The family of the late Ali Farka Touré, international legend of Malian music, discovered the disappearance of one of the artist’s Grammy Awards from his home in Lafiabougou.
The theft of the Grammy Award, which occurred during a period of absence of Vieux Farka Touré, son of Ali Farka, demonstrates the fragility of cultural symbols. This is not the first time that such shocking news has occurred in Mali. Known for bringing Malian music to the world stage, Ali Farka Touré won two Grammy Awards during his career. One of the two, a precious symbol of a long career dedicated to the promotion of Sahelian blues, was stolen from his home, located in a working-class district of Bamako. According to the first statements of Vieux Farka Touré, no legal recourse has been initiated, the family hoping for voluntary restitution.
This deplorable act recalls a similar case that occurred in April 2024, when Malian director Souleymane Cissé, awarded at the Cannes Film Festival for his cinematographic works, had his Carosse d’or stolen in Bamako. At the time, this flight caused great emotion, because it was the second African to win this prize at Cannes. After several weeks of searching, the trophy was finally found. The loss of these objects is not only material. According to a cultural actor, these prizes embody the soul of a nation, testifying to Mali’s contribution to world art. Ali Farka Touré’s Grammy, like Cissé’s trophy, symbolizes international recognition of Malian cultural ingenuity.
While the Touré family remains awaiting a gesture of good faith from the person(s) responsible, the affair raises questions about the preservation of heritage. Many voices are being raised to demand that Mali strengthen the protection of these cultural icons. This theft, of immense symbolic significance, reminds us of the extent to which legacies, even the most tangible, can be fragile. The incident also raises wider concerns over the security of cultural trophies won by Malian artists. Many people are pleading for the establishment of a museum dedicated to these prizes and awards. For the case of Ali Farka Touré, a call for restitution has been launched, but no official complaint has yet been filed, the family wishing above all that this symbol of national pride finds its place. The exact date of the theft of Ali Farka Touré’s Grammy Award is not yet known, but his son discovered the misdeed when he returned from tour on September 28, 2024.
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