| Click on the song title
to hear a sample (1 minute each) of the Vakoka Project songs. All
files in MP3 Format | Title
and Composer | Musicians |
About the Song |
| Salama
(Gabin) | Lead vocal: Gabin Jijy vocal: Djôma
Background vocal: Solange, Desa, Mosa Accordéon: Donné
Valiha marovany: Dieu-Donné Guitars: Haja, Teta Acoustic
bass: Fanaiky Aponga lahy, solo percussion: Panà Maracas: Seta
| 'Salama' is a salutation used all over Madagascar.
This song, born at the first meeting of the Vakoka musicians, shouts the greetings
characteristic to each of Madagascar's six provinces - Antsiranana, Toamasina,
Antananarivo, Mahajanga, Fianarantsoa and Toliara. | | Era
(Hanitrarivo) | Lead vocal, talking drum: Hanitrarivo
Acoustic bass: Fanaiky Guitar: Haja Valiha volo, maracas: Dieu-Donné
Percussion, aponga lahy: Panà | This song
is about the complexity of time and how, all their lives, people are chased by
clocks. | | Vorondolo
(Djoma) | Lead vocal: Djôma Vocal: Hanitrarivo
Guitars: Teta, Haja Tsikadraha (guiro), aponga lahy: Panà
Talking drums: Hanitrarivo Acoustic bass: Fanaiky Aponga be, maracas,
kofafa (balai): Seta | Djôma's song is about
sorcery and the mystique that surrounds the owl, or vorondolo (which, literally
translated, means 'ghost bird'). In many places in Madagascar, it is believed
that the presence of owls signifies the presence of a witch; therefore the birds
are both feared and respected. | | Lazao
(Seta) | Sodina: Seta, Dieu-Donné Langorona:
Dieu-Donné Aponga be: Fanaiky | This
sodina duet evokes the memory of Seta's onetime teacher, the virtuoso sodina player
Rakoto Frah. Between the song's melody at the start and finish, the sodina reinforces
the rhythm in triplet riffs characteristic of the Merina style. |
| Dame
Ihaova (Monja) | Marovany, vocal: Monja
Angorodao (accordéon): Donné Langoro, katsà (shaker): Sana Drimotse
(breathing): Monja, Damy Background vocal: Djôma Kapo-tsisiny (rim
shot): Panà | As Monja explains, this is the
story of the first ancestors, Adam and Eve. After the original sin, when they
were raised up to the sky, the Antandroy people believe that God provided them
with the ombiasa (traditional healer) to preserve their traditions and power.
When people fall ill or suffer bad fortune, or when a new baby is born, they ask
the ombiasa to arrange their luck. | | Faly
sy Ravo (Lalasoa) | Acoustic guitar: Lalasoa
Vocals: Monja, Sana, Damy Bongos, shaker: Seta Background market
sounds recorded by Sean at Mahamasina market | This
song highlights a style of guitar unique to the highlands, played in the way of
Etienne Ramboatiana. Like 'Manigne' (track 8), the song is a dance of young men
and women, but this time as they gather under the stars in a village on the high
plateau of Antananarivo province. | | Maromaso
(Haja) | Vocals, guitar: Haja Vocal: Chila
Aponga vilany: Fanaiky Maracas: Seta Kiloloka: Hanitrarivo,
Dieu-Donné, Seta Talking drum: Hanitrarivo Aponga lahy: Panà
| The title, meaning 'many eyes', refers to the infidelities
of men, and Haja's song speaks of the dangers that come with untruths between
men and women. Haja plays the song in his characteristic marovany style, using
the hazolahy tradition of the southwest, where the vocal follows the instrumental
melody. | | Manigne
(Gabin) | Vocal: Gabin Lokanga, vocal (first
part): Damy Baritone and soprano sax: Seta Langoro: Monja
Guitar: Teta Vocal (second part): Gabin, Solange, Desa, Mosa
| 'Manigne' ('Nostalgia') reflects on the past,
and dances held under the full moon. During these celebrations, the colour of
skin and hair matter little as young men promenade to and fro, presenting themselves
in all their youthful splendour to the young women who gather by the swing, pretending
to ignore their advances. Gabin's three children (Solange, Desa and Mosa) sing
background vocals. | | Vorombazaha
(Hanitra) | Vocal: Hanitrarivo, Marovavy Valiha
marovany: Dieu-Donné Lokanga (violin): Donné Soprano sax: Seta
Acoustic bass: Lalasoa Jungle sounds: Hanitrarivo, Seta, Dieu-Donné,
Sean | 'Vorombazaha' ('Foreign Bird') is the
story of a Malagasy mother who would always pray for a bird to take her crying
child away from her and not return until the child stops crying. One day, a big
iron bird - an aeroplane - comes and takes this child away from her mother, and
she never returns. The child believes that this is her fate. This is a traditional
lullaby, rearranged by Hanitra. | | Aomby
mazava loha (Monja) | Vocal: Djôma Background
vocal: Hanitrarivo, Solange, Desa, Mosa Valiha marovany: Dieu-Donné
Accordéon: Donné Acoustic bass: Fanaiky Maracas: Seta
Hand-clap: Seta, Donné, Rija Aponga lahy: Panà | The
title refers to a zebu (humped cattle) that carries a white mark on its forehead.
Among certain northern tribes, it is believed that a wish will be granted if such
an animal is sacrificed for a ceremonial feast. | | Tokalava
(Monja) | Marovany, langoro: Monja Lokanga,
vocal: Damy Drimotse (breathing): Monja, Damy Vocal, langoro:
Sana | According to Antandroy tradition, the
tokalava is a prayer for the Zanahary, or Creator, and a solicitation for blessing.
During that rite, the Antandroy sacrifice a zebu and pray in the traditional way.
Then one of the notables calls the ancestors, and sprays cold water onto the children
and the people present. When people far away are sick and unable to attend the
ceremony, the Antandroy call to them using music played on the accordion, the
marovany or the lokanga. | | Hiran'ny
Gasy (Haja) | Vocal, guitar: Haja Vocal:
Chila Lokanga: Donné Aponga be: Fanaiky Rim: Panà
Langorona, maracas, sodina, intro vocal (call): Dieu-Donné Soprano sax:
Seta Trumpet: Donné Trombone: Lalasoa | This
song is a fusion of several Malagasy musical styles, including mbagasy and salegy,
and it features a horn section consisting of trombone, trumpet and saxophone.
Donné starts the song in the highlands vocal style, proclaiming the unity of the
Malagasy, whether they come from east, west, north, south or the highlands of
the island. | |