Central African Republic: Banda Polyphony

The Banda people - Central African Republic: Banda Polyphony

originally released in 1976; re-released in 1992

The Banda, who number about 400,000, form the largest ethnic group in the Central African Republic. Although their history cannot be reconstructed with any certainty, it would appear that they came from the East, probably from the valley of the Nile. They are thought to have settled in the region that corresponds to the present Sudanese-Central-African borders in the first half of the 19th century, and subsequently to have been driven into the interior by the raids of slavetraders. They now occupy the upper reaches of the Uaka, the Kotto, the Gribingi, a region of bush-covered savannah with forest galleries.

The Banda people are divided into more than fifty subgroups, each of which has its own customs, speech and music. The Linda and the Dakpa are among the most numerous branches of the Banda people. Being neighbours, and even having established themselves in the very heart of the Banda country, they share to a large extent their musical forms. It is, however, possible to distinguish certain modes of expression. For example, although the Dakpa and the Linda both have ensembles of horns, the form of the instruments, the repertoire and the techniques of musical elaboration vary markedly from one group to another. As in all parts of this cultural area, music is closely associated with social and religious life. Even now it still fulfills a central function at all the events of any importance held in the traditional village.

The vocal music of the Banda is largely monodic, whereas their instrumental music - which usually amounts to an "orchestration" of the sung melodies - can give rise to elaborate and highly complex polyphonic structures. This applies in particular to the music for horns of the Linda and the Dakpa. The ongo horn ensembles are closely associated with the ancestors cult and with the initiation of young boys. Today, however, the music for these instruments is also played at national festivals. The ensembles consist of anything from ten to eighteen instruments, the size of which varies from 20 to 160 cm. They are always accompanied by a pair of jingles struck together. (Simha Arom)

Tracklisting:

Linda Music

1. Music for ongo ensemble: Ndraje balendro, initiation song {4:22}

2. Music for ongo ensemble: Eci ameya, song for the cult of the twins [horns] {1:50}

3. Music for ongo ensemble: Eci ameya, song for the cult of the twins [voices] {1:59}

4. Music for ongo ensemble: Ebena ka cemato, lament {4:06}

5. Music for ongo ensemble: Music for dancing, gboyo {2:47}

6. Mvrele ensemble: flutes {2:21}

7. Mvrele ensemble: voices {4:25}

Dakpa Music

8. Little Suite for ongo-ngala {7:04}

9. Dance of initiates "Brother, I am suffering" {5:07}

10. Suite for the mbaya ensemble {5:52}

11. Damba lekpa, music for the mbaya ensemble {1:23}

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