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Musical
traditions in
Burundi
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Musical
traditions in
Burundi
When one hears about the musical traditions of Burundi,
the war dances of the Intore come to mind: strict lines, with
weapons (spears and shields), leopard skins, headdresses, pearl
costumes, and bells on the feet. But there are also the ingoma
drum orchestras and their master drummers. Once sacred
objects, reserved solely for ritualists, they were only played under
exceptional circumstances and then always for ritual purposes.
Nowadays, the drum remains an instrument that is both revered
and popular, reserved for national celebrations and distinguished
guests. The Barundi possess a broad repertoire of songs that are
present in all circumstances of family, official, and ceremonial
gatherings. From a musicological standpoint, uruvyino (imvyino
in the plural) mass singing can be distinguished from ururirimbo
(indirimbo in the plural) individual singing, usually more intimate.
The former includes dance songs at meetings of young girls,
accompanying a wedding celebration, at the birth of a child,
and other trade songs. The latter includes lyrical declamation
(kwishongora), sung legends (igitito), lullabies, etc.
Musical traditions in Burundi – source :DEKKMMA
http://music.africamuseum.be/instruments/french/burundi/burundi.html
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Ingoma
Musical instruments
Ingoma, drum ensemble
In Burundi, the term ingoma may mean drum, power, reign, or
kingdom. The drum is made from a hollowed-out tree trunk
covered with a membrane of animal skin, usually cow or bull hide,
and attached to the wood with pegs. It is generally played using
drumsticks. In ancient Burundi, drums were more than just simple
musical instruments. Generations-old drumming lineages have
kept their art alive, and some have succeeded in bringing it to a
global audience. Royal drums, meanwhile, were kept in sanctuaries
and only rarely brought out, notably during rites during sorghum
planting festivities (umuganuro). Burundi’s drumming cult was
strong, with each of these sanctuaries having narratives about
their respective origins. Each year, the drummers travelled all over
the country, crossing ritual areas.
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Identification of forest tree – sculpting of drum
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Inzamba
Inzamba, transverse horn
1. Inzamba, transverse horn
Horn
Purchased by Georges Celis, collected in 1970
and acquired by the museum in 1971
Described as originating from western Burundi
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
2.Inzamba, transverse horn
Antelope horn
Purchased by Georges Celis, collected in 1971
and acquired by the museum in 1974.
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
The inzamba is made from the horn of various types of antelope.
The most common is that of the inzobe (Limnotragus spekei)
because of its acoustic qualities. In most of the instruments
made, the tip of the twisted horn is sawn off to make an air duct
within the instrument. This is done intentionally in order to obtain
a finger hole which, when covered, allows another note to be
played in additional to the fundamental note. The other end, the
umurero bell, remains intact. Using a hot poker, a 1 x 3 cm hole
is made 10 cm from the tip to serve as a mouthpiece (ishako,
akobo or uruvugirizo). The instrument is played in the horizontal
(transverse) position, while the bell is either held in the hand or
rests on the arm. Changing the embouchure enables other notes
to be played besides the two fundamental notes. Some players
also use a glissando technique.
The inzamba has a dual function. It is used as a means of
communication to announce work, disease, war, or most frequently
the hunt, which it symbolises. The men gather before and after
the hunt to recite texts and perform dance movements with their
arms held wide open, accompanied by the inzamba. They sing to
bolster their courage at the start of the hunt.
The inzamba also accompanies dance. Because of its limited
range, however, it is always part of an ensemble.
The playing style of the izamba therefore differs according to its
function: in a hunting context short phrases are played, while for
communication purposes, longer structured ‘sentences’ are more
appropriate.
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Ikinyege or inyagara
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Ikinyege or urunyagara, calabash rattle
3. Ikinyege or urunyagara, calabash rattle
Calabash rattle on wooden handle secured using resin and plant fibres
The calabash is filled with fruit seeds; the external
surface is decorated with geometric designs
Gift of Mwami Mwambutsa, acquired in 1950
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
4. Ikinyege or inyagara, calabash rattle
Calabash rattle on wooden handle secured using resin and plant fibres
The calabash is filled with fruit seeds; the external surface is decorated
with holes; the ikinyege is used in Kubandwa ceremonies
Purchased in Kisenyi on 14 July 1935
Gift of Professor Georges Smets, acquired in 1946
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
The ikinyege is a rattle made from the hollow calabash of the
igicuma plant, which is extremely widespread in sub-Saharan
Africa, and has a handle about 12 cm long made from a branch of
the umuko tree. The handle is inserted into the natural opening of
the calabash and passes right through the calabash. It is secured
using resin or a transverse plug (umusave) which is inserted into a
specially made hole in the handle and in the calabash. Fruit seeds
are always placed in the calabash to produce a penetrating sharp
sound. A less common variant of the ikinyege consists of the
whole plant which remains intact with the neck of the calabash
serving as the handle. The decorations applied are very similar
to those on the inzebe and the inanga, i.e. cross-shaped or oval
perforations. The ikinyege is used by men to accompany imihara
songs in the Ryangombe cult, and also to accompany initiation rite
songs (kubandwa). The performers hold the ikinyuguri in the right
hand and the inzogera in their left, creating a regular rhythmic
beat. Outside the realms of the cult the instrument is only used by
magicians and soothsayers during their incantations. On a musical
note a technical distinction must be made: the recited texts are
accompanied by free and improvised rhythms, while the songs
always have fixed stable and regular binary and tertiary rhythm
patterns. The intensity with which the ikinyege is shaken depends
on the importance of the lyrics of the song.
