Mende song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. The lead singer of this Mende song is the masked Jobeli devil (not pictured). The identity of the man behind the mask is always kept secret. The singer is accompanied by three kelei drums, a bliokuti and pair of wanjei. The meaning of the song is: Jandama works for himself. Jobeli is not myself . The Jobuli devil continues talking after the song. The kelei is a hollow log or cane with length-wise slits, beaten with sticks. Normally, as in the bigger kelei here, there are several slits, but the two small kelei which are played specially for the Jobeli devil have only one slit each. The blikuti is a two-skinned cylindrical drum played with a small stick on one skin and with the hand on the other. The wanjei are a pair of shakers somewhat similar to maracas. The body is made up of two tin bowls placed face to face, with the edges nailed together. Measurements of bigger kelei: length 18.5", diameter 4.5". The lengths of the two small kelei are 14" and 15". Blikuti: length 14.5", skin diameter 15.5". Wanjei: height of body (measured around the curve) 7", length of handle 9".

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Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Mende song
• Materials: No Data / Other
• Culture Group: Mende
• Dimensions: No Data
• Production Date: 1970.12.24
• Associated Places: Pujehun, Lower Bambara Chiefdom, Kenema District [Place Recorded]
• Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Chris Marshall [Sound Recordist]; Njei Koye [Large kelei]; James Coker [Blikuti]; L.P. Lappia [Wanje]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:338

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