A Drummer's Testament
A DRUMMER’S TESTAMENT: Dagbamba Society and Culture in the Twentieth Century
Detailed Chapter and Contents Outline
Acknowledgments
Guide to Pronunciation
Table of Contents and Expanded Table of Contents
JOHN CHERNOFF'S INTRODUCTION: topics covered
A)
capsule geography and demography; descriptions of Tamale and Accra;
descriptions of urban and rural landscapes; the situation of
traditional societies in modern Ghana
B)
Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulai and the genesis of the work; indigenous views of
cultural relevance; assessment of the role of ethnography in
contemporary anthropology; why the work was done in this manner; the
nature of the collaboration; portraits of significant personnel; issues
of method and substance; description of interviewing techniques and
translation methods
C)
advice on reading the text: the context and pacing of evening
discussions in a village; style and idioms; the size of the text;
relationship of drumming to the presentation of information
Volume I: THE WORK OF DRUMMING
Part 1: ALHAJI IBRAHIM’S INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK
Chapter 1: The Benefits of Friendship and Why We Should Do the Work as a Group
A story to stand for the work; Dagbamba folk stories and proverbs on friendship and knowledge; the importance of good character
Chapter 2: The Dagbamba Way of Living in the Villages and in the Towns
The
attitude of modern children toward their tradition; how traditional
values are taught in the villages; the character of villagers compared
to town people
Chapter 3: The Sense of Dagbamba and Their Living in the Olden Days
The importance of knowing how one’s parents and grandparents lived; recollections of precolonial and colonial life; types of work and the sense of Dagbamba
Chapter 4: Respect and the Dagbamba Way of Living Together
Respect
and how Dagbamba show respect on the part of: those who live in
the same area, their families, their in-laws; examples: patience,
temperance, not “showing oneself,” gathering and eating with others,
respect for strangers
Chapter 5: The Way of a Stranger and How a Stranger Should Live in Dagbon
How
Dagbamba behave toward strangerrs; being a stranger and traveling; the
benefits of traveling; bad things that can happen to strangers; how a
stranger should behave with the people
Chapter
6: The Role of Greetings in Festivals and Daily Life
Greetings
and festivals; the importance of greetings; how Dagbamba greet;
greetings and respect; greetings to different types of people:
chiefs, rich people, maalams; gifts and gift-giving; messengers and
greeting; greetings in the household; greetings to in-laws; greetings
during the festival months; how Dagbamba greet their friends in
different villages; how Dagbamba receive one another in greetings
Chapter 7: How Dagbamba Send Messengers
How
Dagbamba send messengers to greet others; types of people who are
messengers; how a messenger uses sense; the research team as messengers
Chapter
8: The Debt of the Stomach
Problems
of working together as a team; practical problems of poverty and their
relationship to commitment to long-term collaborative projects; issues
of sharing potential benefits and maintaining continuity of the team
Chapter
9: Patience, Truth, and How We Should Do the Talks
The
nature of long talks; different types of lies; how to listen to the
talks; patience and asking questions; instructions to John about
“repairing” the talks
Part 2: DRUMMERS AND DRUMMING IN DAGBON
Chapter 10: The Work of Drumming
Alhaji
Ibrahim’s family background and where he learned drumming; his respect
as a drummer; an example of Baakobli and market-drumming: how
Alhaji suffered and how he learned patience; the need to learn work
well; learning both guŋgɔŋ and luŋa; the difference between those who
have traveled to the South and those who only know Dagbon
Chapter 11: The Respect of Drumming and How Drumming Started in Dagbon
