Kora, Calabash, and Drum: West African Musicians, Photographs circa 1964

4 Comments / African Folklore, Dance, Emile Snyder, Family, Music, Performance, Photography, Research Notes / By

WestAfricanMusicians1

My father Emile Snyder was a professor of African Literature and Languages, specializing in contemporary African Literature written in French and English. He taught at a number of universities, including the University of Wisconsin – Madison, the University of Dar- es Salaam, Tanzania, and Indiana University. In 1964 when he was just embarking on a career change from 17th century French literature to African Literature, he received a fullbright to do research on African contemporary literature in West Africa. While he was there he met and interviewed many emerging African authors and had a chance to visit quite a bit of the west coast — thriteen countries in all. I have decided to post an amazing series of photos he took of a huge festival/procession in a small village that brought together a wide range of musicians and griots (itinerant praise poets.) You can see the entire collection in an album in the right-hand sidebar column. Read and view more photographs >>>

4 thoughts on “Kora, Calabash, and Drum: West African Musicians, Photographs circa 1964”

  2. Midori

    Hey Terri! You know it really makes me wish that we had published a Journal volume dedicated to music and its expression in folklore/myth/fairytale. I so should have written an article on the West African griots and used these photos….

  3. Terri Windling

    I know, I know! I admit it, I miss the Journal. Not that either of us had the time for it in the last six months, with all the other things happening in our lives…but I do miss it.

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