Paper short abstract:

This study critically explores drumbeats/stock phrase(s) engendering denotative and connotative significations reflecting didactics, sarcasm and aristocracy associated with a Yoruba monarch in Southwest Nigeria. The primary data is a live Yoruba talking drumming performance at the historical Tìmì of Ede, Oba Muniru Laminisa’s palace. The study concludes that the Talking drumming performance reflects didactics, sarcasm and projection of aristocracy associated with Yoruba monarchy.

Paper long abstract:

Despite extensive studies on Yoruba oral arts, Talking drumming performance in a Yoruba palace in Southwest Nigeria has insufficiently been underscored given its unique blend of text and context to generate meaning within the Yoruba socio-culture, history, politics and music. Therefore, this study critically assesses drumbeats/stock phrase(s) engendering denotative and connotative significations reflecting didactics, sarcasm and aristocracy associated with a Yoruba monarch in Southwest Nigeria. Talking drum (Dundun) has distinct speech surrogacy or membranophonic sounds when drummed to mimic any form of expression given its tonality (low, middle and high) grounded in the Yoruba phonetics. Karin Barber’s (1991) postulation on the panegyrics of Yoruba kings reiterates the act of monopoly and hierarchy in a public event, especially when the king dotted with eulogies: “big man is on display.” Thus, at the king's disposal, oral and performing arts served purposes of self-aggrandisement, exaltation, and public reputation among subjects. Barber’s (2005) Text and Context as study’s construct would be used to analyse drumbeats/stock phrase(s) from a Talking drumming performance in a Yoruba palace in Southwest Nigeria. Text as the permanent artefact, either handwritten or printed or performance, is concretised and retained only in the audience’s minds. In this study, contexts are specific circumstances that trigger a variety of meanings of drum texts in the Yoruba culture. The primary data is a live Yoruba talking drumming performance of satires/proverbs by the royal ensemble at the historical Tìmì of Ede, Oba Muniru Laminisa’s palace. Apart from the history-preserving resource for the transitory Yoruba royal praise-singing tradition, the study concludes that the Talking drumming performance reflects didactics, sarcasm and projection of aristocracy associated with Yoruba monarchy.