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Umuduri
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Umuduri, musical bow
5. Umuduri – musical bow
Wood and strings in plant fibres, calabash
Muhinga, 1935
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
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Inanga
Inanga, trough zither
6. Inanga, trough zither
Wood and strings in plant fibres
Purchased in Muramvya in 1935 by Georges Smets
Gift of the Board of Directors of the Université libre de Bruxelles,
‘Hommage du Fonds Jacques Cassel’, acquired in 1946
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
The inanga is known as a ‘trough zither’, an indication of its shape.
The rims on both ends have 8 to 12 notches that hold strings in
place. The number of strings is always smaller than the number
of notches. These ‘strings’ are in fact a single continuous string
stretched from one end of the soundboard to the other and looped
through the notches, resulting in several strings. The strings are
made from natural fibres. They used to be made from animal gut.
Nowadays nylon or metal strings are also used. The preference is
for instruments with six to eight strings and with an anhemitonic
pentatonic range (wherein the intervals have no half-tones).
The ‘eyes of the inanga’ are star-shaped or oval decorative and
functional incisions that distribute the sound. Burnt-in geometric
motifs decorate the ends of the instrument. The performer
remains seated while he plays, resting the inanga vertically on his
lap. Holding the instrument with the little finger of his left hand,
he uses the other four fingers to pluck the top four strings and
the fingers of his right hand to pluck the bottom four strings.
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Only open strings are used, hence one fixed note is produced
for each string. One technique sometimes used, however, is
to lightly touch the string at certain points and then pluck it
to produce harmonics. Tapping on the soundboard with the
fingernails adds to the rhythmic sound. The inanga is usually
played solo and the performer sings his own songs about
historical events, personal experiences or everyday incidents. Most
epic songs accompanied by the instrument are sung in a whisper,
lending them a mysterious air.
From the RMCA music series
Ikembe or sanza
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Ikembe or sanza, lamellaphone
7. Ikembe or sanza, lamellaphone
Wooden soundbox, lamellae in iron and copper rings, a bolt attached to a
piece of string distorts timbre and the object is decorated with brass tacks
Purchased in Muramogu in 1935
Gift of Georges Smets, acquired in 1946
Described as originating from the DRC but the author states
that they were already being produced in Burundi
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
The ikembe is classified as a lamellaphone and consists of a series
of iron lamella, fixed to a rectangular wooden soundbox. The
soundbox is formed by hollowing out a soft rectangular block of
wood from the side. This is later covered with a strip of wood and
sealed with resin, rubber or honey. Before this opening is covered
up a few seeds or pebbles are placed in the instrument to provide
an additional source of sound. A few sound holes are also bored;
covering these enables the timbre to be varied. Iron lamellae
(imirya) – sometimes the flattened spokes of a bicycle wheel – are
then fixed to the soundbox. Their number varies between 8 and
12, and is preferably 10 or 11. They are divided into two groups,
with each hand spanning nearly the full range; the notes are not
placed in a single series of rising tones, but in two parallel series
that cover more or less the same range. The lamellae are fixed
using three transverse bridges, the outer two serving as supports,
while the central bridge pushes the lamellae down, holding them
in place. The rings attached between the bridges and around the
lamellae are another contributory sound element.
A singer usually accompanies himself on the ikembe, but it can
also be played together with other instruments as part of a duet
or even a trio. In the last example one of the performers plays a
continuous note. The songs that are accompanied by the ikembe
are either entertaining tales set to music, songs of praise to figures
of authority or expressions of personal feelings. Occasionally
historical and traditional themes are set to music, but these are
mainly based on texts of songs that are accompanied by the
inanga. Traditionally, the joy awakened by the inanga can give rise
to a special dance performed by the audience.
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Indingiti
Indingiti, single-stringed fiddle
8. Indingiti, single-stringed fiddle
Wooden soundbox, rattan string, membrane in hide and resin
Purchased in Muhinga on 15 July 1935
Gift of Georges Smets, acquired in 1946
Described as originating from Uganda and imported to Burundi
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
9. Indingiti or sese, single-stringed fiddle
Cow horn soundbox, rattan string, membrane in hide and resin
Purchased in Muhinga in 1935
Gift of Georges Smets, acquired in 1946
Described as originating from Uganda and imported to Burundi
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
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The indingiti is an instrument with a single string and is classified
as a fiddle. The resonator is usually made of a cow’s horn but is
sometimes wooden or even made from a metal tin. A piece of
cowhide is stretched over the top of the hollow soundbox and
fixed using either nails or the thorny spines of the acacia. The neck
of the indingiti emerges from the side of the soundbox. At the top
of the neck a hole is bored 3 cm from the end, into which a tuning
pin is inserted vertically. The other end of the string is secured to
this pin in such a way that the string can be wound by turning the
pin on its axis in order to obtain the correct fundamental note.
