- In Southern African the Khoisan click language is a fascinating form of communication alien to Western ears. Comprising of three main forms, Khoisan language share click constants but are not linked to African Language families. The Khoe family appears to have migrated to southern Africa not long before the Bantu expansion. Ethnically, their speakers are the Khoikhoi and the San (Bushmen). Two languages of east Africa, those of the Sandawe and Hadza, originally were also classified as Khoisan, although their speakers are ethnically neither Khoikhoi nor San.
- Pggmy tribes invented a particular way of playing an instrument. Only emitting one sound, to the play the pipe the voice and instrument must marry together. The different tones are created by the vocal chords rather than instrument itself. An instrument so unique can only really be played by the musicians of the tribes. Thoughts like this really interest me because it takes the idea of sonic identity and sound signatures to a whole new level. It’s not like you can just pick up the pipe and start practing from a book as you would with say the saxophone. The art from is built from immersion in the tribal society, learning from the elders and actually being from the tribe.
- Having thought about the Pggmy tribes unique pipe playing, my research has led me to the Master Musicians of JouJouka. From a tiny northern village in Morocco, Joujouka music’s principal form is that of ritual. Playing for over 12 hours, the never-ending drone of the pipes send listeners and dancers into a mind altering friendly. For hundreds of years people have travelled to Joujouka for the healing effects of the music. From Harry Swords books Monolithic Undertow-In Search of Sonic Oblivion it reads ‘To this day, people seek respite or cure from mental illness in the village. Musicians are taught from early childhood and only gain master status after many years practice. flute type instrument called the Lira, double-reed raita pipes and powerful goatskin drama are the traditional instruments while vocals usually take the form of raucous call and response chants, rendered with an intensely throaty guttural delivery’.
Creative Sound ‘Voice’
6th April 2021 | 0 comments