Sherbro song
Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Sherbro song, accompanied by sangbai, European-type side and bass drums, horn, tortoise shell, empty tin hit with a metal beater and handclapping. The photograph pictures the sangbai. The meaning of the song is: "We are good friends with you". Two masked devils, a Gobai and a Nafali, were present at this performance. The tortoise shell was played by one of the Goboi's followers. The sangbai is a conical wooden drum with one drum skin and sometimes (as in this case) with an extension. It is played with the hands. The horn in this item appears to be a cow horn. The tortoise shell is hit on the belly side, sometimes with the free end of a stick and sometimes with the other end, close to the player's grip. The diameter of the sangbai drumskin is 12"; the height of the drum body is 21" and the length of its extension is 23.5". The horn is 15" long. The tortoise shell measures 6.5" by 4.5".
Further Information
- Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
- Object: Sherbro song
- Materials: No Data / Other
- Culture Group: Sherbro
- Dimensions: No Data
- Production Date: 1966.01.24
- Associated Places: No.2 River, near Freetown [Place Recorded]; Bawbaw village [Origin of item]
- Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Elizabeth Palmer [Lead singer]; Sei Djama [Sangbai]; Raka Kamara [Side drum]; Conterri [Bass drum]; Charles Martin [Horn]; Tua Beno [Tortoise shell]
- Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
- Accession Number: CVO:140
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