Jola (Diola) Music & Dance (West Africa)'s Hand Held Percussion Instrument

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Update -April 22, 2024

This pancocojams post presents six videos of Jola (Diola) music and dance, with special focus on the clave-like instrument that is played by the female singers/dancers.* Information about the Jola (Diola) people is also included in this post.

I don't know the name of the Jola instrument that I'm referring to as a "clave-like instrument". If you know the name of this instrument, please add it in the comment section of this post. Thanks in advance!

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks to all those who keep the dance and music traditions of Africa alive. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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The original title for this post referred to what I though was the "clave-like" aspect of these instruments. Since publishing that post, I've learned more about "claves" and besides both of these instruments being of African origin and both being percussive instruments that are played throughout the music/dancing, I'm not sure that the Jola instrument were a precursor of claves. 

Here's some information about claves from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claves
"Claves... are a percussion instrument (idiophone), consisting of a pair of short (about 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in), thick dowels. Traditionally they were made of wood...When struck they produce a bright clicking noise."

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE JOLA PEOPLE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jola_people
"The Jola (Diola, in French transliteration) are an ethnic group found in Senegal (where they predominate in the region of Casamance), the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. There are great numbers on the Atlantic coast between the southern banks of the Gambia River, the Casamance region of Senegal and the northern part of Guinea-Bissau. The Jola are believed to have preceded the Mande and Fula peoples in the riverine coast of Senegambia and may have migrated into Casamance before the 13th century. The Jola and Serer people with whom they have an ancient relationship with[2] are believed to be some of the oldest historical inhabitants of the Senegambia Region.[3] The Jola language is distinct from the Dioula language of the Dioula (Dyoula) Mande people of the Gambia,
Upper Niger and the Kong highlands of Burkina Faso."

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From http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/legends-spotlight-on-daniel-lamou-jatta-the-sound-of-akonting
..."The Jola, Manjak (Manjaco, Manjago), Bujogo (Bijago), Papel, and Balanta are neighboring rice-farming peoples with similar cultures and social systems. Their traditional village-based agrarian societies are non-hierarchical without the tripartite caste system of their Mande, Wolof, and Fulbe (Fula, Fulani, Peul) neighbors. This being the case, these people have no griot caste nor do they have traditions of professional/semi-professional music-making and praise-singing (i.e. composing and performing laudatory songs for gratuities). Amongst the Jola, Manjak, Bujogo, Papel, and Balanta, playing the lute-- like all other forms of music-making-- is a vernacular social activity open to all, rather than being the exclusive domain of specialist music/word artisans...

While Daniel [Laemouahuma Jatta, the Jola scholar from The Gambia] set about his work to preserve and perpetuate the ekonting in Gambia, the instrument was faring a little better in neighboring Casamance, the crucible of the tradition. Unlike the Gambian Jola, the Jola are the largest ethnic group in Casamance with something like two-thirds of the total population of that region. This is the heartland of the Jola people and culture, especially in Lower Casamance, the region along the southwestern shores of the Casamance River.

According to some tradition-bearers, the actual birthplace of the ekonting is the village of Kanjanka in Lower Casamance...

Thanks to the crucial ground-breaking work of Daniel Jatta and others, there is growing global awareness of ekonting (akonting) and its siblings in the large diverse family of West African folk/artisan lutes, which have been hitherto overlooked. These instruments are just now beginning to get the international recognition and attention they deserve as living ancestors of the banjo. Many museums around the world have updated their collections to include the ekonting and other members of the West African folk/artisan lute family, while banjo historians and ethnomusicologists have begun to broaden the range of their focus to take these instruments.

Author: Oko Drammeh"

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FEATURED VIDEOS
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting dates with the oldest examples given first.

As somewhat of an aside, notice the number of videos that include the saxophone being played with this traditional music.

Video #1: Mike Bennett presents...Jola dance



Omarmane, Uploaded on May 3, 2008

Captured by Mike Bennett in Kafountine, Senegal. This is the dance style of the Jola tribe.
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cavaleer2, a commenter wrote "These rhythms are SMOKIN! Love Bugarabou. Respect from USA. That's a touch dance too.”
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Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougarabou for information about the Jola drums known as "bougarabou".

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Video #2: Mike Bennett presents...more Jola dance



omarmane, Uploaded on Jul 23, 2009

In the beautiful village of Kafountine, Senegal.

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Video #3: Jola at Lamin-Feb 2010



platini64, Uploaded on Apr 7, 2010

Jola music at a wedding in Gambia(Feb 2010). More at www.onegambia.com

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Video #4: Jola Music Performance at The Roots Festival Gambia



HarmattanProductions, Uploaded on Sep 23, 2011

Music Tradition of Jola (Diola) people in Gambia. Filmed at The Roots Festival, Gambia

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Video #5: CASAMANCE - Mariage Diola IgoRama


Tapha Diedhiou, Published on Jan 6, 2013

Mariage de Cheikh Sémou DIEDHIOU et de Rama Dia, oussouye, le 26 décembre 2010.

