African Roots and Rhythms: Rajery (Madagascar)
Many of the musicians I’ve profiled have been self-taught. Not many have done this with a disability. Even fewer have gone on to revolutionize how that instrument is played.
Rajery lost all the fingers in his right hand after an old woman in a marketplace gave him poisoned meat at 11 months old. His father and his grandfather both played the valiha, and it fascinated Rajery too. But it is an instrument that requires the extensive use of both hands to play. While a teenager, he would take his father’s instrument and try to learn on his own in secret, fearing that he would be made fun of. He has said that he practiced for so long that his stump and his fingers were raw and bloody from the effort.
At the time, there was no way to receive formal instruction. So, he developed his own musical technique and style that were formed by the different rhythms from throughout Madagascar while breaking away from traditional repertoires.
In only four short years, he had enough skill to form his own band. Three years after that, he began teaching and wrote a book, The Secret of the Valiha, which included a system of notation to help others wanting to learn how to play. He went on to form the first major valiha orchestra in the country that brought together players in different age groups, but also the different forms of the instrument that exist in the country. He was discovered by a pair of French journalists and subsequently caught the attention of music professionals in France, who organized his appearances at festivals and concerts there.
He has created several music festivals in Madagascar, including one that seeks to frame music as a means of healing, including for those with disabilities, and another that seeks to highlight environmental issues. He formed the group 3MA (with Ballaké Sissoko from Mali on kora and Driss El Maloumi from Morocco on oud) at ones of these festivals, and they are still playing, recording and touring today. He also has a quartet. He won the Radio France International World Music Album award in 2002. With the help of UNESCO and Handicap International, he has built a factory that manufactures valihas.
These are from his Bedia release, including the title track.
This is from his Tantsaha release.
From his Fanamby (The Challenge, which is also the name of one of his festivals) release.
