Thursday, January 21, 2010

Gambia Drums


Music plays an important part of Gambian culture: “The drum” made of carved wood and goatskin seems a simple instrument, but use of the drum is not limited to musical entertainment, such as in music from the Americas or Europe. It has a serious application in many societies across the continent. 


Many West African tribes are well known for their use of drumming in daily activities and special events and a native speaker of a language can often perceive an actual message in the music. This effect also forms the basis of drum languages (talking drums). In days gone by drumming was used as a way of communicating news from village to village, for example to inform members of their respective tribes about major news, such as a death, funeral, meeting, or celebration within the tribe. In the past it was used as a warning of imminent attack.


The drum is the sign of life – its beat is the heartbeat of the community. Such is the power of the drum to evoke emotions, to touch the souls of those who hear its rhythms. The beating of the drum is an opportunity to give one another a sense of belonging and of solidarity. It is a time to connect with each other, to be part of that collective rhythm of the life in which young and old, rich and poor, men and women are all invited to contribute to the society.
 
Traditional music is mostly functional in nature, there are for example, many different
kinds of work songs, some of the drumming that goes on in the middle of the day even
helps women and men of the tribe get daily chores done more quickly as the drums allow
them to follow a rhythm while they work, Ceremonial or religious music accompanies
childbirth, marriage, hunting, and even political activities.

Ceremonial music will often be accompanied by the Balafone and the Kora, which
produces a harp-like sound. The player uses the thumb and index finger of both hands to
pluck the strings in polyrhythmic patterns. The combination of instruments used depends
on the tribe. Male griots, or praise singers, are born into the profession. They most often
act as a solo or duo instrumentalists and are traditionally heard at weddings and infant
naming ceremonies. 



They attend the ceremonies to bring good luck with their songs and
historical recitations. In some areas they may form part of a larger group that may include
Kora, Calabash, Flute and Tamo Drums. The griot or “Jali” society acted as historians,
advisors, arbitrators, praise singers and storytellers and essentially these musicians were
walking history books, preserving ancient stories and traditions through song. Their
inherited tradition was passed down through generations. They were said to have deep
connections to spiritual, social, or political powers through their music and speech. The
talking drums (Tamo) are some of the oldest instruments used by West African griots
and their history can be traced back to the ancient Ghanaian empire. Many griots have
developed a highly sophisticated genre of music centered on the talking drum.

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Gambian Crafts


Wooden masks, either human, animal or some mythical creature, are one of the most common forms of art in western Africa. In their original context, masks were worn by a chosen or initiated dancer and used for celebrations, initiations, crop harvesting, and war preparation.

During a mask ceremony the dancer goes into deep trance, and while in this state,“communicates” with his ancestors. Masks can be worn in three ways: vertically covering the face: as a helmet, encasing the entire head, and as a crest, resting upon the head, usually covered by material as part of the disguise. African masks often represent a spirit and it is strongly believed that the spirit of the ancestors possesses the wearer.

Within the vicinity of most of the major tourist hotels you will find small craft markets called bengdulas made up of a number of stalls offering a selection of items such as tribal masks, wooden carvings, batiks, tie dye fabric prints, beads, gold and silver jewellery and locally made hand woven baskets. There are larger markets at Serrekunda, Bakau and, the most famous of all, Banjul’s Albert Market.

Despite the influence of tourism in creating mass production of such art, there are some really beautiful original good quality handmade items, such as leather hand bags and shoes, hand woven cloths or solid silver jewellery but you will have to search for them. Special items will be made to order for you in two or three days but they are worth the wait. Watch out for dipped silver bangles! Mostly these can be found being peddled on the beach or by street vendors.

You have to be prepared for the haggle in the markets and also be prepared to do a lot of hard bargaining, the price is always negotiable! So it depend on “your luck” as to the price you pay for any item … Our advice is to start with about 1/3 of the asking price then, depending on your bargaining skills and your common sense, it is up to you how much you pay!


DON‘T TAKE OFFENCE AT AN EXTORTIONATE PRICE …the starting price is not meant to offend or to “rip you off”! Bargaining is part of the way of life, and is meant to be part of the fun! It‘s part of the culture and should be treated light-heartedly. In the same vein the Vendor will not really take offence at your low offer even if he/she make out they are, if you cannot agree and you walk away “9 times out of 10” they will call you back …if they are not interested in your offer … then your offer was TOO LOW! If you can‘t cope with the bargaining most hotels and gift shops will have fixed price items for sale. 


You will expect to pay a little more for the convenience but sometimes you may find a better selection and quality items than the local market.



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Sunday, January 3, 2010

Gambian tie dye and batiks


African art comes in the most wonderful abstract forms, from paintings to murals to sculptures and wood carvings. Hand woven cloth, batiks, and mudcloth can be made into soft furnishings or designed into unique high fashion clothing.


The textures and designs are underused in the western world, but in Africa the rich vibrant colours are best used in the exotic clothes which are also embroidered
with wonderful original designs. The country of origin of traditional clothes can be identified by the style and use of material

Melted beeswax is mixed with paraffin and applied to the fabric before being dipped in dye. The beeswax will bind to the fabric and the paraffin wax will allow cracking, which is a characteristic of batik. Several colours are used with a series of dyeing. Thin wax lines can be applied with a canting, a wooden handled tool with a tiny metal cup and spout, out of which the wax can seep. 

Other techniques to apply the wax onto the fabric include pouring the liquid wax, painting the wax on with a brush, and applying the hot wax to pre-carved wooden or metal wire block and stamping the fabric. After the final dyeing the fabric is hung up to dry and then dipped in a solvent to dissolve the wax, or simply ironed between paper towels or newspapers to absorb the wax and reveal the deep rich colors and the fine crinkle lines that give batik its character. 

Gambian tie dye and batiks are extravagant, rich in different shades of colour and are often seen at tourist markets and are tailored into men’s Kaftans (haftans), women’s yara Wollof, or warambas (grandmubas), skirts, shirts, ladies blouses, as well as bed sheets, curtains and tablecloths.

Mudcloth or bògòlanfini is a traditional Malian fabric dyed with fermented mud, particularly associated with the Bambara. Bògòlanfini is a Bambara word meaning “earthcloth.” To create it, simple cotton cloth is woven, shrunk, and then soaked in a preparation of leaves from certain trees. An artist then outlines an intricate design, often taking several weeks to cover the entire cloth, with a mud dye.

The areas of yellowish mud are then treated with caustic soda, bleaching them white and creating a stark black and white design. Traditionally, a man will do the weaving while a woman will do the dyeing. In recent years, fashion designers such as Chris Seydou have
employed bògòlanfini in international clothing lines, while Malian painter Ishmael Diabate
has developed it as a fine art form.





Our members are involved in Gambian restaurantstoursexcursionseco-tourism, car rentals, and shops within the vibrant Gambia Tourism Industry.
Please visit our website www.ttag.gm