and began to tour all over the world. In 2004, after the deaths of the twins, Solo decided to dedicate himself to his music school project in Bobo-Dioulasso: Barafolly.
Souleymane is aware not only of the socio-economic realities and the education problems in his country, but also of the value of his musical heritage and the importance of transmitting it to young people. It is this new generation of griots that we present, as witness to the richness and strength of this musical tradition.
