The Lion King Study Guide - Telecharge

INFO SHEET
african music
In many African cultures, music often has a function beyond entertainment – to teach,
to encourage, to mourn, to heal, or to celebrate. Music serves a social function, helping to strengthen
the circle of society.
Although Africa south of the Sahara desert is comprised of more than 50 nations and hundreds of separate cultures,
African music has some common traits. Try to hear how these characteristics are used in THE LION KING:
repetition – repeated pattern of sound and rhythm.
improvisation – because music is an integral part of African life, it is
often spontaneous, made up on the spot. Improvisation – the
spontaneous creation of music and words – is considered a highly
regarded skill.
polyphony – two or more melody lines played simultaneously, working
together to form a greater whole.
polyrhythms – two or more rhythm patterns playing at the same
time.
cross-rhythm – the accents of a song coming just after the accents
of an accompanying rhythmic instrument or other rhythmic device,
such as hand-clapping or foot-stamping. Also called syncopation, in
a simplified form.
call and response – a choral form in which a leader sings/speaks a
line, it is then echoed (and perhaps expanded upon), by a larger group.
“Call and Response” can also work with two groups.
GUMBOOT DANCINGVAR I AT I ONS:
During the wretched years of apartheid in South Africa, thousands of young black
men had to work in gold mines under unsanitary and dangerous conditions. The
mines were constantly flooding as the owners refused to pay for proper drainage
systems. Instead, workers were issued rubber gumboots to protect from disease.
Forbidden to speak while working, the miners communicated in code by slapping
these boots, stomping their feet and rattling their ankle chains. The workers
eventually transformed these intricate rhythms and steps into informal dances.
Ultimately, these dances became a more structured social activity incorporating
songs about issues such as working conditions, family life and even love.
Although the harsh mining conditions and rules for workers have improved,
the tradition of gumboot dancing has survived and flourished.
Bongi Duma, Ron Kunene, Broadway Company
Photo by: Joan Marcus
Create your own
percussion
instrument by placing
dried seeds or beans in
a sealed box, or by
stretching a balloon
over the open end of
a sealed cardboard
tube. Use your new
instrument to
experiment with
rhythm techniques.
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