Some of the most defining music for the United States undoubtedly comes from the unique instrument known as the banjo. Few can deny the images of rural America and Appalachian folklore that come to mind at the sound of the instrument. Forever known for their bright and cheery contribution to old-time music, banjos have long epitomized the rich history of America and the rugged days of our ancestors. However, the sweet, traditional facade of the banjo effectively hides an ugly history, suggesting that its origins are not quite as innocent as they seem. A five-string banjo is comprised of a membrane stretched over a wooden rim, held together by a round piece of metal. Attached to the rim is a wooden neck, atop which four strings are wound using
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Contrary to the popular belief that the banjo is a truly American instrument, historians have traced its roots to the thirteenth century in West Africa. Scholar and native Gambian Laemouahuma Daniel Jatta theorizes that the banjo has evolved most directly from the akonting, a long-necked African instrument made from a calabash gourd with a goat skin stretched over it. The akonting was a unique instrument for the African people because it was not used exclusively by praise singers for spiritual songs (Allen). The akonting was an instrument that any man or woman could learn to play, making it widely-learned and played among the rural tribes of West …show more content…
To do this, the slaves were “danced” every morning, which involved forcing them to jump up and down for exercise. This “dancing” was usually accompanied by a few African instruments, most notably the African banjo, as this was one of the primary instruments the slaves had in their possession (Pettersen). Not surprisingly, after the arrival and sale of these Africans and their instruments in the United States, the banjo soon became a commonality of Southern plantation life and gained the reputation throughout the South, and more specifically, Appalachia, as a black instrument
Contrary to the popular belief that the banjo is a truly American instrument, historians have traced its roots to the thirteenth century in West Africa. Scholar and native Gambian Laemouahuma Daniel Jatta theorizes that the banjo has evolved most directly from the akonting, a long-necked African instrument made from a calabash gourd with a goat skin stretched over it. The akonting was a unique instrument for the African people because it was not used exclusively by praise singers for spiritual songs (Allen). The akonting was an instrument that any man or woman could learn to play, making it widely-learned and played among the rural tribes of West …show more content…
To do this, the slaves were “danced” every morning, which involved forcing them to jump up and down for exercise. This “dancing” was usually accompanied by a few African instruments, most notably the African banjo, as this was one of the primary instruments the slaves had in their possession (Pettersen). Not surprisingly, after the arrival and sale of these Africans and their instruments in the United States, the banjo soon became a commonality of Southern plantation life and gained the reputation throughout the South, and more specifically, Appalachia, as a black instrument