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This article focuses on a genre of songs from southern Mali commonly known in Bamanan as ladilikan or “words of advice”, songs that comment in a variety of ways on marriage, particularly polygyny or sinaya, the main Bamanan term for polygyny (referring specifically to the relations between co-wives). Originally sung in a domestic setting and performed mostly (though not exclusively) by Mali’s female vocalists, ladilikan songs now circulate widely through audio and video recordings and have become a vehicle for publically expressing otherwise hidden discourses and ambivalent feelings about polygynous marriage, without critiquing the institution itself.A crucial feature of ladilikan is its use of a “double voice”, a device in which the singer subtly presents both sides of an issue, leaving the overall message ambiguous. The widespread popularity of ladilikan songs such as An Jɛra Cɛla, despite (or because of?) their apparently contradictory and sometimes bombastic lyrics and video clips, is noteworthy. This analysis is based on three decades of research and interaction with some of Mali’s most celebrated artists, who give their own explanations of intended meanings, plus in some cases, their personal views on polygyny. It demonstrates that ladilikan themes and strategies are rooted in tradition and have a real basis in fact, and ultimately shows the importance of the genre as a reflection of local thought.

An <em>Jεra Cεla</em> (We Share a Husband): Song as Social Comment on Polygamy in Southern Mali