Since the days of Louis Sarno’s recordings (1987 to 2017) the BaAka music has changed, Robert Sambo informs. No longer do the elders who made the original instruments exist. So now, the community uses plastic for drums. Enjoy the 3 minute Epop video: BaAka pygmy music from plastic as Robert tells this story.
Global Voice Foundation funds two BaAka employees for Radio Ndjoku to broadcast the BaAka music and to share their culture and their daily issues. As we wait for the final attachment of the fiber optics, we hope within the next 6 months that this station will go worldwide.
Max Bale, who created Epop, is also the founder of the Radio France’s Radio Ndjoku, which broadcasts the BaAka Music and forest ceremonies recorded by Louis Sarno while he lived amongst them. This Radio Ndjoku was the wish of Louis’. In it’s beginnings, Louis participated in broadcasting the music of the BaAka with such joy (see photo of Louis below with Bayanga broadcasting). Louis Sarno was the author of Songs from the Forest: My Life Among the Ba-Benjelle Pygmies. Listen to his recordings here Pitt Rivers Sound on Global Voice or on Spotify
Max and Louis are photographed together below (2014). They spent many hours dreaming of this moment for the BaAka’s music to be broadcasted.
Max Bale travels worldwide “listening,” “engaging” others to speak their feelings (not facts) about the environmental changes they see and experience in their everyday lives. Recently over tea, Max confiding, even so, it’s as though we as humans are going headlong into the wall with our lack of changing the way we live.
Bale is an Expert in audiovisual development, Director and producer of audiovisual documentaries, heading the RFI Planète Radio Department and International Affairs Department France Media World (FMM) and is head of the Radio France / RFI Planète Radio Cooperation Fund. Max Bale’s LinkedIn
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