KONONAYIRI

Könönayiri belongs to the Dya group of rhythms. It is played before the Dya, to warm up the musicians and dancers. This rhythm is also called Landio and Sanwarawara in some regions.

It is a rhythm to advise single girls.

Könönayiri means “the bird flies over many trees,” signifying to the girls that one day they will get married and leave their family to start their own.

The Könönayiri song says, “even if you are the most beautiful, don’t act as if it wasn’t God who created you, one day you will get married.”

Könönayiri is also danced by the girls of the Fefo group.

DYA

Dya is a group of rhythms native to the Malinke ethnic group. It originated in Kankan before traveling to the regions of Kouroussa, and then Faranah.

Dya rhythms come from the game Dyalo, in which girls and boys meet at the full moon singing, clapping hands, dancing and jumping with a scarf.

Dya means “row”. During the game girls and boys kneel in rows and play to get acquainted and seduced by one another.

A row of girls and another of boys face each other and play to place a scarf around the neck of the person they love. If the attraction is mutual, the scarf will be kept. If not, it will be placed on someone else’s neck.

Percussion instruments appear at the Dyalagban, a party during which a bride about to marry invites her friends to celebrate and play together before losing her celibacy. This is the final Dya ceremony for the bride-to-be.

Lagban means “jump”. In this party, girls play by briefly approaching each other before suddenly turning to find their place in the row.

Dya parties are therefore intended for single girls and boys, serving as a meeting place.

Most of these information were given by Billy Konate and Sekouba Oulare. You can find more details in Sekouba’s book “Viaje a la historia de los ritmos malinkes” (Sube La Marea editions, 2022).