KEBENDO

The Kebendo-rhythm and -song is one of the women adressing the men and warning them not to take more than one wife. The woman ask themselves what they all shall do to prevent their men to merry more than one wife. It was during the time of dictator Sékou Touré that it was decided that women had to approve if their husband wanted to merry a second wife. The song became popular then . For a long time only the first djembe-pattern was used to accompany the song. Famoudou Konaté added all the rest (Rhythmen und Lieder aus Guinea, by Thomas Ott and Famoudou Konate). Here is a part of the song-lyrics; I hope I can ad some of the music in the soundfile during the coming period. (The red-part is sung by men here, and black by women) The word "fila" (two) is later on repalced by "saba"(three), nani (four), lolu (five) and wörö (six)

E ! Kebendo, oh Laila, Muso fila ta lu, wo ma nyin, wo ma nyin

The men (the gang) ! Now what ! To merry two women, that's not good, that's not good

When finally the men sing about "kelen" (one) wife, the women reply with" wo ka nyin" (that's good!)

Last changed at 29-07-1999

Intro

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .
T . T T . T . T T . S S S . . .
f . r l . l . l r . r l r . . .

Kenkeni

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .
O . . . O . . . O . . . O . . .
x . x . x . x . x . x . x . x .

Sangban / Dundun

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .

S

. . O O . . . . . . O . . . . .

D

. . . . . . O . . . . . . . O .
x . x x . x x . x . x . x . x .

Djembé 1

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .
T T . S B . S . B . . S B . S .
r l . l r . r . r . . l r . r .

Djembé 2

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .
B . S S B . T T B . S S B . T T
r . r l r . r l r . r l r . r l

Solo 1 (repeat first line 4 times

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .
S . S S . S S . S . . . . . . .
f . r l . l r . r . . . . . . .

Play line plus a 4-rest 4 times

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .
S . S S . S S . S . T . S . . .
f . r l . l r . r . r . r . . .
S . S S . S S . S . T . S . B T
f . r l . l r . r . r . r . r l
. S . T . S . B T . S . T . . B
. l . l . l . l r . r . r . . l
S S . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
r l . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Repeat the 2 following lines

  1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . .
B S . S . S S . B S . S . S S . B
l r . r . r l . l r . r . r l . l
  T T . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  r l . . . . . . . . . . . . . .