The musical bow, locally known as bonm, is a simple one-string musical instrument that forms part of the Seychellois musical tradition. It consists of a flexible, usually wooden, stick 1.5 to 2 m long, that is strung end to end with a taut cord, initially made with vegetable fibre and now made with metal. It has a calabash that acts as a resonator and is played by striking the string with a stick or baguet (Fr. baguette).
Unlike most other musical instruments that have a “mouth” that points outward to an intended audience, the “mouth” of the calbash of the bonm faces the belly of the performer. In fact, the stomach becomes an integral surface to create the instrument’s signature timbral shift, the “open/close” or “wah-wah” of its voice.
This musical bow –bonm- was introduced to the Seychelles through Réunion Island in the early days of slavery. It is a solo instrument that was used mostly on outer islands where other forms of music were not easily available and where musical entertainment had not previously existed. The songs and lyrics that accompanied the bonm were slow and soft in nature and usually described island life in the early 1900s.
It was popularized in Seychelles by four local veterans: Jacob Marie, better known as ‘Ton Pa’ who passed away some years ago. Andrea Laporte known as Dea, Boboi and Dolfin Franset. They used the bonm to tell stories from the past. They were often referred to in French as ‘Les derniers musiciens conteurs’ ( the last storytelling musicians). The bonm provided a steady rhythm to their narration.
The possible Origins of the name of the instrument-Bonm
From the short research that I have done, it appears that the name of instrument bonm has undergone constant mutation as it moved from one country to another. It is called :
- in ancient Egypt dede,
- in East Africa, dzedzy in Swahili,
- in Madagascar, jejilava in the national language
- jenjy in Betsimisaraka language,
- Jejo in Antandroy Language ,
- in Portugal, abóbora,
- in La Réunion bobre,
- in Rodrigues and Mauritius bome,
- and in Seychelles bonm
In these different denominations, we see that the bonm follows the African lineage from ancient Egypt to Madagascar via Swahili Africa. But when political events, such as slavery and colonization, interfered with its destiny in the 19th century, the instrument underwent a new nominal transformation and linguistic kinship change.
The possible Origins of the instrument- Bonm
Where did the bonm originate from? Was it from West Africa, Madagascar, Mozambique, Southern Africa or Europe? Let us have a brief look at all the possible connections:
The West African Connection
The Bonm has a cousin, which is now popular in Brazil, called the ‘berimbau’. The Afro-Brazilian berimbau is clearly of West African origin. This is what Gerhard Kubik, who carried out research in Angola and in Brazil, believes. According to him, the berimbau de barriga represents a synthesis of several Angolan and Congo gourd bows. One that he recorded in southwest Angola, the mbulumbuma , is “virtually identical with the Brazilian berimbau ” and is “identical in construction and the playing technique”.
The Malagasy Connection
The bonm may have originated in Madagascar, where it is known as the jejilava, and, like many traditional instruments, spread throughout the region by the immigrant slave population from Madagascar.
The Mozambiquan Connection
That said, it is also found in Mozambique, where this type of musical bow with resonator exists under the names of chitende, n’thundao or chiqueane (south of Rio Save), and chimatende (in the province of Sofala).
The South African Region Connection
Musical bows are the main instruments of the Nguni and Sotho people, the predominant peoples of South Africa. Historians believe that many of the musical bows came from Khoisan peoples.
The European Connection
According to the ethnomusicologist Jean-Pierre La Selve , it is possible that the vernacular name ‘bob’ (formerly bobre), specific to Réunion Island today, could have come from Europe: “The musical bow is reminiscent of an instrument often depicted in Flemish painting, the ‘bumbass’, a single-stringed instrument whose resonator is a dried pig’s bladder, and which was used in Northern Europe as an instrument during carnivals. It is therefore possible that Flemish sailors (…) may have introduced this name which, when removing the last syllable, changes from ‘bumbass’ to ‘bomb’, then from there to simply ‘bom’”.
