Mende song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Mende song for devil dancing, accompanied by kelei, side drum, bass drum and kpoi or kokoi, as well as bell on dancer's buttocks. The photograph features a kelei, side drum and bass drum (but not these ones). The meaning of the song is: "This is our devil". The big masked Javi devil dances energetically. He has two attendants with brooms and one with pieces of cloth. His costume is a large raffia structure with mirrors, and there are colourful plumes in his headgear. The kelei is a hollow log with length-wise slits, beaten with two sticks. The bass drum playing with this song is held as on the photograph and also played with a soft-headed stick. The kpoi or kokoi is a little ball-shaped flute with four finger holes. The kelei is 21" long and has a diameter of 6". The opening at both ends of the hollowed-out log is plugged. The circumference of the kpoi is 7.5". There is some shouting from the attendants during the song.

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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: 1970.12.27
  • Associated Places: Giema, Dama Chiefdom, Kenema District [Place recorded] [Origin of item]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Chris Marshall [Sound Recordist]; Lansana Foday [Kelei]; Msja Lamai and Morlai Kamara [Drums]; Soko Momo [Kpoi]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:370

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