Nigerian Batá

Description

3-in1 Bata – Used as a supporting drum in the Yoruba batá ensemble, three small drums tuned to different pitches are fastened together and played with flat rawhide sticks. Individual drum names are Omele Ako, Adamo, and Kudi.

Traditional drums made and played in Yoruba part of Nigeria. the bata ensemble consists of three drums, the two larger drums; iya ilu bata, and omele abo bata are double headed, each end is played and produces a unique tone. The smallest drum is called omele ako, this is a group of three small differently pitched drums tied together and played by a single player.

Bata drums are made from a solid wood log from the oma tree. The drum’s shells are hand-carved and assembled in traditional fashion. The drums are assembled with no metal parts, the playing heads are goat skin, the tension straps are durable cowhide. A natural substance mixture called ida, is applied to some of the heads to lower and fine tune their pitch. It. These drums have been in the Yoruba culture for a long time and continue to play a significant role in various religious and social events.