[Liberia, Bong County, Kpelle, 1970] / collected by Ruth and Verlon Stone.
Sections
- Wooden horn ensemble from Panta Chiefdom. Traveled to Gbana to entertain visiting government official from Monrovia [unidentified]. July 14, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Gbana.
- Triangular Frame Zither (Kɔnîn). Flumo - Kɔnîn. July 30, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- 6. [unrecorded content]. (00:11)
- July 17, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota, Stuart's Rubber Farm.
- 1. Giliƞ. Kekula - kóngoma, Singbiŋ - vocals, Lɔpukwɛlɛ - vocals, Surɔƞtɛ - vocals, Yakpalo - vocals, Jakamo - vocals, Bɛlɛƞkwɛlɛ - vocals, Yakpazua - vocals. (05:24)
- 2. [unidentified content]. (01:09)
- 3. Kon-go vale. Kekula - kóngoma, Singbiŋ - vocals, Lɔpukwɛlɛ - vocals, Surɔƞtɛ - vocals, Yakpalo - vocals, Jakamo - vocals, Bɛlɛƞkwɛlɛ - vocals, Yakpazua - vocals. (06:28)
- 4. [unidentified content]. (00:21)
- 5. Kon-go vale. Kekula - kóngoma, Singbiŋ - vocals, Lɔpukwɛlɛ - vocals, Surɔƞtɛ - vocals, Yakpalo - vocals, Jakamo - vocals, Bɛlɛƞkwɛlɛ - vocals, Yakpazua - vocals. (04:01)
- 6. [unidentified content]. (00:31)
- 7. [unrecorded content]. (06:13)
- July 22, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- Kao - master drummer (fɛli-ϒale-nuu), Fãa - master of ceremonies (posîa), Sumo - chief of the play (pêlee-kaloŋ), Wokpɛ - vocals, Pona-wɛni - vocals, Saki - drummer (gbùŋ-gbùŋ), Yaloŋ - vocals, gbono - vocals.
- 5. [unrecorded content]. (04:17)
- July 17, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- Kekula - kóngoma, Singbiŋ - vocals, Lɔpukwɛlɛ - vocals, Surɔƞtɛ - vocals, Yakpalo - vocals, Jakamo - vocals, Bɛlɛƞkwɛlɛ - vocals, Yakpazua - vocals.
- Dwa-ϒele - vocals, Marta - vocals, Dumui - vocals, Kpini - vocals, [shaken rattle - unidentified performer].
- 6. [unrecorded content]. (00:13)
- July 22, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- Triangular Frame Zither (Kɔnîn). Wokpɛ - vocals and kɔnîn. August 3, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- 6. [unrecorded content]. (01:27)
- 1. Introduction by ATM Staff. [Ruth Stone]. [unknown date]. (00:35)
- July 21, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- 2. Musical bow (Gboŋ-kpala). Jɔkwεli - Musical bow (Gboŋ-kpala). (00:58)
- 3. Introduction by ATM Staff. [unknown speaker]. [unknown date]. (00:04)
- 4. Musical bow (Gboŋ-kpala). Jɔkwεli - Musical bow (Gboŋ-kpala). (00:51)
- 5. Introduction by ATM Staff. [unknown speaker]. [unknown date]. (00:13)
- 6. Plucked idiophone (Gbεlεε). Jɔkwεli - Plucked idiophone (Gbεlεε). (00:58)
- 7. Introduction by ATM Staff. [unknown speaker]. [unknown date]. (00:08)
- 8. Plucked idiophone (Gbεlεε). Jɔkwεli - Plucked idiophone (Gbεlεε). (01:03)
- 9. Introduction by ATM Staff. [unknown speaker]. [unknown date]. (00:03)
- 10. Plucked idiophone (Gbεlεε). Jɔkwεli - Plucked idiophone (Gbεlεε). (00:50)
- 11. Introduction by ATM Staff. [unknown speaker]. [unknown date]. (00:12)
- 12. Plucked idiophone (Gbεlεε). Jɔkwεli - Plucked idiophone (Gbεlεε). (00:32)
- 13. Conclusion by ATM Staff. [unknown speaker]. [unknown date]. (00:03)
- 14. [unrecorded content]. (17:19)
- [Túru - unidentified performers, fεli - unidentified performer, gbùŋ-gbùŋ - unidentified performer]. July 24, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota, Stuart's Rubber Farm.
- 1. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (02:45)
- 2. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (02:42)
- 3. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (02:06)
- 4. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (02:13)
- 5. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (01:54)
- 6. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (02:19)
- 7. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (00:35)
- 8. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (03:48)
- 9. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (02:02)
- 10. Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. (01:25)
- 11. [unrecorded content]. (02:09)
- July 24, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota, Stuart's Rubber Farm.
- Vocal and instrumental ensemble. Gamai - vocals, [vocals - unidentified performers, percussionists - unidentified performers].
