Fula song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Fula song, accompanied by two serdu and three pairs of lala. The performers and their instruments can be seen in the photograph. The origin of the item is unknown as the performers were travelling musicians. The serdu is a side-blown flute with three finger holes. The lala is a hook-shaped instrument with wooden discs strung on to one of the two sticks forming the hook, to make up a rattle. The stick bearing the discs is often slightly curved. Both the serdu in this item were 17" long; this may well be the standard length of the instrument. One lala also was measured: its sticks were we" and 8" long, the rattles being on the longer one.

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Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Fula song
• Materials: No Data / Other
• Culture Group: Fula
• Dimensions: No Data
• Production Date: 1966.05.01
• Associated Places: Freetown [Place Recorded]
• Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Saidu Bah and Sali Bah [Serdu players], Mohamed Alicu Bah, Musa Bah and Amadu Saraba [Lala players]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:201

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