WOMAD

Dimi Mint Abba

From Mauritania

In her native Mauritania, Dimi Mint Abba is revered as the Diva of the Desert, the small republic's best-loved female griot, who comes from a talented musical family (her father, Sidaty Ould Abba, wrote the Mauritanian national anthem). The griot represents much more to Mauritanians than a singer or musician, as their songs convey history, social commentary, poetry, prophecy and tales about the beauty of love. After winning a prize at the Festival d'Oum Kelthoum in Tunisia in 1976, Dimi represented Mauritania at the Festival of Arabic Youth in Iraq (1977), Festival of Timgad in Algeria (1978) and the Festival of Agadir in Morocco in 1986. In 1989, she embarked on a European tour, giving audiences a first taste of music from Mauritania, followed by the album Moorish Music from Mauritania, with her haunting vocals supported by ardin (similar to the kora), tidnit (a type of lute), tabal and electric guitar. Although the music of neighbouring Mali, Senegal, Algeria and Morocco are better known outside of Africa, the modern and traditional music of Mauritania boasts a unique fusion of African and Arabic cultures to produce a passionate, expressive singing style over complex rhythms - a powerful influence on other forms of music, including flamenco.

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