A Visit with Ali Farka Toure

After our time in Tombouctou we departed for the town of Niafunke, home of Ali Farka Toure the grammy winning guitarist. Thanks to arrangements made by our friend and fellow voyager Mohomodou Houssouba, a special concert and dinner were arranged for us in Niafunke. Ali Farka Toure is a native of Tombouctou and comes from the Songhay ethnic group. One account of his life mentions the fact that he was the only one of some 10 children to survive infancy and thus was given the nick-name Farka, which means Donkey in the Songhay language, because of his stubborn will to live. Toure's most recent album is titled Niafunke and was recorded on-site in this Malian town, in part because Ali Farka was not interested in being away from the large cotton and tree farm he owns and operates.

As a part of our evenings entertainment a fabulous Malian meal was prepared for us. At the end of his second set Ali Farka Toure surrendered his guitar to Adam Scharf who jammed with the band to the delight of all. In his conversation with us after the show Ali Farka Toure talked movingly of his attachment to the land, of the fact that he considered himself a farmer first and a musician second. He spoke of his attachment to the earth, in particular the fields of Niafunke where he has lived and worked for some 30 years.