Page content
Primary Source of the Month
Reproduction gourd banjo. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Since the early colonial period, music has played an important role in the lives of Americans. It served as entertainment, giving performers a way to express their emotions and beliefs and listeners time to reflect on their culture. Music was also an important component of religious observances, and helped a community share its culture and traditions.
This month's primary source is actually a reproduction. The reproduction banjo, faithfully copied from rare surviving examples, is typical of instruments that were in wide use throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The banjo’s body is made from a hollowed-out gourd with an animal skin nailed over the opening. The long shaft of wood that extends through the body is called the neck. Three to four strings, tuned to different tones, are attached to tuning pegs at the top of the neck and anchored at the base of the instrument. The banjo is strummed or plucked, depending on the style of the music being played.
The survival of historical artifacts, especially personal possessions, is random and variable. Very common items or those owned by less affluent people are less likely to survive in good condition. Reproductions like this banjo can be used to enhance character interpretation and convey many aspects of a culture in a way that is immediate and meaningful to observers. Using musical instruments in this manner helps relate the story of a people’s lifestyle and traditions, and conveys a more complete picture to an audience. 
Telling the slave story through song and dance expresses the sorrow, hurt, and hope of a people who had no say in their circumstances. When enslaved Africans became a commodity for sale and toil, they brought their past traditions and cultural experiences with them. They incorporated their native cultural traditions into their religious practices and adapted traditional instruments into their music. Their music was a mix of African songs, folklore, and stories of their people's history, accompanied by available instruments or those made from the materials around them. Enslaved Africans' music helped them endure bondage and ease the burdens of labor.
Source: This article was written by Greg Timmons, freelance writer and education consultant, Missoula, Montana. Additional input was provided by Martha Katz-Hyman, Newport News, Virginia.
Historic Triangle
iCitizenForum
