Hornblowing

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Solo by Chief's hornblower. The horn, 25" long, is made from an elephant's tusk. A lizard is carved on its side. It has a diamond-shaped blowing hole near the end, 1" by 1.5" in size. The end is open, but it is closed and opened by the thumb during playing. The horn was made by Brimah Foday of Manowa. Its player Ansumana Jusu is hornblower to the Paramount Chief of the Peje-Bongre Chiefdom. When playing, he appears to breathe through the nose and to use his cheeks as a kind of reservoir for air.

Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Hornblowing
• Materials: No Data / Other
• Culture Group: Mende
• Dimensions: No Data
• Production Date: 1965.04.17
• Associated Places: Manowa, Peje Bongre Chiefdom, Kailahun District [Place Recorded]
• Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Robert Few [Sound Recordist]; Brimah Foday [Instrument Maker]; Ansumana Jusu [Hornblower]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:046

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