Yalunka Hunters song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Yalunka hunters song, accompanied by one kondene and handclapping. The photograph features dancers with guns (only one of whom appears in the present item) and musicians (seated). Standing behind and between the kondene player and the lady on his right is Yele Sulima Samira who is really a balangi player but whose contributions to this item consist of vocal comments. Of the three ladies, only one sings the answers to the solo singer in this song; the others are clapping. When a hunter has killed a bush cow or an elephant he is amused by this song. The kondene is the Yalunka instrument for hunters music. It is a bow with ten strings and a metal rattling device at the top. A cooking pot covered with a skin is attached to the bow. A bridge stands up on the skin and the strings pass through grooves in the bridge. Sticking through the skin are two sticks round which the player curls his fourth and fifth fingers of both hands to hold the instrument while playing. Length of bow 37.5" measured round the curve, height of cooking pot 5", diameter of skin 9", length of rattling extension 5.5", height of bridge 4.5", length of sticks passing through the skin 14.5". The strings are played by plucking.

Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Yalunka Hunters song
• Materials: No Data / Other
• Culture Group: Yalunka
• Dimensions: No Data
• Production Date: 1966.04.11
• Associated Places: Falaba, Sulima Chiefdom, Koinadugu District [Place Recorded][Origin of item]
• Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Karamoh Turay [Singer and kondene]; Tadi Samura, Saio Samura, Taneh Jawara [Answering and handclapping ladies]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:177

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