Mama Sana
Mama Sana (1900–1997) was a Tandroy singer and performer of traditional airs on the valiha tube zither, the national instrument of Madagascar. She was a charismatic performer and dressed in traditional clothing with coins braided into her hair. Sana gained national and international acclaim over the course of her career, distinguished by her innovative reinvention of the valiha performance technique and her fusion of traditional Tandroy and Sakalava musical styles.
Mama Sana
- Name
- Mama Sana
- Born
- 1900
- Birthplace
- Madagascar
- Occupation
- Singer, songwriter, musician
- Died
- 1997
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wikidata · Q16013951 · wikipedia · Mama Sana
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Biography
Biography
Her music was sampled by French electro-pop new age band Deep Forest for their third album, Comparsa. After her death, Sana's house was converted to a museum and a cultural association was founded in her honor to promote traditional music of the Sakalava and Tandroy people.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Mama Sana • Born — 1900 • Birthplace — Madagascar • Genre — Salegy • Instrument — Valiha, voice • Occupation — Singer, songwriter, musician • Years Active — 1915-1997
Discography
• Title — Released — Label — Tracks (Length) • The legendary Mama Sana — 1992 — Sanachie LC — 12 (43'55") • Madagascar: Anthologie des voix. Enregistrements et texte: Victor Randrianary — 1997 — MCM/INEDIT — 12 (43'55") • Madagascar Musique des Sakalava Menabe, Hommage à Mama Sana — 2000 — MCM/INEDIT — 12 (43'55")
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Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Mama Sana, revision 1323354919 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 September 2026.
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