Mandingo praise song, preceded by tuning of Kora

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Mandingo praise song, preceded by tuning of kora. Both musicians appear to be extensive travellers and it is hard to say just where the item was composed. As can be seen in the photograph, the kora is a half-gourd with a stalk sticking out at both ends. The short end (14.5" long in this case) is held against the player's body if he stands up to play. If he sits down the gourd rests on his knees. A skin which may be deer or sheep or cow skin covers the gourd opening. A bridge 5" long stands up on the skin. It has grooves on both sides through which the strings of the instrument pass. On top of the bridge there is a metal rattling extension 4" long. The long end of the main stalk, to which the strings are attached, sticks out 28" from the gourd. Apart from this stalk there are two sticks both 25" long sticking through the skin that covers the gourd opening. These give the player a hold: the fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand are curled around one stick, the third, fourth and fifth fingers of his right hand round the other one. The strings are plucked with the thumbs and index fingers. There are 12 gut strings for the lower notes and 9 metal wire strings for the higher notes. The gourd which measures 27" round the curve, has a big rectangular sound hole. The gourd opening, over which the skin is stretched measures 17" by 12".

Further Information

  • Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
  • Object: Mandingo praise song, preceded by tuning of Kora
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Mandingo
  • Dimensions: No Data
  • Production Date: 1966.04.16
  • Associated Places: Masingbi, Kunicke Chiefdom, Tonkolili District [Place Recorded]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Yelefina Kamara [Singer and Composer]; Sheku Yele Yibateh [Kora Player]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:142

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