Music of the Vai of Liberia

Primarily farmers, the Vai people are a minority ethnic group living in Liberia with a smaller population in southeastern Sierra Leone. They presently number about 240,000 people. In 1977–1978 and again in 1981, Dr. Lester P. Monts, assistant professor of ethnomusicology at the University of California Santa Barbara, conducted field studies and recordings of the Vai. The performances in this collection feature six different instruments: three idiophones, two membranophones, and one aerophone, which are part of modern-day Vai music. Songs are sung in Vai, Mende, and Arabic. The liner notes, written by Monts, provide information about the Vai, their music and musical instruments.

Track Listing

101	Sande Ziawa Song	Bendu Pussah and townsmen of Latia	01:59
102	Topical Song (1)	Seku Bundah, troupe, and townsmen of Konjah	03:31
103	Masked Dancer Song	Molley Kiazulo	01:00
104	Masked Dancer Song for Bowu	Molley Kiazulo and townspeople of Senjenama	01:33
105	Masked Dancer Song for Zoba	Molley Kiazulo and townspeople of Senjenama	01:41
106	Sangba Rhythms for Bowu	Boikai Kamara and sangba player from Bomi	02:15
107	Historical Song	Townspeople of Bomfor	00:58
108	Koningai Music and Story	Armah Dasseng	04:49
109	Topical Song (2)	Kuna Kiatamba and troupe from Robertsport	04:10
201	Children's Game Song	Zoe Siewana and townschildren of Tossoh	01:40
202	Muslim Anthem (1)	Townspeople of Tienemai	01:00
203	Muslim Anthem (2)	Townspeople of Tienemai	01:33
204	Arabic Birthing Song	Sattah Siewana and townsmen of Tossoh	01:48
205	Kleng Rhythms for Yavi	Armah Dasseng	02:15
206	Storytelling	Boa Kiahon and townsmen of Bendu Gawula	08:33
207	Topical Song (3)	Seku Bundah, troupe, and townsmen of Konjah	05:12