Konden - Billy Konate

[nonidentity]

dang this is hot - did you see the konden i posted from the baro drummers? - some similar dance moves

[SANATANADHARMA108]

How funny!

[archetypo]

It's not just a dununba rhythm - it's also played as part of rites of passage. I don't know what Famoudou has to say on the subject, but the information I got from Billy was that it was sacred. I've heard this from other people as well, though I'm told it depends on what village you're talking about - in some places, they take it more seriously than in others. In Fatoya, where I got married, they had a Konden after and no one seemed to have any problem with us filming any part of it.

[makeme400]

actually, Famoudou explained to us that it is not a "dunumba" rhythm. He said that the mask was dedicated to young men, yes, but that it is MASK dance, not a dunumba rhythm. The kenkeni part throws people off, as it is very like a dunumba rhythm. thank you.

[makeme400]

"Note: In many villages, recording of this particular, very sacred mask dance is forbidden, including Billy's home village of Sangbaralla."

ok I just have to tell you that I was at a workshop with Famoudou in Portland 2 years ago, and he said Konden is NOT "sacred". Please tell us where you heard that is was?? thanks.

and also, ANY kind of filming has to be cleared by the village, not only because the mask might be sacred.

[archetypo]

This is the info I got from his son Billy. Did you hear this from him directly or through a translator? Just curious, as I've often observed things being translated incorrectly that could lead to a lot of misinformation.

As for clearance from the village, when I was there last year, I did plenty of filming and no one ever approached me about clearance - the only time I was told no filming was allowed was for Konden.

[makeme400]

it was during a funny story he told us. We had a translator, but I also speak french. He was telling us how he went to a museum that had a Konden mask on the top.

[makeme400]

....and when he went to go into an area that was roped off, the museum personnel tried to stop him, and so he said to them, "hey, you have a very sacred mask from my village on top of your building, that means I can go anywhere I want." ...and so the museum personnel let him go into the off limits area, and so he explained to us that he was laughing so hard because he tricked the museum person; as Konden is really NOT a sacred mask.

[GunKlappa]

very nice video