Manu Dibango – Ceddo (Bande originale du film)

For the second release of our label we’re bringing back to life African movie ‘Ceddo’’s soundtrack – composed by one of our favourite African artists, Manu Dibango. 6 tracks full of Funk. With a great story behind.

The film takes place during the 17th century : period of slave-trading and of the introduction of Christianity and Islam in West Africa.

The adherents of these religions all desired and hoped to pack their buildings, mosques or churches,by whatever means necessary.

Arms and alcohol began to appear, as well as shoddy godds — gadgets from another era. Anyone with a rifle tracked down and trated men, women and children.

Man became money. After having converted the royal family and government dignitaries, the Imam encounters the refusal of the “Ceddo”.

For the Ceddo, adhering to Islam or to Catholicism would mean renouncing African spiritualism, giving up being themselves.

To accomplish his goals, the Imam usurps the throne with the complicity of the dignitaries — similar to the coups d’Etat of our days.

Combining spiritual and temporal power, the Imam reduces the recalcitrant to slavery in exchange for rifles. He obliges the others by force of arms to accept Islam.

Ceddo is a film of reflexion, birnging together bits and pieces of facts and authentic events that took place in a period spanning the centuries up to the present day.