INSTRUMENTAL July 5, 1972 - 2B Mbira (Thom) Tierlul

Recording #2B

Place of Recording: Tierlul

Date of Recording: July 5, 1972

Performance:

Informant: Paul Abulla and Agwa Alem

Date of Transcript: July 27, 1972

1 000 Thom.

Information: Song from Masengo Tribe who are living around Gambela. Borrowed from this tribe.

2 005 Thom.

Information: Masengo Tribe song. Very good performance.

3 015 Thom.

Information: Pitches. Tuning. Change pitches. Songs of Masengo they change. When they play Anuak songs, they change. Changes to the tune they are singing when you sing new song, you can adjust it.

4 041 Thom.

Information: Anuak song.

Text: When you go with my girlfriend, you bring good news to me.

5 057 Thom.

Information: Anuak song. Repetition of song. Running around on pitches to show that the song is finished.

Text: You are great, you re lovely. What will you reply to me?

6 057 Thom.

Information: Name of parts of the thom. There is an excellent performer in Addis. We must get in contact with that individual.

ANUAK Project: FIELD NOTES – July 5, 1972

Retyped: June 6, 2019

11:30 Leave Pokwo

11:40 Tierlul: sit in assembly area under a tree and wait for men to arrive.

12:20-1:20 Work with thom and flute players. They play songs and demonstrate various aspects for the tape. I take pictures of the playing methods, fingering patterns with movie film and take still pictures of the instruments themselves, making measurements of them and shooting from several different angles. The men are very willing and pleasant to work with. One of the leaders of yesterday’s group of dancing and singing said he wasn’t ready to sing by himself at that time. Therefore, he demurred. In the midst of my taping of the thom, I discover the UHER to have lost power, therefore I switch to the National Cassette player and listen to the flute being played. I neglect getting names of the four-holed instruments. We repeat some of the thom playing for the other recorder and a second thom player demonstrates his skills.

1:30 – 2:15 Assemble with about 45 women and children under another tree with about 30 men watching from behind me, facing the women. Singing is to a degree antiphonal with several soloists dominated by one woman who sings with great fervor. About 7 songs were sung. In the context of this situation, the singers sing when they feel like making it necessary to have the tape running continuously and they do not allow time for intensive questioning of the material being sung. The data will have to be assembled with one informant probably after the performance takes place.

2:15 We break off session. The women are tired. The problem of pay for services is again brought up. Something will have to be done about this so that we can continue.

2:30 Return to home in Pokwo.