Mende song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Mende song, accompanied by two kollo and one triangle . The photograph features the triangle being hit with the hooks drumstick of the big kollo. The meaning of the song is: "Let's join and sing and dance together". The kollo, a drum of the Poro Society, is a long cylindrical two-skinned drum. The other instrument was actually given the name triangle, but it really was a two-bladed piece of metal suspended from the middle finger of the left hand by means of string and played with rings on the thumb and fifth finger. Measurements of big kollo: length 38", diameter of drumskin 10". Small kollo: length 13", diameter 7". The big one was played with one hooked stick, the small one with two ordinary sticks. The triangle was 7" long. It was played by the same person who played the big kollo with his right hand.

Further Information

  • Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
  • Object: Mende song
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Mende
  • Dimensions: No Data
  • Production Date: 1966.12.20
  • Associated Places: Sahn, Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District [Place Recorded] [Origin of item]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Amara [Big kollo and triangle]; Brimah [Small kollo]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:232

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