Mikaël Yaouank

Mikaël Yaouank passed away on the 5th June 2020 at the age of 73. He was the founder, with Michel Tonnerre, of the folk group, Djiboudjep and a celebrated solo performer. The repertoire of sailors’ songs loses one of its most faithful defenders. He joined his partner, who died in 2012.

Mikaël Yaouank from Lorient, and Michel Tonnerre from Groisillon created Djiboudjep in 1970. “Ty Beudeff”, the mythical tavern of Groix will be the first to hear the songs of sailors celebrated by the group. They took up and arranged traditional sailors’ songs and took their creations to many concert halls and festivals. Nearly a dozen albums were released by Djiboudjep and two solo albums by Mikaël Yaouank. Their repertoire grew as they searched for songs of the sea from around the world and they experience a growing celebrity over the years. Mikaël Yaouank was tireless architect of the revival of sailors’ singing in Brittany.

In 2004, he published at Coop Breizh, a collection of sailors’ songs. This booklet brings together the traditional songs of the sea. It also includes great successes of Djiboudjep, such as “Quinze Marins”, “Les filles de Lorient”, “the 31st of August” etc.

Mikaël Yaouank was preparing the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Djiboudjep in Lorient. The group participated every year in the Festival Interceltic and he usually performed at a concert at the end of the festivities. Mikaël Yaouank’s deep voice has died out but the character will remain forever linked to the Festival and to Brittany.