Mende dance song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Mende dance song accompanied by European-type side drum and bass drum. The dancers and musicians are featured in the photograph. The meaning of the song is: "There was no rice between Vama and Mandu. Joe Bundu then made a big rice farm there. People went and harvested it. The harvesters got tired and asked for a nap". The side drum is played with two sticks like a European one, the bass drum with a soft-headed stick on one skin and with the hand on the other skin. Note the position in which the bass drum is held.

Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Mende dance song
• Materials: No Data / Other
• Culture Group: Mende
• Dimensions: No Data
• Production Date: 1966.12.20
• Associated Places: Sahn, Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District [Place Recorded] [Origin of item]
• Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Jinna Kumba [Leading Singer, female]; Sapha Vandi [Side Drum]; Alien Labai [Bass Drum]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:236

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