Browse Titles - 57 results
Msodachi (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR154 , 3 mins
The Germans and Hitler are under the water I thought the war against Japan was over.' Snatches of news of great distant events frequently appear in African folk songs where they are interwoven with news of more local significance. Ndwala bells are forged out of iron and curved over into the shape of a pod with one...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR154 , 3 mins
Description
The Germans and Hitler are under the water I thought the war against Japan was over.' Snatches of news of great distant events frequently appear in African folk songs where they are interwoven with news of more local significance. Ndwala bells are forged out of iron and curved over into the shape of a pod with one side open. Small iron balls are inserted inside. The bells are strung onto strips of raw hide and tied around the shins and ankles.
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Tracks
×
Mwimbizi wa Nindo (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR155 , 3 mins
"I am the best singer and my songs are liked by many people. I will compose new songs which will defeat others in the same way that the King (King George VI) defeated Hitler." The Gogo people have long imitated their neighbours the Masai and have copied many of their customs, particularly in cosmetics and coiffure...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR155 , 3 mins
Description
"I am the best singer and my songs are liked by many people. I will compose new songs which will defeat others in the same way that the King (King George VI) defeated Hitler." The Gogo people have long imitated their neighbours the Masai and have copied many of their customs, particularly in cosmetics and coiffure. The group singing this song was more colourful than most Bantu, the women wearing bright coloured clothes and beads, the men smeared...
"I am the best singer and my songs are liked by many people. I will compose new songs which will defeat others in the same way that the King (King George VI) defeated Hitler." The Gogo people have long imitated their neighbours the Masai and have copied many of their customs, particularly in cosmetics and coiffure. The group singing this song was more colourful than most Bantu, the women wearing bright coloured clothes and beads, the men smeared with red ochre and fat.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Tracks
×
Nekenye (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR128 , 3 mins
The Mangbele are a sub-group of the Mangbetu, mixed with the Mamvu. Most tribes in this north eastern corner of the Congo have been absorbed in whole or in part by their neighbours. This Bantu tribe came under the cultural sway of the stronger Sudanic Mangbetu and have adopted the habits of their mentors. The name...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR128 , 3 mins
Description
The Mangbele are a sub-group of the Mangbetu, mixed with the Mamvu. Most tribes in this north eastern corner of the Congo have been absorbed in whole or in part by their neighbours. This Bantu tribe came under the cultural sway of the stronger Sudanic Mangbetu and have adopted the habits of their mentors. The name of the chief whose praises are sung in this song is Mokoto.
Date Written / Recorded
1952
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Tracks
×
Nenye angupu (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR120 , 3 mins
Praise song for a Chief, with 4 conical drums, 1 large bell drum, 2 pod drums, 1 small cylindrical drum, 2 small slit drums, 1 double metal bell, basket rattles and metal hand bell. "We honour our Chief, we are ready for him to inspect our work." The song is sung when the Chief arrives in a village on a visit. The...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR120 , 3 mins
Description
Praise song for a Chief, with 4 conical drums, 1 large bell drum, 2 pod drums, 1 small cylindrical drum, 2 small slit drums, 1 double metal bell, basket rattles and metal hand bell. "We honour our Chief, we are ready for him to inspect our work." The song is sung when the Chief arrives in a village on a visit. The Medje tribe lives in a fertile palm forest region south of the small town of Paulis. The music is strangely reminiscent of that of the...
Praise song for a Chief, with 4 conical drums, 1 large bell drum, 2 pod drums, 1 small cylindrical drum, 2 small slit drums, 1 double metal bell, basket rattles and metal hand bell. "We honour our Chief, we are ready for him to inspect our work." The song is sung when the Chief arrives in a village on a visit. The Medje tribe lives in a fertile palm forest region south of the small town of Paulis. The music is strangely reminiscent of that of the Bemba from the South Eastern borders of the Congo and N. Rhodesia a thousand miles away.
Show more
Show less
Date Written / Recorded
1952
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Tracks
×
Ngutu Waga (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR167 , 3 mins
"His good friend Ngutu Waga, the tailor, has been so generous to the singer as to give him all the necessary cattle with which to marry. What friend could be better than that?" This song is a tribute to his generosity. Ngutu furthermore is a fine tailor at Awak. He once cut a dress for a very plain girl which made...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR167 , 3 mins
Description
"His good friend Ngutu Waga, the tailor, has been so generous to the singer as to give him all the necessary cattle with which to marry. What friend could be better than that?" This song is a tribute to his generosity. Ngutu furthermore is a fine tailor at Awak. He once cut a dress for a very plain girl which made her so beautiful that within one week many young men wanted to marry her. The tuning of the lyre in order of strings is as follows: -...
