AFRICAN CULTURE: DRUMMING AND DANCE

9710 DeSoto Avenue o Tel: 800-367-2467 •

Chatsworth o California 91311-4409 Tel: 818-773-4300 • Fax: 818-3416700 [email protected] o www.aimsmultimedia.com #2518

2.

OUTLINE: MAIN IDEA: An introduction to the artistically rich African culture through dance, music, songs and clothing. MAIN OBJECTIVE: Students participate in an exciting performance which blends Eastern and Western cultures by wearing clothes, playing instruments, singing and dancing. Through this fun experience, students will be exposed to African language and culture and hopefully create an appreciation in students of all races for not only the African people but for anyone who is different from themselves. I. INTRODUCTION A welcome dance called "Fanga" is danced by Margo while rhythms are played by David. Explanation and verbal welcome are given while common words are spoken and taught to the audience and hand games are played. Students are then invited on stage to participate in a fashion, music and dance demonstration both on stage and in their audience seats. Everyone participates in a joyous rendition of an African counting song called Kye Kye R-Kule.

3.

II. COMPONENT PARTS OF THE PROGRAM: SEGMENT 1 ACTIVITY/PERFORMANCE PIECE Title: Musical Demonstration Composer/Author: David Closson Description: Drums and other instruments are on display on stage. David gives a lecture about the drums and then invites volunteers on stage to play them. CONCEPT/LEARNING OBJECTIVE Students learn about African drums, bells, sheke shakers, etc. Students see how all the instruments together create a family and an orchestra. Students learn the names of the instruments, their functions in the orchestra, and the traditions and origins behind each. Students also learn polyrhythms, hand and eye coordination, and the importance of the drummer and the drum in African society. This demonstration also teaches them to sharpen their listening and concentration skills because they are a part of an ensemble. Each student must maintain their rhythm or the ensemble is off and the dancers cannot dance to their music. SEGMENT 2 ACTIVITY/PERFORMANCE PIECE Title: Dance Demonstration Composer/Author: Ewe Nation, West Africa Description: Margo teaches a dance to several volunteers on stage while the audience does the arm motions. CONCEPT/LEARNING OBJECTIVE The dance, Gaitu, is taught and explained to volunteers on stage and to the audience. It is the "money" dance because of the lavish costuming. David accompanies on drums. This gives students the opportunity not only to watch African dance but to learn and perform it themselves. They get a feeling of the difficulty of dancing to polyrhythmic drum patterns.

4.

SEGMENT 3 (FINALE) ACTIVITY/PERFORMANCE PIECE Title: Kye Kye Kule Composer/Author: Ghana, West Africa Description: A children's counting song from Ghana where children learn numbers and different parts of their body. CONCEPT/LEARNING OBJECTIVE This is a call and response, Simon Says type song. Volunteers are on stage and everyone in audience stands up to participate. Margo leads the song and David leads all in the response and plays drums. Margo demonstrates the movements for everyone to follow. SEGMENT 4 (FAREWELL) ACTIVITY/PERFORMANCE PIECE Title: Farewell Composer/Author: David and Margo Description: Both artists say goodbye in Twi and Swahili and bid everyone farewell while stressing the importance of being in school and learning about other cultures since America is truly a melting pot of people and their cultures.

5.

LANGUAGES Teachers, have your students attempt to pronounce these. Included are the phonetic pronunciations. Good luck! West Africa - Twi - Ghana 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Maakye (Mah-chay) -- Good morning Agoo (Ah-go) -- Are you listening Amay (Ah-may) -- I am listening Akwaba (Ah-kwa-bah) -- Welcome Bye Byeoo (Bye-bye-oh) -- Goodbye Madamfo (Mah-dahm-foh) -- My friend Wadamfo (Wah-dahm-foh) -- Your friend Mepewasem (Me-pah-wah-sem) -- I like you Medowo (Me-dow-ooh) -- I love you Ya Fra Wo Sain (Yah Frah Woh Sayn) -- What is your name? Meframe (Me-frehm-ee) -- My name is... Medawsi (Me-dah-wah-see) -- I thank you Barima (Oh-bar-im-ah) -- male or boy baa (Oh-bah) -- female or girl

East Africa - Swahili - Uganda 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Jambo (Jahm-bow) -- Hello Kwa Heri (Kwah Hair-ee) -- Goodbye Rafiki (Rah-fee-key) -- Friend Yangu Rafiki (Yahngoo Rah-fee-key) -- Your friend Wanafunzi (Wahn-ah-foon-zee) -- Students Mimi Naku Penda (Mee-mee Nah-Koo Pen-dah) -- I love or like you Asante Sana (Ah-sahn-tea Sah-nah) -- Thank you Baraka (Bah-rah-kah) -- Blessings on you Jina Locko Nani (Jee-nah Loh-koh Na-nee) -- What is your name? Jina Langu (Jee-nah Lahn goo) -- My name is... Jina Locke/Nani (Jee-nah Lah-ki/Nahn-ee) -- What is his or her name?

