Songs, Dances, and Games Inspired by AFRICA Arts Express 2018 Jennifer Purdy [email protected] The continent of Africa covers 20% of the Earth’s total land area and has a total population of about 1.2 billion. Historically it included as many as 10,000 different states, kingdoms, or tribes with many variations of rule and politics. Today Africa is home to 54 countries – each with its own languages and traditions. Africa is the most multilingual continent in the world. The climate of Africa varies widely. Its highest peaks are subarctic, the northern regions are primarily desert, and the central and southern areas are made up of both rainforest and savannah plains. Africa is the hottest continent on earth with desert land making up 60% of it. Africa has abundant natural resources, a wide variety of wild animal populations, and 3,000 protected land and marine reserves. Africa’s art, architecture, culture, and music reflect the beauty, history, and individuality of the people who live in this diverse and fascinating continent. senwa De dende This is part of a call and response song from Ghana called “Pete Pete” about a vulture being called home for dinner. It is in the Twi language. 1. Clap the rhythm and say the words of the first 2 6. Sing in place as a 4-part round with groups entering measures. T (Teacher) sings the entire song as S every 2 beats. (students) listen for the number of times they hear that same rhythm. 7. On the second, fourth, and last measures, add body percussion (BP) as taught by Salvo Russo as follows: 2. T sings again as S clap the rhythm of the first 2 measures every time it occurs. 3. S form a circle. T sings the song as S step to a steady beat around the circle. 4. All sing the song in unison. T makes any corrections Stomp the beat through remaining measures while needed for accurate melody, pitch, and rhythm. singing. 5. All sing while performing this simple 8-bar circle 8. Try this performance sequence: dance: 1-2 Walk around the circle on the beat for 2 sing in unison measures with students putting their hand on the sing in canon shoulder of the person in front of them. 3-4 All turn and do only BP in canon (audiate or softly hum) walk the other way for two measures with hands on sing in canon with varying dynamics shoulders as before. 5-8 Face center, join hands, and end with all singing slowly in unison and the step in for one measure, step back one measure, slowly final chord sung in harmony drop hands and stand in place for last two measures. Educators are welcome to share these lesson plans for classroom use only, but please give credit to Jennifer Purdy. OBWISANA (music and some lesson ideas from the USBE Elementary Songbook) 7. Now add a tap with the sticks. S pick up the The Akan words to this stone-passing game are stick on one beat, tap it in front of themselves “The rock has crushed my hand, Grandma. The rock has on the next beat, and place it in front of the crushed my hand.” It assures children that someone will person to the R on the following beat. This can always be there to take care of them. The game is about cooperation. The purpose is be tricky because the song is in a pattern of for everyone to have success. If one person makes a mistake, two beats, and this stick-passing sequence then everyone works to help that child be successful. uses a pattern of three beats. Consider the difference between the way children in Ghana think about playing games, and the way American children 8. If your students would like to be challenged with usually play a game until the best one wins. another variation, have them put their R hands behind their backs and do the whole thing with their L hands, passing to the L. 1. T sings the song. S listen for 2 phrases – same or different words/rhythm in each phrase? (same) NOTE: Shoes, yarn balls, crumpled pieces of scrap paper, and of course rocks can be used to play this passing game. 2. T sings the song again. S listen for the note at the end However, sticks make a nice rewarding sound on the beat of each phrase (2 bars) and show palm up or palm and help keep everyone together. down if the note goes up or down. 3. Explain the meaning of the words and the origin of the song. S practice saying “Obwisana” (The rock crushed my hand) with different inflections -- hurt, angry, sad, whining, scared, laughing. 4. All sit in a circle. S put their L hand behind their back or under their L leg. Each holds a stick in their R hands. S softly tap the stick on the floor to a steady beat as T sings the song. T encourages S to join when they feel they can sing along. T makes corrections to rhythm and melody as needed. 5. To a steady beat, S practice grabbing their stick and placing gently it in front of the person to their R. Saying “lift, drop” or “grab, pass” will help some students be more successful at this. S listen to the sound the sticks make as they are placed all at the same time on the beat. 6. Now all sing the song and pass the sticks at the same time to a steady beat. You could also try this to the USBE Elementary Songbook recording. (http://stream.schools.utah.gov/videoarchive/faa2/Track15. mp3) Educators are welcome to share these lesson plans for classroom use only, but please give credit to Jennifer Purdy. Nginani Na (as sung by Miriam Makeba) This call and response song is from South Africa. Sangoma is a Zulu term for a South African traditional healer, often one who channels the ancestral spirits who advise the living. Miriam Makeba included this song on her album titled “Sangoma.” According to the liner notes of her album, Makeba explains that in this song a person is being treated by a healer and asking “Nginani na” – “What sickness do I have?” In the lyrics the initial “n” in words such as ndiya and nginani are silent, and the “g” is pronounced “dg” as in the word judge. Call: Response: (2nd time) Wah - mah-maze Oon go - mah–ah Dee-yah goo-la Dgee-na - nee Na Call: Response: (2nd time) nay lo -ko Dee-nay lah-bah. Di -yah goo-la Dgee-na - nee Na All: Di - yah goo - la Dgee - na - nee Na Listen to the Miriam Makeba recording. Notice the The simplest way to teach this song is to teach S the simple percussion accompaniment. Make your own response part only, since the response is always the version of this accompaniment or create something same. Teach the harmony parts in solfege or by rote. new. One interesting effect is to stomp and/or clap on Encourage S to sing the part that feels best for their the last beat of each phrase and the first beat of the next voices. phrase as in the recording. This song is included in the book and CD Jazz it Up! by Susie Davies-Splitter and Phil Splitter. Educators are welcome to share these lesson plans for classroom use only, but please give credit to Jennifer Purdy. PATA PATA (sung by Miriam Makeba) Here’s another Miriam Makeba classic A. from South Africa. There are many Touch R out to side (arms out to sides with snaps) variations of these dance steps, but Touch R next to L foot these are the ones I use. Touch R out to side (arms out to sides with snaps) Step R Touch L out to side (arms out to sides with snaps) Touch L next to R foot Touch L out to side (arms out to sides with snaps) Step L B. Toes out (raise arms in front, elbows in) Heels out (lower arms) Heels in (raise arms in front, elbows in) Toes in (lower arms) (Repeat B) C. R knee up R toe touch R knee up R step next to L L kick L kick Jump ¼ turn clockwise Clap BANUWA Educators are welcome to share these lesson plans for classroom use only, but please give credit to Jennifer Purdy. This is referenced as a Liberian love song, lullaby, or processional. I’m not sure how culturally authentic it is – the words supposedly translate to “Don’t cry pretty little girl, don’t cry” – but I’ve never been able to find what the original language or dialect is. Nevertheless, it is a really enjoyable song. I have seen many different and wonderful ways to sing, play, and perform this song. Use the creativity and the strengths of your students to design your favorite way! This song is most effective when the parts are layered in one at a time. Here are some ideas to start: Try this Orff arrangement in the key of C. Try The groups enter the space one at a time, variations of layering with and without vocal parts and singing their part as they enter then joining the others. non-pitched percussion. Each group creates a hand/arm movement and does it together as they sing their part. It is beautiful to watch the movements grow as the parts layer in. Create a non-pitched percussion rhythm using djembes, gangokui or agogo bells, claves.