The daughter of a diplomat, Rokia Traoré, from Mali, grew up far from the local music and Mandingo culture, as a result of a childhood accompanying her father’s postings. In the traditional society of Mali, it was more acceptable to play rock’n’roll than to dare to interpret the repertoire of the griot. Dream Mandé – Djata, a spectacle that Le Monde described as “a night of magnificent candour”, focuses on the oral griot tradition of storytelling, interspersing the account of the Mandingo empire with classic songs depicting the epic history of the people of Rokia.

Rokia Traoré Voice
Mamah Diabaté N’goni
Mamadyba Camara Kora

Dream Mandé – Djata
Mandingo music of oral tradition