Sagari Sambou and Ekona Diatta 3 7.23.07

I visited the Gambia in 2007, to learn about the akonting (ekonting) an African musical instrument that is now widely considered to be an ancestor to the banjo. For me, the most striking things about the akonting was (and is) that the right hand motion is so similar to clawhammer and minstrel /stroke --style playing as described in banjo instructional books published in the 1850's and 1860's.

My guide and host was Daniel Jatta, who was raised in the village of Mandinari. Daniel was a generous and knowledgeable host. He introduced me to Remi and Ekona Diatta, (nephew and uncle who live in Mlomp, Senegal) who I have come to regard as master musicians.

The akonting players of Daniel's youth were almost all gone by the time I visited. However, Sagari Sambou, apparently the last akonting player in Mandinary lived nearby. Ekona, Daniel and I went to visit. Sagari was not feeling well, and only played for us a little. Soon Ekona was handed the akonting,

Ulf Jagfors stated in a recent email " We do not know ( he didn´t) for sure how old he was but my best guess is somewhere around 75-80 years of age. As they say in Gambia, age is just numbers. We have a video interview with him and a short clip of him playing the Akonting and also dance Jola dances. He was the closest friend to Daniel Jatta´s father in Mandinari Village. Several on this list has meet him. He attended as elderly guest of honor at the last traditional festival of traditional music in Mandinari village 2006. He is also on a video, shoot by me in Mandinari Village 2002. leading the Ekonting playing team of Si Jambukan. Selected part of that video can be seen on a monitor at the Senegambian display booth in the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix as an demonstration of Ekonting playing and Jola dancing. Great honor and memory for him."