Details

Field of Interest

World Music

Copyright Message

Material sourced from the Louis Sarno Archive, Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford. Copyright © Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford.

Description

Louis Sarno's notes on liner card (ms ink) – 'YEYI '89, '91. 56'

Louis Sarno's notes on liner card (ms ink) – 'Tracks 1-6: from Yeyi at dawn, April '89 at Mombongo hunting camp. Yeyi is another form of women's music. It means literally “yodel". Unlike Limboku, there is no conjuring up of a spirit, simply the most gorgeous singing in pure Bayaka style, unaccompanied by anything but occasional clapping. Usually music of the night, it is sung by a group of women who move through the camp or settlement. This yeyi took place at dawn in the forest just beyond the circumference of our hunting camp. I began recording from a distance, but once it was light the women (about 7, plus a young girl) moved over to my microphones. Total time: 31 1/2m. 1) 4 1/2m. 2) 2 1/2m. 3) 7m. 4) 13 1/2m. 5) 2m. 6) 2m, end Yeyi mid-April '89 Mombongo. Tracks 7-17: from Yeyi night of 25 Oct. 1991 at Yandoumbé. This Yeyi began during the dying moments of a storm in a far corner of Yandoumbé. Between 2 and 12 women took part (women joined as the yeyi continued). I recorded from the window of my house. Among the main participants are: Poli, Nyomba, Eloka, Japa and Poli's mother, Sopo. Once the rain stopped they wandered throughout Yandoumbé, with their beautiful voices bringing benediction on the settlement. Total time: 1h 01 1/2m. Track times: 7) 4m. 8) 8 1/2m. 9) 16 1/2m. 10) 9 1/2m. 11) 6 1/2m. 12) 2m. 13) 2 1/2m. 14) 1/2m. 15) 2 1/2m. 16) 4m. 17) 6m, end Yeyi 25 Oct. '91 Yandoumbé. Track 18-23: from Yeyi 29 Oct. '91 at Yandoumbé. This Yeyi involved many of the same women as the one before. I recorded only the final minutes, from pre-dawn until the end of dawn. Yandoumbé was waking up, so much more noise is in this recording. Total time: 28 1/2m. Track times: 18) 14m. 19) 6m. 20) 3 1/2m. 21) 2m. 22) 1m. 23) 2m, end Yeyi 29 Oct. '91 Yandoumbé. END DAT 56'

Content Type

Field recording (raw)

Duration

43 mins

Anthropologist / Ethnographer

Louis Sarno, 1954-2017

Format

Audio

Sub Genre

Song

Date Recorded

1991

Series Number

Recordings

Subject

World Music, Anthropology, Music & Performing Arts, Social Sciences, Africa, Cultural anthropology