Drummers
and chiefs; why chiefs need drummers; the family relationship of chiefs
and commoners; the origin of drumming: Bizuŋ as the son of Naa
Nyaɣsi; origins of Namo-Naa; original drumming of the land-priests in Dagbon: Ʒɛm and
Bandamda; the eldership of the guŋgɔŋ and yua over the luŋa; the
seniority of the luŋa; the respect of drummers and chiefs
Chapter 12: Drummers and the Other Musicians of Dagbon
The
strength of drummers with chiefs; Punyiɣsili: waking the
chief;
names people call drummers; drummers as women; begging the chief; if
Namo-Naa and Yaa-Naa quarrel; the seniority of drummers to
other musicians: the origins of Akarima and the timpana;
dalgu; names in Dagbon; the
origins of fiddles (goonji), solo string instruments (mɔɣlo and jɛnjili)
Chapter 13: How We Make Our Drums and Guŋgɔŋs
Craft
aspects of drumming; how drums are carved; ritual obligations of
drum-makers; how drums are sewn; types of skins used; varying quality
of drums and skins; how drum-sticks are made; how guŋgɔŋs are made and
sewn
Chapter 14: How a Drum Is Beaten
Technique
and style; innovation and tradition; the right wrist and quickness; the
right hand and the left hand in beating; talking on a drum and using
the left hand; beating coolly and beating with strength; changing
styles and steadiness; examples
PART 3: MUSIC AND DANCING IN COMMUNITY EVENTS
Chapter 15: Proverbs, Praise-names and Dances
Why
Dagbamba like proverbs; what proverbs add to living; how to understand
proverbs; how people use proverbs as names; proverbial names and
“praising”; introduction to the family; how drummers beat praise-names
on their drums; where and how drumers use praise-names; the role of
praising at community gathering; introduction to praise-names and dance
beats
Chapter 16: Praise-Name Dances and the Benefits of Music
The
origins of dances in chieftaincy and the drum history; examples of
dances based on praise-names of former chiefs; overview: how
music helps in weddings, funerals, namings, festivals; happiness and
music; happiness and dancing; music as something to give to the children
Chapter 17: How a Person Should Dance
The
relationship of dancing and drumming; differences in styles of dancing;
differences between men’s and women’s dancing; how people learn
dancing; aesthetics of good dancing
Chapter 18: Dances That are Danced in Groups
Baamaaya; Jɛra; Yori; Bila; Nyindɔɣu and Dimbu; dances of the craft-guilds
Chapter 19: Takai and Tɔra
The Takai and Tɔra dances; their importance in community events
Chapter 20: Funerals
Funerals
as an example of the role of music in community events; the elder of
the funeral house; how a dead body is bathed and buried; the stages of
a funeral: three days, seven days, shaving the funeral children,
“showing the thing,” sharing property; why Dagbamba like funerals; the
importance of funerals; music and funerals
Chapter 21: Muslims’ and Chiefs’ Funerals
How
Muslims are buried; stages of a Muslim funeral; how chiefs die; how
chiefs are buried; the installation of the Regent; chiefs funerals and
the work of drummers; example: Savelugu;
the Gbɔŋlana and the Pakpɔŋ; seating the Gbɔŋlana; the Kambonsi; M'Ba
Naa and showing the riches; selection of a new chief
PART 4: LEARNING AND MATURITY
Chapter 22: How Children are Trained in Drumming and Singing
Types
of toy drums for children; first proverbs; how a child is taught to
sing; discipline; children who are “born” with the drum; a child who
was trained by dwarves; learning the chiefs; learning to sing;
performing; how young drummers respect their teachers; obligations to
teachers; teaching and learning
Chapter 23: Traveling and Learning the Dances of Other Tribes
Why
Dagbamba learn other tribes’ drumming; the difficulty of learning the
Dagbani language; the drumming styles and dancing of: Mossis,
Kotokolis and Hausas (Jɛbo, Gaabitɛ Zamanduniya, Madadaazi, Adamboli),
Bassaris and Chembas and Chilinsis, Dandawas, Wangaras, Gurumas,
