[djembefeeling]

So far I thought dundungbé means "the pure (or white) drum". Now Mansa Camio just gave a workshop in Hamburg and explained that it means "drumming for no reason (or no occasion). Has anybody ever heard that explanation or is it made up?
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[michi]

I've never heard anyone give an explanation of the word, sorry.

Mansa Camio, eh?! How was the workshop?

Cheers,

Michi.

[djembefeeling]

I heard it was fun, I didn't take part.

In a way "pure" drumming can match Mansas interpretation of "drumming for no occasion", but that puzzles me is that there is a well established occasion for playing dundungbé...

[JSB]

I don't know mandinka, but in bambara, the word for "pure" is "Je".
I also heard the expression "dunun bei" whose meaning seems to be simply "to play the dunun".

[michi]

I was told by Mamady that Dunungbe is usually the first dundunba rhythm that is played at a dundunba fete. I've had other teachers hint that Konden often precedes Dunungbe, but I'm still hazy on whether or not Konden ought to be classified as being in the dundunba family.

Michi.

[djembefeeling]

I've had other teachers hint that Konden often precedes Dunungbe, but I'm still hazy on whether or not Konden ought to be classified as being in the dundunba family.

It depends on what you mean by "family". In the sense of families as categories for structures, Konden does belong to that family. Other than that, doubt it. But back to topic.

I don't know mandinka, but in bambara, the word for "pure" is "Je".

In Malinké, gbé is white/pure. It still puzzles me if Mansa Camios explanation as drumming for no occasion fits this sense of "pure" drum...