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Video #6: Traditional African dance. Diola. Cap Skiring. Casamance.Senegal.



Андрей Сапронов, Published on Jan 12, 2014

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Videos Of The Ekonkon Traditional Jola Dance (West Africa)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases four videos of the "Ekonkon" dance, a traditional dance of the Jola [Diola] people of Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. The spelling for Ekonkon is also given as "Ekon kon" and "Ekonkone".

Brief information about the Jola people is included in this post and three other videos of traditional Jola dances are showcased in the Addendum to this post.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE JOLA PEOPLE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jola_people
"The Jola (Diola, in French transliteration) are an ethnic group found in Senegal (where they predominate in the region of Casamance), the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. There are great numbers on the Atlantic coast between the southern banks of the Gambia River, the Casamance region of Senegal and the northern part of Guinea-Bissau. The Jola are believed to have preceded the Mande and Fula peoples in the riverine coast of Senegambia and may have migrated into Casamance before the 13th century. The Jola and Serer people with whom they have an ancient relationship with[2] are believed to be some of the oldest historical inhabitants of the Senegambia Region.[3] The Jola language is distinct from the Dioula language of the Dioula (Dyoula) Mande people of the Gambia, Upper Niger and the Kong highlands of Burkina Faso."...
-snip-
I've found very little information online about Ekonkon. Read the publisher's comment for the video given in this post as Video #1*
that Ekonkon is a dance that is performed by wrestlers.

Also, a commenter who posted on that video's viewer comment thread wrote that Ekonkon is a dance of bravery.

Please add information about the Ekonkon dance (or is it Ekonkon dances?) in the comment section to this post. Thanks!
-snip-
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akonting for information about the "akonting", a Jola gourd instrument which is probably one of the sources for the African American banjo.

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FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are posted in chronologial order with the oldest posted video given first.)

Example #1: Ekonkone, danse diola à Oussouye en Casamance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yK6W-Ij-7Q

[embedding disabled by request]

webdesignfr, Uploaded on Feb 14, 2009

Danse rituelle diola appelée "ékonkone" des lutteurs du village devant le roi d'Oussouye en Casamance. 21 septembre 2007. La danse qui dure plusieurs heures est accompagnée par le son du Bombolong (tambour creusé dans un tronc d'arbre) placé au centre du cercle des danseurs et par les femmes qui, afin de protéger les lutteurs, projettent du riz et de la farine et frappent le sol avec des nervures de rônier. Copyright: LFV 2007 reproduction interdite. Me contacter pour toute utilisation.

From Google translate:
"Diola ritual dance called "ékonkone" wrestlers of the village before the king Oussouye in Casamance. September 21, 2007. Dance that lasts many hours is accompanied by the sound of Bombolong (drum carved from a tree trunk) in the center of the circle of dancers and women to protect the wrestlers, plan of rice and flour and hit the ground with ribs palmyra. Copyright: 2007 LFV reproduction prohibited. Contact me for any use."

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Example #2: Traditional Jola Dance Video 1



Birmalgit, Uploaded on Jul 30, 2010

Traditional Jola Dance Casamance Juli 2010

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Example #3: African traditional dance/AUTHENTIC(Senegal)



WitnessTheDevine, Uploaded on Jun 18, 2011

In this video ,its Jola people doing their ancestral ceremony of Ekonkong.The jola people are located in Southern Senegal , Casamance , and also in the Gambia , and part of Guinee Bisseau.But this is happening in Oussouye, Senegal.
Here , its Normal school and city young men doing their traditional dance , back in the village.The dressing , dance , rythms , everything is specially made for this occasion.The dance and event is called Ekonkon.The dance of brave men!This is an authentic ceremony , nothing fake!

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Example #4: Ziguinchor.TV, Festival de Baila, 2èmr édition, Danse Ekonkon



Scoops Ziguinchor, Published on Apr 12, 2013

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ADDENDUM: THREE OTHER JOLA DANCES
Example #1: Traditional Jola dancing. Video 1. July 2006 [children body patting]



Ulf Jägfors, Uploaded on Sep 29, 2006

This video shows traditional Jola body patting and dances by girls from Mlomp, Casamance region, Southern Senegal. It was recorded at The Akonting Center for Senegambian folkmusic, Mandinari, Gambia July 2006

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Example #2: Jola at Lamin-Feb 2010 [Jola women dancing at a wedding]



platini64,·Uploaded on Apr 7, 2010

Jola music at a wedding in Gambia(Feb 2010). More at www.onegambia.com

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Example #3: Jola Music Performance at The Roots Festival Gambia



HarmattanProductions, Uploaded on Sep 23, 2011

Music Tradition of Jola (Diola) people in Gambia. Filmed at The Roots Festival, Gambia

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RELATED LINK
Click http://kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2013/07/jola-diola-people-ancient-african.html for an informative blog post about the Jola people. This post includes numerous photographs.

WARNING: One of the photographs on that blog post is of a female with no clothing on her top.

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My thanks to the people who are shown in these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube for helping to share information about these traditional dances.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.