Father and Son,
Busy on stage.
Father and Son playing the Doum Doum... Most of us know it as the West African “talking drum.”
Father and Son are Yoruba speaking.
Yoruba the language of Nigeria.
The language of the music called Afro Beat which the flamboyant musician Fela Kuti made so famous.
Father starts to teach the crowd a song...the song is easy. The Yoruba section of the audience, jubilantly, joins in. It is a count. I am told later it is a numbers songs called Iyeyewa. One to ten . Eni! Eji! Eta! Enrii! Anrun! Efaa! Ejee! Ejo! Eson! Ewaa!
As we chant the numbers Father and Son rumble on with their talking drums. The crowd loves it. After a while Father says his 9 year old Son will teach us a Yoruba song. The crowd is really grooving...
Now Father says Son will sing. Son says hello to the crowd. Crowd loves it. Son plays the Doum Doum.
Again. 
Tell me.
What is a “Doum Doum”?
Before the mobile phone came, Africans had talking drums. They were means of communication. This is, seriously speaking, classical music...
A while passes and I am talking to the Son. His name is Ayanlakin...so proud of his drum and the guidance of dad, Mr. Ayan Ayandosu.
…and it got me thinking.
Where do you see Fathers and Sons celebrating life together these days? What with the current trend of our un-guided (and mis-guided) young males, not so pretty, large, menacing hoods, scowling (but innocent) faces, trousers hanging down thighs as if ready to do a pooh, (a big s...), any second...thinking it is heroic!
So far as we speak Nineteen young people killed by other young people in the UK, this year.
Sons need Fathers. To be a good man, a son needs his dad.
And there is nothing better than what i saw.
Where was this?
Barking. At the market by the railway station. East London.
Friday 17th August, 2007. You might have missed them but here they are.
If you want to hear good talking drums and are thinking of where to get one. You could hire Mr. Ayan Ayandosu and his son Ayanlakin. Phone (+44) 7956-482148.
Or (+44) 7960-877447. 
I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
2 comments:
Karibu kwa ulimwengu wa blogu kaka. Nimekuwa nikifuatilia sana maandishi yako.
Ndesanjo ni rafiki yangu sana, nilikutana naye Arusha mwezi wa sita, ninakutana nae tena Afrika ya Kusini mwezi ujao.
Nakuja London mwezi wa kumi kwenye tamasha la filamu za Kiafrika lijulikanalo kama ZAFAA. Filamu yangu imechaguliwa kugombea tuzo. Natumaini tutaonana.
UHURU!
Nashukuru. Ukija niandikie barua pepe.
kitoto2004@yahoo.co.uk
Mwezi wa Kumi hapa Uingereza ni wa tamasha la watu weusi. Moto sana. Mambo mengi. Karibu.
Unaishi wapi? Afrika Kusini?
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