Temne Bundu Society song

Ethnomusicological recording made by Cootje van Oven. Temne Bundu Society song, accompanied by one saka, three Bundu drums and handclapping. The photograph depicts the aged leading singer (dancing) and the Bundu drums. The leading singer is the local head of the Bundu Society. The saka, apparently always played by women, is a stalked gourd surrounded by a network of beads or buttons 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. The Bundu drum is a wooden cylindrical drum with two skins, one of which is beaten. In this case, the drum with the smallest skin diameter is played with one hooked stick and with the hand, and the two drums with the bigger skins are each played with one plain stick and with the hand. The former drum is 22" long and has a diameter of 6.5". Corresponding measurements of the other two drums: 21.5" by 8", and 21" by 8".

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Further Information

  • Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
  • Object: Temne Bundu Society song
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Temne
  • Dimensions: No Data
  • Production Date: 1966.04.16
  • Associated Places: Masingbi, Kunicke Chiefdom, Tonkolili District [Place Recorded and origin of item]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; (all performers female) Naso Lessi Conteh [Leading Singer]; Barumi Mela [Singer and Saka player]; Ruko Moi [Chorus]; Ruko Sira [Chorus] and Kadeh Koroma [Drum player]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:146

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