Mende song

Ethnomusicological recording made by Cootje van Oven. Mende song accompanied by three kogeli, one pair of wanjo and one kongoma. The song falls into three, but the same tune persist throughout. The photograph depicts the performers and their instruments. The kogeli is a metal cylinder (but not going right round) held in the hand and hit with a metal beater. The wanjo are shakers somewhat similiar to maracas. The body of the wanjo is made up of two tin bowls placed face to face, with the edges nailed together. The kongoma is a wooden box with a sound hole over which a few (in this case three) metal blades are fixed. The blades are plucked with the fingers of the right hand while the side of the box is hit with the left hand or sometimes (as in this case) with a tin. The blades are usually hacksaw blades. The leading singer's kogeli is 7.5" long. One of the two remaining kogeli is slightly longer, the other one is 7" long. Measurements of the two pairs of wanjo: height of body in the first pair 4", in the second pair 5"; circumference in first pair 4.5", in second pair 7". Measurements of the kongoma box were 18" by 13" by 5.5".

Further Information

  • Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
  • Object: Mende song
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Mende
  • Dimensions: No Data
  • Production Date: 1966.12.17
  • Associated Places: Shenge, Kagboro Chiefdom, Moyamba District [Place Recorded]; Gbangbatok, Moyamba District [Origin of item]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Tome Kova [Lead singer and kogeli]; Tomny Boko and Amadu Bavai [Kogeli]; Koroma [Wanjo]; Moinama George [Kongoma]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:220

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