[Waraba]

i've learned many complete phrases on jembe that come from a malinke phrase.

i have the malinke written down, but for example:
fatoumata, don't drop the dishes
koumba, young girl, come
come eat big rice

I like those!

[Michel]

Hi Michel, thanks for that!

Do you have any more info I could follow up on? I really would like to learn more about drums being used for communication (djembe or otherwise).

Where did you come across this info?

Cheers,

Michi.

When you make a roundtrip in the Casamance delta by pirogue, around Elinkine you'll be visiting the Tamtam Telephonique. Sort of touristy thing. I have a picture but can't upload because it's 'invalid'? Man am I digibete....

[djembeweaver]

i've learned many complete phrases on jembe that come from a malinke phrase.

i have the malinke written down, but for example:
fatoumata, don't drop the dishes
koumba, young girl, come
come eat big rice

everyone does the name calling, but i've only seen a handful of jembefola really 'speak' on the drum.

Can you give some examples of how you'd phrase these on a djembe?

[Dugafola]

i've learned many complete phrases on jembe that come from a malinke phrase.

i have the malinke written down, but for example:
fatoumata, don't drop the dishes
koumba, young girl, come
come eat big rice

everyone does the name calling, but i've only seen a handful of jembefola really 'speak' on the drum.

Can you give some examples of how you'd phrase these on a djembe?

for the first one, i can show you how it's played...but the malinke is written down somewhere at my house.

stss(fatoumata) sts, stss stss tst

ha. it's best played in ternary rhythms ie soli, dendon etc.

for koumba
bssbssbs tT(flam tone)

both of these phrases are played with a 'swing' i guess you could call it for intonation.

[James]

Upload file for Michel

[Michel]

Thanks to James: (see above post) Michi this is the 'Tamtam-telephonique' I was talking about.

[michi]

Thanks to James: (see above post) Michi this is the 'Tamtam-telephonique' I was talking about.

That's a cool drum!

Did they provide any more info about it? How it was used and by whom? Or is it just a curiosity?

Did you play it or hear it played? I imagine that a krin this big would make quite a racket…

Michi.

[Michel]

The story I was told is that it was used for bringing messages to other islands in the Casamance delta. This one is a copy of the original one, which was broken but hundreds of years old(But well we know what that can mean, maybe they counted the years of the age of the tree it was made from to it ). On traditional occasions, like when a wedding is going to take place, they still use it, the guide told. But when you visit my country the guide tells you we still walk on wooden shoes I'm afraid. So the only solution will be a nice holiday in the Casamance region to find out yourself.... This is all I know.

All the best,

Michiel