Bembeya Jazz National: ‘Regard sur le passé’, an epic anthem honouring Guinea’s Sékou Touré

This is part 4 of a 6-part series

‘Regard sur le passé’ also tells the story of Samory Touré, a Guinean resistance hero who challenged French colonial rule. “Culture is a better means of domination than the gun,” he once said.

After Guinea gained independence on 2 October 1958, its new president used artists as a way to consolidate power, promote patriotism and turn historical figures like Samory Touré into national heroes.

A tribute to bravery