ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- OBONU FROM KROBO - THE RHYTHM FOR ME
Let me share some stuff with you to wrap up the week with.
It is just a basic introduction to cultural drumming (specifically obonu drumming) as practiced by my people from Krobo.
So the obonu rhythms vary depending on whether a male or female is coming to dance. There are different rhythms for males and females. The rhythm for men is just one but there are about five different rhythms for the women.
The rhythm you hear in this video is for men. Yes, for the men, the beat/rhythm is just one, except that it starts with a prelude, sort of, to enable the dancer to take his preliminary steps and pay the needed courtesies to the drummers, chiefs/queens etc., and appreciably connect with the spectators before the beat is graduated into the 'real stuff' for the main dance moves.
Play the video again and pay attention to the beat/rhythm; the prelude plays from the beginning to the twenty-third seconds before it is changed. If you pay critical attention, you will notice the transition.
A good dancer notices the change in rhythm and switches accordingly. If the dancer knows his stuff, he also signals the drummers to 'switch' into the real mood - if they are taking too long to do so - for the real show to unfold.
As for the 'uninitiated' dancer, he dances or jumps to any beat; that is how we are able to identify those who know their stuff from those who have no such orientation.
NB: Take a look at the smock of the man with the gong. His tattered smock can be the most valuable, in some instances.
