Drums that Talk
You should get one too....
History
Cultural Significance
Construction
The talking drum came in various sizes, and the dimensions of the durm differed between ethnic groups, but all of them still followed the same template. The pitch of this drum can be regulated to mimic the tone and prosody of human speech. It has two drumheads connected by leather tension cords, which allow the player to modulate the pitch of the drum by squeezing the cords between his or her arm and body. A skilled player is able to play whole phrases.
Why You Should Get One?
Compare the use of talking drums with other uses of music in West Africa
Relate the talking drum to the role of the griot or jelli
"Talking Drums" were some of the oldest drums used by the West African Griots. Griots were West African historians, storytellers, praise singers, poets, and/or musicians. They used the "talking drums" used them for communication purposes, but now they are used for entertainment. Griots were respected members of the society and they are considered keepers of tradition.