- Vocal and instrumental ensemble. Kεluka - vocals and kóngoma, [vocals - unidentified performers, percussionists - unidentified performers].Performance
- July 24, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- Vocal and instrumental ensemble. Kεluka - vocals, [kóngoma - unidentified performer, vocals - unidentified performers, fεli - unidentified performer, gbùŋ-gbùŋ - unidentified performer].
- Vocal and instrumental ensemble. Nεŋ-kpε - vocals, Beleŋͻi - vocals, [kóngoma - unidentified performer, vocals - unidentified performers, fεli - unidentified performer, gbùŋ-gbùŋ - unidentified performer].
- July 24, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- Transverse wooden horn and drum ensemble. [Túru - unidentified performers, fεli - unidentified performer, gbùŋ-gbùŋ - unidentified performer].
- Children's ensemble. Nía-mεni - vocals, Yεε-mεlε - vocals, Daa-môi - vocals, Pεlε-pú - vocals, Kíni - vocals, [vocals - unidentified performers, kεε - unidentified performers].
- Multiple bow lute (Gbεgbεtεlε). Tokpa Pee Pee - bow lute, Yakpalo - struck idiophone made from Heineken's beer bottle. July 26, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- Tokpa Pee Pee - bow lute, Yakpalo - struck idiophone made from Heineken's beer bottle. July 26, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- 7. [unrecorded content]. (02:06)
- Siawεli - vocals, Kwitaa - vocals, Kiapε - vocals, Noai - vocals, Kpini - vocals, Fεmu - vocals, Nyama - vocals. July 31, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Gbͻrͻla.
- 1. Women's planting song (02:14)
- 2. Women's planting song (01:50)
- 3. Women's planting song (02:45)
- 4. Women's planting song (03:10)
- 5. Women's planting song (01:51)
- 6. Women's planting song (00:55)
- 7. Women's planting song (01:28)
- 8. Women's planting song (01:46)
- 9. Women's planting song (01:46)
- 10. Women's planting song (01:17)
- 11. [unrecorded content]. (00:09)
- August 2, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Gbεϒîlataa.
- Wokpɛ - slit drum (kéleŋ), [vocals - unidentified performers].
- Entertainment ensemble. Kao - fεli, Saki - gbuŋ-gbuŋ, Fâa - master of ceremonies (posîa), Sumo - pêlee-kalon, Pona-wεni - vocals, Wokpɛ - vocals, [vocals and dance - unidentified performers].
- 10. [unrecorded content]. (01:24)
- 1. Introduction by ATM Staff. [Ruth Stone]. [unknown date]. (00:32)
- 2. Entertainment ensemble. (02:14)
- 3. Introduction by ATM Staff. [unknown speaker]. [unknown date]. (00:02)
- 4. Entertainment ensemble. Kao - fεli, Saki - gbuŋ-gbuŋ, Fâa - master of ceremonies (posîa), Sumo - pêlee-kalon, Pona-wεni - vocals, Wokpɛ - vocals, [vocals and dance - unidentified performers]. August 2, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Gbεϒîlataa. (03:35)
- Kao - fεli, Kao - speaker. August 3, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- 1. Signal drumming: Keleŋ Kpé. (01:10)
- 2. Drum language pattern: kpakolo-laa kεi kpanaŋͻͻi. (00:53)
- 3. Drum language pattern: gbùŋ-gbùŋ duâ duâ, duâ gbùŋ-gbùŋ. (00:47)
- 4. Drum language pattern: ká kélee ká kparâ kpo. (00:12)
- 5. Drum language pattern: Bála-kpanâŋ-lá, kpono-kpanâŋ-lá, kpanâŋ-kili-kili-lá. (00:39)
- 6. Drummer plays a combination of the above patterns. (00:26)
- 7. Drum imitation of a bird's voice: kêi kêi zi-kée, zi-kée. (00:35)
- 8. Imitation of sound of hourglass drum (danîŋ). (00:40)
- 9. Imitation of sound of kóno (hand-held slit drum) sound. (00:48)
- 10. Imitation of the sound of the horn (túru) played in connection with the dancing of the gbetu the public manifestation of the spirit of the pͻlͻŋ secret society. Use of voice disguise. (01:32)
- 11. Drum plays patterns ad. lib. (16:45)
- Wooden horn ensemble. Wooden horns with raised embouchures - unidentified performers, kwεnε - unidentified performer, fεli - unidentified performer. August 2, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- Flumo - Kɔnîn. August 3, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- 3. [unrecorded content]. (01:26)
- Tokpa - large slit drum, Bakͻlε - small slit drum, Flumo - vocals, Tokpa Bloŋ - vocals, Yakpalo - vocals. August 3, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- 5. [unrecorded content]. (01:08)
- Hourglass drum and gourd rattle ensemble. [Danîn and vocals - unidentified performer, kεε and vocals - unidentified performer]. August 4, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Totota.
