ekottomagazine
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Mmë Bisila
Mastho Ribocho
BÖITAARI
FROM KATYÁ TO BULERÍAS AND BEYOND
BÖITAARI
Video: STAARI Sessions #2 | Böitaari — Ohoéa — Katyá por Bulerías (Stripped)
Album posters, streaming platforms, and social media contacts
Cultural homes, guardians of language and culture
Learning, pronunciation and meaning of 100 words in the Bubi mother tongue.
New single by Mastho Ribocho, literary work the rite of BOSÏO in the bubi village by Kopesese Sepa Bonaba, the treasure of BOKONO by Mari Paz Lola, the works of Audrey McLaren, and Sharon Jones.
LOSAKÍA LÚA BÖTÓI by Bönaí Capote
Ë KOTTÒ, is a magazine of the cultural field in all its disciplines.
We are committed to bringing culture closer to our readers. Our goal is to give visibility to sectors that lack this opportunity of presence in large media platforms.
Our publications will be monthly and we will focus on four basic sections and four complementary ones.
INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS, ACTIVITY AND PROMOTION, and SOKKÒ, ËTYÖ LAÖTYA, OPINION y EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
A general story on a specific theme of each edition.
INFORMATION: Its content will be based on knowing the path of our guests. That is, what you could call their biography.
2. INTERVIEW. Focused on the professional field.
3. ACTIVITY: Focused on our guest's current affairs.
4. PROMOTION: Publicize everything related to the works of our guest or in its case what it believes necessary to promote related to his or her professional work.
OPINION
It is a section for sociocultural opinion articles.
ËTYÖ LAÖTYA
It is a section of learning and knowledge about the Bóbë-Bubi identity in its different manifestations.
SOKKÒ
It is a section with a variety of socio-cultural news.
POET'S BLOG
A section for poetry and poems.
With the magazine Ë KOTTÓ, we will bring culture a little closer to our homes.
Editorial
FROM KATYÁ TO BULERÍAS AND BEYOND
Music, and everything surrounding its artistic expression, not only brings joy to minds and hearts, but also breaks down barriers and connects sensibilities.
It is also a powerful tool that gives visibility to the identity of a society.
The case of the Katyá genre, considered one of the highest expressions of Bubi culture, represents an ancestral manifestation of its folk dance. In the 1980s and 1990s, a generation of musicians set it to music, projecting it as a genre worthy of being present in the panorama of cultural Pan-Africanism and in the art of song.
The profound spirituality conveyed by the Katyá genre allows it to adapt to almost any musical style. For this reason, the artists who embody this ancestral identity continue to universalize it, fusing it with various genres without losing its essence.
We believe that this genre represents an identity yet to be fully discovered and that it has a great future. It is a fertile field for musicologists to research in depth and give it greater universal projection.
Story
BÖITAARI
I am Böitaari—a multidisciplinary artist, music producer, and founder of the independent label
Bilëbbó Fusión. My identity is deeply rooted in the Bubi culture of Equatorial Guinea, which not
only reflects my maternal heritage but also serves as the spiritual and aesthetic core of my
artistic work. Although I was born in Spain and currently reside in the United Kingdom, my
creative journey is shaped by a diasporic lens, grounded in memory, reconstruction, and the
desire to dignify the ancestral.
My career began at the age of 12 with the release of the EP REBECA, produced by the
Asociación Cultural Basakato Yeiyeba. That early project marked the beginning of my path in
music, while also revealing the lack of artistic autonomy often faced by young girls. More than a
decade later, I reclaimed that chapter with REBECA: Años Después (May 2025)—a mature
reinterpretation of that debut, blending my evolved vocal expression with contemporary
arrangements, including two songs re-recorded in Bubi.
One of the standout tracks from this project, Ohoéa — Katyá por Bulerías, has been receiving
enthusiastic feedback on social media due to its original fusion of katyá—a traditional Bubi
dance—and flamenco. Although this connection has been explored by some artists, it remains
largely underrepresented, and the public’s response shows a growing interest in uncovering this
cultural dialogue.
