Two Patterns of Chorus among the Efe, Forest Hunter-Gatherers in Northeastern Zaire: Why Do They Love to Sing?

Abstract

The singing and dancing of the Efe (the Efe Pygmies) are described and analyzed. The Efe prefer songs of their own origin to those of other ethnic groups. Songs of Efe origin are divided into two phases: Phase-I and Phase II. Phase-I is a "solo and response" pattern of chorus. Phase-II is a "dense polyphony" pattern of chorus. A transition occurs from Phase-I to Phase-II. While Phase-I is an introductory phase, the singing and dancing reaches its climax in Phase-II. The evening conversation of the Efe is similarly divided into two phases. By comparing the two phases of singing with those of the evening conversation, two modes of utterance which rule the two phases in both the singing and the evening conversation are identified, i.e. "utterance-silence" mode and "simultaneous utterance" mode. In the former mode, a soloist/speaker sings/speaks while the others keep silent. In the latter mode, all participants sing/speak simultaneously. The process of reaching a climax in the performance of the Efe is described as a transition from the "utterance-silence" mode to the "simultaneous utterance" mode.