Indigenous Music Technology: The Construction of Slit Wooden Drum in Igbo Culture, Nigeria

Abstract

Music is present in all cultures of the world, and it serves essentially the same functions in most cultures. Among the Igbo, all aspects of life, ranging from birth to death, are integrated with music making, and yet, some of the traditional music practices have started disappearing, and if care is not taken, they might be lost forever. The art of indigenous instrument construction is not exempted, especially the construction of slit wooden drums. The interest in constructing indigenous slit wooden drums has drastically reduced, resulting in many challenges facing the drum makers. As a result of the scarcity of strong trees that are required for the construction due to deforestation, indiscriminate bush burning, and bush fallowing in Igbo land, coupled with the stress that the constructors undergo before achieving the end product, has led to interest reduction of many in the business. This paper aims to investigate how a slit wooden drum is constructed in Igbo culture. It focused on the construction technique, the procedure, materials, socio-cultural determinants as a musical instrument in Igbo culture, and the effects of western technology in its construction. This descriptive survey employs musicological tools, including participant observation, field recordings, and interviews of informants. Information was elicited through oral interviews with eight slit wooden drum makers and players from Anambra state. Articles and books related to the topic were selected and studied. It was revealed that the slit wooden drum is one of the oldest and most significant musical instruments produced and played in Igbo land and is still constructive in this contemporary Igbo society. Because of its socio-cultural implications in Igbo culture, the makers always consider materials, construction techniques, and decoration creating a balanced instrument that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. To ensure the continuity of this cultural heritage, it must be in a state of constant change, both through indigenous innovation and technological influences. It recommends, among others, for slit wooden drums to be one of the mass-produced factory-made instruments to fit into this technological era. This paper would help the perplexed instrument constructors to have metanoia in this art and will motivate rich people, who need business to invest in, to find this as a lucrative and worthy business.