Konkombas, Frafras, Ashantis, Yorubas; differences in the drummers from
different towns
Chapter 24: Drum Chieftaincies
Drum
chiefs and chieftaincy hierarchies; the different drum chieftaincies of
the towns; how a drummer gets chieftaincy; how a chief drummer is buried
Chapter 25: How Drummers Share Money
How
drummers earn money at gatherings; example of Namo-Naa and his
messengers; sharing money to elders; “covering the anus of Bizuŋ”; how
Alhaji Ibrahim divides drummers into groups and shares money; why
drummers share money to old people and children; what drumming doesn’t
want; the need for “one mouth”
Volume II: OLD TALKS: DRUMMERS, CHIEFS, HISTORY AND RELIGION
Part 1: CHIEFTAINCY
Chapter 1: The Forbidden Topics of Drumming
Different
types of historical figures; taboos and sacrifices; fears of drummers
regarding early history; the unreliability of early information given
to the white men and other outsiders
Chapter 2: How Drummers Search for the Old Talks
How to acquire historical erudition; outside sources of information; tactics of approach; combining the information
Chapter 3: Old Talks: The Origins of Dagbon
The Dagbamba invasion of Ghana, the conquest of the indigenous peoples: Nimbu, Ʒipopora, Kumtili, Naa Gbewaa, Naa Ʒirli
Chapter 4: Naa Shitɔbu and Naa Nyaɣsi: The Founding of Dagbon
The
usurpation of the priests: Naa Shitɔbu, Naa Nyaɣsi; kin
relationships to Mamprusi, Mossi, Nanumba, Talensi, Frafra, Dagara,
Wala, Kusasi, Tampolensi, Zantansi, Kantonsi; inter-tribal relations
with Hausa, Gonja, Ashanti, Bassari, Chemba, Kotokoli, Dandawa,
Zambarima, Guruma, Kasena, Builsa, Sissala
Chapter 5: The Yaa-Naa and the Elders of Yendi
The
paramount chief: the Yaa-Naa of Yendi; how a Yaa-Naa dies and is
buried; selection of a new Yaa-Naa; list of Yaa-Naas; types of elders;
the work of elders; intermediaries for chiefs; Yendi area elders;
origins of main elderships; castration of elders; ranking of elders;
Kuɣa-Naa; M’ba Duɣu; the elder chieftaincies: Gushe-Naa,
Tolon-Naa, Gukpe-Naa, Kumbun-Naa; the Kambonsi; the women chiefs
Chapter 6: The Organization of Chieftaincy
The
Yaa-Naa and the thirteen divisional chiefs; types of divisional
chieftaincy; organization of the chieftaincy hierarchy; how the
hierarchy shifts
Chapter 7: How Princes Get Chieftaincy and Go to Hold a Town
The
life of princes; relationship of the first-born son to the second-born
son; how the hierarchy shifts to accomodate princes; conflict between
princes and junior fathers; the chief’s elders: Kamo-Naa, Wulana,
Lun-Naa, Maagaaʒia, etc.; how a new chief lives with his elders and
townspeople; how the townspeople and elders greet the chief on Mondays
and Fridays
Chapter 8: How Chiefs Judge Cases
The
chief’s court in pre-colonial times; the naazoonima (chief’s friends);
the role of the elders in cases; types of crime and the punishments;
selling a bad person; witches and witchcraft cases; modern types of
crime; comparison of chief’s courts and civil courts
Part 2: HISTORY
Chapter 9: The Drum History (Samban’ luŋa)
The
social context of the drum history performance at the chief’s house;
the format of the drum history; the chief’s responsibility for taboos
and sacrifices; the nature of history; Dagbamba historiography;
objectivity and divergent traditions in the Samban’ luŋa
Chapter 10: The First Gonja War: Naa Dariʒɛɣu and Naa Luro
Example
of the Samban’ luŋa: Gonja wars; the origins of the first war,
the death of Naa Dariʒɛɣu; Naa Luro’s abuse; Naa Luro at Diari:
the blacksmiths and the bridge; Naa Luro’s victory over Kaluɣsi Dajia;
Pakpɔŋ Kachaɣu and Lunlana Lunʒɛɣu: the origins of Baŋgumaŋa; the
meaning and dancing of Baŋgumaŋa
Chapter 11: Naa Zanjina and the Coming of Islam
The
contributions of Naa Zanjina to Dagbamba custom; Naa Zanjina’s youth
and conversion to Islam; how Naa Zanjina got chieftaincy and his
influence on chieftaincy custom; Naa Zanjina as the “light” of Dagbon
