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Kris Pannecoucke

PHOTOGRAPHER & FILMMAKER

The Troubadour of death

In northern Ghana, people don't mourn the dead but celebrate the life of the deceased. Why mourn when someone had a full and beautiful life? During the dry season in Eastern Upper Ghana, in the far north-east of Ghana on the border with Burkina Faso, the Kologo musician Stevo Atambiri performs at funerals. The region is then arid, the dry and dusty wind of the continental Harmattan blows and not a drop of rain falls for months to come. But then, and only then during the dry season, can the deceased be buried.

Like a music festival, funeral parties display posters of the deceased with a "Call to Glory", funeral arrangements, programme, time and place.

Like a music festival, funeral parties display posters of the deceased with a "Call to Glory", funeral arrangements, programme, time and place.

Funeral rituals are not allowed during the rainy season because the noise made during such

Kologo musician Stevo Atambiri.

The funeral sometimes takes on the feel of a festival, where local neighbours and onlookers who attend can buy food and drink. It is a place where old acquaintances can be reunited and couples can form.

Besides Stevo, there are about twenty other Kologo musicians in the region who earn their living at the many funerals.

Besides Stevo, there are about twenty other Kologo musicians in the region who earn their

Besides Stevo, there are about twenty other Kologo musicians in the region who earn their living at the many funerals.

Competition at funerals that a Kologo musician can hardly cope with, loud techno (!) music blasting from loudspeakers. During the dry season, there are funerals every few kilometres and the landscape is dotted with loudspeakers stacked with accelerated techno music.
At night, they keep you awake because the funerals take place day and night.

Competition at funerals that a Kologo musician can hardly cope with, loud techno music blasting from loudspeakers, drummers, war dancers.

During the summer months in Europe, Stevo Atambiri can be found at world music festivals w

Kologo instrument, a traditional two-stringed instrument from the northern regions of Ghana.

Kologo musician Stevo Atambiri. During the summer months in Europe, Stevo Atambiri can be found at world music festivals with his band ALLOSTMAN, his voice is in demand by DJs playing in Dubai or Tel Aviv nightclubs, but during the funeral season the Kologo musician is back in his home region of Eastern Upper Ghana, in the far north-east of Ghana on the border with Burkina Faso.

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