The string is usually made from plant material and runs over the
soundbox via a bridge, which lifts it clear of the soundbox. Finally
there is an arched bow that is made from a thin curved branch
and plant fibre string.
To play the instrument, the neck is held in the palm of the left
hand so that the string can be stopped using the second phalanx
of the index, middle, and ring fingers. A total of four notes can
therefore be produced with an interval of a second between each
one, giving a range of a fourth. The soundbox of the indingiti is
held against the stomach and the instrument is bowed with the
right hand. A singer accompanies himself on the indingiti and
usually plays solo. The musician has his own repertoire, which
may, however, be based on – or contain elements of – that of
other performers. The lyrics concern everyday life in the hills and,
occasionally, political events.
The indingiti originates from Uganda and was only introduced to
Burundi at the beginning of the twentieth century. Some sources
mention 1910, while others claim it appeared later, in 1940.
One thing is certain: the indingiti is not part of the traditional
organological patrimony of Burundi.
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Ihorere ry’ abahigi
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Ihorere ry’ abahigi, whistle
10. Ihorere ry’ abahigi, hunting whistle made of cow horn
Used to call hunting hounds
Received from Mrs. Williame in Muramvya on 13 May 1942
by Georges Smets; acquired by the RMCA in 1946
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
The ihorere ry’ abahigi is a wooden or bone whistle that is used
only in hunting, just like the ihembe. Due to the decline in hunting
activities, however, this instrument is gradually falling into disuse.
The whistle was played to make signals during a hunt or to call off
the hounds.
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Umwirongi
Umwirongi, notched reed flutes
11. Umwirongi, notched reed flutes, flutes with four finger holes
Purchased by Georges Celis, collected in Muyanza in
1971 and acquired by the museum in 1974
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
12. Umwirongi, notched reed flutes, flutes with four finger holes
Purchased by Georges Celis, collected in Muyanza in
1971 and acquired by the museum in 1974
Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA
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The umwirongi is a flute made from the stem of the intomvu plant,
although bamboo and a few other types of plant can also be used.
The instrument is made using young stems that have been dried
and hollowed out. It tapers slightly from one end to the other. The
thin walls make it very fragile so that it often needs to be repaired
or thrown away. A new instrument is often a copy of the old one
to ensure that it has the same tone. To make the mouthpiece, the
stem is first cut off straight and a U-shaped notch is then cut out.
The umwirongi usually has between two and five round finger
holes (inoboro), which are always located on the lower part of the
instrument.
The umwirongi is chiefly played – and was originally exclusively
played – by herdsmen to pass the time or to keep any cattle
thieves or predators at bay in the evening or at night. It is also
played to accompany dances (akagitari and urwagitari) or to
entertain an impromptu audience. In the towns the umwirongi is
often used by night watchmen and invalids who wish to encourage
the generosity of passers-by with their music. The umwirongi is
generally played solo, but it can also be combined with inanga, an
indingiti or with rhythmic instruments. While recording this flute
music we discovered that the music was in fact a story told with a
humorous, mocking undertone about relations between the sexes.
The upper register (overblowing the flute) mimics the voice of the
woman, and the lower register that of the man. Nevertheless,
the instrument does also have a symbolic significance, namely
the fertility of man, the soil, and livestock. In that capacity it
is also played in a ritual context during sowing and planting.
The instrument can produce between 3 and 10 notes, with the
tetrachord and hexachord occurring most often. It is notable that,
as is the case with pastoral songs (amahamba), there are no semitones in this scale. The use of the topmost third of the scale is
the most important element in creating a melody. The instrument
offers scope for improvisation, giving the player complete freedom
in rhythmic terms. Swift execution of the melody is the hallmark
of the umwirongi.
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Biographical Note
Photos : F. Michiels © RMCA
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Biographical
note collection
The musical instruments presented here were collected in Burundi
by Georges Smets in 1935 and by Georges Celis in the 1970s.
Georges Smets (1881-1961) carried out ethnographic surveys in
Burundi in 1935, when he was still a professor at the Université
libre de Bruxelles. Smets published around a dozen articles on
the country. These were entrusted by his daughter, A. Dorsin
Fang-Smets, to A. A. Trouwborst, who compiled and edited the
manuscripts.
Georges Celis was a professor of mathematics who taught in,
among other places, Mbandaka, Bujumbura, and what is now
modern-day Kinshasa. He was a member of the Belgian Congo
Study Circle.
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Voices of the hills
Musical instruments from Rwanda and Burundi
Legal deposit: D/2012/0254/08
© Royal Museum for Central-Africa, 2012
13, Leuvensesteenweg
3080 Tervuren (Belgium)
www.africamuseum.be
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