Page 4 Portland Observer Section II February 28.1881
the drum, was the bulafou or balafo, the forerunner oi
to d a y’ s xylophone or m arim ba. Jobson carefully
described it and remarked upon its unusual construc
tion. Two gourds suspended from each key, afforded
extraordinary resonance when this wooden slat (key)
was struck by a stick swathed in ‘ ‘ ...some soft stuff to
avoid the clattering noise the bare stick would make.”
Drum s, o f course, were the most im portant in
strument and were indigenous to all communities or
tribes. They were form ed from hollowed out logs,
gourds or calobashes, which were covered by stretched
animal skins. The instrument ranged in size from one to
seven feet high and from two or three inches to several
feet wide. Different pitches were achieved on the same
drum when the drum was struck by a stick, fist, foot or
elbow.
Accom panim ent to the drum was afforded by
wooden flutes, horns from elephant tusks, dududen a
sort o f clarinet; trumpets fashioned from wood and
tusks; various percussive instruments constructed o f
iro n ; and rattles made from gourds or other dried
vegetables. So, too, were the stringed instruments com
monly formed from large gourds with strings stretched
across the opening and attached to a long neck without
The Bamboule. Reproduction of d drewing by E. W. Kemble, included in an article by George Cable,
frets. One o f these stringed instruments was specifically
"The Dance in Place, C ongo," Century M agazine 31, (1886-86). A frica n -typ e instrum ents were
noted by Thomas Jefferson in his Notes on Virginia. He
generally used in the slaves' own jubilees.
stated “ The instrument proper to them (African slaves)
is the banjar, which they brough hither from A frica ,
record belongs to a slave named Nero Benson who ser
William and Mary at Williamsburg, Virginia.
and which is the original o f the guitar, its chords being
ved as a trum peter w ith a C aptain Isaac C lark o f
Fiddlers such as Sy G illia t, owned by the Royal
precisely the four lower chords o f the guitar.” It later
I raningham, Massachusetts in 1723; but only conjec
Governor
o f Virginia, and John Stokes, who belonged
became known as the banjo.
ture can lead one to conclude that they continued their
to Charles Carrol o f Annapolis, provided the call and
Women used the thumb piano, a wooden box with
musical career after the Revolutionary War was won.
music for reels, jigs and the like. Their abilities were
varying lengths o f thin silvers o f wood or metal fastened
In the southern colonies, it is evident that some
such
that they, and others, often provided additional in
over an opening. This was the only instrument that was
household slaves learned through being present when
come for their masters through being ‘ ‘ hired out” for
allowed them, generally they were singers and dancers;
itinerant musicians taught the children o f the wealthy.
g litte rin g a ffa irs . Some were fo rtu n a te enough to
men were the instrumentalists, and thus enjoyed higher
In more specific cases the more accomplished Virginia
receive monies independent o f the stipend paid to their
status. Essentially, all were participants, for onlookers
musicians may have gained v irtu o s ity by attending
owners. The more frugal saved u ntil they could pur
clapped, stamped and shouted their approval or disap
classes w ith their young masters at the College o f
chase their freedom.
proval and com m unal a c tiv ity was therefore em
phasized.
Thus we see that when the African crossed the Atlan
tic as a slave, it was inevitable that with him came some
o f his instruments, if not physically, at least in memory,
awaiting the time when they could be fashioned from
materials at hand in the New W orld. So, too, came a
rich history o f his past in song.
The log o f the English ship "H a n n ib a l" recorded in
1664 that captive Africans were forced to dance and sing
on board for the dual purpose o f exercise for themselves
and entertainment for the crew. A similar report was
made in 1788. I f reluctance or resistance was offered,
the slave was flogged. An early Portugese writer wrote
that the singing o f a captured group o f slaves aboard
ship indicated that, although the language was unin
te llig ib le, the lament was clearly understood by the
listener.
ALBERTSONS SALUTES
BLACK HISTORY WEEK
-C O L O N IA L A M E R IC A 1700 -1800-
Adjustments by the slave to his new “ home” included
differences in language, customs, music, religion, in
struments, and the ways o f his white master.
Memories o f his former home were maintained in the
field through w ork songs; he received sustenance
through his religious songs and expressed joy through
his dance and secular music. Therefore, music afforded
him some modicum o f ease in his transition.
Little primary documentation exists to indicate how
the slave became a musician able to render American or
European songs to entertain him self and others with
some skill. Newspapers o f the time carried listings that
refer to slaves for sale, hire or runaways who possessed
the a b ility to p erform well on various instrum ents.
These ads indicate that the violin, fiddle, French horn,
drum, fife and flute were the most common instruments
employed by the slaves. One such listing in the Virginia
Gazette, May 14, 1772, ruefully states:
R U IMA WAY ...a Negro named Derby, about 25
years o f age, a slim Black fellor, and plays on the
f iddle with his left hand, which he took with him.
Much o f the dance music was performed by Black
musicians, for dancing was the chief diversion for the
aristocracy; however, here again, meager documen
tation does not present a definitive picture as to how a
slave acquired the necessary skill to perform in a band.
To be sure, there are records that refer to this ‘ ‘ slave
fid dler,” or that “ Black musician.” and an occasional
diary w ill give a glimpse into how some were actually
trained. Arm y records indicate that there were more
than a few Blacks who played the fife or drum and the
d is tin c itio n o f being the earliest Black musician o f
AND THE BLACK5 WHO ARE NOW
/WAKING THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO
BLACK HISTORY.
On May 23, 1921 Florence Mills' big break came when
she starred on Broadway in "Shuffle Along". Florence
Mills was a natural, w ith an uncanny power of projec
ting her personality and talent. She starred in "The
Plantation Revue" in 1922, renamed "From Dover to
Dixie' She played in this show and in "Blackbirds" in
London. She died at the age of 32. " I'm just a little
ackbird looking for a bluebird” had become her theme
song.
Florence Mills
1895-1927
Singer dancer actress musical corned* star ot the 20s
Albertsons
Copyright 1980 by Albertson s, Inc All Rights Reserved
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