My recent work also includes STAARI TIME: Echoes of a Ruptura (October 2024), an
arthouse-style visual EP that narrates the emotional stages of a breakup through genres such
as bossa nova, kompa, flamenco reggae, and avant-garde jazz. In contrast, SENTIRES
(February 2025) is a more introspective project that explores the tension between desire and
devotion, two very different ways of loving that often coexist within romantic imagination.
Through Bilëbbó Fusión, I promote an artistic vision grounded in the fusion of Afro-descendant,
Latin, and Mediterranean sounds, with a focus on independent production, multilingualism, and
emotional honesty. I sing in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Bubi, and English, and each piece
seeks to create bridges between territories, bodies, and memories that are rarely seen together
in mainstream industry spaces.
I am currently working on the upcoming launch of an educational platform dedicated to
researching and amplifying the music of the global south, with a special focus on the African
continent and its diaspora. Within the Spanish-speaking world, there is still a significant lack of
accessible and well-documented content on these musical expressions. This project seeks to
address that gap and contribute to a more informed, respectful, and accurate understanding of
Africa’s impact on global music history.
Interview
Hello Böitaari kawele?
Nne lèllè, potóo potóo.
Thank you for agreeing to another interview for Ekottomagazine readers.
1. Böitaari, tell us a little about the Bilëbbó Fusión project.
Bilëbbó Fusión is not just a record label. It is a space for artistic autonomy and a platform from which I can create freely, without having to compromise my vision. I conceived it as a home for the sound fusions that define me: a dialogue between my African roots—especially the Bubi culture, which is an essential part of my identity—and the musical aesthetics I grew up with, such as Latin music and different Mediterranean styles, which today allow me to tell stories in multiple languages.
Through the label, I develop projects that explore not only sound, but also the visual and conceptual, with a strong influence from Afro-descendant traditions and sounds from the global south that resonate deeply in my artistic expression. It is at this intersection between the personal and the learned that Bilëbbó Fusión flourishes.
2. Is the Bilëbbó Fusión label exclusively for Böitaari's productions, or is it open to other productions by different artists from the world of music?
It is not uncommon for artists, even major international figures, to found labels to release their own music with greater freedom. But that is not our case. Bilëbbó Fusión is a young project—it is not yet a year old—and was born with a clear business vision from the outset. Its first phase focuses on structuring my artistic career, not as a one-off solution, but as the starting point for a strategy designed in stages, built on my experience as an artist and my training in management and marketing.
This is not about rushing or adding names by inertia. Bilëbbó Fusión does not seek to grow quickly, but to grow well. It has a defined cultural identity and a projection that goes beyond music, also encompassing audiovisual, entertainment, and education. Incorporating other artists from the world of African, Latin, and Mediterranean music is a natural step in that process, but only when the label is ready to support them with the same seriousness with which we have been developing this first phase and their identities fit with ours. We are committed to a coherent and lasting construction, not to hasty exposure.
3. From Rebeca to Böitaari, is there any difference on a professional level?
Rebeca was the beginning: the voice that began to form at a very young age, with an artistic sensibility that grew at the same pace as her ambition. Over time, that same Rebeca grew, becoming more professional and also taking on the role of strategist and entrepreneur: a woman who not only creates, but also builds. Today, that evolution is expressed in two complementary dimensions: Böitaari, as an artistic identity, represents the creative, expressive, and visionary force of the project; and Rebeca Ango Bueriberi, as founder and CEO of Bilëbbó Fusión, is the one who sustains the entire structure from a strategic and business perspective.
This is not separation, but a conscious duality. Böitaari would not exist with this strength without the structure that Rebeca sustains, and Rebeca would have no meaning as a manager if she were not at the service of a real artistic vision. As an artist and as an entrepreneur, I am on two sides of the same project: one creates, the other leads. And both are clear that this is not an experiment: it is a cultural brand under construction.
4. Looking at your musical career, there is almost no genre you haven't explored. With so many experiences, has there been any genre that you have imagined as your possible musical hallmark?
I don't believe in the idea of having to define yourself through a single genre. In my case, my hallmark is precisely fusion: how I connect different musical aesthetics to construct a coherent emotional narrative. It's not about exploring aimlessly but about having a clear direction. Those who follow my work often recognize this mixture as a characteristic feature of my approach.
