Created in 1997 by Talike Gellé, TIHAREA means ‘Wealth’. This group includes three charming Madagascan girls.
Talike and her sisters come originally from the Androy region, in the South of Madagascar where singing is part of everyday life.
As a child, Talike was always fascinated by the BEKO (traditional songs of the Antandroy ethnic group of the South of Madagascar).
In 1985, together with her brothers, Talike took part to a singing competition organised by the town of Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) and won the first prize.
In 1998, TIHAREA participated to the musical competition « KLEURRIJK TALENT », organised by the BENELUX countries and they won the first prize in Rotterdam (Netherlands).
Their songs are in the Antandroy language, a dialect from the South of the island and include on one hand, original compositions by Talike Gellé and on the other hand, traditional song work such as the Beko, a traditional oral storytelling aiming at calming and healing the mind.
Dressed in the traditional costume, barefeet and with the Dokodoko hairstyle (typical of the Antandroy women), they sing a capella, dance and within their harmonious songs combine more surprising bits such as guttural sounds, gasps or throat hawking called: Rimotse.
They are inspired by tradition with its most magical aspect, the worship of ancestors, in order to describe the Malagasy society.
With their transparent and magic voices together with extremely sophisticated musical arrangements, they immediately win the heart of the public everywhere they go.
They have developed a form of expression based on the defence and dissemination of a rich culture linked to the ethnic diversity of Madagascar people. Thus, they present something very special.
They use some instruments such as the Njémbé, the Langoro (war drum from Madagascar), the Katsa (percussion instrument made of a tin) and the Kabosy and the mandolin.
The three of them are excellent percussionists but the vocal part is the key to the whole of their work.
Traditionally, the songs are supported with dances such as: Banaike, Mangononoke, Tsinjabe, Tsimoniny, Tsotsoboke, showed with various choreographies.
Their femininity is affirmed in an ironic manner, for instance, when they pretend to be sad about the disappearance of the ‘real men’ or in a more painful way when they tell about the rivalries between the various wives of a polygamist and finally, in a cheerful manner when they tell about the Joie de vivre of the Madagascan people.
The three sisters transport the public throughout a journey in the Big Red island, off Africa, which is also one of the most ancient crossroad of people because of the countless migration trends (Indonesians, Persians, Arabs, Indians, Africans, Europeans…) and with the interpenetration displayed, among others, through twenty or so idioms: thus they offer a style of music with surprises and strong emotions.
With its polyphonies conjugated with enchanting voices, TIHAREA will transport you to the enigmatic and exhilarating universe of this unique country that is Madagascar.
Discography: TIHAREA 1999 ; RY AMPELA 2003 ; VOLAMBITA 2009
