UCLA

The one string fiddle is found in West Africa, North Africa, East Africa, and some parts of Central Africa. In each area it differs somewhat in construction. The West African tradition, a one string type, is found in the savannah belt. The North African fiddle is extremely similar to the rebab of the Near Eastern Arabic cultures, while in East African cultures spike fiddles and tube fiddles are predominant. In Central Africa the one string type is rare, but there are varieties of two and three string bowed lutes in a few places. This dissertation is a comparative study of the instrument in two West African cultures -- the Hausa culture of the Kano area of Northern Nigeria and the Dagomba culture of Northern Ghana. It begins with a survey of the instrument in the savannah region in respect to its history, distribution, and organological features. Against this background the traditions of the two selected areas are examined in depth with particular reference to the history, social, and cultural aspects as well as the role of the performer. A detail analysis of the music is given, taking particular notice of those features that characterize the one string fiddle such as interplay of fixed and free forms; ambitus; gamut, scale and mode; melodic phrasing and ornamentation; texture; rhythmic background; and dynamics. Historically, the Hausa and Dagomba people have had intercultural contacts through trade and Islam; they also share a number of social institutions. The one string fiddle traditions in the two areas differ in certain respects. For example, the Hausa instrument is larger in size and the performer uses a different playing style. While the Hausa do not trace their instrument to outside sources, the Dagomba musicians state that their tradition originated from Gurma country in Upper Volta. Furthermore, Hausa musicians perform almost entirely for the general public. In Dagomba the musicians are attached to the royal court. Differences in musical usage are apparent in the two cultures not only in respect of form and structure but also in the details of performance practice and contextual organization. But there are also common areas of agreement which affirm the historical interaction of the two cultures and the factors which lead to stability and change. Materials for the analysis are based on field research in West Africa in 1972-74 as well as documentary sources particularly those concerning the history of caravan trade routes, Islamic and Arabic influences. Use is also made of relevant sources from oral tradition, linguistics, anthropology and ethnomusicology -- e.g., Bebey, Chottin, Dufourcq, Farmer, Greenberg, Hause, Murdock, Nketia, Oppong, Palmer, Tamakloe, Trimingham, and Wilks. The few available recordings that were used include OCORA. (OCR 15, OCR 17, OCR 20, OCR 29, OCR 35, OCR 38, SOR 4, and SOR 10), Barenreiter Musicaphon (BM 30L 2305 and BM 30L 2306), and Folkways (FW 8860).