The talking drum is believed to be
created in the western city of Oyo by the Oba Alaafin Ajiboye, as a means of
communication between people long before writing.[1] It
was, and is still used in many parts of the country as communication means. What
makes the Yoruba talking drum different is that it is used to disseminate
information.[2]
It was also used in practicing the ritual rites involved in the crowning of
kings in the Yoruba lands. The talking drum then spread to other West African countries
like Benin, Togo, and Ghana. The Nigerian talking drum is not only restricted
to the Yoruba tribe, but also to other tribes of the country. It can also be
seen as the identity of Nigerian music as everyone uses it in many traditional
gatherings ranging from marriage, religious activities, and also normal musical
performances. Before a king is crowned in the Yoruba land, he is taken to the
shrines of the forebears and is made to learn the intricacies of the dance
steps to the talking drums of your ancestors.
[3]The
talking drum, which is locally called dun-dun, is a membranophone that has an
hourglass shape with strings around it. It is covered by leather membranes on
both sides, mostly animal skin. It can be played with drumsticks or with bare
hands. To play the drums, the drummer holds it under his arm close to his chest
and hits on the membranes in a strong or soft manner in order to produce
different sounds or to mix sounds. Sometimes the drummer places one of his
hands on the membrane while hitting with the drumstick in order to alter the
sounds being produced. The talking drum is a relatively easy instrument to play
because it does not necessarily require training. One can just learn and
practice on his or her own without being under a teacher. However, most people
who wish to learn the Yoruba talking drum always stay under a teacher in order
to know about the history behind the drums.
The
talking drum influenced a particular type of music unique to western Nigeria
called Juju music. This Juju music is the most popular and most important type
of music ever to come out of Nigeria. It is believed to have been started by the
Yoruba musician, Tunde King in the 1920s.4
This music is a typical example of the polyrhythmic sounds that Nigerian music
has to offer. Juju music is a sublime blend of African rhythms and vocal styles
grafted onto a wall of sound produced by Euro-American instruments like
electric guitars and synthesizers.[4]
The interesting thing about Juju music is how it is fused with the talking
drum. Juju music is a noisy kind of music but entertaining. It is mostly sung
in the Yoruba language but people musicians have also inculcated the English
language into their performances. Musicians like Paul I.K. Dairo and King Sunny
Ade were able to propagate Juju music to the rest of the world, and their music
was also influenced by jazz and rock music after the time of independence.
Continued...
[1] Funke Osae-Brown, “Mystery of the
Talking Drum,” Business Day Newspaper, 21 October 2010Web.
[2] Samson Oluga and Halira Babalola, “Drummunication:
The Trado-Indigenous Art of Communication with Talking Drums in Yorubaland.”
Global Journalism of Human Social Science Arts & Humanities, Global
Journals USA)
[3] Terry E. Miller and Andrew
Shahriari, “World Music, A Global Journey,” (New York and London: Routledge
Talor and Francis Group, 2012) Page 340
-345.
[4] Michael Parrish, “Out of Africa,”
The Chicago Tribune, April 22, 2000 Web
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