History - www.africanbanjo.com

Welcome to African banjo history page! In this page I'm going to share what I know about African banjo and its history. Are many sources you may learn about banjo history and I would like to give credit to those who have provided narrative history about African banjo. As many believe that banjo is a musical instrument originating in Africa, and I do agree with them as follows:

The African banjo was a 4 men band playing one stringed instrument known as "Kapala" in "Wandali" Essau's tribe of Mbeya region, Tanzania. According to the 4th generation African Banjoist-Essau Pwelle grandpa ( Mwakibete Pwelle) who shared the history of the African musical instrumnets before he died at the age 90 years old in 1994 (Essau Pwelle 13 years old by then}. Four men villagers/family members band agreed on the note to be played while sitting around the fire in the African village after sunset.

Then the investion of the 4 stringed African banjo instrument came later in about end of the 15th centery (Essau's grandpa explained) after one player died, then the leader of the village suggested the entertainer's to make a 3 string instrument known as "Babatoni" which now is the bass of the 4 string African banjo. All this happened due to the fear that if another person could pass away then the music still continue by one person who could master the 3/4 string African banjo. This history is not written any where till when i came to US after doing a research on the banjo found many misleading part of the history. All in all slaves who came to Northern America from West Africa where most the history the African banjar refers to deserves the credit for its introduction of this remarkable, unique musical instrument in this world. But even before slavery, the African banjo was still played in most African villages as far back as the 15th century. Notably, the African banjo has played big role in many stringed musical instruments that we use today.

The original African banjo was made from gourd (kalabashi), raw goat skins, raw cow hides, and cow tale hairs for string. Was no frets on African banjo, and the original note is still the same as what our ancestors use to play in our African village. African banjo evolved from 2 other instruments: "Kapala" one stringed instrument, and "Babatoni" 3 strings instrument which now complements the 4 string African banjo (pictures to be added soon) as a banjo bass.

Why I do call the African banjo? Because it differs from western banjo, a 5 stringed banjo adopted from the 4 string African banjo. There is enough evidence showing that banjo came from Africa, but the most documented banjo is 5 stringed Northern American version. Due to the African banjo being introduced by slaves to this world, its influence was not popular, and has little value in the western culture.

I learned the tuning of the African banjo from my cousins when I was 14 years old. I have discovered that African banjo tuning has never changed. Using modern tuning tools, I have identify my cousins' tuning keys which I believe were used by our ancestors. The notes are: D, F, A#. and D or C, F, A#, and C for lower pitch sound. To find more about banjo history, you may visit: www.banjohistory.com Remember African banjo history will never change, only people can try to change the way they want to believe (e.p).

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