NIGER Musique Touareg et Haoussa de la région d'Agadez – BAM LD 353

NIGER
Musique Touareg et Haoussa de la région d'Agadez – BAM LD 353, recorded by J. Biltgen and G. Royer, 1957 (7 in, 33 RPM)

These superb Tuareg and Hausa musics, recorded in Niger, around Agadez and in the Aïr Mountains, in March-April 1957, give us a glimpse into the region’s authentic traditional cultures, from a celebration at the Sultan of Agadez’s Palace (B5) to a Hausa concert at a dignitary's house (B2), and deep Tuareg music from the Aïr Mountains (B1, A1, A2).

Ces superbes musiques touareg et haoussa, enregistrées au Niger, autour d'Agadez et dans les montagnes de l'Aïr, en mars-avril 1957, nous donne un aperçu des authentiques cultures traditionnelles de la région, allant d'une fête au Palais du Sultan d'Agadez (B5) à un concert haoussa chez un dignitaire (B2), et des musiques touareg profondes des montagnes de l'Aïr (B1, A1, A2).

A1 & A2 – Tuareg possession dance to cure a girl (Part 1 and 2); Tuareg women’s choir and tindi drum.

The Tuareg believe that certain diseases and afflictions, like being struck mute or incapable of typical social behavior, are due to “visitations” or “possessions” by spirit entities called “genies.” Curing an afflicted person requires a preliminary diagnosis from a specialist, followed by tindi trance possession music and dance to coax the intruding spirit entity to leave the person’s body.

A3 – Tuareg music performed in the evening under a tent; Tuareg woman playing the imzad violin.

A4 – Caravan song; men’s voices.

A5 – Hausa music; drum, double-reed agaïta and voice.

B1 – Touareg celebration with a camel carousel in the Aïr Mountains; Tuareg women’s choir and tindi drum.

B2 – Hausa music at a dignitary's house in Agadez; mandolin, fiddle and small drum.

B3 – Hausa song; Hausa woman singing and playing the violin.

B4 – Song by Hausa children.

B5 – Celebration at the court of the Sultan of Agadez; double-reed agaïta, kakaki (long metal trumpet), large drum and male singer.

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Many thanks to our friend Thomas for sharing this superb record, and the scans!

Photographs below are from Touaregs by Edmond and Suzanne Bernus, photographs by Catherine and Bernard Desjeux, L'Harmattan, 1983:

Tuareg women play the imzad violin (A3) to keep the memory of their culture alive; 
near Iférouane in the Aïr Mountains:

Tuareg women in the Aïr Mountains weave long fan-palm bands together to make mats:

The Sultan of Agadez (B5) and his entourage ride in front of the mosque 
on Tabaski (Eid al-Adha). The sedentary ruler of a nomadic environment 
is the arbitrer and guardian of the caravan routes: 

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