Mende song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Mende song accompanied by two kongoma, one pair of wanjo and one tin hit with a piece of wood. The performers and instruments can be seen in the photograph. The meaning of the song is: "Unless I say you are somebody, you are nobody". The leader dances backwards and forwards between the two microphones. After some singing there is an instrumental interlude, then the first soloist tries to get "answers" from the other individual singers but does not always succeed. Later on he is answered again by the full chorus. The kongoma is a wooden box with a sound hole over which a few metal blades are fixed. The blades are plucked with the fingers of one hand while the box itself is hit with the other hand or (as in this case) with a tin can. One kongoma player in this piece is left-handed the other right-handed. Both kongoma have 3 blades. In the big one the longest blades is in the middle, in the small one the blade lengths are graded down from left to right. The wanjo are a pair of shakers somewhat similiar to maracas. The body is made up of two tin bowls placed face to face, with the edges nailed together. In this song both the wanjo in the pair seem to give just steady beats. The tin can player, holding the tin with his left hand, uses the left index finger for "stopping". He also wears leg rattles, but they are not used in this song as he does not dance. At one point all the instruments are silent except the kongoma; then the others join in again. Measurements of big kongoma box 23" by 16.5" by 7.5", of small one 18" by 12" by 6". Body height of both wanjo measured around the curve 7.5". One of them has a handle 6.5" long; the other on has no proper handle, just a piece of bent wire.

Further Information

  • Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
  • Object: Mende song
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Mende
  • Dimensions: No Data
  • Production Date: 1970.12.25
  • Associated Places: Panguma, Lower Banbara Chiefdom, Kenema District [Place recorded] [Origin of item]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Chris Marshall [Sound Recordist]; Joe Seki [Big kongoma and lead singer]; Sumaila Conteh [Small kongoma]; Sandi Sei [Wanjo]; Joe Suari [Tin]; Henry Sandi, Alfred Sellu, Funde Gandi, Momo Gandi [Chorus]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:348

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