Torokoiwe: Solo Shama

Torokoiwe: Solo Shama documents a musical tradition from the West African Sahel region — likely associated with the Fula (Fulani) or related pastoral peoples of Guinea, Mali, or Senegal. The shama is a one-string fiddle played by griots and traditional musicians across the Sahel belt. Solo performance on such instruments typically accompanies praise singing, storytelling, and ceremonial music. This recording represents an ethnographic document of a single musician's practice in a tradition of considerable antiquity and ongoing cultural significance to Sahel communities.