Onwards Lyrics

Afro Celt Sound System Onwards

(In this lovely, lulling song, the word that N'Faly basically repeats is "koumamagnin" which in Malinke means talk or language.

In this song, N'Faly conveys that words and language can be a bad and dangerous thing if not used wisely. Words can lead to war, death, the end of romantic relationships and cause division between people. Therefore, words should be used in a cautionary way.

Words and language can also be beautiful if used wisely and with care. The Griots are the storytellers of their tribes and in their bardic role pass on the history of their people orally from one generation to the next. The Griots really control words and talk, in a sense, by owning the stories and the histories of generations of people as their caste and responsibility.

Even today, the vastness of the connections and the knowledge of the people of West Africa is attributable to the Griots. So, "koumamagnin" is a concept taken very seriously by the Griots and people of West Africa.)