THE BUSHTELEPHONE

THE BUSH TELEPHONE

The true African story and blockbuster
available for publishing and film rights

THE STORY OF THE BUSH TELEPHONE

Once upon a time, well before Alexander Graham Bell was the BALAFON…
There was an African hunter called DIAWARA ZIGUA who was the first person to discover the Balafon, an instrument that served to communicate between people and between villages. This true story tookplace in Burkina Faso, West Africa, but has been forgotten by most of the descendants of the villagers. DIAWARA was an orphan, a poor and very lonely boy… When he was alive, his father posessed a bow and arrow,which he gave to DIAWARA as a present before he died. Having no family to look after him, DIAWARA often needed to beg for food in order to survive. One day, he decided he wanted to learn how to use his father's bow andarrow in order to hunt for his food in the forest, instead of begging. The first animal he saw and shot was a deer.

After this first hunting expedition, he dedided to hunt for his food in the forest every day. A few weeks later, he saw a deer once again. Immediately he pointed the arrow in the direction of the deer. As he was about to shoot,there suddenly were 5 deer in front of his eyes instead of one. Due to his hesitation, the deer disappeared before he could aim his arrow again. A short while later, he suddenly did see a deer but it was pregnant. Normally he would not kill a pregnant animal, but DIAWARA was extremely hungry. Aiming his arrow in the direction ot the deer, he suddenly heard a strange loud noise somewhere in the forest behind him. Looking around to see what had made the noise, he suddenly saw gazelle transforming into a very beautiful girl walking towards him saying: 'DIAWARAZIGUA, do not shoot this deer. I know that you are very hungry and I also know that you are very lonely and poor. I will make you a present, and if you listen to my words and do as I say, your life will change forever. If youwant this to happen, then find a baobab tree in this forest called 'GUENE-YIRI' and wait under this tree.' Thegirl diasppeared. Eventhough DIAWARA had no idea where to find this tree, he decided to do as she said, So helaid down his bow and arrow and went in search of this special tree. All of a sudden, it appeared in a clearing in front of him. He walked over to it and seated himself under the tree.

As time went by, he became more and moreimpatient. When darkness finally settled in around him, he began to wonder if the girl was just a dream. Then without warning, a voice filled the air above him saying, ' I am BALIMAYA a spirit sent by God, and am here totell you that the promise of the girl will now come true. You will receive a present that will serve to communicaten with all people and countries. This instrument will develop into a communication tool throughout the centruries. You will be given a Balafon (tapping phone)`. And as suddenly as the spirit had disappeared, an instrument now appeared beside him. DIAWARA was very surprised to see this Balafon, as he had never seen an instrument like it in his entire life. Picking up the Balafon sticks, he started to play. The more he played, the more he was filled with a wonderful energyand did not feel hungry any more. He picked up the balafon and ran home towards NIAMBERLA, his home village,as fast as his legs could take him and began playing his balafon in the main meeting area. The more he played,the more the villagers assembled around him. The people even came from other villages to hear him play.This instrument made DIAWARA a very important person and many villages came to hear him play. Even village chiefs from far and wide came to listen to him play. One of these tribal village chiefs was so fascinated by the Balafon, that he absolutely wanted to take possession of this magic instrument that attracted so many people. He consulted many village medicine men with special visionary powers to find out why this particular instrument so enchanted everyone. He also wanted to find out how he should proceed to become an owner of such an instrument. As he did not get a proper answer, he had his villagers copy the instrument. Soon all villages copied the instrument and it was used as a method to send messages.

DIAWARA's balafon still remained the most magicaland unique instrument of all.This was the beginning of African communication long before Graham Bell's time.This instrument became so important, that everyone wanted to own one and very soon tribal wars between the villages began. The villages began to be jealous of one another and peace turned to hate. This was the beginning of disharmony and the end of all cooperation. Years passed and one day a white priest arrived who wanted to help the villages build schools and churches as well as to offer medical help. He tried to reunite the villages without success. One day a ship arrived from England and stopped on the shores of Benin. The English General and his troops heard the villagers speaking about DIAWARA's instrument and set off to find DIAWARA's village in Burkina Faso.
Upon finding DIAWARA, the General gave orders to his troops to arrest DIAWARA and take the Balafon intoEnglish possession. The General and his troops visited many villages in many African countries and created havoc by capturing the villagers and turning them into slaves. DIAWARA and his balafon disappeared, but the legend remains.

Today, Africa also has the Tamtam, jembe, conga and other instruments along with the balfon which are used tomake music and to communicate. The balafon and Alexander Bell's telephone evolved to become today's mobile telephone..

Twenty years of research were necessary to find out about this true story.