Thomas A. Hale is Liberal Arts Professor of African, French, and Comparative Literature at Pennsylvania State University. He is author of Griots and Griottes (IUP, 2007) and editor (with Aissata G. Sidikou) of Women's Voices from West Africa: An Anthology of Songs from the Sahel (IUP, 2012).Aissata G. Sidikou is Assistant Professor of French at the United States Naval Academy. She is author of Recreating Words, Reshaping Worlds: The Verbal Art of Women from Niger, Mali, and Senegal.

"This book is a valuable source of information for Africanists interested in the role played by women in the continuity of tradition in African culture. . . . Recommended."—Choice" Women's Songs from West Africa, is a valuable resource for scholars interested in West African music, and represents a remarkable achievement."—Ethnomusicology Review"These essays affirm the importance of women performers and the importance of the songs in articulating women's issues in the Sahel region of Africa today."—Mildred Mortimer, University of Colorado, Boulder

• IntroductionWomen's Songs and Singing in West Africa: New PerspectivesThomas A. Hale and Aissata G. Sidikou1. Wolof Women Break the Taboo of Sex through Songs Marame Gueye2. Jola Kanyalen Songs from the Casamance, Sengeal: From 'Tradition' to Globalization Kirsten Langeveld3. Azna Deities in the Songs of Taguimba Bouzou: A Window on the Visible and Invisible Boubé Namaïwa4. Initiation and Funeral Songs from the Guro of Côte d'IvoireAriane Deluz5. Praises Performances by Jalimusolu in The GambiaMarloes Janson6. Music about Feminine Modernity in the Sahara Aline Tauzin 7. Songs by Wolof Women Luciana Penna-Diaw 8. A Heroic Performance by Siramori Diabate of MaliBrahima Camara and Jan Jansen9. Women's Tattooing Songs from Kajoor, SenegalGeorge Joseph10. Drummed Poems by Songhay-Zarma Women of NigerFatima Mounkaïla11. Space, Language, and Identity in the Palm TreeAissata G. Sidikou12. Bambara Women's Songs in Southern MaliBah Diakité 13. Patriarchy in Songs and Poetry by Zarma WomenAissata Niandou14. Muslim Hausa Women's SongsBeverly B. Mack 15. Lamentation and Politics in the Sahelian SongThomas A. Hale16. Transformations in Tuareg Tende Singing: Women's Voices and Local FeminismsSusan J. Rasmussen17. Income Strategies of a Jelimuso in Mali and FranceNienke MuurlingIndexList of Contributors