Drum Codes [Pt 1]: The Language of Talking Drums

The SpokenWeb Podcast

For hundreds of years, the Yorùbá people of West African have used “talking drums” to send messages across great distances. West African languages are highly musical, full of rising and falling tones. The pitch of talking drums can be adjusted to mimic these tones, so drummers can “speak” to one another. The drummer encodes the language, converting it into drum patterns, and in the process, poeticizes it.

In part two of 'Drum Codes', airing next season on The SpokenWeb Podcast, we sit down with a master drummer and learn more about how drums function as information compression tools.

SpokenWeb is a monthly podcast produced by the SpokenWeb team as part of distributing the audio collected from (and created using) Canadian Literary archival recordings found at universities across Canada. To find out more about Spokenweb visit: spokenweb.ca . If you love us, let us know! Rate us and leave a comment on Apple Podcasts or say hi on our social media @SpokenWebCanada.

Episode Producers:

Chelsea Miya is part of the SpokenWeb Edmonton team. She is a PhD Candidate and CGS SSHRC fellow in English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta with a background in journalism. Her research explores the intersections of data and art/culture.

Sean Luyk is a Digital Projects Librarian at the University of Alberta, where he works as a member of the SpokenWeb Edmonton team. He studies local music collecting and ideas of place in music. He is also a drummer, singer, and lifelong musician.

Voices Heard:

Chelsea Miya: Twitter: @chelseamiya

Sean Luyk

Titilope Sonuga: <https://titilope.ca/>

Wisdom Agorde

Tunde Adegbola: African Languages Technology Initiative (Alt-i) <http://www.alt-i.org/>

Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún: <https://kolatubosun.com/>

Peter Olálékan Adédòkun: Instagram: @lekan_drums_intl, @adedokun_peter_olalekan, @drumsvoice_of_Jesus, @iluyoruba_yorubadrums; Twitter: @Drumsvoicej, @lekanadedokun1

Print References:

• Babalọla, Adeboye. “Yoruba Literature.” Literatures in African Languages, edited by B. W. Andrzejewski, S. Pilaszewicz, and W. Tyloch, Cambridge University Press, 1985, 157–189.
• Finnegan, Ruth. “17. Drum Language and Literature”. Oral Literature in Africa. By Finnegan. Open Book Publishers, 2012, 467-484. Web. .
• Ngom, Fallou, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, and Mustapha Hashim Kurfi. “The social and commercial life of African Ajami” Africa at LSE Blog, 1 Oct. 2019, https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2019/10/01/social-commercial-african-ajami-culture/.
• Owomoyela, Oyekan. The Columbia guide to West African literature in English since 1945. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008.
• Sonuga, Titilope. This is How We Disappear. Write Bloody North, 2019.
• Strong, Krystal. “The Rise and Suppression of #EndSARS.” Harpers Bazaar, 27 Oct. 2020, https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a34485605/what-is-endsars/.
• Túbọ̀sún, Kọ́lá. Edwardsville by Heart. Wisdom’s Bottom Press, 2019.
• Villepastour, Amanda. Ancient Text Messages of the Yorùbá Bàtá Drum: Cracking the Code. Farnham, England: Ashgate, 2010.

Recordings:

• Adédòkun, Olálékan. [various tracks].
• Sonuga, Titilope. “My Mother’s Music.” Mother Tongue, Titilope Sonuga, 2013.
• Sonuga, Titilope. “This is How We Disappear - Titilope Sonuga.” YouTube, uploaded by Titilope Sonuga, 21 August 2017, https://youtu.be/JbLwsLYrjzw.
• Túbọ̀sún, Kọ́lá. “Ọláolúwa Òní reads "Being Yorùbá.” SoundCloud, 2019, https://soundcloud.com/kola-tubosun/olaoluwa-oni-reads-being-yoruba.

Sound Effects:

• BBC News. “End Sars protests: People 'shot dead' in Lagos, Nigeria - BBC News.” YouTube, 21 October 2020, https://youtu.be/Il5qL7YbawY.
• Bloomberg Quicktake: Now. “Shots Fired in Lagos Amid #EndSARS Protests in Nigeria.” YouTube, 21 October, 2020, https://youtu.be/hu9FzU2TDvQ.
• The Dinizulu Archives. “Asante Ivory Trumpets - Ancient Akan Music - Pt 1.” YouTube, 23 March 2009, https://youtu.be/P3XxEefvpr8.
• felix.blume. “Dugout On The Niger River In Mali SOUND Effect.” Freesound, 20 January 2013, https://freesound.org/s/174933/.
• FilmOneNG. “Living in Bondage Trailer 1.” YouTube, 18 October, 2019, https://youtu.be/bQ9pUsXFqoA.
• Lily Pope TV. “MAIN MARKET ONITSHA|| COME WITH ME.” YouTube, 9 July 2019, https://youtu.be/DJ3NyfV7tgs.
• “Nigerian Crowds - Lagos, native quarter with traffic & crowd atmosphere.” BBC Sound Effects, https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07015037.
• “Outdoor Clock - Church clock striking, 6 o'clock. (All Saints Church).” BBC Sound Effects, https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07002268.
• Pasadena Conservatory of Music. “African Roots, African American Fruits: A Musical Journey (Concert Highlights).” Vimeo, 8 March, 2016, https://vimeo.com/158205356.
• Patrickibeh. “Nigerian Young girls playing 'Hand-clap' game.” Wikimedia Commons, 25 February 2019, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nigerian_Young_girls_playing_%27Hand-clap%27_game.webm.
• Protests.media. “Buhari Must Go Protest in Lagos, 17th of October 2020.” Vimeo, 27 October, 2020, https://vimeo.com/469395263.
• Rueda, Manuel. “Oaxaca whistle language.” Vimeo, 2004, https://vimeo.com/77702616.
• Muir, Stephen. “City Street Winter Day - Toronto - Bay St And Cumberland St.” Dreaming Monkey Inc.“Wamba Indigenous Music - Repetitive tune using a two tone communication whistle(vocal).” Recorded by John Watkin. BBC Sound Effects, 31 March 1996, https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=NHU05003080.