South African Music Archive Project

A Zande dance with Kponingbo xylophone (log zylophone with keys on banana stems. The tuning corresponds in absolute pitch with that of harp strings). "Sungi kumba wa sa gasi li Sungi akumba ai gibolo. It is a bad housewife who does not work for a husband. A woman who can't work is no good at all." These loose note xylophones are played by three and sometimes four men sitting on either side of the instrument. The Zande dance is performed in a circle to the cheerful sound of the xylophone. All the dancers move in unison with small steps in a set pattern which ensures that the circle moves around gradually in an anti-clockwise direction. A characteristic gesture by Zande dancers is the holding out of hands, palms upwards, gently raising and lowering the forearms in time with the music.

Dance in honour of the ancestors with Kponingbo or Akpaningbo, nine loose-note zylophone. (log zylophone with keys on banana stems. The tuning corresponds in absolute pitch with that of harp strings) "Kondo natipala bako, Gatanga natipala bako, Mongo natipala nako" " The father of Kondo, The father of Gatanga, The mother of Mongo."

The tuning of the loose note xylophone is 664, 568,496, 392, 360, 332, 284, 248, 196 vs.

Further details refer to ILAM record number XYZ7610. Fighting song with Ndimo conical, cross laced double headed drum. This song is sung when returning from a fight. Bia vula means fighting song in Zande.

Further details refer to ILAM record number XYZ7616

Further details refer ILAM field card number F4W-1.