Siramori Diabaté, born in 1933 in Kela, Mali, was a Malian griotte. She came from a family known for its musical talents; her grandfather Kelabalaba was the first official reciter of the Sundiata Epic, and her father Bintu'amma was renowned for his ngoni playing. Diabaté began gaining regional recognition in the early 1940s with the song "Sara", which addressed themes of love and arranged marriage. Her performances of the Sundiata Epic attracted interest from French ethnomusicologists, leading to recordings that boosted her popularity. The socialist Malian government featured her music on state radio, and she also notably worked with Western scholar Barbara Hoffman throughout her career. Diabaté's influence extended to musicians like Salif Keita and Rokia Traoré. Diabaté passed away in 1989.