Chapter 12: The Second Gonja War: Naa Zanjina and Naa Siɣli
Continuation
of the wars; Kumpatia and the conquest of western Dagbon; the death of
Naa Zanjina and how Naa Siɣli obtained chieftaincy; the Dagbamba war
campaign; the defeat of Kumpatia
Chapter 13: The Cola and Slave Trades: Naa Garba and Naa Ziblim
Dagbamba-Ashanti
relations; the uses of cola; the cola and shea butter trade; Naa Garba
and the Ashanti war; the capture and ransoming of Naa Garba; the slave
trade in Dagbon; origin of the Kambonsi (soldiers); Ashanti influences
under Naa Ziblim Bandamba
Chapter 14: The Pre-Colonial Era: Naa Andani and Naa Alhassan
Naa
Yakubu and civil war; Naa Abdulai and the Bassari war; Naa
Andani: the German conquest and victory at Adibo; Tugulana Iddi,
Karaga-Naa Bukari and civil war; Naa Alhassan: the coming of the
British; colonial rule under the British
Chapter 15: Modern History and the Chieftaincy Crisis
The
unification of Dagbon under the British; the origins and escalation of
the chieftaincy dispute under Naa Mahama Kpɛma and Naa Mahama Bila;
Mionlana Andani and Naa Abilabila; Kwame Nkrumah and the Tolon-Naa; the
role of educated Dagbamba in the crisis; the usurpation of Naa
Muhammadu; possibilities for settlement
Part 3: FESTIVALS IN COMMUNITY LIFE AND THE WORK OF DRUMMERS
Chapter 16: Festivals: The Fire Festival
The
traditional calendar; Buɣim (Fire) Festival; the origins of the Fire
Festival; historiographic resolution of pagans and Muslims aspects of
the Fire Festival; Dambabilaa
Chapter 17: Festivals: The Damba Festival
Origins
of the Damba festival from Naa·Zanjina; the Somo Damba; the Chiefs’
Damba; how villagers celebrate the Damba Festival; the Damba Biɛlkulsi;
Namo-Naa’s role in the Damba Festival
Chapter 18: Festivals: Kpini, Ramadan, and Chimsi
The
origins and celebration of the Kpini (Guinea Fowl) Festival;
Ramadan/Konyuri Chuɣu (Mouth-tying month); why Dagbamba fast;
difficulties and techniques of fasting; drumming during Ramadan:
Asem and Bandamda at the chief’s house; the 26th day of the fast; the
Iddi (Praying) Festival, the Samban’ luŋa in the Iddi Festival; the
respect of drumming during the Ramadan; example: a trip to
Akosombo and how the drummers were respected; Chimsi (Sacrificing)
Festival
Part 4: RELIGION AND MEDICINE
Section 1: ISLAM
Chapter
19: The Dagbamba Belief in God
Why
Dagbamba believe in God; arguments for the existence of God; God’s
greatness; how Dagbamba remember God in their daily living
Chapter 20: Islam, Muslim Elders and the Strength of Islam
Historical:
Naa Zanjina and the introduction of Islam; Naa Bimbiɛɣu and
Savelugu-Naa Poosamli; cultural: the benefits of Islam;
obligations of faith; prayer; the role of maalams; types of Muslims;
origins of Muslim elders of Dagbon; classification of Muslim elders by
tribal origins: Mossis, Hausas, Wangaras; areas of Muslim
concentration in Dagbon; Christianity and the work of Christian
missions in the villages
Chapter 22: The Pilgrimage to Mecaa
Dangers
and benefits of the Hajj; preparations; Hajj agents; foreign exchange
problems; arrival at Jidda; arrival at Mecca; Arafat; Mina; Mudzalifa;
Medina; Alhaji Ibrahim’s piety and his feelings of pity during the
Hajj; return from Mecca; greetings
Section 2: TRADITIONAL RELIGION
Chapter 22: Traditional Religion: Soothsayers and Diviners
The
inheritance of the soothsayers’ bag; testing of soothsayers; the work
of soothsaying; other types of diviners; the Jinwara cult; Jinwarba
divination
Chapter 23: Traditional Religion: The Priests of the Earth
Local
gods and shrines; comparison of tindanas and chiefs; relations of
tindanas and chiefs: drum history story of Mionlana Mahami and
Tindaan’ Ʒee; chiefs who are tindanas; how tindanas inherit their
chieftaincies; women tindanas; the Dapkɛmas; tindanas and chiefs of
Tamale
Chapter 24: Traditional Religion: Gods and Shrines
Yabyili, Naawuni, Pong Tamale, Chema, Jaagbo, Lansah, etc.
