37 Talking Drum Facts: Discover The Unique African Instrument

The talking drum might be weird to hear about, but it no doubt exists in the many cultures of West Africa.

The talking drum has two drum heads, which were played to match the tone of human speech. The leather cords are connected to the two drum heads, which makes it easier to play and match the pitch by varying the sound.

It was created at the beginning of the 18th century. The drum is carried by the drummer between the body and arm parts.

The drummer who is skilled at playing the instrument can easily synchronize with the other drum sounds and the sustained notes of the song. The drumming sound is similar to hummingbird humming sounds which might vary with playing style.

The talking drum is generally in the shape of an hourglass and is commonly found on the Asian continent. The ones used in Asia are not used to imitate speech, but idakka, an hourglass-shaped drum, is used to imitate the vocal sounds of the music.

There are different types of talking drums: Dundun, Lunaa, Atumpan, Tama, Gangan, Kalangu, Bata, Odondo, and Dondo.

The talking drum, in the shape of an hourglass, is one of the oldest instruments, which was more prevalent in West African culture. Majorly, the Ghana empire, Bono people, Hausa people, and Yoruba people used these drumming-sound percussion instruments.

People from the Yoruba community in Nigeria's southwest and Benin were more familiar with the drumming sound of the talking drum.

The Dagomba, who belonged to the northern Ghana region, also had skills for playing this instrument made of wood and leather. Its origins date back to the African world, but over time it has evolved and changed with the passage of time in its structure and playing style. Now it is a dazzling and wonderful term, 'talking drum'.

How do they talk? It is explained that when the drummer plays the instrument, then every single word is translated into a phrase, such as 'war' being played back as 'war which causes attention to ambushes'.

Facts About Talking Drums

Talking drums are one of the old instruments that date back to their origins in the West African world.

The talking drum is made of animal skin, leather cords, and wood, which is used to provide assistance to the drum. Mostly, the skin of the goat was used to make the drum heads' skin. In African culture, the talking drum is known by various names such as Dondo, Odondo, Bozo, Dyula, and Lunna.

In different cultures of Africa, the talking drum is also recognized to pass on the messages of individuals from one place to another over long distances. It was in use during European rule in the 18th century and was later recognized by the rest of the world.

The written text messages were less quick in comparison to the talking drum messages.

Some drummers use small talking drums, while others use larger versions of other drums. The usage of talking drums has been made in the music industry as well, by artists such as the Grateful Dead, Nana Vasconcelos, Erykah Badu, Tom Wait, and Fleetwood Mac.

The size of the talking drum varies. They come as gangan, Iya Ilu, dundun, and omele.

Among all of them, the dundun is the largest talking drum. The talking drum, in the shape of an hourglass, is kept under the arms to make it more comfortable for the drummer to play the music.

The usage of sticks along with fingers is evident in the popular music played on the talking drum. This synch creates a different change in the music as the chords also change according to the pitch.

The smallest talking drum that has been evident is found to be 2.75 in (7 cm), while the drum heads are measured to be around 5 in (13 cm) in diameter. African culture and the talking drums are terms that are often interrelated.

The sound created by the strike of a stick on the drum head forms a different gesture in the environment.

Uses Of The Talking Drum

Talking drums can be used for a variety of purposes, including weddings, private functions, and burial ceremonies. In ancient times, it was also used to pass on a message from one place to another or show that danger was around.

The talking drums were such instruments that drummers used to create a mimicking sound or rhythm in order to match each of the sustained notes with human language. This is why they are called 'talking drums'.

They were used as a communicative device, especially in eastern and western Africa, along with Melanesia and the south-eastern parts of Africa. Talking drums' use also varies, along with their utilization.

A talking drum was played for the wedding ceremonies, for the entertainment of the people, with the main purpose being communication. The talking drum also served the purpose of storytellers.

The drummers were also recognized to carry on their rituals through the use of talking drums, as it was more prevalent among the poets who traveled a lot. It was part of the oral tradition.

It was also used when someone died or to inform people about the death of a person living far away. The sound or music for the same would be very different from the one played at wedding ceremonies or for the purpose of entertainment.

The inter-village communication system was thus made simpler with the use of talking drums by drummers. The tone patterns of the drums would vary and be easily recognized by the local people.

Materials Used To Make The Drum

The materials used to make the drum were animal skin, leather cords, and wood.

The drum maker primarily used goatskin for the drum heads of the talking drums. In Africa, the talking drum is known by many different names and is not specific to the main term 'talking drum'.

The wood used in the drums was made from the trunks of the trees and then carved according to the needs of the drummer. In the past, the drum head membrane, which was made of animal skin, was initially dried out by the sun.

In modern times, the suede material is used for the making of drum heads. The size and shape of the talking drum vary depending on its type, with the hourglass shape being the most common.

The Mandinka, Serer, and Wolof people generally used the small talking drum, which had a diameter of 2.75 in (7 cm) and a length of 5 in (13 cm). Such talking drums were believed to have produced a louder, stronger sound in comparison to the other, varied-sized talking drums.

The Yoruba and the people from Dagomba used large talking drums which were 9-15 in (23-38 cm) in length, with the diameter of the drum head varying from 4-7 in (10-18 cm). Lunna and dundun were believed to be of the same size and also produced the local language of the people.

The drum skin was dried to make a deeper and clearer sound from the drum, as the wet one could not do as well as the drier one.

Cultural Significance Of The Drum

The talking drum was not just limited to the percussion instrument but also significant because it carried the oral tradition of African culture along with the hope of people in regard to music and folklore from ages past.

It was also used during the festivals and the deaths of people, creating a different environment. It also provided an opportunity for people to come together and rejoice.

It is said the talking drum language is only understood by those who keep the knowledge of the rhythms produced by the drums. The talking drum is also used in the 'Patapon', a game series in which the player communicates using the talking drums.

It was also used in the TV series, 'Dead Like Me'. In this, the talking drum was used to celebrate the dead people.

Apart from this, the talking drum of West Africa is also used in 'The Nun's Story', and 'Black Panther', a movie from 2018. The distinct sound of the talking drum will undoubtedly captivate the audience, and they will enjoy it.

It has been in usage since the early years of the 18th century. In Igbo, the instrument Ikoro is similar to talking drums. Talking drums were a West African membranophone that was used for talking through the tones and pitch it produced.