In the heart of West Africa, a slender, hourglass-shaped drum has carried messages across villages, palaces, and battlefields for centuries. Known as the talking drum, it is one of Africa’s most powerful cultural symbols.
The drum, called dùndún among the Yoruba of Nigeria or atumpan in Ghana, has a remarkable ability: when its tension cords are squeezed, the pitch bends to mimic the tones and inflections of human speech.
In regions where many languages are tonal, this meant that drummers could effectively “talk” through music.
According to research published on the International Journal of philosophy, the Talking Drum is an essential traditional communication system, a "living being," and a tool for grassroots mobilization in African society.
Historically, the talking drum was used in royal courts to praise kings, in villages to summon communities, and even in war to coordinate movements. Oral historians and griots used it as an extension of their voice, weaving proverbs and poetry into beats that resonated across Africa’s savannahs.
But the drum was never just about words. It became an instrument of identity and pride, tying people to their lineage and traditions.
“Talking drums are African drums whose pitch can be regulated depending upon how the drummer strikes the sound of the drum and changes its tension. These pitches can mirror those of a person’s voice, and thus, the drums are called “talking drums”, writes Ushe Mike Ushe, a Nigerian scholar of African Traditional Religion in the International Journal of philosophy.
In Mali, for example, the drums have historically been used for four main purposes. First, they are used by jellis or griots charged with orally recording, preserving, and sharing their community’s histories and culture. The jellis used the drums as memory devices to help them remember important people and events. Second, talking drums are used to communicate messages across distances and villages.
The drum in modern music
Today, the talking drum is far from a relic of the past. It has been woven into highlife, Afrobeat, and hip-hop, embraced by global artists like King Sunny Adé, Fela Kuti, and even jazz musicians abroad. Its influence stretches from traditional festivals in West Africa to concert halls in Europe and America.
At contemporary performances, audiences are often stunned when drummers “say” phrases through beats. In Nigeria, a drummer might play the rhythm of “Ẹ káàrọ̀” — good morning — and locals will instinctively nod in recognition.
“The talking drums occupy an important position in African society. It is the most useful method of traditional communication which helps in information dissemination in African society” says Ushe
For many Africans, the talking drum remains a vessel of resilience and connection. In diaspora communities, it bridges generations, carrying the rhythms of ancestors into new worlds.
“The drum is living proof that culture speaks — literally,” notes Ushe. “Even in an age of technology, it reminds us that our traditions have always and will always find ways to connect us.”
