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English

Drum

early 20th century
Not on view
Master or lead drums such as this kettle-shaped one were the musical and visual focal point of secular bands that performed a traditional form of entertainment popular in the Akan communities of southern Ghana. Drums in these ensembles were thought of in terms of a family, with the master drum being the mother, emphasizing the importance of the traditional matrilineal kinship system. The two female caryatids holding the drum represent the instrument's perceived femininity. The mother nurturing her child alludes to female fecundity and to the importance of the matrilineal line in Akan culture. The woman writing in a book reflects the Akan preoccupation with education. These motifs exemplify the common familial, social, and political iconography of master drums.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Drum
  • Date: early 20th century
  • Geography: Ghana
  • Culture: Akan Ashanti people
  • Medium: Wood, polychrome, skin, trade beads, plastic
  • Dimensions: Height: 20 7/8 in. (53 cm)
    Width: 21 5/8 in. (55 cm)
    Depth: 13 3/4 in. (35 cm)

    Weight: 45 lbs approx
  • Classification: Membranophone-single-headed / kettle drum
  • Credit Line: Gift of Raymond E. Britt Sr., 1977
  • Object Number: 1977.454.17
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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Breasted Drum, Wood, skin, paint, Akan, Ashanti
Breasted Drum
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Kora, Mamadou Kouyaté (d. 1991) (bridge by Djimo Kouyaté) Mandinka people, Gourd, goat skin, antelope-hide, ebony, metal, wood, Mandinka people, Senegambia
Kora
Mamadou Kouyaté (d. 1991) (bridge by Djimo Kouyaté)
ca. 1960
Spider Drum, Cordia Platythyrsa or Iroko wood, hide, possibly Babungo/Vengo people
Spider Drum
possibly Babungo/Vengo people
ca. 1940
Bondjo, Ivory, wood, polychrome, Ekonda people (Konda)
Bondjo
Ekonda people (Konda)
ca. 1915
Axatse, Gourd, plastic beads, cord, Ghanaian
Axatse
Ghanaian
20th century

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