MOCAfest 2015: Seeking thrills with Noura Mint Seymali

This Mauritanian singer and musician adds a touch of the contemporary to her traditional instrument and melodies.

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Noura Mint Seymali has a rich musical heritage: her family specialises in oral storytelling through music, a tradition found across the Sahara, Maghreb and West Africa. Her stepmother is a legendary singer and musician; her father adapted the Mauritanian national anthem; and Noura herself married a musician from a neighbouring tribe.

Trained in instrumental technique by her grandmother, Noura plays the ardine, a harp that is taught and learned only by women. Since 2004 she has been collaborating with her husband Jeich Ould Chigaly, who plays a Western guitar modified to resemble the sound of the tidinit, a traditional stringed instrument. While both of them had already had musical engagements with other talented family members, Noura and Jeiche complement each other in a way that perhaps only husband and wife can, as his contemporary sounds balance her regal tones.

Noura will be performing at this year’s MOCAfest, part of the 11th World Islamic Economic Forum held in Kuala Lumpur from Nov 3–5, 2015.

Aquila Style: You have a strong background in classical Mauritanian music. Tell us more about Griot families.

Noura Mint Semali: Griot, or iggawen in Hassaniya, are hereditary lineages of musicians, respected as cultural historians. Music is passed down from generation to generation within these families. I learned from my father and grandmother; Jeich learned from his father and brothers, and so on. Iggawen are able to make a living performing at weddings and traditional events. They are real cultural ambassadors in the traditional realm – something that with my current band, we are updating for a contemporary, global context as well.

Your father is a famous musician in his own right. How do you feel about your musical lineage? Do you want your children to sing and play too?

I have been blessed to come from a family of many great musicians and to able to access a humbling amount of musical knowledge. My father, Seymali Ahmed Vall, grandmother Mounina and stepmother Dimi Mint Abba were my greatest teachers. But I was also fortunate to learn and develop in the company of brothers and sisters, and in a thriving culture of music.

My children are free to choose their own careers, just as I was. If music is what calls them, we, of course, will support and encourage that, but it is not an obligation. There are members of my own family and plenty of iggawen that pursue careers in other fields.

Will MOCAfest be your first time visiting Asia? What do you look forward to?

No, I performed in Asia once before at the World Expo in South Korea as part of the Mauritanian national delegation. Malaysia will be a new experience and we hope to meet lots of new friends and colleagues.

You collaborate with your husband Jeich, who plays a modified Western guitar. What kinds of collaborations are you looking forward to at this year’s MOCAfest?

It is a blessing to be able to perform and travel with Jeich. We work together as a family and it enriches the music. We are looking forward to meeting new people from all over the Islamic world at MOCAfest and hopefully find opportunities to bring our music to new audiences.

You play a women-only traditional instrument, the ardine. How is today’s relationship between young Mauritanian women and the ardine?

The ardine lives and there are young women still learning to play it. It has always been important to me to keep the ardine present in my music for its unique voice and to show the instrument to the outside world.

The theme for this year’s festival is “Preserving our identity”. How is the Mauritanian music scene faring locally and internationally?

Mauritania is in the unusual situation of having a traditional music economy that is perhaps more viable than its “modern” or “fusion” music scene. While traditional music is well respected and continues to be performed throughout Mauritania and the diaspora, local pop music in Mauritania is in a much more difficult situation, with very few venues and festivals to support it.

One of the things I am most proud of with my current band is that we are bridging this gap: performing new music, firmly rooted in the tradition, for international audiences. We are working hard to put Mauritania on the map in the world of contemporary music.

Catch Noura Mint Seymali at MOCAfest:
Wednesday, 4 Nov 2015 at 7.00pm
MOCAfest Soundscape Concert

Can’t get enough of Noura’s enthralling voice? Learn more about her on her website

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