Limba praise song for the Paramount Chief Alimamy Sheku II of Biriwa Chiefdom

Ethnomusicological recording made by Cootje van Oven. Limba song accompanied by kenken, koto and handclapping. Praise song for Paramount Chief Alimamy Sheku II of Biriwa Chiefdom. The photograph displays the koto and kenken, but the kenken is an improvised one - not the one played in this item. The kenken of this item is a more official one, conical in shape with a handle at the narrow end. It is made of metal but the metal does not go right round, leaving a slit in the cone. The instrument is held by the handle and stretched forward horizontally from the player's grip. It is hit with a metal beater. The koto is the higher-pitched instrument, sounding rather like a triangle. It is a U-shaped piece of metal hit with a metal beater. The kenken in this item is 9.5" long, the koto 24" when measured right round, the distance between its ends being 7".

Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Limba praise song for the Paramount Chief Alimamy Sheku II of Biriwa Chiefdom
• Materials: No Data / Other
• Culture Group: Limba
• Dimensions: No Data
• Production Date: 1965.12.22
• Associated Places: Kamabai, Biriwa Chiefdom, Bombali District [Place Recorded]
• Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound recordist]; Tene Conteh [Lead singer]; Balla Conteh [Kenken player]; Taio Sesay [Koto Player]; Paramount Chief Alimamy Sheku II of Biriwa Chiefdom [Honorary of song]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:095

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