African Drums - HISTORY
Guided tours are provided and films on some aspects of Ghanian culture are shown by the staff of the Education Section. It is more than our wish that every guest, while enjoying his or her visit to the National Museum, adds some more knowledge to what he or she might have already about Ghana’s material cultural heritage.
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Rhythm in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan African music is characterized by a "strong rhythmic interest" that exhibits common characteristics in all regions of this vast territory, so that Arthur Morris Jones (1889–1980) has described the many local approaches as constituting one main system. C.K. Ladzekpo also affirms the profound homogeneity of approach. West African rhythmic techniques carried over the Atlantic were fundamental ingredients of Afro-American musical genres such as blues, jazz, reggae and hip hop, and were thereby of immense importance in 20th century popular music. |
African music relies heavily on fast-paced, upbeat rhythmic drum playing found all over the continent, though some styles, such as the Township music of South Africa do not make much use of the drum and nomadic groups such as the Maasai do not traditionally use drums. Elsewhere the drum is the sign of life: its beat is the heartbeat of the community.
Drums are classed as membranophones and consist of a skin or "drumhead" stretched over the open end of a frame or "shell". Well known African drums include the Djembe and the Talking drum.
African rhythmic structure is entirely divisive in nature[10] but may divide time into different fractions at the same time, typically by the use of hemiola or three-over-two (3:2), which Novotney has called the foundation of all West African polyrhythmic textures. It is the interplay of several elements, inseparable and equally essential, that produces the "varying rhythmic densities or motions" of cross-rhythmic texture. 3 and 2 belong to a single Gestalt.
Cross-rhythm is the basis for much of the music of the Niger–Congo peoples, speakers of the largest language family in Africa. For example it "pervades southern Ewe music". (Volta Region of Ghana, border with Togo (formals "Deutsch Togoland" - till 1923)
Drums are classed as membranophones and consist of a skin or "drumhead" stretched over the open end of a frame or "shell". Well known African drums include the Djembe and the Talking drum.
African rhythmic structure is entirely divisive in nature[10] but may divide time into different fractions at the same time, typically by the use of hemiola or three-over-two (3:2), which Novotney has called the foundation of all West African polyrhythmic textures. It is the interplay of several elements, inseparable and equally essential, that produces the "varying rhythmic densities or motions" of cross-rhythmic texture. 3 and 2 belong to a single Gestalt.
Cross-rhythm is the basis for much of the music of the Niger–Congo peoples, speakers of the largest language family in Africa. For example it "pervades southern Ewe music". (Volta Region of Ghana, border with Togo (formals "Deutsch Togoland" - till 1923)
Ewe drumming refers to the drumming ensembles of the Ewe people of Ghana, Togo, and Benin. The Ewe are known for their experience in drumming throughout West Africa. The sophisticated cross rhythms and polyrhythms in Ewe drumming are similar to those in Afro-Caribbean music and late jazz.
Ewe drumming is very diverse and is played in many slightly different ways. For example, a Ewe musician from Togo may play a piece or instrument slightly differently from the way a Ewe from Ghana does.
Ewe drumming is very diverse and is played in many slightly different ways. For example, a Ewe musician from Togo may play a piece or instrument slightly differently from the way a Ewe from Ghana does.
African Drums
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The Fon people of Benin are another example of this variation.
They construct their villages, towns, and cities on water, and because of this, they do not play the same upright drums other Ewe play. Instead, they place large gourds on water as drums. An Ewe drumming ensemble consists of several drums, a bell, and a rattle. Each ensemble usually has a master drum, an iron bell called a gankogui, and a group of secondary drummers. |
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