Furthermore, it is reported that a cave painting in the Trois Frères cave of southern France, dated to around 13,000 BCE, displays a bow being used as a musical instrument, so this use certainly has a long history.
Also, iconography of the period shows notable similarities between the resonators of European instruments and the first Réunionese models made of bladders.
How was the bonm introduced to the Seychelles?
Was the bonm introduced directly by slaves from either West Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Southern Africa or was it through Réunion island? We may never know the correct answer, but from the research I have done, it appears that it may have been introduced to Seychelles from Réunion Island. It is recorded that the bobre was very popular in the streets of Réunion in the mid 1800s. It was used to accompany music for typical local dances mainly the Maloya.
Played for melodic-rhythmic purposes as a soloist, for laments and maloya pléré, or as part of the instrumental repertoire for festive maloya (formerly known as danse des Noirs), the bobre became the musical instrument of choice for street singers as well as puppeteer until the beginning of the 20th century.
The bobre was also used by street peddlers in order to attract their customers to their goods being sold. The abolition of slavery saw the proliferation of odd jobs, improvised trades, resourcefulness, and clandestine activities giving rise to street peddlars selling milk, coal, manure, roasted pistachios, breads, sorbets.
Pa Benjamin
A well known personality, then, was a street peddler named ‘Pa Benjamin’. A small section of his daily peddling activities is described in this article from a publication called ‘La Mer- Chanteurs de rue: le bruit mat des pieds nus qui s’éloignent’.
‘Au coeur du 19ème siècle, Pa Benjamin, vieux Malgache débarqué à l’île Bourbon du temps de l’esclavage, est engagé comme colporteur dans une entreprise de boulangerie tenue par son ancien maître. Il arpente les rues pour vendre les petits pains et agrémente sa tournée en jouant de son instrument fétiche : le bobre aux palpitations madécasses.
Le dimanche, entre quatre et cinq heures du soir, Pa Benjamin se transforme en vendeur de rêve : équipé de son précieux bobre et de « deux poupées grotesquement attifées» , il devient montreur de marionnettes et donne spectacle dans les rues, au milieu de badauds « très assidus ».’
The bobre apart from being used as an instrument for public performance was also used privately. Bruno Maillard, historian, points to this other form of musical expression:
‘Let us now see the ‘Cafre’ who has finished his day’s work. Seated at the door of his hut, he sings to the accompaniment of the ‘bobre.’ Sometimes this is to impress his wife, sometimes it is in expectation of the pleasure promised by the bubbling kettle on the fire, and sometimes it is just instinct. His song is devoid of the coarseness , almost approaching melancholy. Despite being played to a constant rhythm, it manages to produce impressions of sadness, hope, and strength through modifications in tempo and the accompaniment of the primitive instrument.’
Evolution of the Bonm
“When a musical instrument emigrates in the head or in the arms of a person, it gradually undergoes transformations after one, two or more generations. It can change shape, name, or size. The materials used in its manufacture differ from those of its country of origin, its sound properties change, its playing style varies, etc. Arrived in its new environment, the instrument can be adopted by the host populations who gradually integrate it into their living conditions, their know-how, their traditions, their rites and beliefs. The instrument thus acquires a new function and a new identity. It is during a new historical process that a new cultural object is born ”.
This quote, above, the source of which I do not have, applies accurately to the bonm, the construction and usage of which have both evolved since it arrived in the Seychelles. The animal bladder used as an amplifier is now a hollowed-out gourd with the top third cut off. Formerly plant-based, the rope or string is now a steel wire, an electricity cable or a bicycle brake cable. The kaskavel rattle, traditionally held in the musician’s right hand (when right-handed) was made of a braided vegetable pouch of seeds has been replaced by a matchbox or a small tin full of beads.
How is the bonm played?