- 5. [unrecorded content]. (01:07)
- 1. Introduction by ATM staff. [speaker - Ruth Stone]. [unknown date]. (00:40)
- 2. Conducted in Kpelle with Ruth Stone asking questions of Lεpôlu of Kͻŋkâi, and Jawͻ making comments as an assistant. Lεpolu was a clerk to the former paramount chief of Sanoyea who invented the Kpelle script. He is one of the few people presently fluent in the script. Interview includes questions about the script and Lεpolu reading examples of the script he has written. August 7, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Sanoyea. (18:19)
- 3. Introduction by ATM staff. [speaker - Ruth Stone]. [unknown date]. (00:12)
- 4. Conducted in Kpelle with Ruth Stone asking questions of Lεpôlu of Kͻŋkâi, and Jawͻ making comments as an assistant. Lεpolu was a clerk to the former paramount chief of Sanoyea who invented the Kpelle script. He is one of the few people presently fluent in the script. Interview includes questions about the script and Lεpolu reading examples of the script he has written (continued). August 14, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Sanoyea. (08:16)
- 5. Conclusion by ATM staff. [speaker - Ruth Stone]. [unknown date]. (00:15)
- Otto Giddings - storyteller and singer, Tokpa Kwεli - vocals, Kεluka - vocals, Seŋgbeŋ - vocals, Yakpalo - vocals, [vocals - unidentified performers]. August 7, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Sanoyea.
- 8. [unrecorded content]. (00:16)
- 1. Introduction by ATM staff. [speaker - Ruth Stone]. [unknown date]. (00:13)
- 2. Conducted in Kpelle with Ruth Stone asking questions of Lεpôlu of Kͻŋkâi, and Jawͻ making comments as an assistant. Lεpolu was a clerk to the former paramount chief of Sanoyea who invented the Kpelle script. He is one of the few people presently fluent in the script. Interview includes questions about the script and Lεpolu reading examples of the script he has written (continued). August 14, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Sanoyea. (14:34)
- 3. Conclusion by ATM staff. [speaker - Ruth Stone]. [unknown date]. (00:04)
- 4. [unrecorded content]. (12:50)
- August 7, 1970, Liberia, Bong County, Sanoyea.
- Otto Giddings - storyteller and singer, Tokpa Kwεli - vocals, Kεluka - vocals, Seŋgbeŋ - vocals, Yakpalo - vocals, [vocals - unidentified performers].
- Vocal ensemble with rattle and kongoma. Lͻͻpu - vocals, [kεε - unidentified performer, kóŋgómá - unidentified performer].
- 6. [unrecorded content]. (00:21)
- Date
1970
- Main contributor
See Other Contributors
- Summary
-
This collection consists of music, oral data, and interviews among the Kpelle of Liberia and includes popular zither, lamellphone, musical bow, lute, slit-drum and xylophone music; Kpelle script interviews; children's songs, work-songs, drum signals, tales, cante-fables and music associated with rites and ceremonies. Descriptive information presented here may come from original collection documentation. Please note collections of historical content may contain material that could be offensive to some patrons.
- Contributors
Stone, Ruth M.; Stone, Verlon Lloyd.; Indiana University, Bloomington. Archives of Traditional Music.
- Subjects
Cante-fables; Folk music; Mbira music; Kpelle (African people); Music; Drum music (Membranophones); Counting-out rhymes; Popular music; Work songs; Zither music; Folk songs, Kpelle; Children's songs; Musical bow music; Lute music; Rites and ceremonies; Drum language; Storytelling; Xylophone music; Folklore; Kpelle language; Orthography and spelling
- Time period
1961-1970
- Location
Liberia
- Collection
Archives of Traditional Music Field and Broadcast Collections
- Unit
Archives of Traditional Music
- Languages
Kpelle; English
- Physical Description
47 sound tape reels : analog, 7 1/2 ips, track, mono. ; 7 in.
- Notes
Collection described in Ruth Stone's M.A. thesis: Music of the Kpelle People of Liberia (Hunter college).
Part of the collection has been commercially issued as "Music of the Kpelle People of Liberia" (Folkways FE 4385).
Music, tales and interviews.
Accompanied by a "Summary of Collection", tape index, texts in Mande with English translations, musical transcriptions, and a copy of Ruth Stone's article "Meni-Pelee: A Musical-Dramatic Folktale of the Kpelle", Liberian Studies Journal 4 (1971-72):31-46.
Deposited at the Archives of Traditional Music by the Stones in 1970 under option 3.
Local Note
EC 5310--5333; OT 13012--13034
Performers
Various named singers, instrumentalists, informants, storytellers and interviewees.
Statement of Responsibility
collected by Ruth and Verlon Stone.
Venue/Event Date
Recorded by the Stones in Bong County, Liberia in July and August 1970.
- Other Identifiers
Catalog Key: 2065222; OCLC: ocm19869546; Catalog Key: BFJ0727BT; Collection Identifier: 73-052-F ATL 5903 --5907
Access Restrictions
This item is accessible by: the public.