The Talking Drum: An Inquiry into the Reach of a Traditional Mode of Communication

Abstract

The Talking Drum is an important instrument of communication in Traditional African society which serves as the voice of the whole community and it communicates the aggregate of their desires. The Talking Drum is fashioned to enhance grassroots mobilization for developmental needs of the society. This paper undertakes a hermeneutical study of the Talking Drum in Africa. It argues that besides the understanding of the Talking Drum as the instrument of communication, it can be regarded as a living being. Furthermore, the paper discusses the role of the Talking Drum as a personified entity in African society. The paper states that traditional methods of communication must be revived in order to give room for a free flow of information which is indispensable for any development to shrive. Introduction Traditional communication is a vital human activity which touches every sphere of livelihood for meaningful development and peaceful coexistence in African society. It involves the acts of transmitting messages to channels which link people to their languages and symbolic codes through which information are impacted and shared from one person to another (Agbenu, 2007). The inquisitive nature of human beings to explore, socialize and develop has given him the opportunity to interact with his social, economic and political environment. This interaction is made possible only by the process of communication. In African society, traditional communication is the oldest form of communication channels. It is traditional in nature and it is as old as the creation itself (Ayoo, 2007). Ebeze (2002) opines that traditional modes of communication was the product of interplay between traditional communities, customs and conflicts, harmonies and strife, cultural convergences and divergences, interpersonal relations, symbols, codes and moral traditions. It recognized the existence of traditional structures and the channels of communications used are verbal and symbolic aspects of interpersonal and group communication such as town crier, talking drum, gong, among others (Ugboajah, 1985). The verbal channel of communication consists of spoken words and channels such as religious groups, tribal associations, market place, chiefs and so forth. While the non-verbal channels of communication includes idiophones gongs, bells, rattles or Arephone, fresh unfolding palm fronts, decorated raffia and cryptic writing (Ayoo, 2007). Memberanphone include forms of skin or leather drum. Some of its distinguishing characteristics includes: the affinity between participants in the communication process, the perceived credibility of source that derives from respect of the institution of the message source, ability of the audience to talk back almost immediately and simultaneously (Ayoo, 2007). In many African societies, the Talking Drum serves as potent channel of traditional communication. It is the most efficient traditional communication method used in villages and rural areas to enhance grassroots mobilization for society's development. Since no development could adequately take place without the rural dwellers being involved, it was obvious that a familiar communication channel known to them can affect this change. However, communities in the rural areas that constituted about 80% of African population have partially being shout out of this very vital process of human development. As such their major means of communication is usually the traditional modes of communication which is the crux of this study. It is the interest of the researcher therefore, to ascertain the effectiveness of the talking drums as one of the vital channels of traditional communication, its developmental tendencies, and how it can be imbedded into the modern forms of communication of a greater development.