Limba and Temne song

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. Limba and Temne song, accompanied by two kondi, one kongoma, one kenken and three koto. The photograph displays a koto (not any of these) being played (on the right of the picture). The song contains a statement and an answer: "I called at your house but you were not in"; answer: "Mind your own business". Some of the performers are Limba, others Temne; the song is sung in Limba. The proper Limba name for the instrument called kondi in Temne appears to be kuchuteng but many Limba musicians refer to it as kondi. It is a metal box with a number of metal tongues fixed on top of it (the longest in the centre, then tapering off regularly on both sides). The box has an extension through which small metal wires are threaded. The player plucks the tongues with his thumbs while shaking the box up and down to obtain a rattle from the wires threaded through the extension and from some pebbles inside the box. The tongues are actually flattened-out umbrella stays. These two kondi each have 9 tongues. The kongoma is a (much bigger) 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 or front (in this case the side) of the box is hit with the other hand, with a tin, or (as in this case) with a stone. Kongoma blades are usually hacksaw blades. This kongoma has 3 blades. The kenken is a piece of metal hit with a metal beater. Almost any piece of metal may do, provided it is a good solid piece, but more officially it is conical or cup-shaped or bell-shaped, Its Temne name is agogo, but the Temne version often has 2 "cups" on the one handle. The koto (Temne name ankul) is a more delicate, U-shaped, piece of metal also hit with a metal beater.

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Further Information

  • Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
  • Object: Limba and Temne song
  • Materials: No Data / Other
  • Culture Group: Limba, Temne
  • Dimensions: No Data
  • Production Date: 1965.12.25
  • Associated Places: Makeni, Bombali District [Place Recorded]
  • Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]
  • Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
  • Accession Number: CVO:123

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