'Gege' Monja Mahafay

A  healer marovany player

'Gege' Monja Mahafay was born in 1970 in Ambovobe ,Androy. His  mother has passed on her gifts as a musician and healer,
she has always brought him with her to the sessions for 'tromba (divinations, patient treatments, exorcisms).
the songs are about  sacred spirits that fully participate in every event in the social life of Madagascar.
Gege Monja started  traveling outside Androy to the rest of the country and  plays his marovany  since 1998.
he is currently one of the most in demand, marovary players in Antananarivo.

Some of the most spectacular  music of the island/continent of Madagascar come
from the Antantroy people and  marovany player Monja,surely a name to remember, is no exception .
when I first heard Monja's marovany-the instrument that speaks to the spirits-I wondered naively maybe,why he is not world famous, like other African virtuosos ,the comparison with Toumany Diabate was inevitable,but then I thought that Monja must feel complete and glad
practicing his   healing sessions and any fame,apart from been temporary, doesn't guarantee happiness,experience says rather  the contrary in most cases.
but even so he is still able to transmit with digital means some of his healing power and beauty to us.

one of my musical heroes and a...

marovany!

check also  the other  side of Monja with the Manintsindava Band  equally adventurous and very  uplifting  :