Vai Bundu Society song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Vai Bundu Society song accompanied by three shegbureh. The meaning of the song is: "There was a dance in the town, the chief was very fond of it. There was a man without a wife so that when there was a society dance he was dancing without a reason (without a partner). Then he was asked did he want to marry one of these women". The shegbureh measure 18", 14" and 15.5" respectively. This group is considered the best in the area. The song takes the form of an argument with Mama Massia and Sumbo Zoka - with chorus and shegbureh as the main accompaniment. The shegbureh, apparently is always played by women, is a stalked gourd surrounded by a network of beads or buttons (occasionally shells) on strings. The end of the strings is held in one hand, the stalk of the gourd in the other. Rhythmic movements of the gourd produce the desired rattle of the beads or buttons against the gourd.

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Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Vai Bundu Society song
• Materials: No Data / Other
• Culture Group: Vai
• Dimensions: No Data
• Production Date: 1966.12.22
• Associated Places: Fairo, Soro-Gbema Chiefdom, Pujehun District [Place Recorded] [Origin of item]
• Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Bryma Korbai [Drums]; Kala Galaba [Shegbureh]; Sumbo Zoka [Shegbureh]; Mama Massia [Shegbureh]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:269

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