Mali finds itself in the midst of a political crisis that has had a huge impact on the arts and culture of the region. Many music venues have been closed, and concerts have been banned, forcing musicians to flee the country for fear of being apprehended by the conservative Islamist groups who have banned all music except for Koranic verses. Libraries across the country are also under threat, with over half of a large collection of manuscripts presumed missing or destroyed.
But still, hope remains, as a host of Mali musicians have banded together in the hopes of making a difference to their war-torn region. Singer Fatoumata Diawara recently went back to her home country to experience the devastation for herself. When she returned, she promptly brought together 40 of the country’s greatest musicians to record a song titled Mali Peace, whose lyrics speak very much for themselves: ‘Do we really want to kill each other? Remember, we are all children of the same mother country. When we stand together, all of Africa is stronger.
