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Ali Farka Touré
Guitarist and singer; bridge between the Niger and the Mississippi
The farmer from Niafunké who proved the blues began on the Niger.
The rise
Born on 21 October 1939 in Kanau, near Timbuktu, he grew up along the Niger River and taught himself guitar. His music fused the pentatonic melodies of Songhai and Tuareg traditions with the blues, demonstrating what many had theorised: that the Delta blues carried West African DNA.
What they did
The full picture
Why it matters
What citizens said
Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021–2023) — Mali
Trust in president86%
Trust in parliament53%
Trust in courts42%
% who say 'trust somewhat' or 'trust a lot' · Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 891