Yalunka song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Yalunka song, accompanied by the kondene and handclapping. In the photograph the man standing behind the kondene player is himself a balangi player but does not take part in this item. A dancer joins in on this item, making appropriate noises. Members of the audience occasionally join in the handclapping. Meaning of song: "No one could get out of a plot except Almighty God". Thus, while the kondene is the Yalunka instrument for hunters music, it may also be used to accompany non-hunting songs. 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 plucking the strings. 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 skin 14.5".

Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Yalunka 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:183

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