Mariama

AFRO, part 4

 
In the late 60s / early 70s, a movement began in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria and Ghana, called ‘afro’. Young folk from the big cities felt attracted to new sounds from the west and went back to their roots at the same time. A mixture of styles came to be: afro-beat, afro-rock and afro-funk. Many ideas came about, such as the human rights movement in the US, and dressing styles like that of the hippies. And not to forget, growing out your hair – in this case in the form of an afro. It was the music of ‘rebellious youth’, which brought forth a strong black self-consciousness. But not only West Africa came under the spell of afro, the rest of the African continent were influenced as well, and beyond.
 
 1. Wganda Kenya. La Trompeta Loca (R. Veloz).
CD: The Afrosound of Colombia, volume 1 (2010). Vampisoul, Vampi CD 108