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0303-20140228 - Bikang 2010- performance 3

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In Folder: ngunajumbu-dicarlo-0303

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0303-20140228 - Bikang 2010- performance 3

Session Information

Session Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/2196/00-0000-0000-0009-E29F-C

Title: Bikang 2010: performance 3

Description: This audio file was recorded in June 2010 during a field trip funded through a U.S. NSF project led by Jeff Good. Dawn is approaching and the group of performers continues celebrating Bikang. In this last recording, we can hear the final passages of the "horde" of performers: the end of Bikang involves the collection of rubbish and any other "polluting" element in the village to be thrown at some especially sacred spots. For this reason, in parts of this last recording we hear quick passages of singing-and-shouting men in the vicinity of the microphone. The ritual is secret and, hence, it is forbidden to use any video recording device to record it. The documentation we have of Bikang is in the form of a continued sequence of sacred traditional songs, performed in a solo-choir configuration, accompanied by sounds produced by special and secret instruments. Since the microphone (and the foreign researchers) were obliged to remain inside a house in Ndin quarter, the recording also includes discussions held by the researchers with people who happened to visit them throughout the night of Bikang. These discussions were recorded as it was impossible to anticipate what could happen both inside and outside of the house: this suggested that the best way to document Bikang was to have the recorder work as long as possible without arbitrary interruptions. The strong beliefs in the magical power inherent in the Bikang secret instruments have pushed the village community to ask, through their chief, not to make this material audible to anyone.

Date created: 2010-01-06

Location

Continent: Africa

Country: Cameroon

Region: Lower Fungom

Address: Point 520 (Abanga Henry's house in Ndin quarter), Ngun

Project

ID: IPF0180

Name: 0303-IPF0180

Description: Language_Name: Ajumbu and MungbamLanguage_Region: AfricaLanguage_Country: CameroonProject_Status: OngoingYear: 2011Start_Date: 2012-01-02End_Date: 2013-01-02

Keywords

Keyword: Daily Discourse

Keyword: Bikang Secret Performance

Content

Genre: Verbal Art

Languages

Language

Name: Cameroonian Pidgin English

Language

Name: English

Language

Name: Ngun

Language

Name: Zhoa

Actor

Full Name: All the men entitled to celebrate Bikang (from Ngun, Abar, Mufu, Buu, and Zhoa, though nobody came from the last two villages)

Actor

Full Name: some women who came and visit the researchers in the house

Actor

Full Name: All the men entitled to celebrate Bikang

Actor

Full Name: some women who came and visit the researchers in the house

Media Files

Filename: ng10_sv_3.wav

File handle: http://hdl.handle.net/2196/00-0000-0000-0009-E2A0-C

File type: Audio

Access: S

Written Resources

Filename: ng10_sv_3.eaf

File handle: http://hdl.handle.net/2196/00-0000-0000-0009-E2A1-1

File type: ELAN

Access: S

Filename: ng10_sv_3.pfsx

File handle: http://hdl.handle.net/2196/00-0000-0000-0009-E2A2-B

File type: Settings

Access: S

Access Restrictions: culturally sensitive - secret to outsiders

Restricted File: Please fill out the form on https://elararchive.org/requestaccess to request access to restricted resources.

Recording Equipment: TASCAM DR-100

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