Drum - Single Head

Yoruba Hand Drum

Ila Orangun, Nigeria
Yoruba

Wood, Animal Hide
ca. 19th Century

Height: 11.5 inches
Membranophone - Struck - Directly

A nineteenth century Yoruba hand drum of blackened wood, carved in the figure of an abstract human head resting upon three bent legs. Drums are a vital element in the performance of ritual dance and this small hand drum not only provides musical accompaniment, but is an integral part of the "magic of transformation" that the dancers strives to achieve. The face of the drum, may serve in the same role as a mask, portraying the abstract representation of the spirit - the "voice" - of the instrument. To the Yoruba people, the collaboration between music, movement and imagery portrayed in this drum represents the power of this drum at a metaphysical level, where the drum acts as a physical medium by which the spirits of ancestors and other deities are contacted. Provenance: Jean-Pierre Hallet, Malibu

Owner:
Catalog#: AF-MBST-39-100

© Hartenberger World Music Collection