MADAMUNI

Madamuni is a Dyagba rhythm. Madamuni comes from the combination of the French word Madame and the diminutive suffix -ni, meaning “little Madame.”

According to tradition, the song originated in a village during the colonial period. When a colonial family arrived, the villagers made traditional dresses for the woman and her daughter and sang Madamuni for them. The song said: “Little Madame, you too will have your share of our traditional clothing.”

Today, Madamuni is commonly played during wedding celebrations for young women. In this context, the song addresses the bride-to-be, telling her: “After your marriage, you will no longer be a single young woman. You will become a Madame.”

This information was passed on to Maarten Schepers by Billy Konaté (billykonate.com).