Hausa Culture

The Talking Drum- KALANGU-
Click on the player to listen to the Talking Drum!
It is said that the talking drum can actually talk. How you ask? The drum itself is a West African hourglass drum, whose pitch if well regulated can be made to mimic the tone of certain words of human speech. Many African languages rely heavily on tones, thus the pitch of certain words becomes very important in determining the meaning of a particular word, and potentially a whole sentence.
It has been used many a times by Africans as a way of communicating with others. Today the talking drum is primarily heared in many traditional music, and the Yoroba tribe in Nigeria are champions in that regard. The Talking Drum is however not restricted to that tribe alone. The Fulanis, Hausas and many the many other tribes in Nigeria have adopted the instrument and integrated it into their own cultural sounds. The Hausa’s call it KALANGU, and have become a staple in the sounds of hausa traditional music. Many have made a name for themselves making music with the instrument, and if not mistaken the legendary hausa artist, Mamman Shata is among the hausa musical sensation known to have mastered the Kalangu.

It doesnt only stops in Nigeria, in popular music culture the talking drum extends far beyond african culture. Listen closely to Erykah Badu’s hit song “My People”, from the album New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), and  there just beneath other sounds is the talking drum. Sikiru Adepoju is also a talking drum artisit from Nigeria who has collaborated with the likes of  Stevie Wonder and Carlos Santana.

Its yours truely
from the dark continent

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