Yalunka hunting song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Yalunka hunting song, accompanied by one kondene, handclapping and a whistle. The photograph features the kondene and the musician. The song tells the hunter not to be afraid of any bush animal: he is protected by the Almighty. In the course of this song a dancer with a gun appears, and then a man with a whistle. The dancer makes noises, takes aim and works up to a climax in his acting, but does not shoot. The kondene is the instrument for hunters music . It is a bow with ten strings and a metal rattling device at the top. A cooking pot covered with a skin is attached to the bow. A bridge stands up on the skin and the strings pass through grooves in the bridge. Sticking through the skin are two sticks round which the player curls his fourth and fifth fingers of both hands to hold the instrument while playing. Length of bow 37.5", measured round the curve, height of cooking pot 5", diameter of skin 9", length of rattling extension 5.5", height of bridge 4.5", length of sticks passing through skin 14.5". The strings are played by plucking.

Further Information

  • Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
  • Object: Yalunka hunting song
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Yalunka
  • Dimensions: No Data
  • Production Date: 1966.04.11
  • Associated Places: Falaba, Sulima Chiefdom, Koinadugu District [Place Recorded][Origin of item]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Karamoh Turay [Singer and kondene]; Tadi Samura, Saio Samura, Taneh Jawara [Answering and handclapping ladies]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:180

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