NWT707: Mende Poro Song

Historical wax cylinder recording made by Northcote Whitridge Thomas, a British government anthropologist who conducted field research in Sierra Leone in 1914-15. NWT707 (m on cylinder rim; Mendi Porro on box). 1. Announcement: Record 707, Mende Poro song, Kenema, January 26th 1915. 2. Ref tone. 3. Antiphonal song sung by vocal group with leader. According to Thomas, Poro is a secret society of the Timne, Mende and Bulem tribes (Thomas, Report. Timne-Speaking Peoples Pt.1 (London. Harrison and Sons, 1915) p.143). Good quality recording. C51/3128 (better quality) is the master, C51/3129 is a duplicate. This is a digital access version of an original wax cylinder recording held in the collection of the British Library. Supplied and used with permission from The British Library.

Further Information

  • Type: Wax Cylinder Recordings
  • Object: NWT707: Mende Poro Song
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Mende
  • Dimensions: 201 [Duration]
  • Production Date: 1915.01.26
  • Associated Places: Kenema
  • Associated People: Thomas, Northcote Whitridge (1868-1936) [Sound Recordist]
  • Museum: British Library
  • Accession Number: BL:C51/3128

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