Improving African Futures Using Lessons from the Past

Women playing calabash drums, Boase, 2018


Description:
Calabash drums accompany songs sung by Nafana women during the celebration of puberty (Manaa Ndiom) and marriage (Bijam) rites. These drums are played exclusively by women. The drums are made by filling a large hollowed-out calabash or gourd (chrɛ in Nafaanra) with water. A smaller calabash bowl (chrɛgbɔɔ in Nafaanra) floating upright in the water provides the surface on which the women drum. This short video shows the technique by which women strike the floating calabash and the rim of the large calabash with small calabash ladles held in their right hands. Visible at the bottom of the larger calabash drum are maize (bleju in Nafaanra) kernels tossed into the drum by passing dancers. The women sing as they drum. Boase, 11 November, 2018. Length: .23 minutes.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Relation:
https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/iaff/catalog/17-17123 ; https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/iaff/catalog/17-17122 ; https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/iaff/catalog/17-17326
Location(s) Facet:
Boase
Subjects:
Techniques; Manaa Ndiom; Bijam; Maize
Subjects Facet:
Drums (musical instrument); Music; Rites and ceremonies; Nafana (African people); Gourd, Calabash; Puberty rites; Corn; Marriage customs and rites; Songs
Creator:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Contributors:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Language:
Nafaanra
Date searchable:
2018
Date searchable:
2018-11-11
Genre:
Digital video
Genre Facet:
Digital video
Format:
Video
Location(s):
Boase;8.018356, -2.298013
People Facet:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Geographic Coordinates:
8.018356, -2.298013