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# Sounds of Africa ## Early African Music Early African music developed in many diverse ways across many tribes and countries. By studying modern-day African music traditions, we can see how these ancient music varieties developed over time. Many share an interweaving of rhythmic patterns known...

# Sounds of Africa ## Early African Music Early African music developed in many diverse ways across many tribes and countries. By studying modern-day African music traditions, we can see how these ancient music varieties developed over time. Many share an interweaving of rhythmic patterns known as polyrhythms. ## West African Griots * Griots are skilled musicians and storytellers who travel between western African villages. * They preserve their tribe's history through songs and stories, recording ancestors, events, and traditions. * Griots play an important role in societies where little is written down. * They often perform with a 21-string barp lute called a kora. ## Berber Bands of North Africa * Berbers are indigenous to North Africa. * Berber music has regional variations, but it's generally performed by bands with drummers supported by musicians playing pipes or stringed instruments. * Many bands gather to perform at public festivals. ## Udu Clay Drum of Nigeria * Most Igbo people are farmers, and yams are their primary crop. * The Igbo celebrate the yam harvest with festivals, parades, dances, and music. * The Igbo use udu clay drums as a percussion instrument. * The drums are traditionally made by women and played with hand slapping and finger tapping. * The udu has a practical use, also serving as a jug or storage vessel. ## Timbila of Southern Mozambique * The Chopi tribe is known for its broad-keyed wooden xylophones, called timbilas. * Timbila bands are led by one performer who improvises the melody, which is followed by other members. * The music features a complex syncopated rhythm that encourages energetic dancing. ## Ngoma Drums of Buganda * Bantu people in central, eastern, and southern Africa use musical instruments called ngoma drums. * The name is used for various drum types across different regions. * In Buganda, each clan has its own unique ngoma drum beat. * Ngoma drums symbolize great power and the most important drums are often the king's. ## Bow Harps of East Africa * Bow harps are stringed instruments with curved wooden bows extending from a hollow resonator. * The bow harp sits across the player's lap, who plucks the strings with one hand and stops unused strings with the other hand. * Bow harps originated in ancient Egypt and Sumer and spread throughout Africa. * Today, they are used by numerous tribal groups in Uganda and Sudan. ## Kenyan Maasai Singing * The Maasai people of Kenya and northern Tanzania are nomadic. * They are known for their vocal music, using a call-and-response pattern. * The first line of the song is sung by the leader, and the response is chanted by the chorus. * Maasai men sing songs about bravery and hunting, while Maasai women sing about family life and cattle care. ## Mbira of Zimbabwe * The Shona tribe's music often involves the mbira, a small thumb piano. * The mbira is laid out on a wooden board with staggered metal keys. * Players use the mbira at religious ceremonies, often accompanied by another musician with a rattle.