Proud to uphold traditions

LES Filles de Illighadad from rural Niger will perform traditional tuareg music as part of Mona Foma in Launceston tomorrow night.

The group takes its name from the remote bush village Illighadad, which means “something sweet”.

Les Filles consists of lead singer Fatou Seide Ghali and her cousins and back-up singers, Fitimata and Alamnou Akrouni.

They are among less than a handful of women in Niger who play the guitar, and they play the traditional percussion instrument, calebasse, a hemispherical wood drum that floats in water.

Fatou is thought to be Niger’s first female guitarist.

“My brother’s friend left his guitar in my brother’s room and I started to teach myself to play it,” she said.

“I did not want him to see me touching his guitar, that’s why I used it only when my brother was away from the house.”

Fatou said the music they played was about lifestyle and culture.

“The music is a about mountains and oases, drought and famine, nomads and traditions and, of course, love and much more,” she said.

“Our communities are mostly influenced by two types of music that we have grown up with.

“Tende is a traditional way of singing and playing drums from tuareg women in our villages. It is also a drum played by women. Basically it is the most melodic influence of my music.

“Takamba is another style, which is kind of trance and spiritual music from the Haussa and Peul tribes.

“At home our music is connected to traditional parties, so this will be quite different for us. We hope the audience will dance and enjoy the music with us. That’s the most important thing about the music.”

Les Filles de Illighadad perform at the Traverser Stage in Launceston’s Inveresk Precinct at 8pm tomorrow. Entry is included in one-day and three-day passes, available from tickets.mofo.net.au