Films and videos on African tradition
In the Blood: Portrait of a Griot -MOVIE
Award-winning documentary film In the Blood: Portrait of a Griot (Järvi & Oksanen productions 2005, 25 min.) is a portrait of the master drummer Zoumana Dembele.
In the Blood: Portrait of a Griot was screened at international film festivals in 2005-2006. The short film received an honourable mention at the Finnish Kinos05 festival.
The film was released for the first time as an updated version in March 2025 (shot almost 22 years earlier in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso in autumn 2003).
In the Blood: Portrait of a Griot - TRAILER
Trailer for the award-winning documentary In the Blood: Portrait of a Griot (2 min.)
The short documentary is a personal portrait of master drummer Zoumana Dembele. It tells the story of his life and work in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, West Africa. Oral tradition with its proverbs, music and dance are a constant presence in the family's daily life. The Griots are craftsmen of words and music and the tradition is passed from father to son and from mother to daughter.
Remu Meets the Beat @ Master Drummer Zoumana Dembele's
Hurriganes rock legend Remu Aaltonen visits Zoumana Dembele's griot family in Burkina Faso, West Africa.
This is his view of how things outta be in rhythm and in life.
Interview by Aakusti Oksanen (6 min.).
Zoumana Dembele & Mande Maja Band @Semifinal 2014
Zoumana Dembele & Mande Maja Band feat. Abdoulaye Conde dunduns, Maarika Autio balafon, Adama Kone sangban, longa @ Semifinal, Helsinki, Finland 2013 (2 min.)
Zoumana Dembele official solo 2013
Master Djembefola Zoumana Dembele is a hereditary griot and musician from Burkina Faso. Zoumana works in collaboration with Djembepaja in Finland.
Internationally recognised solo length: 8 min.
Master musicians of Burkina Faso - Koroley Foli
Master musicians from Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, West Africa. Great grooves and beautiful melodies from Burkina's "Buena Vista Social Club" ensemble (6 min.)
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