Music from Africa, Asia and Oceania: Music in Africa - 4th EP

  

Music in African villages fulfills many functions and is an inseparable element of popular culture and daily life. It is present in unique moments of human life (such as births, weddings or funerals) and in everyday activities (such as playing, learning about our roots and our environment, rituals, games, promoting solidarity and unity...

Music is a way of expressing ourselves as human beings and it connects us, through musical traditions, as a society to our ancestors and our descendants.

Let's see, as an example, some of its uses during the life of an African child:

- Before being born, the baby is already in contact with music through the various musical activities that the mother attends.

- At birth, families carry out ceremonies that present the child to the community in which music plays an important role.

- The songs sung during childhood games serve to educate young children about social manners, the human body, gender roles, the environment around them, animals, and relationships.

- When girls and boys make the transition from puberty to adulthood, they go through an initiation process that is marked by music. During this period, which ranges from weeks to months depending on the community, music is used to transmit teachings to initiates as adults that detail the behaviors expected of them and discourage them from impermissible behaviors.

- At weddings and in the creation of a new family, music is used as a means of communication between the couple.

- When the time of death arrives, music is used to comfort the family.

African musical instruments

As for African musical instruments, percussion instruments stand out especially, although there are also wind instruments such as horns, flutes and whistles built with natural materials (reeds, horns, roots...); and string instruments such as the Kora or the musical bow. Let's look at some of the most notable instruments:

- The djembe or djembe: It is a cup-shaped drum that comes from West Africa and is very popular in Senegal, Guinea Conakry and Burkina Faso. It is about 30 cm in diameter, 60 cm high and is made of wood and goat skin that is stretched using ropes. It is touched with the hands. Hitting the center produces lower-pitched sounds, and hitting near the edge produces higher-pitched sounds. This instrument is mainly used to accompany dance and, occasionally, for the musical accompaniment of some rituals.

- The kora: It is a mixture of lute and harp that consists of a sound box formed by half a large gourd from which a long neck emerges to which 21 gut strings are tied. To play it, the musician, who is usually seated, plucks the strings with both thumbs, while with the other fingers he holds the instrument by grabbing two fixed sticks located on both sides of the neck. It serves to accompany the singing of the griots, who are poets and chroniclers who recite and sing stories from the oral tradition. It is also used as a solo instrument.

- The slit drum: It is built with a wooden trunk in which one or two slits are made. It sounds when hit with sticks or drumsticks. Its sound depends on the length and width of the slits. This instrument is very common in Africa, where there is a great variety, with different names, shapes and sizes depending on the ethnic group that uses it. Traditionally they have been used to transmit messages.

- The sanza: Also called mbira and likembe, it receives many other names. It is an idiophone made up of metal rods held on a resonance box, which sound when pressed with the thumbs. For this reason in the West it is called “thumb piano”. It is widespread throughout much of black Africa, mainly in Tanzania and Zimbabwe. On many occasions it is played to accompany singing and also the telling of stories and fables. It is also used as a solo instrument and combined with xylophones or other instruments.

- The atumpan: It is a pair of Ewe drums (one lower and one higher) from Ghana. They have a single membrane and are hit with curved wooden drumsticks with a rounded beak. They are tuned to the tones of the spoken language and are known as “talking drums”, a very appropriate name, since they imitate the human voice. Its function is musical and also communicative. It is known that touching them was prohibited on slave ships since they encouraged mutinies by serving to transmit messages and slogans.

The influence of African music in America

African slaves were brought to America during the 16th - 19th centuries to work on plantations, mines and in homes. They suffered atrocities, loss of identity and inhuman conditions, facing systematic discrimination and fighting for freedom and basic human rights. Their resilience and cultural legacy have left an indelible mark on American history. 

Some of these influences are:

- Africa in Brazil: Its main influences are Samba and capoeira.

• Samba is a musical genre and dance originating in Brazil, with roots in African and Brazilian culture. Its distinctive rhythm is characterized by lively percussion and catchy melodies. Samba is a cultural and festive expression, especially associated with the Brazilian carnival, and has evolved over time, incorporating variants such as samba de enredo, samba-canção and bossa nova.

•  Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art form that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, music and play. It has roots in African culture and was developed in Brazil during the colonial era, initially practiced by African slaves. Capoeira is distinguished by its fluidity, agile movements and musical rhythms played with instruments such as the berimbau. It is practiced in a "roda", a circle where participants perform movements, dodges and acrobatics while maintaining a rhythmic and playful dialogue, transmitting both camaraderie and combat skills. In addition to being a martial art, capoeira is a cultural expression and a form of historical resistance.

- Africa in the United States: The songs of African slaves gave rise to Gospel and Jazz.

• Gospel is a musical genre of African American origin that has deep roots in Christian spiritual music. It is characterized by emotionality, energy and vocal harmonies. Gospel is typically associated with choirs and singers performing religious music, with lyrics expressing faith, hope, and spiritual experiences. Gospel is often accompanied by instruments such as piano, organ and, traditionally, drum and bass, creating an atmosphere of worship and celebration. It has had a significant influence on many musical genres, including jazz, R&B and soul.

• Jazz is a musical genre born in the United States at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, with roots in African-American culture and the mixture of African and European musical traditions. It is characterized by its improvisation, syncopated rhythm and creative freedom. Jazz encompasses a wide range of styles and subgenres, from swing and bebop to jazz fusion and free jazz. Instruments such as the saxophone, trumpet, piano, double bass, and drums are common in jazz music, and their evolution has been fueled by iconic artists such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Ella Fitzgerald, among others. It is a musical form that values ​​spontaneity, interaction between musicians and individual expression.

-Africa in the Caribbean Sea: Its main influence in the countries bathed by the Caribbean Sea is Cuban son.

• The Cuban son is a traditional musical genre of Cuba that originated at the end of the 19th century, mainly in the eastern region of the island. It combines African and Spanish influences, fusing rhythms and melodies. Cuban son is characterized by its contagious rhythm, marked by the Cuban key and the combination of percussion, guitars and other instruments such as the tres (a type of guitar with three pairs of double strings), maracas and trumpets. It has been a fundamental influence on many Latin American musical genres, including salsa. His versatile style, combined with lyrics that often narrate everyday life, love and Cuban traditions, has led Cuban son to be an icon of Cuba's musical identity.