Fula Praise song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Fula praise song, accompanied by hordu (sometimes called "Fula guitar"). Sarjo [Performer and Composer] appears to be a rather well-known wandering minstrel who composes songs in praise of people who have been good to him. He is pictured in the photograph with the hordu. The song is in praise of Alimamy Darami of Makeni. The hordu has a boat-shaped body covered with skin, a stick which partly overlaps with the body, six strings which are plucked with the fingers, and a metal extension through which small metal wires are threaded. The body has a sound hole, over which a bridge is fixed on the stick. One end of the strings is attached to this bridge, the other end to the stick beyond the body, by means of leather strips that can be moved along the stick to get the correct tuning of the strings. The player's fingers also knock the body, as well as plucking the strings. Length and width of body 18" and 4". Total length of stick 27", free length of stick (beyond body) 13.5". Length of metal extension 4.5".

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Further Information

  • Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
  • Object: Fula Praise song
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Fula
  • Dimensions: No Data
  • Production Date: 1965.12.23
  • Associated Places: On the road, one mile from Kamaranka, Gbanti-Kamaranka Chiefdom, Bombali District [Place Recorded]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Sarjo Bah [Performer and Composer]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:106

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