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An Australian is on her way to Mali, in West Africa, for her dream adventure trip: to attend the Festival in the Desert. But the musicians have already fled. Escaping war and violence, the nomadic Tuareg musicians have crossed the border to Burkina Faso. In the desolate refugee camps, despite hunger and homelessness, their music lives on.
Music is Life
Produced by Caitlin Gibson.
Music credits: Original recordings of Disco and Amanou Imma by Caitlin Gibson with permission from the artists. Also: ‘Radio Mali’ by Ali Farka Touré; ‘Ikyadarh Dim’ by Tinariwen; ‘Ichichila’ by Tartit; ‘Issalalkas’ by Tarbiyat.
Thanks to Giordana Caputo for providing voiceovers of Disco, Miles Martignoni for additional training and Danielle Gesser for translations from French to English. Also to Mahmoud Ag Imma for his assistance in locating musicians in Burkina Faso.
Production Manager: Carly Anne Kenneally.
Features Executive Producer: Belinda Lopez.
Executive Producer: Giordana Caputo.
Photo credit: Olivier Marchetti.