Mighty Popo: Gakondo

The Mighty Popo

Gakondo means origins or tradition, and on this album, Popo has taken a journey to his Rwandan roots. Three ancient musical expressions intertwine to create the sound of the country of a thousand hills. Long ago, Intwatwa songs of the Batwa people mixed with powerful rhythmic Bahutu soundscapes and Batutsi pastoral melodies to form one dynamic musical tradition. Popo spent many months researching the origins and the intersection of these sounds, working with traditional musicians and learning about the rich poetry of the Royal Court or “Ibwami” and instruments like the Inanga,with its shallow bowl carved out of wood and a single gut string woven back and forth across it, creating nine or more strings. In exploring this musical heritage, Popo turned over all kinds of aesthetic stones and found gems that he suspected were there all along. This album is a true tribute to ancient songs and poems that tell the story of an entire civilization.