Ngiemboon màndelevûm nkyɛ̀ bullroarer, Bamougong

màndelevûm nkyɛ̀

Source term: bullroarer / rhombe

màndelevûm nkyɛ̀: the Ngiemboon bullroarer of the secret societies; màndelevûm alone, or màndʉ̂avûm, is a children's spinning-disc.

In Bamougong, the màndelevûm nkyɛ̀ was a flat wooden plaque sent circling overhead on a cord until it roared — an instrument of the Ngiemboon secret societies. The linguist Roger Blench, who printed a drawing of its severe, stripped-down form, caught the name's fine print too: màndelevûm alone is a spinning-disc any child may play with; only with nkyɛ̀ attached does the word name the plaque that belonged to the societies.

Bullroarer used for secret societies.

Roger Blench, Ngiemboon musical instruments (2009), p. 6.

Particulars

Object

Flat wooden plaque suspended from a cord and whirled through the air.

Function

Sounded by the Ngiemboon secret societies.