The long trunk drum, former percussion instrument that had been extinguished, was rescued by the Afro-Peruvian Museum of Zana and can now be shocking to hear your sounds, thus overcoming the silence. The work was completed in 2010 Fiestas Patrias. In this way the museum from the plains of northern Peru continues with the work of revaluation of ancient musical instruments that were forgotten. The drum was used stem from the colonial era in most settlements of Afro Peruvians. Gradually disappearing. Peru was losing its African roots drums like a long agony. Among other factors, modernity destroyed a significant part of our traditions. The vast majority of peoples of African descent in the Americas retained their old drums. Peru and had forgotten.
From November 2009 to date, the research team of Afro-Peruvian Museum has conducted an intensive work of re-evaluation and dissemination of percussion instruments such as the “Czech”, the “Angara”, the “jug drum” and the “scratch scratch” or “oak” guayaquil cane.
The long trunk drum, single patch, rebuilt by the Afro-Peruvian Museum of Zana is one meter long with a diameter of 38 centimeters. It is made of a eucalyptus tree, which has a hardwood. The drum was made in a rustic way of Zana Valley countryside. The main job of making the opening or “hollow” and shape the drum was the work of Rodolfo Zevallos Oliva 72-year-old African-American to consider an experienced rural artisan Zana Valley. The task was arduous. It began on June 15 and ended the first phase on 25 July 2010. For the large size of the trunk and its hardness, Mr Zevallos was long iron tools (new type of chisels) to hollow out the wood and used a wooden mallet as a hammer sapote. Used five old rustic tools. He left around the trunk hollowed out and ready for the final phase.
The finish long trunk drum included tightening the leather. This work was carried out by young Zaner Emmanuel Briones Carlos Urbina and experience working with rural and traditional music afrocosteña practice. They were responsible for putting on a goat leather, rings, the halter and wedges to temper. They joined two generations and to revive their ancestral art. The work was culminated precisely the July 28, 2010.
The two young men all participated in the month of May this year in a previous valuable experience to rebuild the earthen jar drum.
Various specialists and Caitro Soto, “Pititi” Nicomedes Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Fernando Rafael Romero, Tompkins, and “Chalena” Vasquez confirmed the old drum musical use Afro trunk. Their extinction was in the first half of the twentieth century. William Tompkins gathered in Chincha testimony from people who remembered having seen the last drum trunk around the year 1950 stating that there was placed vertically to be tapping.
The African traditional drums that came to Peru from the time of the Spanish conquest had a variety of shapes, sizes and were made from a variety of logs. In the ancient guilds, in the sheds of farms in the Palenque and in the groups festive drums sounded the ancient art and strength.
To recreate the ancient musical instruments, Afro-Peruvian Museum of Zana has used written sources, oral and iconography (paintings and drawings old). One of the most symbolic images has been a watercolor of Francisco “Pancho” Fierro, entitled “Follow the 1821 civic procession, in commemoration of the National Independence Day. At that time Afro-Peruvians took to the streets with their musical instruments also struggling for their own freedom. Just at this painting you can see the drum long trunk, which is loaded on the shoulders of two African descent. With that image references and other specialists in the field we have already concluded this new task.
There are three main objectives of rebuilding these valuable ancient musical instruments. First show and exhibit at the Museum of Afro-Peruvian cultural wealth Zaña of African descent with pieces of great historical value, second re-introduce these musical instruments in the contemporary art world and third Afro integrate with our drums to beat of feelings and sounds of the African Diaspora in the Americas. The drums unite the people from the continent of ebony.
In Africa it is traditional to use the drums with religious and artistic messages. Spirituality and feelings are transmitted through the percussion instruments, singing and dancing. In Peru in the nineteenth century were gradually disappearing, and disseminating religious rituals of African origin. For various reasons were disappearing rustic drums of African origin in Peru. Supposedly it had all ended in the first half of the twentieth century. The old Afro-Peruvian drum rustic trunk, had already passed into oblivion.
Just log drum returns and is reborn in the countryside where Zana lived and worked by men and women enslaved. The new generations are making great efforts to recover their ancient traditions of music, sounds and musical force of their ancestors. And so gradually returning the old drums that unite us with the ancient Africa and the descendants of enslaved 30 million Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas for four centuries. So now recovered joy. Rescuing ancient musical instruments of our ancestors could make a musical revolution in our country, because returning the spirits of the African diaspora with their drums and ancient sounds. Now with our clay jug drum and drum long trunk we meet with our great-grandparents who came from Africa. These musical pieces are available to each and everyone who wants to revive our ancient arts.
Zaña, Peru, July 28, 2010
Museum of Afro-Peruvian Directorate, Zaña < link to site
Listen Recovery 