ABSTRACT
A huge landlocked country made up of many different peoples, Malians place great store on their musical heritage. The great hunters' musicians, such as Bala Jimba Diakite and Seydou Camara, are revered and celebrated by scholars, Malian musicians, and the general public. In Mali's vibrant local music scene, hunters' songs have been an important source of inspiration for Mande musicians since independence. The Mande are a widespread group of people living across seven different West African countries, with substantial expatriate communities. Singing, dancing, and rhythmic clapping are all considered female activities to such an extent that Mande men do not sing at all, except in the case of hunters' musicians and jeliw. The link between women, music, and the mystique of hunters, unique to Mali, is a strong thread running through the fabric of Malian popular music over the past decade and represents a "back to roots" trend, going back to the very foundations of Mande society.
