Mende song of thanks

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Mende song of thanks accompanied by three shegbureh, one European-style bass drum and one European-style side drum. This song thanks for all those who pay kindness to others. A note on the drums - both players use the head and rim of the drum. The bass drum player plays three closed beats and one open beat. The side drum player plays both rim and head of drum. The combination of both effects produces quite a complicated rhythm, quite syncopated. The photograph shows a shegbureh and drums being played (not these). 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: Mende song of thanks
• Materials: No Data / Other
• Culture Group: Mende
• Dimensions: No Data
• Production Date: 1966.12.21
• Associated Places: Potoru, Barri Chiefdom, Pujehun District [Place recorded]
• Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Thameh Kpakah [Shegbureh]; Nancy Kpakah [Shegbureh]; Amara [Bass drum]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:261

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