Algaita

Algaita (Pl. algaitu ) in Hausa, ( other spellings algeita, alghaita, algayta and algheita ) algaitasu among the Fulani (Pl. algaitagi ) is a woodwind instrument with a double reed in the North-West African savanna, particularly in Niger. The deep sounding algaita is usually played together with the tube drum ganga for the traditional ruling elite.

Origin and Distribution

The name is derived from the Arabic al - Ghaita, as well as the game played in the Maghreb double reed instrument Ghaita that as algaita also occurs in the Tuareg, and some spread to southern Europe bagpipes. The Galician gaita belongs to a group of bagpipes on the Iberian peninsula, while the gaita is played in Thrace.

This form of Kegeloboe corresponds to the Asian type of surnais to which the Turkish zurna, the Arabic mizmar ( ZAMR ), the Indian shehnai, the Chinese suona and the Korean taepyeongso belong. Common characteristics are the wide horn, the three -part design and the loud shrill sound that also possess the fine elaborate Asian instruments. Great resemblance to the algaita has played in the northeast Indian state of Meghalaya tangmuri.

Design

The algaita is about 45 inches long and has a conical melody pipe made ​​of wood with four to six finger holes on the front. The pipe end expands into a funnel - to bell-shaped bell, with other instruments, a horn from another piece of wood has been adjusted. The mouthpiece consists of an iron or brass tube which is inserted into the tube melody. At the mouthpiece tube a disk of metal, wood or gourd is attached, which is pressed against the lips while playing. Here, the small, plugged double reed is enclosed in a kind of grass from the oral cavity.

Play

In the traditional dynasties in Islamic North Africa, especially played by men only natural trumpets have a representative symbolic meaning. In this function, the algaita is played in the court orchestra of the Hausa before local dignitaries along with the long trumpet kakaki and the time doubt cylinder drum ganga ( gangan ). To the court orchestra of Toungo in eastern Nigeria were two algeitas, a long trumpet ( gagashi ) and a ganga. The kakaki and algaita were probably first introduced in the kingdom of Bornu, from where they have spread to other Islamic empires.

There are put forward by Hausa griot songs of praise to the Lord, in which the algaita enters a musical interplay in a duet with the singer, who plays ganga at the same time. The songs for the vaunted client to gain in importance with increasing length, they are easy for melodic and rhythmically similar to a non- clock- bound pounding.

The algaita is not a pure men instrument, a Algaita player without a male heir must also teach his daughter.