Feb
04
Filed Under (Ethnomusicology, Malian culture, Sound Clips) by Rob on 04-02-2011

Rob was in Dogon Country again recently, running a song-writing workshop.

Following this research visit in 2010, I was back in the fascinating clifftop town of Sangha, many miles from home. Here’s what Sangha looks like:

The four-day workshop brought together musicians from all over Dogon Country (cliff and plain-dwellers) to work together on new Bible-based songs. The first three were based on parables, the second three were specifically for the Dogon Bible Dedication, sheduled for 2012. Here are the Dogon Musicians rehearsing one of their songs (with great joy and energy!)

On the last day, we found a secluded valley (between the rocks) and I recorded all the new songs, as well as a few older ones. It was great to see them use so many of their traditional instruments in the songs, some of which are still rarely used in church. Here they are:

TL: the four-holed Dogon flute, or kere. TR: The barbo, a drum made from a large gourd. BL: The boina, a large drum (two kinds, square and round-headed) BR: The gomboi or pressure drum.

It is interesting to note that the square boina was introduced in the 1960s by missionaries because round-headed Dogon drums were still deemed ‘evil’. Somehow having four corners removed its ‘evilness’. Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then and the Dogon are happy to use a range of instruments to worship God. Have a listen to some of the new songs:

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A bi-product (and highlight) of the trip was also being able to interview and record an old Dogon man, who knew many traditional folk songs from years gone by. Here he is singing one of the songs for me – amazing musicality for an old bloke!

Here are some short audio clips of some of the other songs: (i) A song in honour of his mother, saying how nice her breast milk tastes, (ii) A song saying “Whoever you are, you can do nothing in the face of death” and (iii) A song saying: “No Dogon woman is complete without her indigo cloth”.

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More photos of the trip on Facebook – click here.
Thanks for reading/watching/listening!



Comments:
1 Comment posted on "Dogon: Wonderful!"
anne on February 4th, 2011 at 9:02 am #

wow. what an amazing trip .