JuliaJamesOdhok_songWomenOfNewSite

This item consists of a recorded Shilluk song (wav file), accompanied with annotation (in Praat TextGrid) and associated information: metadata, permissions and speaker questionnaire. The associated information is also summarized, in a spreadsheet. The TextGrid annotation includes Shilluk orthography, translation, and comments.

The recording at the center of this item is a 'horse song', which is normally sung by a lead singer with people answering in response. Horse dance (kyeny), is a dance in which women/girls make a long line or two and run beating the ground with their feet in a rhythmic way, making the sound of horse’s hoofs beating the ground as they run. This song was composed for the purpose of going to beg for a cow from Stephen Gwang who lives in Gudele. The women of New Site went to Gwang and his wife Nyagak in Gudele. Nyaar Ocodo is the leader of the women of New Site. It is common that women organize themselves and go to beg from any person of their choice. They do not sell the cow, but they organize a gathering where they invite their friends, usually another village. Then this bull is killed and they dance with happiness. The songs that women compose for the person are songs of praise for kindness, hospitality, and other things. Many people became famous because of such songs. So, it is a desirable thing.

Gwado Ayoker, Otto; Remijsen, Bert. (2014). JuliaJamesOdhok_songWomenOfNewSite, 2013 [sound]. University of Edinburgh. School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences. Linguistics and English Language. http://dx.doi.org/10.7488/ds/9.