#assouf

Weekly World Music: “Sastanàqqàm” - Tinariwen

Tinariwen (translating to something along the lines of the "The Desert Boys" in the Tamashek language) began in 1985, when its original members met whilepart of a Libyan Tuareg rebel army. According to Wikipedia "the musicians joined together in a collective ... to create songs about the issues facing the Tuareg people ... and vowed to record music for free for anyone who supplied a blank cassette tape." After the 1990 revolt, members left the army and decided to commit themselves to music full time.

Wikipedia states that "the core elements of Tinariwen's music are traditional Tuareg melodies and rhythms including those played on the shepherd's flute, which is primarily a man's instrument; and those played on a one-string fiddle known as an imzad which is played by women. The primary percussion instrument is the tindé drum which is played by women at festive occasions. Another important traditional influence is the lute (known as the teherdent) which is played by the griots of the Gao and Timbuktu regions."

The band describes “Sastanàqqàm” as “an ode to the Sahara and its Nomads. It expresses the needs of the traveller as he crosses the desert on his mount. Essential needs: find water and a way to preserve it, find a good mode of transport. But also the love-hate relationship with the desert, the natural elements and the certainty that we will always go back to it.”

Lyrics:

Ténéré sastanàqqàm Indek tifut n- imidiwàn Tiled tasnit, tiled achàkwa Aynayàn wàràn issindjày Tissanàd tabaràt S- àkkoz itran dàgh ichinnawàn Chorus Ténéré sastanàqqàm Indek tifut n-imidiwàn Tissanàd umàgh i-aman Dàgh-idàggàn wàràn anfalàl Tissanàd asissinkàr Dat adu indid inkàr Chorus Ténéré sastanàqqàm Indek immik was mad nàrti Nàkk d- kàmm wàr nànmàksàn Nàkk idjodadàgh nilmàd tekle Isikilàn djer ikallàn Ténéré Ténéré Ténéré naghehàd-kàmm

English Translation:

Our new album ‘Assouf’ has officially dropped. We hope you enjoy it :)