Mondume from Eboka by Bayaka

The mondumé is a harp-zither with six notes. It has no resonating chamber and is usually played over a pot for amplification. The baAka have told me that the mondumé is one of their own original instruments; I myself have not seen the instrument among any neighboring peoples. However, an eight-string version with gourd resonator is an important instrument among the Fang in northern Gabon, who call it mvet. The Fang are themselves forest dwellers who live in close association with the Baka. Did the Fang adopt the instrument from the Baka, or vice versa? It would be interesting to investigate this question. The mondumé has a repertoire that is quite distinct from the geedal repertoire. Its softer tone is ideally suited to intimate forest camps. Often it is played solo at night while the rest of camp sleeps, its melodies weaving in and out of people’s dreams. The present selection was recorded in a forest camp in 1996. In the dark of night Bokau emerged from his hut, sat down in front, and began to strum away on his mondumé, singing softly. As darkness thinned into dawn his wife Nzongé, still inside, added her voice to his. Sounds of encouragement came from Balonyona across camp, listening from inside his hut and probably still in bed. I was sleeping in the mbanjo (sleeping shelter for visitors, bachelors, widowers and teenage boys) a few yards away from Bokau, and recorded from there. In this gentle manner did camp greet dawn that day.

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