Gumbe Drum

Gumbe, goombay or gumbah is a style of music associated with the Krio population of Sierra Leone, and is also found in the Caribbean and elsewhere in West Africa. It is a fusion of various styles and is primarily vocal and percussive music. The key instruments of gumbe are the gumbe or box drum, often improvised, as in this example, from an upturned stool or box, on which the player sits; the wooden small drum; the maracash , which may be nothing more than a bottle and tin knocked together; and a saw, which is rasped rhythmically with a knife or other implement.

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Further Information

  • Type: Musical instruments
  • Object: Gumbe Drum
  • Materials: Wood, Leather, animal skin, Textile
  • Culture Group: Other
  • Dimensions: Unknown
  • Production Date: Pre 1965
  • Associated Places: Unknown
  • Associated People: Dawdah Kargbo, Freetown (Trader)
  • Museum: Sierra Leone National Museum
  • Accession Number: SLNM.1965.85.01

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