Moving from Ivory Coast and Mali to The Gambia, and the singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer who hails from a long line of kora players with a song to mark her country's 50th independence anniversary in 2015. Jobarteh, 34, was actually born in the UK, but lives and breathes her Gambian roots coming from one of the five main Griot (travelling poet and storyteller) families, and her grandfather, Amadu Bansang Jobarteh, born in 1915), was the Master Griot of his time. As well as a beautiful voice, her kora talent is obvious, a she is a cousin of Toumani Diabaté, who has featured on several of these African tracks on Song of the Day. Jobarteh composed music for the African documentary Motherland, and has also invented a new instrument, the nkoni, a cross between the kora and the donso ngoni. To show off these string skills, we also highlight her playing Jarabi, a traditional West African song alongside Femi Temowo on guitar and percussionist Robert Fordjour from Nigeria and Ghana, the three of them interweaving with perfect synchronicity.
Kairaya loo
Tengkungoyabeng
yiriwaningnyatotaa le yajiyaa
Hadamaya
Sewo ye nyaadaalubeng
n'nabankukendemaalem Gambia
Ibedawoda
Ikana song mummey
kanyineyfaasuwo la Gambia
Tonya
I'nyinatai'bonsungwo la
I'nyinatai'fangwo le la
Nsinganyaa
N'tenganyaata N'nabanko le la
N'singanyaa, N'singanyaa
N'singanyaa
Al nganaakafunyooma Nganyomuta
N'singanyaa
Wolemunyatotaa Ningnafasoto
Gambiankolu le
Nyinembankunyimati
Gambiankolu le
Nyingbankukaira ma
Gambiankolu le
Nyinemmoolabankooti
Gambiankolu le
Nyinenyongomangsiyaa
A nemata
Woleyasaabu
Mooluyabunyaa
Abarakata
Woleyatinna
Moolumangnyangna,
Nyingbankunyimaafaylaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaaa
Bankodingolu
Ali ngana Kafunyooma
Tonyaa
N'mangnimisa
Nyingbankudingyaala mummey
Ningtata
Duniyaakono
Nyingbankoo la diya mbafola
Gambia nyongte
Gambiankolu le
Nyinembankunyimati
Gambiankolu le
Nyingbankukaira ma
Gambiankolu le
Nyinemmoolabankooti
Gambiankolu le
Nyinenyongomangsiyaa
Gambia le ma
Gambia le ma
M'bekuuma la
Gambia le ma
Gambia le ma
M'bekuuma la
Gambia le ma...
Kairasuu,
Alaafo Gambia
Nemasuu,
Oohhhoo Gambia
Hadamayaasuu,
Alaafo Gambia
Baadingyaasuu,
Oohhhoo Gambia...
Built in peace and stability,
Hosted by development and progress,
Humanity and happiness is on all faces,
Our outstanding country Gambia.
Wherever you are
Never forget
Your homeland Gambia
For if you forget your roots,
You turn your back on who you are.
We are proud…
We are proud of our country
We are proud…
Let us come together and unite
We are proud…
This is what will result in progress
People of the Gambia; this is the beautiful land
People of the Gambia; this is the peaceful land
People of the Gambia; this is the land of our people
People of the Gambia; there is nothing that compares to this land
People honour this country because it is blessed
We should not abandon our beautiful country
Sons/daughters of this land, let us come to together
I will truly always be proud to be a Gambian
Wherever I travel, I shall tell of the wonders of this country
There is nowhere that compares to Gambia
The home of Peace … everyone say “Gambia”
The home of Blessings … everyone say “Gambia”
The home of Humility … everyone say “Gambia”
The home of Family … everyone say “Gambia”
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