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Burkina Faso is home to some sixty different ethnic groups, each with their own variety of folk music. Unlike most African countries, Burkina Faso has not yet had a popular national style, and the most popular recordings are imported from Europe, the United States, Congo, Kenya, Jamaica, Tanzania, South Africa, Senegal or Côte d'Ivoire. The Semaine Nationale de la Culture , held every two years since 1983, is a music festival that has helped produce the country's few stars, including Kaboré Roger , Simporé Maurice and Black So Man . Kaboré Moussa 's Bazar Musique , a record label, has recorded more than one hundred artists representing various traditions from around the country.
The Mande people of the southwest are known for balafonThe balafon is a pentatonic xylophone of West Africa. The Susu people of Guinea are closely associated with it. Famous balafon players include El Hadj Djeli Sory Kouyate and, early in his career, superstar Mory Kante. ( xylophoneThe xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of wooden bars of various lengths that are struck by a plastic-, wooden-, or rubber-headed mallet. Each bar is tuned to a specific pitch of the chromatic scale. The arrangement of) music, while the large, centrally-located MossiMossi is the name of a people living in central Burkina Faso. There are approximately 3. 5 million and they speak the More language. History The Mossi states were created around 1500 A. when bands of horsemen rode north from what is now northern Ghana int and their griotGriots pronounced "greeohs", are storytellers of West Africa who use poetry and rhythm to teach villagers about their history. Their home is the territory of the Mandinke people, i. the states of Mali, Gambia and Senegal where their tradition is alive tos retain ancient royal courts and courtly music. The Fulbe of the north use complex vocal techniques with clappingA clap is the sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often in a constant drone to express approval (see applause), but also in rhythm to match sounds in musi percussionPercussion instruments are played by being struck or shaken. They are perhaps the oldest form of musical instruments. Some percussion instruments play not only rhythm, but also melody and harmony. Classifications Most percussion instruments have a distinc.
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