| About
the Djembe:
A
djembe is a goblet or chalice shaped drum, usually carved
from a single piece of wood. It originated in West Africa and
is generally considered to have roots in the Manding people
of the early Mali Empire. Standing approximately 20-30" high,
the djembe is covered with goat or antelope skin, which is usually
held on and tuned by a lacing of cord in a pattern called the
Mali weave.
The
djembe has a very wide sound spectrum which generates a great
richness in pitch. The open mouth shape of the barrel is believed
to have come from the traditional grain grinder. Also spelled
djimbe or jembe, due to the variable Africa/French/English
transcription of the word.
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Onye
Onyemaechi returns to the Academy for a special participatory
program on Nigerian drumming. Raised in an Igbo village in Nigeria, Onye
grew up with the rituals and healing traditions of his family and community.
Now a musician, dancer, storyteller, counselor, and educator, he has taught
and performed African music and dance throughout the United States. As
founding director of the Igbote Center, he offers diverse programs for
children and adults involving drum, dance, and prayer and emphasizing
"body-mind-spirit healing."
Drawing
on his native traditions, Onye engages us today with rhythms on the
djembe, the talking drum, gongon (bass drum), congas,
shakers, and bells. His performances are typically spontaneous, relying
heavily on the improvisation and audience participation that are hallmarks
of African art forms.
Onye
writes:
In
Nigeria, music from all ethnic regions is rich with the ancient wisdom
of sound. In the southern and southeastern region, the music tends to
be highly percussive, hypnotic and potent. The western region is known
for its talking drums; in the north, wine-barrel-shaped drums are typical,
along with lots of traditional horns.
In
Africa, music serves many purposes: spiritual communication, storytelling,
calling to prayer for ceremonial gatherings and healings, and to induce
trance states or dispel negative attitudes or psychological traumas.
Because music has a deep influence over the emotions, it can serve
to transport the soul into altered states of consciousness for the
purpose of health and healing. At other times, variations of this
music accompany dancing or highlight such festive occasions as rites
of passage, harvest, and other social events.
In
Africa, drum and ritual have long played a central role in community life,
strengthening and nurturing health and spirituality. Although the contexts
for his music changed when Onye moved to the United States, the music
itself has retained its traditional sound and spirit. When I play,
he notes, my spirit masters guide me throughout the experience. Today,
I will play the djembe to evoke the spirit of ancestors, to pray and to
bring everyone together. The captivating rhythms will awaken us—body and
soul—and lead us all into celebration through dance, drumming, and song.
For
further information, please contact Onye Onyemaechi at P.O. Box
4365,
Santa Rosa, CA 95402; tel: 888-982-4458;
707-528-4458; or by email at onye@villagerhythms.com.
Sources:
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