The Evolution of Traditional Rhythms in Redefining the West African Country of Guinea
The traditional rhythms of the West African country
of Guinea have played a centuries-long role in defining the different
people groups that make up the country. Throughout their history,
before and since colonization by the French, the different ethnicities
have used their traditional music as a distinct part of their historical
identities. That is starting to change. Guinea is an impoverished
nation created in the early twentieth-century with little regard for the
history and cultures of the people who were included. The traditional
rhythms of the different people groups and their heritages have
remained. Fifteen individual traditional Guinean rhythms were
chosen to represent popular rhythms from the four geographical
regions of Guinea. Each rhythm was traced back to its native village
and video recorded on-site by as many different local performing
groups as could be located. The cyclical patterns rhythms were
transcribed via a circular, spatial design and then copied into a box
notation system where sounds happening at the same time could be
studied. These rhythms were analyzed for their consistency-overperformance
in a Fundamental Rhythm Pattern analysis so rhythms
could be compared for how they are changing through different
performances. The analysis showed that the traditional rhythm
performances of the Middle and Forest Guinea regions were the most
cohesive and showed the least evidence of change between
performances. The role of music in each of these regions is both
limited and focused. The Coastal and High Guinea regions have
much in common historically through their ethnic history and
modern-day trade connections, but the rhythm performances seem to
be less consistent and demonstrate more changes in how they are
performed today. In each of these regions the role and usage of music
is much freer and wide-spread. In spite of advances being made as a
country, different ethnic groups still frequently only respond and
participate (dance and sing) to the music of their native ethnicity.
There is some evidence that this self-imposed musical barrier is
beginning to change and evolve, partially through the development of
better roads, more access to electricity and technology, the nationwide
Ebola health crisis, and a growing self-identification as a
unified nation.
[1] W. Anku, “Circles and time: A theory of structural organization of
rhythm in African music,” Music Theory Online: The Online Journal of
the Society for Music Theory, vol. 6, no. 1, January, 2000.
[2] V. K. Agawu, “The rhythmic structure of West African music,” The
Journal of Musicology, vol. 5, no. 3, Summer, 1987, pp. 400-418.
[3] R. M. Stone, Music in West Africa. New York: Oxford University Press,
2005.
[4] M. S. Camara, T. O’Toole, J. E. Baker, Historical Dictionary of Guinea
(5th ed). Lanham: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2014, p. 74.
[5] R. Hallett, Africa Since 1875. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan
Press, 1974, p. 379.
[6] G. Counsel, “Popular music and politics in Sékou Touré’s Guinea,”
Australasian Review of African Studies, vol. 26, no. 1, 2004, pp. 26-42.
[7] J. Haworth, “Creation of a visual rhythm catalog for the traditional
rhythms of Guinea” unpublished.
[8] J. T. Koetting, “Analysis and notation of West African drum ensemble
music,” Selected Reports in Ethnomusicology, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 115-146,
1970.
[9] S. Arom, African Polyphony & Polyrhythm: Musical Structure and
Methodology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.
[10] G. Kubik, Theory of African Music, Vol. 2. Chicago: The University of
Chicago Press, 2010.
[11] R. Hallett, Africa to 1875: A Modern History, Ann Arbor: The
University of Michigan Press, 1970, pp. 146-150, 177-180.
[12] D. Kobrenski, Djoliba Crossing: Journeys into West African Music and
Culture, New Hampshire: Artemisia Books, 201, pp. 52-55.
[13] R. Knight, “Mandinka drumming,” African Arts, vol. 7, no. 4, Summer,
1974, pp. 24-35.
[1] W. Anku, “Circles and time: A theory of structural organization of
rhythm in African music,” Music Theory Online: The Online Journal of
the Society for Music Theory, vol. 6, no. 1, January, 2000.
[2] V. K. Agawu, “The rhythmic structure of West African music,” The
Journal of Musicology, vol. 5, no. 3, Summer, 1987, pp. 400-418.
[3] R. M. Stone, Music in West Africa. New York: Oxford University Press,
2005.
[4] M. S. Camara, T. O’Toole, J. E. Baker, Historical Dictionary of Guinea
(5th ed). Lanham: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2014, p. 74.
[5] R. Hallett, Africa Since 1875. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan
Press, 1974, p. 379.
[6] G. Counsel, “Popular music and politics in Sékou Touré’s Guinea,”
Australasian Review of African Studies, vol. 26, no. 1, 2004, pp. 26-42.
[7] J. Haworth, “Creation of a visual rhythm catalog for the traditional
rhythms of Guinea” unpublished.
[8] J. T. Koetting, “Analysis and notation of West African drum ensemble
music,” Selected Reports in Ethnomusicology, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 115-146,
1970.
[9] S. Arom, African Polyphony & Polyrhythm: Musical Structure and
Methodology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.
[10] G. Kubik, Theory of African Music, Vol. 2. Chicago: The University of
Chicago Press, 2010.
[11] R. Hallett, Africa to 1875: A Modern History, Ann Arbor: The
University of Michigan Press, 1970, pp. 146-150, 177-180.
[12] D. Kobrenski, Djoliba Crossing: Journeys into West African Music and
Culture, New Hampshire: Artemisia Books, 201, pp. 52-55.
[13] R. Knight, “Mandinka drumming,” African Arts, vol. 7, no. 4, Summer,
1974, pp. 24-35.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:71288", author = "Janice Haworth and Karamoko Camara and Marie-Therèse Dramou and Kokoly Haba and Daniel Léno and Augustin Mara and Adama Noël Oulari and Silafa Tolno and Noël Zoumanigui", title = "The Evolution of Traditional Rhythms in Redefining the West African Country of Guinea", abstract = "The traditional rhythms of the West African country
of Guinea have played a centuries-long role in defining the different
people groups that make up the country. Throughout their history,
before and since colonization by the French, the different ethnicities
have used their traditional music as a distinct part of their historical
identities. That is starting to change. Guinea is an impoverished
nation created in the early twentieth-century with little regard for the
history and cultures of the people who were included. The traditional
rhythms of the different people groups and their heritages have
remained. Fifteen individual traditional Guinean rhythms were
chosen to represent popular rhythms from the four geographical
regions of Guinea. Each rhythm was traced back to its native village
and video recorded on-site by as many different local performing
groups as could be located. The cyclical patterns rhythms were
transcribed via a circular, spatial design and then copied into a box
notation system where sounds happening at the same time could be
studied. These rhythms were analyzed for their consistency-overperformance
in a Fundamental Rhythm Pattern analysis so rhythms
could be compared for how they are changing through different
performances. The analysis showed that the traditional rhythm
performances of the Middle and Forest Guinea regions were the most
cohesive and showed the least evidence of change between
performances. The role of music in each of these regions is both
limited and focused. The Coastal and High Guinea regions have
much in common historically through their ethnic history and
modern-day trade connections, but the rhythm performances seem to
be less consistent and demonstrate more changes in how they are
performed today. In each of these regions the role and usage of music
is much freer and wide-spread. In spite of advances being made as a
country, different ethnic groups still frequently only respond and
participate (dance and sing) to the music of their native ethnicity.
There is some evidence that this self-imposed musical barrier is
beginning to change and evolve, partially through the development of
better roads, more access to electricity and technology, the nationwide
Ebola health crisis, and a growing self-identification as a
unified nation.", keywords = "Cultural identity, Guinea, traditional rhythms, West
Africa.", volume = "9", number = "10", pages = "3530-6", }