Documenting the making and uses of Bàtá, a Yoruba sacred drum ensemble (Southwestern Nigeria)

This project is a documentation of the Bàtá drum ensemble. Traditionally, the Bàtá ensemble comprises four drums, namely ìyá ìlù, omele abo, omele akọ, and kúdi. The specifications for the making of each component of the ensemble differ. The making of these drums requires a series of specialized skills by different categories of craftspeople. There are now very few experts in these skills due to dwindling economic appeal, religious stances and civilization among other challenges and the knowledge of the making is transmitted in oral tradition. But with the younger generations lacking interest, this knowledge is now at the risk of dying out. The project will document in detail the making of the Bàtá ensemble capturing tree logging, tanning, wood carving and the actual assembling of the drums. Ancillary activities such as dyeing, rim-making and testing will also be documented. Interviews will also be conducted with all the experts on the practices and endangerment of their crafts and the restrictions on the uses of the drums. The documentation will also include the actual uses of the drum ensemble. We will produce textual, photographic and audio-visual documentations of the processes, and 3D photographs of the drum ensemble.

Dr. Akinwumi beating ìyá ìlù Bàtá. Photo credit: Delight Jiboye.

Bàtá Drum ensemble with some wooden drum frames. Photo credit: Delight Jiboye.

A wooden drum frame in process. Photo credit: Delight Jiboye.

Drum frames of Omele. Photo credit: Delight Jiboye.

Dr. Kolawole Adeniyi holding an antelope skin with three omele Bàtá drums and a carved frame of ìyá ìlù Bàtá beside him.

Ọsán: Antelope skin cut in a spiral shape to hold both ends of the drum together. Photo credit: Delight Jiboye.

A complete Bàtá drum ensemble comprising two ìyá ìlù, omele abo, ẹ̀jìn, omele akọ, àdàmọ̀ and kudi. (left-to-right). Photo credit: Delight Jiboye.

PI: Kolawole Adeniyi

Collaborators: Paul Akinwumi, Modupe Bukola Olayanju, and Gbeminiyi Adewole Akintunde

Location of Research: Ilora, Oyo State, Nigeria

Host Institution: Obafemi Awolowo University