Music of the Cameroons

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.