Batá drum

Bata drum is a doubt celled hourglass in the cult music of the Yoruba in Nigeria and Benin, which is also used in African-American Santería religion in the Caribbean.

They are fur covered on both sides. Particularly well known are the Bata drums of Lucumí, the descendants of the Yoruba in Cuba. They resound mainly for ceremonial ceremonies in honor of African deities, but are played since the 1950s outside the religious context. Gilberto Valdes, Alejandro Garcia Caturla and other Cuban composers took her to the symphony orchestra. Also, Afro-Cuban jazz groups such as Irakere and Síntesis use Bata drums.

Here in Cuba always three different sizes and playable from both sides drums are used. " Iyá " (Mother ), the largest and deepest drum is beaten by the most experienced drummers. " Itólele " is the mean and " Okonkolo ", the smallest drum, which generates the highest tone. They are the players horizontally on the lap and played with the hands.

The Bata drums are very closely related to the Santería faith and the mythology of the Yoruba. After the Lucumí these drums are alive and "talk" to their listeners in sounds. They believe the drums are vessels of the divine mystery ( "ANA ").

To have " instill spiritual breath " the intended for religious ceremonies instruments in the production and processing, special methods are used. For example, no neither fire nor heat come to the wood to bend it. The " consecration " of the instruments is a letter addressed to the god Chango ritual with precisely specified rules. Unconsecrated persons may not touch the sacred drums.