6.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Donno or Dondo

Talking drum-hour glass shaped, played with a stick called a bigget -- West African

Brekete or Junjon

A double-headed cylindrical laced drum -- West African

Dawuro

An iron bell with one slit in the top played with an iron stick -West African

Gogota

An iron double-headed bell with two tones, high and low, played with a stick -- West African

Cowbell

Single tin bell worn by cows, now used as a percussion instrument. There are usually three such corresponding to the three drums in a percussion ensemble. These too are played with sticks -- Caribbean-American

Shekesheka or Shekeray

A gourd with seeds or beads strung on the outside used as a percussion instrument -- West African-CaribbeanAmerican

Claves

Hardwood sticks struck together producing a pleasant clicking sound -- Caribbean DRUM FAMILY

Conga

The tenor voice of the drum group. In African drumming, this voice is said to be the male voice.

Tumba

The bass voice. This largest of drums is considered in African drumming to be the female voice because it is the foundation of all the various drum rhythms. Without her, the complex rhythms might fall apart.

Kintu

The highest voice of the drum group. Again, in African drumming, the highest voiced drum is said to be the male voice because it can be heard above all the other voices. These drums are the Cuban-Caribbean versions of African drums. Their counterparts can be found all over Africa. The idea of a "drum family" and the largest drum being the female are of African origin.

7.

CLASSROOM QUESTIONS Teachers: Please choose whichever questions that are appropriate for your grade level. 1.

In Ghana Children are given a name corresponding to the day of the week they are born. Find out on which day of the week you were born and which corresponding name is yours. Twi Language Sunday Kwasiada(Kway-see-ada) Monday Edwoada(Ah-doh-a-da) Tuesday Ebenada(A-bee-na-da) Wednesday Wukuada(Woo-koo-ada) Thursday Yaoada(Yah-oh-ada) Friday Efiada(E-fee-a-da) Saturday Memeneda(Mem-en-eda)

Boy Akwasi (Ah-kwa-see) Kwadwo (Koh-joe)

Girl Akosua (Ah-koh-soo-wah) Adwoa (Ah-joh-ah)

Kwabenada Abena (Kwah-be-nah-dah) (Ah-be-nah) Kwaku (Kway-koo)

Akua (Ah-koo-ah)

Yaw (Yaw)

Yaa (Yaah)

Kofi (Koh-fee)

Afua (A-foo-ah)

Kwame (Kwam-ee)

Ama (Ah-mah)

2.

a. b.

What part of Africa is Ghana in? What part of Africa is Kenya in?

3.

Name other West, East and Central African countries. Draw them on a map.

4.

What part in African culture does music and dance play? Suggestions: worship, social bonding, maintain traditions, etc....

5.

Have a conversation using some of the words from the list with a classmate.

6.

Identify and discuss two African instruments used in the program.

7.

a. b.

8.

Name the dance that you learned. Try to do it in your classroom.

Describe the clothes worn by the artists. How do they differ from your clothes; how are they similar.

8.

9.

Discuss the location of Africa in relation to America.

10.

Discuss the geographical differences and similarities between Africa and America.

11.

Practice building polyrhythms with classmates.

12.

a. b. c.

13.

Find out where your ancestors came from and learn things about your heritage.

14.

Find out from parents or grandparents what your last name means.

15.

If grandparents or elder aunts and uncles are living, ask them to tell you a story about your family's history. This is how African family history remains current throughout generations. This is called "oral tradition".

16.

a. b.

17.

a.

Find the meanings of the words: family, clan, lineage, tribe, nation. Find the common element within the first four terms. What constitutes a nation. How does a nation relate to the first four terms.

Compare aspects of West and East African Culture: Example, food, music, work, recreation, etc.... Discuss differences and similarities.

b.

Find music from West and East Africa and compare the various instruments and polyrhythmic patterns. Compare this music to American musical forms.

18.

a. b.

What role does the drummer play in African culture? Compare your findings to your own culture.

19.

a. b.

What role does dance play in African culture? Compare it to your own culture.

9.

SUGGESTED TAPES AND BOOKS Elementary Tapes and Sheet Music -- Songs from Uganda and Songs from Zimbabwe (Special order at bookstores) Caribbean Carnival/Songs of the West Indies, Irving Burgie Jambo means Hello, Murial Feelings, pictures by Tom Feelings Middle and High Schools African Fables, Linus Bassey Folk Dances of Jamaica, Hilargy Carty, London: Dance Books Ltd. 1988 Dance Etc. Bahamas, Zora Hurston, Journal of American/Caribbean, 1930 Black Dance in America, 1619 to Today, Lynne Fauley Emery The Black Tradition in American Dance, Richard A. Long Cornrows, Camille Yarbrough Roots and Rhythms: Jamaica's National Dance Theatre, Rex Nettleford, New York: Hill and Wang 1969 Folkways Records Ethnic Folkways Library Folkways Records and Service Corp. 701 Seventh Ave. NYC, USA Ethnic Series FE401 International Series FW800

10.