What is "farafina"

Farafina is a music and dance group from Burkina Faso, established in 1978. The eight-member group is Burkina Faso's best known musical group, and one of Africa's most internationally prominent musical groups.1

Farafina was founded in the southern city of Bobo Dioulasso by the balafon player Mahama Konaté, a member of the Senufo ethnic group and a performer with Burkina Faso's national ballet.

The group uses voices and instruments including as the balafon, kora, djembe, bara, tama, doum'doum, shekere, and keyboard.

The group has toured internationally. In 1985 they played at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and in 1988 performed for 72,000 listeners at the birthday party of Nelson Mandela in Wembley Stadium, London. In 1993 they toured the United States and Canada, and have performed since then in Europe, Canada, and the United States.

Farafina was one of the groups which played in 1999 in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the House of World Cultures in Berlin. That same year, the group played at the Womad Festival in Singapore.

They have collaborated and recorded with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jon Hassell, and The Rolling Stones.