"His good friend Ngutu Waga, the tailor, has been so generous to the singer as to give him all the necessary cattle with which to marry. What friend could be better than that?" This song is a tribute to his generosity. Ngutu furthermore is a fine tailor at Awak. He once cut a dress for a very plain girl which made her so beautiful that within one week many young men wanted to marry her. The tuning of the lyre in order of strings is as follows: - 170,152,138,116,232,202,170,152 vs.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Tracks
×
Ninkutina (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR145 , 1 min
"I am afraid of you chief because you are cunning as a leopard and you might kill me tomorrow." The singer, who is well known for leading this kind of song, had a very troublesome cough in the first item.
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR145 , 1 min
Description
"I am afraid of you chief because you are cunning as a leopard and you might kill me tomorrow." The singer, who is well known for leading this kind of song, had a very troublesome cough in the first item.
Date Written / Recorded
1950
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Tracks
×
Odhiambo Odet (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR168 , 2 mins
Odhiambo is a wonderful person with eyes so bright he could even see to write in the dark. When he was named as a child all the birds and beasts came round to see this remarkable babe.
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR168 , 2 mins
Description
Odhiambo is a wonderful person with eyes so bright he could even see to write in the dark. When he was named as a child all the birds and beasts came round to see this remarkable babe.
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Tracks
×
Okelo Oyuga (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR168 , 2 mins
"Okelo you gave me a goat. I came to your house and you gave me cigarettes. Then I asked to have a word with you and you stayed to converse with me. You are kind. You are a good friend of mine."
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR168 , 2 mins
Description
"Okelo you gave me a goat. I came to your house and you gave me cigarettes. Then I asked to have a word with you and you stayed to converse with me. You are kind. You are a good friend of mine."
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Tracks
×
Praises for Chief Moiloa II, Chief Ikalafeng and Chief Pogiso II - Lebôkô I (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR115 , 3 mins
At the time of recording this village was much divided on account of the political questions of the continuity of the chieftainship. One acting Chief had been deposed and was living in Bechuanaland and another chief was acting in his place. The speaker who composed and read the praises of his elder brother, the pr...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR115 , 3 mins
Description
At the time of recording this village was much divided on account of the political questions of the continuity of the chieftainship. One acting Chief had been deposed and was living in Bechuanaland and another chief was acting in his place. The speaker who composed and read the praises of his elder brother, the present acting chief, had been a teacher in their village for 38 years. Moiloa II was the original chief after whom the reserve was named...
At the time of recording this village was much divided on account of the political questions of the continuity of the chieftainship. One acting Chief had been deposed and was living in Bechuanaland and another chief was acting in his place. The speaker who composed and read the praises of his elder brother, the present acting chief, had been a teacher in their village for 38 years. Moiloa II was the original chief after whom the reserve was named, about 1880 (died 1886). Ikalafeng succeeded his grandfather Moiloa in 1887 and died in 1894. Pogiso II (Abram) the ex-chief of the Moiloa Reserve, is still alive.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
Tracks
×
Tanganyika Part I (Track)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR155 , 5 mins
"Let us play the Zeze lute so that we can remember our old songs. Do not sing in a hurry. Take your time. We, the Gogo are singing in Tanganyika the land of our birth. Why do people sing all my tunes?" A lovely slow chant in which all the people joined, men women and children. It is clear that the Gogo are a poeti...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR155 , 5 mins
Description
"Let us play the Zeze lute so that we can remember our old songs. Do not sing in a hurry. Take your time. We, the Gogo are singing in Tanganyika the land of our birth. Why do people sing all my tunes?" A lovely slow chant in which all the people joined, men women and children. It is clear that the Gogo are a poetic people with great lyrical ability. The local composer comes forward and starts each line for the people to follow. The song was recor...
"Let us play the Zeze lute so that we can remember our old songs. Do not sing in a hurry. Take your time. We, the Gogo are singing in Tanganyika the land of our birth. Why do people sing all my tunes?" A lovely slow chant in which all the people joined, men women and children. It is clear that the Gogo are a poetic people with great lyrical ability. The local composer comes forward and starts each line for the people to follow. The song was recorded out in the open in the village of Mvumi without rehearsal of any kind. It seems likely that it could have continued almost indefinitely, but the exigencies of the recording apparatus and the fact that it was taken before the advent of long playing records made abbreviation necessary. The unexpected loud passages were unfortunately slightly over modulated but, with the technical faults excepted, this recording gives a fair idea of the artistic capabilities of these remarkable performers. The recording is in two parts, the second pitched slightly lower than the first and accompanied by a flute obligato which as little if any direct bearing on the melody itself.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Field recording (raw)
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
×