African Bata - comparing African and Cuban bata

Let's discuss about the origin and history of this beautiful instrument...

Postby davidpenalosa » Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:46 pm

Facundo:
"ONLY A BABALAWO CAN ASCERTAIN WITH CERTAINTY THAT ANOTHER IS NOT A TRUE BABALAWO."

Amen Brother.

I thought it might be appropriate to make this subject it's own thread. Facundo, did you encounter African Iyesa drums when you were in Nigeria? Or are you aware of a drum system of that name in Nigeria? I've had two people who travled to Nigeria tell me they encountered those drums, but I don't know much about them.
-David
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Postby Facundo » Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:03 pm

davidpenalosa wrote:I thought it might be appropriate to make this subject it's own thread. Facundo, did you encounter African Iyesa drums when you were in Nigeria? Or are you aware of a drum system of that name in Nigeria? I've had two people who travled to Nigeria tell me they encountered those drums, but I don't know much about them.
-David

David,

What is called Iyesa in Cuba comes from the town of Ijesha in Nigeria. I did not have enough time to travel to that region. At some point, during a subsequent visit I do want to go there. I spent most of my time in Ile Ife and Oshogbo. I am sure much has changed since the days when Bascom, Herscovitz (SP) and Verger did their field studies.

Best regards,
Facundo
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Postby davidpenalosa » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:25 pm

Facundo wrote:What is called Iyesa in Cuba comes from the town of Ijesha in Nigeria.

Facundo,
Thanks. I've been trying to talk to someone who's seen the Ijesha drums. I've heard conflicting things about them. I understand that the Ijesha are a sub-group of the Yoruba. In 1950 Nigerian Babalawos told Bascolm that the recordings he played them of Cuban Babalawos sounded like they were of the Ijesha dialect. In Brazil I believe it's called Ixesa.
-David
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Postby zaragenca » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:03 pm

Ok in the Ijesa/topic,these people are related to Okambi, Okambi belong to the second migration out of Ile/Efe when Oranmiyan took over,he left Ife with,(16) of his childrens and set up in Ekitiland and what is now Osun State,one of his child became the Owa-Obokun,the leader of Ijesa,but even when Okanbi could have some knowledge in relation to Ile/Efe,these childrens were not part of the society in charge of anything,(those societies stayed in Efe), and there were some agreement to provite protection to these people in case they would run in trouble,....Other sons of Okanbi became the Orangun of Ila,...the Ogoga of Ikere,..the Oloye of Oye,...the Attah of Ayede,etc., what's next?.Dr. Zaragemca



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Postby pavloconga » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:18 am

davidpenalosa wrote:I thought it might be appropriate to make this subject it's own thread. Facundo, did you encounter African Iyesa drums when you were in Nigeria? Or are you aware of a drum system of that name in Nigeria? I've had two people who travled to Nigeria tell me they encountered those drums, but I don't know much about them.
-David

On one of my trips to Ghana, one day while wandering through some obscure back street shops about 20km from the city of Accra, I was very surprised to come across what looked like a set of bata drums strung with leather. They looked very old, dusty, very funky and were for sale but quite expensive. The local musicians did not play them and did not know much about them. My thought at the time was that they were probably from Nigeria.

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