Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Musical traditions in Burundi 2 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 3 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. 4 Identification of forest tree – sculpting of drum 5 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. 6 7 Ikinyege or inyagara 8 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. 9 Umuduri 10 Umuduri, musical bow 5. Umuduri – musical bow Wood and strings in plant fibres, calabash Muhinga, 1935 Ethnomusicology collection - RMCA 11 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. 12 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 14 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. 15 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 16 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. 17 Ihorere ry’ abahigi 18 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. 19 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 20 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. 21 Biographical Note Photos : F. Michiels © RMCA 22 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. 23 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 All reproduction and translation rights reserved for all countries. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever (Act of 11 March 1957 on copyright), except in the case of educational non-profit use, without permission in writing from the Publications Service, Royal Museum for Central Africa, 13 Leuvensesteenweg, 3080 Tervuren (Belgium).