Mende parable song
Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. A Mende parable song accompanied by kelei, blikuti and wanjei. The song is about a woman, Hawa, who has taken a bad juju from the town of Banda. The refrain is about playing the kelei for the Chief. All instruments have intricate rhythms. The kelei is a hollow log or cane with length-wise slits; this one is beaten with two headless sticks. The blikuti is a two-skinned cylindrical drum played with a small stick on one skin and with the hand on the other. The wanjei are a pair of shakers somewhat similiar to maracas. The body is made up of two tin bowls placed face to face, with the edges nailed together. Measurements of kelei: length 18.5", diameter 4.5". Blikuti: length 14.5", skin diameter 15.5". Wanjei: height of body (measured around the curve) 7", length of handle 9".
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Further Information
- Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
- Object: Mende parable song
- Materials: No Data / Other
- Culture Group: Mende
- Dimensions: No Data
- Production Date: 1970.12.24
- Associated Places: Pujehun, Lower Bambara Chiefdom, Kenema District [Place Recorded]
- Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Chris Marshall [Sound Recordist]; Njei Koye [Lead singer and kelei]; James Coker [Blikuti]; L.P. Lappia [Wanje]
- Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
- Accession Number: CVO:337
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