Nomades Du Niger: Musique des Touareg, Musique des Bororo (Ocora )

These great recordings were made in Niger in 1963 & '64 by Tolia Nikiprowetzki, who also wrote the notes in the accompanying booklet. Here's an extract:

The Tuareg are nomads of Berber origin, who live in the central Sahara and the steppes - or Sahel - to the south of the desert. They live in tents and raise livestock. They are estimated to be about 500,000 in number. There are some 300,000 in the Republic of Niger, scattered among the northern and middle-western regions.

The recordings presented here were collected among the Tuareg living in the Air of Niger, a mountainous massif stretching across the north-west of the country.

"The most secret and constant preoccupation of the Bororo" writes Henry Brandt "is to be beautiful. For several weeks each year they devote all their artistry and almost all their time to this end"

Thus every year in the rainy season, the Guerewol takes place; this is an important feast which is the occassion for a veritable beauty contest. The young men dress and make upwith great care, while the young women bring out there finest jewels.

The young men, in single file in groups of about thirty, perform an almost motionless dance, singing at the same time. Periodically, the songbreaks off while the dancers open their eyes as wide as they can to arouse admiration, and curl back their lipsto display the dazzling whiteness of their teeth. The young women mix with the spectators. Each girl will choose her fiance for his good looks.

Tracklist:

01 ouane-ouane
02 aboraki
03 ahayalla-ahane
04 henne-amhee
05 tikichkichene
06 tekalelt
07 tailalt
08 ouankalanine
09 musique bororo

Get it HERE.