5. How is your learning of the Bubi mother tongue going? We know that you are working hard to achieve your goal.
Bubi is part of my identity and is present both in my art and in my daily life. My mother and music have been my best teachers, and I am flattered that many people often write to me on social media to ask about meanings, translations, or pronunciations. But beyond the individual, I firmly believe that we need more consistent learning spaces where our mother tongue can be passed on continuously between generations. That is why I encourage our cultural associations, our elders, and the younger generations to keep this collective interest alive. Because a language is strengthened when it is taught with love, shared with pride, and lived in community—not when it is measured from a place of judgment based on each person's level of fluency.
6. Böitaari, a curiosity:
Have you given up painting, or are you perhaps preparing a surprise for a comeback in the not-too-distant future, presenting new works at an art fair?
No, I haven't given up painting. It continues to be a fundamental part of my creative universe and is fully integrated into my current work. Shortly before the pandemic, I began training in digital painting and have applied that knowledge directly to my musical work: the cover and back cover of my previous EP “SENTIRES” were created by me, as were several visual elements that we share on the label's Instagram. Painting hasn't disappeared; it has simply taken on new forms within my artistic language.
7. The Ekottomagazine.com team has listened to your new work, and we think it's extraordinary. First of all, our congratulations and best wishes. After the acoustic presentation on social media, do you have any plans for another live performance in the near future, perhaps with a band?
Thank you very much for your kind words. I'm glad to know that people connect with my work.
Live performances are part of my artistic vision, but they’re not something I want to tackle in any old way. I aspire to offer a complete stage experience: with a band, a coherent visual proposal, and a solid team behind me.
In the meantime, the label is developing STAARI SESSIONS, an audiovisual project that features pre-recorded live performances in carefully chosen locations. This formula allows me to reinterpret the repertoire with creative freedom and offer an intimate and carefully crafted experience.
Live performances in front of an audience will undoubtedly come, but they will do so when the necessary conditions are in place to do so with the level of professionalism that my artistic proposal and, above all, the audience deserve.
8. In an interview you gave a couple of years ago in Ekottò, you shared an interesting reflection: that it is not enough to produce music, but that it is essential to know how to manage the commercial side of the works that an artist creates. Based on your experience and with the rise of today's digital environment, do you have any other recommendations for emerging artists?
If I could give you one piece of advice from experience, it would be this: don't obsess over immediate visibility. Build with patience, vision, and purpose. Art is also a legacy.
9. Almost all music distribution and marketing platforms are Western. Don't you think it's time to have digital platforms dedicated exclusively to African music?
The solution is not to create separate platforms based on origin, but to transform existing structures from within. Proposing exclusive spaces for African music would be to segregate it, not promote it. Furthermore, genres such as Afrobeat are currently among the most listened to globally, precisely on those Western platforms that supposedly ignore us.
In 2025, it can no longer be said that African music is made and consumed only by Africans. The international boom—not only of Afrobeat, but also of Amapiano, Afro-Francophone music, Kizomba, and even Moroccan Chaabi—proves this. These are genres already performed by African-American artists such as Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Drake, and Travis Scott; Latinos such as Beéle, Rauw Alejandro, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and Greeicy; Spanish gypsies such as Moncho Chavea, Liderj, Negra, Angeliyo el Blanco, Lucía Fernanda, Luis Cortés, and Alba Moreno; and musicians from the Balkans, India, and South Korea who are constantly appearing on social media.
To say that African music is being ignored is to ignore reality: the audiences of these non-African artists have already been incorporated into the original African audience. In fact, these artists are increasingly seeking to collaborate with African musicians to open up markets in Africa and its diaspora. This proves that our music does not need isolation to shine, it needs equitable conditions, fair access, and its own narrative within the spaces where the world already moves. It is not about building islands but about reclaiming territory.
10. Given what we have seen, Böitaari has accumulated a talent worthy of praise. We also know that you never stop working... What do you have in store for us in your agenda?
Thank you very much for those generous words. The truth is that I never stop—not only in music, but also in parallel projects that dialogue with my artistic universe from other angles.
