Music of the Cameroons
Various Artists

From the grassy highlands of western Cameroon, Music of the Cameroons narrates the lives of the Bafut tribe of the Tikar ethnic lineage, along with select moments from other nearby Tikar and Fulani tribes. Evocative of the cyclical nature of their lives, the Bafut create layers of repetition and polyrhythm as their workers sift through coffee beans, villagers celebrate their fon (or king), and a mother sings her child to sleep. Both women and men share leading roles in call-and-response tracks featuring instruments such as the shekere (shaker gourd) and pit harp. Liner notes include further descriptions of the Tikar music-making process, the musicians, and photographs dating from 1959 when this album was created.
Track Listing
101
|
Njung | Njung orchestra | 3:52 | |
102
|
Hail Muma / Social Song (1) (medley) | Wives and children of the brother of Fon | 4:23 | |
103
|
Hail Mumu / Social Song (2) | Wives and children of the brother of Fon | 3:43 | |
104
|
Three Bafut Songs | A 16 year-old blind boy | 2:17 | |
105
|
Ngwa - Two Songs / Part 1 | Young boys and girls | 1:59 | |
106
|
Ngwa - Two songs / Part 2 | n/a | 2:04 | |
107
|
Drinking Song | n/a | 1:00 | |
108
|
Mansa (Funeral Song) | n/a | 5:13 | |
109
|
Song for the Grass Ceremony | n/a | 1:53 | |
110
|
Four Lullabies | Mother to child | 1:47 | |
111
|
Sanitree ("Sanitary") | n/a | 4:04 | |
201
|
Lambule Munkunka ("Shaming" Song) | Male and female singers | 1:38 | |
202
|
Njung (Social Song and War Cry) | Drum, rattle and wooden rasp | 0:56 | |
203
|
Mansa (Funeral Song) | Solo and chorus | 2:49 | |
204
|
Christian Hymn | n/a | 5:26 | |
205
|
Njung | Njung orchestra | 0:59 | |
206
|
Coffee Workers Song / Work Song with Leader / Jamma-Jamma (medley) | Coffee-sifters working at the United Africa Corporation warehouse in Bamenda | 2:19 | |
207
|
Pit Violin | Young boy | 0:44 | |
208
|
Fon's Wives (Two Songs) | Fon's Wives | 1:41 | |
209
|
Social Njung | Njung orchestra | 0:53 | |
210
|
Song of Welcome | n/a | 2:17 | |
211
|
Nufum (Memorial to the Dead) / Fulani / Njung (medley) | Fon's wives and daughters | 2:28 |