webFuuta
Fuuta-Jalon théocratique

Tradition orale
Awluɓe & Farba

Asko Alfa Abdurahmani Koyin
The Alfa Abdurahmane Koyin legend-epic
La légende-épique d'Alfa Abdurahmane Koyin

The Awluɓe are the Griot cast in the Fuuta Jaloo. Besides their own group traditions, they act as traditional praise singers, court poets, and official historians. They cultivate speech activities and verbal art with mastery. webFuuta begins here the publications of the Awluɓe's rich repertoire.
This first piece, intitled Alfa Abdurahmani Koyin, is a Pular epic narration of the war between the Fuuta-Jaloo islamic confederacy against Janke Wali, king of NGaabu (Guinea-Bissao, Gambia). The story was told by Farba Ibrahima Njaala, accompanied by Farba Abbassi in Freetown. The two performers bear the title Farba, which is the highest rank among Awluɓe. The music background on the hoddu (luth) enhances the verbal performance. The epic was transcribed in four parts from the original cassette tape

Transcription: Tierno S. Bah, Anthropology Department. The University of Texas at Austin. 1983.