Mende song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Mende song of jealousy accompanied by three kogeli and one kongoma. The meaning of the song is: "A woman has two friends . Whenever she went to the one, the other one attempted coaxing her to come to him". The photograph shows the kongoma, wango and kogeli being played (not these). The kogeli is a metal cylinder (not to going right round) held in the hand and hit with a metal beater. The kongoma is a wooden box with a sound hole over which a few metal blades are fixed. The blades are plucked with the fingers of one hand while the side of the box is hit with the other hand or sometimes with a tin. The blades are usually hacksaw blades. The wanjo are a pair of 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.

Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Mende song
• 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]; Vandi [Kogeli]; Lamino Lasaneh [Kogeli]; Okeh Bamba [Kogeli]; Musa Fah [Kongoma]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:259

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