Mandinka

Mandinka is a African tribal reference. Raising a glass is a ritual toast of celebration. Doing the dance of the seven veils is a sexual ritual that indicates women are ready for romance/sex. This song is about how she is ready to "give her heart" to someone not just with her body but with her soul. This is a coming of age song for Sinead.

The song really is more about the entrapments of coming of age and the problems that come associated with it. The Mandinka people of western Africa had at one time a nice, prosperous empire there. However, from about the mid 16th century to the abolition of slavery in 1865 in the USA, the Mandinka were herded up and taken as slaves more than any other ethnic group in Africa. In addition, when a Mandinka person comes of age, they are expected to go through a ritual known as kankurang. This ritual involves cutting the genitalia, both on men and women. She doesn't want to do this; that's why She "refused to take part."

This is a great, energetic song from her debut album. It's fairly 'cryptic', but not really. I like the imagery she evokes and the vocal style she delivers them with. She's a truly remarkable singer. Her defiance is unique, powerful and unquestionable. Her scarf reference would later be utilised in the spoken version, at the end of the 12" version of Jump in the River. It's rather risqué (or blatantly offensive) but still fitting for the 'artistic' and 'powerful' feeling the song is expressing. But I digress. Mandinka is a great song that just made the top 20 in the UK but still remains an early suggestion and clarion call of the woman who'd soon break the mainstream with her (sentimental) rendition of a Prince cover (we all know which song). Hats off to such an amazingly talented and individual artist.