Talking Tree Drummers Play Mendiani (from Guinea West Africa)
Mendiani is a rhythm and dance for the young girls ages six to thirteen. The mothers make a wide boubou and mask for each girl who is to dance Mendiani. During the time of preparation of the costume and mask and dance choreography the girls learn the secrets and mysteries of the village and womanhood. On the day of the festival the young men of the village come to girl's homes and carry each girl to the festival on their shoulders. Upon arriving in the village center the drummers great them with the rhythm Denadon. After the rhythm Denadon the girls take off their mask and boubou and the griots (historians) begin to sing the Mendiani song and the drummers change to the Mendiani rhythm. The girls perform physical acrobatic dances for several hours with the addition of traditional steps. This tradition is still practiced today.
▶️ DTube
Very mesmerizing WA drum beat @willowisp so how long your drum sessions last?
That night at the zoo we played for 2 hours with 2 or 3 minute rests between the rhythms. When we play for dance class it is usually 45 minutes nonstop after playing a 20 minute warm up. drumming can be a pretty good upper body workout.
I can only imagine the callouses needed to play like that! There isn't even a pause. I could meditate to the beat of that, so hypnotic is the thumping.
Thank you for the snippets, they are thoroughly enjoyable!
Upped and Steemed
!tip
I don't think you can imagine the callouses of the African drummers. When shaking their hand your fingertips will get lost beneath the calloused semi flat fat area located right below the fingers. Yes, for sure the tips of the fingers get calloused and pretty much the whole hand but that flat fatty area that makes the tones and bases is tough. The sound they can get out of the djembe can be so high pitched and loud it sounds like they are playing with plastic paddles at times and that kind of what it feels like. I will gain a ring size when playing a lot.
As a gymnast, I developed calluses on a regular basis, but, nothing can compare to the constant drumming that I've seen here. I can believe that you go up a ring size. I have no trouble believing that. I bow down to you for being able to keep up that kind of workout. That is a learned skill, no matter what age you are. The strength it takes is more than what I have right now.
Did you do the bars?
Interesting tradition. The girls must have lots of stamina to be performing for several hours.
They are young and I'm sure everyone is working on a little adrenaline too. Do you remember the energy you had at the ages of 6-13? I don't remember ever sitting down unless I was in class.
It is amazing to me how musical the sounds are beyond just the rythym if that makes sense
I know what you mean. I think it might have to do with the length of the sound waves and how they intermingle. I didn't read that anywhere that's what I think happens. It's more evident to me when we play in a circle and I think it's all the mixture of sound waves interacting more directly, at times I will hear an orchestra or specific instruments. One time I heard an opera voice. The surroundings textures count too.
How sweet and cool that would be to see i would be in there dancing around with them....lol :)
You dancing would be the ultimate compliment.
Haha...i would enjoy it...lol :)
🎁 Hi @willowwisp! You have received 0.1 STEEM tip from @dswigle!
Check out @dswigle blog here and follow if you like the content :)
Sending tips with @tipU - how to guide :)