Teachers' Resource Pack
Teachers' Resource Pack
for
Jonas Tandoh
Drumming is an integral part of Jonas' Music. In Africa it was used not only as the rhythm behind the music but as a very useful form of communication. The sound of the drum travelled further than the human voice, and with different rhythms meaning different things messages could be sent from one drummer to another who would drum the message onto another drummer until the message got to the person or people it was intended for.
Barrel Drums - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - & - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kettle Drums
Design a simple drum language. For Example:- One hit for - Yes. Two Hits for:- No. Three hits for:- Maybe. Four Hits for :- I don't know. A long drum roll tapping with your fingers could mean:- Big, Many, Happy and Excited. A short finger tapping drum roll (like once through your fingers means:- Small, Few, Sad and Not Interested.
Now ask simple questions that can be answered by the sounds. Remember that you can combine the two. A question like: Are you looking forward to the sports carnival? If answered by one hit and then a long finger tapping, could be translated as "Yes, I'm looking forward to it".
There is another culture that used non verbal communication to get their message over vast distances long before the telephone was invented. Can you think of who they were and what they used.
The Native American Indians used smoke signals to send their messages.
How many other people can you think of that communicate to each other without making any sounds at all.
Deaf people use their hands and facial expressions to communicate. In some very noisy work places people use their arms to send messages. Police, on special occasions still use their hands and arms to direct traffic. At airports when the pilots are parking the huge planes on the ground, a person on the ground, using red lights or batons held in their hands to direct the pilot as to where to steer the plane.
Xylophones - - - - - - & - - - - - - Cylindrical Drums - - - - - - & - - - - - - Conical Drums
One of the first forms of modern communication was the telegraph and it used a code of long and short beeps called Morse Code. See if your library has a copy of Morse code. You'll find each letter of the Alphabet has a combination of short and long sounds. If you attempt to send a short message you'll discover that it is very effective but takes a bit longer to get your message across than the fax or telephone.
African Dancing
Dancing is an important form of celebration throughout Africa, it is an essential part of life in the village. It helps unite the individua lpeolpe of the village into a group or community. In the same way that you create friends as you are talking or playing before school and during lunch break, people in communities form friendships by dancing and socializing.
In Africa for very important occasions special dances are often performed by special dancers that use particular movements and dance steps to tell a story or give thanks, while on other occasions everyone in the village; children, men and women all get a chance to join in. Some dance, others clap their hands or sticks in time to the rhythm and all enjoy themselves.
In many ways it is similar to many cultural traditions practiced in Australia. At some weddings the bride and groom will start the bridal waltz and they are eventually joined on the dance floor by their guests.
I have a group of friends who met every Christmas Eve and as part of our celebration everyone must perform an entertaining act. Some sing, others tell stories or jokes and it is always lots of fun.
Discuss amongst the class the different celebrations that you and your family celebrate each year and what happens at these occasions. Do you ever sing in a group (as part of a ceremony or worship, do you ever sing the national anthem and on what occasions)? Do you ever dance? When?
Pre show Activities
Listen to some African Music, artists like Miriam Makeiba, Angelique Kid, Lady smith Black Mombaza, or music influenced by African rhythms like Paul Simons's "Gracelands" CD. Also listen to American Gospel and discuss the connection of the music to Africa.
Use your library to find photographs of African instruments. Instruments like: Thumb Piano and Xylophone, Barrel and Kettle drums, simple African Zithers and Folk Flutes and Percussion instruments like Rattles and Balls. Start your own percussion section with create and copy games. Someone beats out a rhythm and the rest of the class repeats it. Break the class into three groups. Have group one do the first part of a rhythm, the second do the second and then the third. Start simply with group one clapping once group two clapping twice and group three clapping three times. See what interesting rhythms your class can come up with.
ALSO CHECK OUT TEACHERS' NOTES FOR JONAS TANDOH'S SHOW