Carcassonne - Tiken Jah Fakoly

The Carcassonne Festival is a fantastic, month-long festival with numerous concerts! It's always a pleasure to spend a few nights here during the festival. Most concerts are free – and the nights can be very long.

The Ivorian singer and songwriter Tiken Jah Fakoly is considered one of the most influential reggae musicians in Africa. He plays roots reggae and sings mostly in French or African languages. Almost all of his lyrics are political. In his 1996 song "Mangercratie", he criticizes his country's political leadership and advocates for everyone's right to food. Despite censorship, this song remained in the charts for months. After receiving death threats due to his lyrics Tiken Jah Fakoly went into exile in Mali in 2003. Several songs also strongly criticize the French government's policy toward Africa, which has massively supported African dictatorships in recent decades.

Tiken Jah Fakoly was celebrated by a large, enthusiastic audience. Everyone sang along!