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Drum Language of the Congo
- using vocabulary in the context of phrases
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Welcome to my page on Drum Language of the Congo. You will learn about: 1) how drum language works; 2) how the drums are made; 3) how to drum words and phrases; 4) fun facts about drum language, 5) multimedia activities with drum language, and 6) a video lesson with Phil - make a homemade drum and play drum language!
In the Congo, the Lokele use two-tone log drums to communicate phrases in their
language. They can accomplish this because their language is tonal. That is, each syllable in a word has a high or low
tone. The tonal patterns that result in their speech are the same tonal
patterns that they drum. By communicating in this way, they create drum language in which their vocabulary
is always understood in the context of
phrases. Listen to Phil explain how this works by pressing the Play button
below.
They begin by chiseling out a long narrow slit along the length of the log. Once the slit is deepened to the halfway point, they hollow the two sides until two lips are formed — the thin side or low lip produces the low tone, and the thick side or high lip produces the high tone. The two tones are typically tuned to either a major 3rd or minor 3rd. This one was tuned to a major 3rd, with the pitches D (low) and F# (high).
Now let's learn some Lokele words, and the phrases they drum for context. Notice that their word for "bananas" has the same tonal pattern (three low tones) as their word for "up" or "above." However, when you drum these words in the context of a phrase, the difference between them is quite clear. In this drum language, vocabulary is always understood and defined in the context of well known phrases. Play the videos below to hear these phrases.
| Lokele | English |
| word: likɔndɔ (L L L) | bananas |
| phrase:
likɔndɔ
libotumbela (L L L H L H L L) |
bananas which must be propped up when ripe* |
| * because ripe bunches of bananas tend to fall over on their own weight | |
| Lokele | English |
| word: likolo (L L L) | up or above |
| phrase:
likolo ko nda use (L L L L H H H) |
up above there in the sky |
1) Question: What is the best time to send a drum language message? Answer: The Lokele prefer to send messages in the early morning or late evening, when the air is cool. As air cools, it becomes more dense and carries the sound waves a greater distance.
2) Question: How far can one drum be heard? Answer: The sound of a single log drum usually travels the distance of 4-5 miles during the heat of the day, and 6-7 miles during the cool mornings or late evenings.
3) Question: How do the Lokele communicate with distant villages that speak different languages? Answer: Drummers in boundary villages are often bilingual — they can communicate in Lokele drum language, and the drum language of neighboring groups. These bilingual drummers are usually children of parents from two different villages. They learn both languages and become proficient in drumming.
Play drum language phrases from the Congo — they're integrated into Phil's free multimedia activities.
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Unifix Cube Drum Machine |
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Counting Music |
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Learn about Drum Language in Ghanaian Schools |
Play Drum Language on a Homemade Drum with Phil
Bibliography
Book: The Talking Drums of Africa by John F. Carrington. The Carey Kingsgate Press; 1949.
CD: Forest Music - northern Belgian Congo by Hugh Tracey. Sharp Wood Productions and International Library of African Music; 1952.
