I have written before about my love for the traditional music of Benin and the artists who have devoted their careers to keeping these musics alive. This post features another master of the genre. Adjignon Hanbaladji is a Xwla from South Western Benin, a small ethnic group of between 60-75,000 people.
Adjignon is one of the star's of the Nonvitcha, one of Benin's biggest annual cultural events. In 2017 the Nonvitcha will celebrate its 97th anniversary. The festival is held over the pentecostal weekend and celebrates the fraternity and solidarity between the Xwla and Xwéda peoples, neighboring ethnic groups. The celebrations are held in the town of Grand Popo, on the Atlantic coast, not far from Togo.
Over the last fifty years the Nonvitcha has become an important commercial and political event; a pilgrimage that attracts thousands of visitors, from throughout Benin and her Diaspora as well as neighboring Togo, Ghana and Nigeria.
One of the highlights of the Nonvitcha weekend are the musical performances by contemporary and traditional artists. Adjignon Hanbaladji, reknown for his profound lyrics in Xwla, regularly composes new material for the event.
I don't know anything about these particular recordings. These tracks were among a batch I was given on a USB key on my last trip to Cotonou. There are occasional glitches but this music is too good not share. If you know anything about Adjignon and these particular recordings please get in touch.
Adjignon Hanbaladji
Adjignon is one of the star's of the Nonvitcha, one of Benin's biggest annual cultural events. In 2017 the Nonvitcha will celebrate its 97th anniversary. The festival is held over the pentecostal weekend and celebrates the fraternity and solidarity between the Xwla and Xwéda peoples, neighboring ethnic groups. The celebrations are held in the town of Grand Popo, on the Atlantic coast, not far from Togo.
Over the last fifty years the Nonvitcha has become an important commercial and political event; a pilgrimage that attracts thousands of visitors, from throughout Benin and her Diaspora as well as neighboring Togo, Ghana and Nigeria.
One of the highlights of the Nonvitcha weekend are the musical performances by contemporary and traditional artists. Adjignon Hanbaladji, reknown for his profound lyrics in Xwla, regularly composes new material for the event.
I don't know anything about these particular recordings. These tracks were among a batch I was given on a USB key on my last trip to Cotonou. There are occasional glitches but this music is too good not share. If you know anything about Adjignon and these particular recordings please get in touch.
Adjignon Hanbaladji
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