African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

African folklore 532
References
Horton, Christian Dowu Jayeola. 1999. The Role of the Gumbe in Popular Music and Dance Styles
in Sierra Leone. In Turn Up the Volume! A Celebration of African Music, ed. Jacqueline
Cogdell DjeDje. Los Angeles: UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History.
Ladzekpo, Alfred, and Kobla Ladzekpo. 1980. Anlo Ewe Music in Anyako, Volta Region, Ghana.
In Musics of Many Cultures: An Introduction, ed. Elizabeth May, Berkeley: University of
California Press.
Ladzekpo, Kobla, and Alan Eder. 1992. Agahu: Music Across Many Nations. In African
Musicology: Current Trends, ed. Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje, Vol. 2, Los Angeles: Regents of
the University of California.
Locke, David. 1992. Kpegisu: A War Drum of the Ewe. Tempe, Au: White Cliffs Media Company.
Manoukin, Madeline. 1952. The Ewe-Speaking People of Togoland and the Gold Coast. London:
International African Institute.
Noss, Kathleen. 2000. Traditions and Transformations: Ewe, Ashanti and Baganda Drumming,
Dance and Song in Contemporary Africa. Percussive Notes 38, no. 4:34–8.
KATHLEEN JENAKO NOSS
See also Music; Music in Africa
MUSIC AND DANCE: UGANDA
Uganda displays a diversity of folk performing arts traditions that combine aspects of
music, dance, and drama. The southern kingdom of Buganda is the most thoroughly
studied region, but significant research has also been undertaken in Busoga, Ankole, and
Acholi. This article classifies the instruments of Uganda and outlines some of the major
dance features of the country.
Musical Instruments
Uganda retains an unusually large number of musical instruments and performance
styles, which vary according to region. Musical form is closely tied to linguistic structure,
and speakers of the same language family often share common performance features.
Membranophones:
Drums figure prominently in almost every region of Uganda. In addition to providing the
primary accompaniment for a vari-ety of dance forms, drums were an important part of
the royal regalia in many kingdoms and chiefdoms of East Africa. There are two general
varieties of drums in Uganda—double membrane (often called “Uganda” drums) and
single membrane. Dimensions and construction techniques vary according to region, but
cowhide is widely used for double-membrane drums, while monitor lizard skin is often
used for single-membrane drums (as well as for a variety of string instruments).