The Baham museum
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Information

Musical instruments

In the kingdom of Baham, different musical instruments are used in leisure and in the different activities of social life. They can be made from iron, ivory or wood, associated with other materials or not, such as animal skins. They are often decorated. The range of decorations goes from the simple geometric figure to anthropomorphic and zoomorphic sculptures.

Grands tambours cérémoniels à membrane

Some of these instruments can only be used by men, others only by women. They can be classified into several groups: idiophones (drums with slits. rattles, bells, sanzas); membranophones (drums with a single hide, the rare drums with 2 hides); string instruments (less frequent); wind instruments (horns, flutes). The most important of these in social and religious life are: bells, horns, flutes, xylophones, drums, rattles and sanzas.

A good number of musical instruments belonging to the king, notables and secret societies play a liturgical role accompanying or giving rhythm to sons, dances and processions. Some of these objects (drums, bells etc.) with a sacred character have been sanctified by sacrifices and magical practices. In this case, it is at times prohibited and dangerous to look at them, especially when they emit sounds.

     
     
     
 
     

Sanza (belap)

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