Kadi Yombo

A reprint of an album by the Gabonese ngombi harp player Papé Nziengui. The original cassette was released in 1989 and was an attempt to make a modern studio arrangement of the ceremonial music of the Bwiti of the Mitsogo people.

Papé Nziengui was born in the late 1950s in the South Gabon to a family of depositories of the Bwiti rites. From an early age, he performed at village spiritual ceremonies due to his talent for music.

When he was 20 years old, Papé moved to Gabon's capital, Libreville, where he performed music in Bwiti temples. There he was noticed by Yves Mouanga, the creator and leader of the Tokanegha artistic group, who put him in touch with a talent agent. After that, Nziengui started to travel the world, performing everywhere from the National Theater of Gabon to the French Cultural Center. He also accompanied local stars (Akendengué, Annie-Flore Batchiellilys, Les Chant sur la Lowé) and international artists (Papa Wemba, Manu Dibango, Kassav', Toups Bebey).

In 1989, Papé became the first ngombi performer to release an album on cassette with the support of the French Cultural Center. Around the same time, Nziengui founded his band Bovenga, where traditional musical instruments are played in the framework of the national orchestra.

Traditionalists have disapproved of the musician's unveiling of Bwiti rituals, but Papé claimed he was not intimidated by such risks, as he "never felt enslaved to a community that [..] has a right of censorship over his activities."