I have several releases planned, but I am also developing an educational and cultural project that has been in the works for some time and will see the light of day very soon. It will be a space to explore the richness of our music and culture from a critical, creative, and accessible perspective.
Of course, I will continue to share my music with the same commitment as always, but I am excited to open new doors to connect with the public through knowledge and reflection as well. Beautiful things are coming.
11. How do you perceive the evolution of Afro-diasporic music on the international scene? Do you think its real diversity is being recognized beyond stereotypes?
I think that, although there is still a lot to be done, we are living in a key moment. More and more Afro-diasporic voices are claiming space from their authenticity, without needing to fit into imposed molds.
The real diversity of our music is beginning to be perceived not only as cultural richness, but also as aesthetic innovation. And that is a paradigm shift. It is not just about visibility, but about narrative power: we are telling our own stories, with our own codes.
12. In an increasingly visual world, how important are aesthetics in your music videos and live performances?
For me, aesthetics is not secondary: it's part of the language. Both in my visuals and on stage, I seek to build universes that extend what the music is already saying.
Every music video, every outfit, every frame has a purpose. It's not just about looking good but about telling a story beyond the sound. In a world where everything enters through the eyes first, I believe that visual coherence is key to getting the message across.
13. We know that you network with other artists. Is there an international collaboration that you dream of doing one day?
I'm interested in collaborating with people who understand music as a living language between cultures. I'm not motivated by accumulating names, but by creating authentic connections that amplify what both parties represent.
I'm currently working with a Venezuelan musician and producer based in the United States and collaborating on a cultural and historical initiative produced and directed by a Nigerian businesswoman for the African diaspora in Brazil. These synergies excite me because they arise from the community, from reality.
I don't usually think of collaborations as a list of dream names, but I am excited to cross paths with artists, producers, and entrepreneurs from regions related to my Afro-Atlantic and Mediterranean proposal.
14. If you had to give advice to young artists from the diaspora who are just starting out, what would it be?
Don't try to rush visibility or justify your artistic path. Perseverance, consistency, and love for what you do will do more for you than any external validation.
Thank you for accepting Ë Kottò Magazine's invitation. Do you have anything else to share with our readers?
Thank you for the opportunity and thank you to everyone who has read this interview with an open heart.
I am thrilled to share that my latest EP, REBECA: Años Después, is receiving a very special reception. The song “Ohoéa – Katyá por Bulerías” has recently gone viral recently on TikTok and Instagram, and that genuine affection from the public has touched me deeply.
This project is very meaningful to me: a free and conscious reinterpretation of my first musical work, from the voice and artistic vision that I have built over time. Returning to these songs was not just an exercise in nostalgia, but an act of creative recovery, of reconciliation with my past and affirmation of who I am today.
Thank you for being here, for listening, for feeling with me. This is just the beginning.
Activity
STAARI Sessions #2 | Böitaari — Ohoéa — Katyá por Bulerías (Stripped)
OPINION
BÖSUBÓBBÈ MAY MATA
Cultural homes, guardians of language and culture
We are well aware that many languages and cultures are disappearing at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, Bubi is no exception. With each passing day without concrete action, we move further away from this linguistic treasure that forms part of our essence as a people. This is where cultural centers play a fundamental role, both at home and in the diaspora, as spaces for cultural preservation and rebirth.
Cultural centers are not just buildings. They are living centers of memory, where the Bubi language can continue to breathe, where young people are taught to speak, sing, narrate, and think in their mother tongue. But for these centers to continue fulfilling their mission, they need more than just goodwill: they need our support.
This support is not limited to money, although financial support is important. We are also talking about moral support, accompaniment, being present. We are talking about providing teaching materials, books, instruments, recordings, digital tools, and any other resources that can strengthen the work being done in these spaces. We are talking about visits, exchanges of ideas, workshops, and joint planning of cultural and educational events.
Those of us who live abroad also have a responsibility. From the diaspora, we can establish support networks, connect these houses with international cultural or educational institutions, create exchange programs, or simply help to make their work more visible. Even a simple gesture such as sharing their activities on social media or translating content can make a difference.
