ENCULTURATION OF INDIGENOUS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: A TALKING DRUM EXPOSITION BY NON-YORUBA SPEAKING PUPILS OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S PRIMARY SCHOOL ENUGU

Abstract

To most Nigerian children and African children at large, playing rhythms on indigenous percussive instruments seems to be a very simple and easy task to embark on and of which they are ready to do as they enjoy doing so. The reason being that it has being part of their lives since birth. At birth, many of them were lulled to bed/pacified with songs sang or hummed by the mother or care-giver. Many of them grew up in local communities where they had opportunities to interact with objects that can make sounds which they assemble, and play with fun, as their own amateur instrumental ensemble having watched and sometimes participated in different musical performances in their respective communities. However, as simple as some African percussion instruments look in design, empirical evidences have shown that they are not so easy to manipulate by everyone. Producing a coherent simple rhythmic motif in accompanying simple African songs becomes a herculean task. In addition, it is expected that the knowledge gained in learning an indigenous instrument should be transferred to the playing of another even if it is from another region or tribe. In an attempt to enculturate the Talking drum, this study is aimed at experimenting the teaching of Talking drum – an indigenous musical instruments found among the Yoruba of western Nigeria, to pupils of Igbo tribe. Participant observation method of data collection was employed. The paper highlighted some challenges faced in teaching non-Yoruba pupils the talking drum. These includes age of learners, time, genetical tone familiarity, availability of the instrument among others. Some of the solutions proffered includes vocalization, adoption of psychomotor exercises and use of non-musical instruments for beginners.