Chapter 25: Medicine
How medicine works; types of medicine: liliga, vua, kabrɛ, tahiŋga, etc.; maalams’ medicines
Chapter 26: Drummer’s Medicines
Drummers
and medicine: gandu, zambaŋa, teeli; jealousy among drummers;
example of use of kabrɛ at drum history; the Bukpahinima, an anti-witch
cult
Chapter 27: Diseases and Medicine
Major
health problems of Dagbon; major diseases and how they are treated;
other problems: guinea worms and parasites; Dagbamba ideas about
medicine and health problems
Chapter 28: Madness
Types of madness; treatment of madness; madness and craft-guilds
Volume III: IN OUR LIVING
Part 1: ECONOMIC LIFE
Chapter 1: Farming in Dagbon
The origins of farming in Dagbon; collective labor (market-day farming); farming and the family; the sweetness of farming work
Chapter 2: How Dagbamba Farm Yams
How
Dagbamba farm yams; other crops: corn, sorghum, millet beans;
crop rotation and agricultural technology; farming rituals and
sacrifices; uses of yams
Chapter 3: The Work of Guinea Corn
Staple foods: uses of sorghum, millet, corn, beans; pito (local beer): ritual use and Dagbamba drinking habits
Chapter 4: Rice Farming
Rice:
origins of rice farming; uses of rice; problems of intensive
agriculture; credit facilities and debt patterns; emergent
stratification patterns; wage labor in the villages
Chapter 5: Groundnuts, Shea Butter, and Kpalgu
How Dagbamba farm groundnuts; shea butter and kpalgu (local seasoning): preparation and uses
Chapter 6: Markets
The traditional market system; types of markets; festival markets; the contemporary market system
Chapter 7: Modern Types of Work and Problems of Economic Development
Modern
trends in work patterns; the Dagbamba resistance to education and
“white man’s work” (clerical, soldiering, transport, etc.); guide to
development of the region; water and dam maintenance; agriculture,
extensive and intensive; infrastructure: sources of local labor,
sources of local decision-making; bullock farming and group farming;
health; potential local credit facilities
Part 2: FAMILY
Chapter 8: Family and Lineage
The Dagbamba extended family system; classificatory structures; sharing children in the family; why families are important
Chapter 9: How a Family Separates
Origins of family; benefits of the extended family; how families spoil through marriage and inter-tribal mingling
Chapter 10: What Makes A Family Strong
Funerals and family cohesion; property and inheritance; lineage guilds and family cohesion
Part 3: CHILDREN
Chapter 11: The Benefits of Many Children
Why Dagbamba value children; role of children in the family; Dagbamba resistance to family planning
Chapter 12: How a Child is Given Birth
How
a child is given birth; pregnancy and mid-wifery; bathing a newborn
child; naming a child; the suuna ceremony; the child in the mother’s
family house; how a child grows in infancy
Chapter 13: Special Types of Children
Difficulties of children; twins; children and bad spirits
Chapter 14: How Children Are Raised
How
children live with their parents; friends and peer groups; games and
dances of children; how children are trained; formal education:
Arabic and English schools; vocational training
Chapter 15: How Girls Grow Up in the Villages
Girls’
work in the villages: grinding, sheanuts, harvesting; household
training; festival markets; early courtship patterns
Chapter 16: How Boys Grow Up in the Villages
Boys’
work in the villages: farming, gathering food for domestic
animals; festival markets: early social patterns and courtship
Part 4: HOUSEHOLDING
Chapter 17: How Dagbamba Marry
Ways
of getting a wife; the age at which Dagbamba marry; responsibilities
toward in-laws; how traditional Dagbamba marry; how Muslims marry; how
chiefs marry; the life of chief’s wives
Chapter 18: Bachelors
Problems of being a bachelor; why Dagbamba don’t respect bachelors; how bachelors live; women who don’t have husbands
Chapter 19: Why Dagbamba Marry Many Wives
Why Dagbamba marry many wives; the hierarchy of wives; how the chiefs live with their wives
Chapter 20: Home Economics
How
Dagbamba householders feed their wives and children; types of
commoners; rotation of cooking among the wives; financial contributions
of husband and wives
Chapter 21: Marriage and Love
What a husband does for his wife; what a wife does for her husband
Chapter 22: The Life of Women
Types of work women do in the house; the character of Dagbamba women; how women help each other
Chapter 23: Sex and Jealousy in the Polygamous Household
Sexual
patterns in the household; jealousy among wives; the use of medicine
against each other; how a husband should live with wives who quarrel
Chapter 24: Divorce
How Dagbamba divorce; causes of divorce; examples of three divorces
Part 5: OLD AGE
Chapter 25: Widows
Chiefs’ widows: public bathing and beating; taboos of widows; customs regarding the remarriage of widows
Chapter 26: The Life of Old People
Old age and respect; status of old people; responsibilities of old age; the family head; how old people live; types of old age; lives of three old people compared and contrasted
Part 6: CONCLUSION:
Chapter 27: Alhaji Ibrahim’s Reflection on the Work
The history of our relationship; problems of the work; why he did the work; how he feels about it; final instructions to John
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
MAP 1: Ghana: principal towns and tribes cited
MAP 2: Northern and Upper Regions of Ghana: major towns cited
MAP 3: Dagbon: all towns and villages cited
Within the text:
PHOTOGRAPHS
TABLES AND FIGURES as readers’ aids for data-intensive chapters
RECORDINGS of selected drumming and music to accompany the text
End matter:
GLOSSARY of Dagbani words used in the text
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY on Dagbon
INDEX 1: Persons, titles, towns, tribes in the text
INDEX 2: Proverbs, praise-names, dances mentioned in the text
INDEX 3: General content and subject index