F Fadé Konia / Fadé Onia is a rhythm of the Bwaba griot, the Djeli of the Bwa who often play it as an opening. It is played at all kinds of parties. If it is played at a memorial party, then after the rhythm Bou A Tignee.
The word Fadé is a Djoula word and means the children of the same father. Konia is a Bwamou word and means something like jealousy. The song thus describes jealousy between the children of the same father. Under the Bwa itself, the song is also called Bouraman.
Origin of the song
The song originated in a family where a griot woman married a man who had six brothers. In West African culture, it is true that after such a marriage, a woman is the wife of all brothers (not sexual). There is a lot of work to be done in the family in which the woman works together with everyone in the family. In this story, a specific woman had become a nice family member that everyone loved. The husband therefore sometimes felt jealousy towards his brothers, after all he was the “real” man of this woman. The woman then started making / singing this song.
The Needle
After work she sat down with her husband and sang the song in which she said that she was lucky to get married in such a large family and that she has the function of ‘needle, which can both sting and heal and thus the family connection strengthens. Within the family, the youngest brother was adored by everyone as “Benjamin” and when he joined the woman, he asked why she was singing that song. She said that she is the wife of her oldest brother, his wife and all the other brothers, but her husband does not want to share his love with his brothers. The boy then named the beauty of the song and thus the two sides of the needle (being able to sting and heal).
Present use
The song has since been sung by the Bwa-griot women. It has become a healing song for the difficult things in life, a sensitive song.
The song was often sung by the women at home work (mashing, flour milling). Every griot woman has her own interpretation.
Youssouf has given two basic patterns which he said are always played. I chose a first A pattern myself because the other has little recognizable variations in the two harmonies used. Pattern A should always be played and pattern B, for example, can be alternated with the melodies. In that case you only play the X harmony, while during the melody the / harmony itself applies.
Ee wa ni yoo, mi nè wa wé we pari, pari wo mè na bou a demia tân dè (2x)
hey people, show solidarity! Solidarity is a beautiful thing, it’s of all times
Konia soum me, Fadé Konia, Fadé yèni Konia na ba Bwa ma di ma wè
too much jealousy leads to the (sons of one father at the)
Bwa don’t eat together
pari si lé Fadé wa na ye nou na lo a wo wa ma li pari, minè wa di lo hia wa
Solidarity is of all sons of one father, You have to follow the good people.
Pari si lé Zama pari Jesu Ma na a a wo wa ma li pari, minè wa di lo hia wa
Solidarity belongs to everyone, including Jesus,
You have to follow the good people.
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