Tartit

Emerging as leading exponents of Afro-beat counterpoint and ballad textures in the Americas, the ensemble Tartit, whose name translates as union, originates in Mali’s Tombouctou region. Five women and four men belonging to the Tamasheq people known as Tuareg make up the group; they first assembled inside a Burkina Faso refugee camp, where performing became essential for enduring the area’s economic, social, and political turmoil. Their debut appearance took place in 1995 at Abidjan, Côte D'Ivoire, followed by a slot at the Festival of Women's Voices in Liege, Belgium. After European dates in 1998 and North American concerts in 2000, the musicians strengthened their profile through joint work with Ali Farka Touré, Afel Bocoum, Tinariwen, Oumou Sangaré, Lo'Jo, Baba Salah, Robert Plant, and Susan McKeown on her album Sweet Liberty. The first Tartit recording, Amazagh, appeared in 1997, Ichichila followed in 2000, and Abacabok became their third release. Seeking to foster progress in their native country, the musicians established an organization devoted to safeguarding Malian musical traditions and heritage through children’s schools and expanded prospects for women, an initiative later acknowledged by the United Nations general assembly. Their arrangements foreground the tinde drum while female vocalists deliver chants and perform on both conventional African instruments and the imzad; male participants focus on the teherdent ngoni or electric guitar, supported by hand drums and additional percussion. The members are Fadimata Walett Oumar, Walett Oumar Zeinabou, Mama Walet Amoumine, and Fadimata W. Mohamedun, each contributing tinde and vocals; Tafa Al Hosseini, who sings and plays imzad; Mohamed Issa Ag Oumar on lead electric guitar and vocals; Ag Mohamed Idwal on four-string teherdent lute and guitar; Amanou on three-string tehardent lute, guitar, and vocals; and lead singer Mossa Ag Mohamed.