The Bubi language cannot wait. Each generation that passes without learning it pushes it further away from everyday use and closer to oblivion. And if the language disappears, with it goes a worldview, a unique way of understanding the world, an ancestral wealth that can no longer be replicated.
Furthermore, we must not forget that cultural centers are also guardians of other expressions of our identity: crafts, music, dance, traditional rituals, and the knowledge of our elders. But all of this is strengthened when our own language is alive. Language is the thread that ties everything else together.
That is why supporting cultural centers is a direct and effective way to stand up to oblivion, to preserve and celebrate who we are. It is an act of love for our history and a commitment to the future of our people.
BÖSUBÓBBÈ MAY MATA
SOKKÒ
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Poet's Blog
LOSAKÍA LÚA BÖTÓI
by Bönaí Capote
May the tradition of our ancestors continue
May the tradition that is not taught,
but sung,
danced,
celebrated with the body and memory, continue.
May
follow the voices that name,
the feet that remember the path,
the gestures that invoke life.
May it continue,
as the moon follows the river,
wisdom to the silence
and the soul to its ancient steps.
For he who forgets the voice of his heart
loses the pulse of the universe.
And he who honors his ancestors,
knows where to walk without getting lost.
Happy Bötói Day
LÖTÓ’ÓLLÓ
Ö lötó’ólló ló oberi lue ribellè
Ëbóbë Kó lötó’ólló luaò
Kó vöótè wè eria’.ö.
Ö lötó’ólló ká rihóle, ka eteba,ká rimmamabió
wë pálá o párá lötó’ólló á tyílèrò itè atá,
hèrahò ö winnòò, ë tébáò,
ö wétáò,
Ö lötó’ólló kò bösori wè
tyekkú bö lè ökana bö, lö lókka,
lë kárityöbbò, lö bötatté,
lé bíriia biaó.
Kò böhai bö lè alla ‘ bö ë tyé tö purí ë.
Ë bëkeu bia betyö bi la rekèssa
ë bó wella ò lötó’ólló,
I nokkò í útubbam ka’ó :
ë bëtyètye bié biöllo bi kákabia
ë biëtta wëlla biá bikëbíkë.
Ö lötó’ólló Kó vöótè wè eria’ö le ribobo re biëká biao.
Ö lötó’ólló Kó böe, ló bö’ó bottó wà ribötyö rito.
“É ribötyö welá rima o le’á tölló, wae a ló lötó’ólló luá abobé, ötyommá.”
Soésiöbo. ©️2024
Ë ILÁM (MY VOICE)
by Carlos Bolete Lobete
Ë ilám.
Ballá ná bá la ipölla
öámmo ö böém wëla.
Biebba la ëhëá ná ë nkòm wëla
ë la tuturó.
Ë ilám.
Ballá ná bá la etya.
Ë röppa wëla bí la seballa la ëháe,
bësari ná bí la sölla ë bi íkkiò bí hatte
lë sihúruru.
My voice.
Words that emerge
from the depths of my soul.
Sound waves that slide in the tunnels of my neck
slither.
My voice.
Words that grow.
In pain they dream of calm,
symphonic notes that let their breath fly
with the breeze.
DYNASTY
by Sharon Jones
I am the descendant
from a dynasty.
Circumstances and situations
cannot destroy my legacy.
I believed in my spirit,
knowing I am free.
Guided by the marvelous
light of truth and unity.
Not allowing the oppressor
to detain the true me.
Owning my power,
over my mind, spirit, and body.
Seeing the chains
as only minor distraction
to bind me.
I hear the powerful
voices of my ancestors,
hiding from view, saying
They cannot find me.
You are not lost.
We are walking with thee.
You are safe and protected
Keep walking with dignity.
Do not allow them
to transfer hate
within your energy.
Do not let them
tell you who to be.
Do not allow them
to enter your dynasty.
Ë KOTTÒ
Publisher
Diversity Ëtyö Project
Magazine Director
Barbara May
Editor in Chief
Tomás May Pelico
Designer
Böhulá
Colaboration
Eduardo May Mata
ISSN 2833-4124
© 2025
All rights reserved.
May not be reproduced without the written permission of Ë KOTTÒ.
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