Holding the bonm
The bonm is mostly played standing up. This is because the bow is quite long. When played standing up the bow is held almost in a vertical position, with a slight angle towards the diagonal. It should never touch the ground. This allows the performer to be able to move to the sound of the music. On the other hand, the bonm can also be played while seated on a tall stool. In this case, it is held close to the diagonal so that the tip of the bow barely rests on the ground.
The performer holds the bonm with one hand (above the resonator) and places it in front of him, the calabash at the height of the abdomen. The open end of the gourd facing the stomach. The first three fingers firmly hold the bow whereas the index is left open so that it can be used to alter the tension on the string in order to provide different sound or even muffle the sound.
Producing the sounds and rythms
The performer rhythmically strikes the string with the other hand using a thin stick called baget (Fr. baguette). This hand also holds a small rattle with a handle called Kaskavel which acts like a maraca, and which generates a rhythm when shaken. Sometimes the kaskavel is attached to the end baget, forming one piece of equipment.
In essence there are at least two fundamental notes produced by the bonm; an open (when the player does not shorten the string or touch it) and a closed (where the string is shortened or stopped by the player’s finger). Furthermore, the musician can also make a variety of sounds from the bonm:
- By hitting the top section of the string above the resonator, he will get a lower note and will obtain a sharper note if he strikes below the resonator;
- by opening or closing the resonator, done by moving the opening of the calabash towards or away from the stomach or chest, the performer can strategically control the resonance and timber. He can obtain a ‘wah-wah’ effect by speeding up this movement;
- By playing with the vibration of the string using a finger, the performer can alter the tension of the string thereby producing a different the sound;
- Other sounds can also be obtained by striking the wood of the bow or the resonator, with the ‘baguet’.
Meanwhile, the kaskavel underscores the strong beats of each rhythmic pattern.
Of course, the strength (velocity, accent) with which one lets the baget hit the string is paramount to rhythm quality. The open sound is naturally stronger, but the musician may decide which strikes to stress. Also, the sound tone shifts a little with the strength of the strike.
The tuning
The bonm is not an instrument that can be tuned finely. ( Although one can now buy tunable berimbau– the close cousin of the bonm). A rough tuning can be achieved by moving the gourd along the bow to achieve a rough C and G tone. Usually the player tunes the instrument so that the pitch is natural for the instrument and the player’s voice.
The parts and accessories of the Bonm
The Bow
The wooden bow makes up the main body of the bonm. Most bows are about 1.5 meters to 2 meters long. The wood used has to be strong and flexible and the most popular ones to use are the bwa zozo ( Litsea Gluteosa) and Bwavar ( Hisbiscus tiliaceaus) .The bwa zozo is yellow-brown wood which is moderately hard, moderately heavy, the grain is slightly crossed in narrow bands; whereas the bwavar is a very versatile tree that grows along the coastline that has a very flexible stem; Bwa takamaka (Calophyllum iniphyllum) was also used although and less frequently because it is less flexible and can be brittle.
The string
The string was formerly made of vegetable fibre but is today generally made of nylon or steel. It is stretched between the two ends of the flexible wooden bow which bends the bonm into its characteristic bow shape. The string has to be strong enough to withstand the tension of the bow, as well as the battering of the baguet. Its vibration produces the sound of the bonm.
The resonator
Due to the nature of their construction and playing, the bonm is a quiet instrument, therefore needing a resonator to resound. Originally dried pigs bladder was used as resonator. This gave way to the calabash gourd, or kalbas, as it was found to be more hygienic and sturdier and because it was thicker, gave an overall louder sound. The gourd is allowed to dry out and the end that is attached to the vine cut off . All seeds are removed, and the inside cleaned. It is attached to the instrument about 1/3 way up from lower end of the bow ; It now becomes the resonator and is held in place by a loop of string.
The loop
The loop passes through the top of the gourd and soumda and around both the wood and the wire of the bow. It allows the string to be stretched and the resonator to be moved, to assist in the basic tuning of the bonm.
The Soumda or soundar
If you attach the gourd directly to the bow it will tend to slip. To stop this from happening, the Seychellois musicians came up with an ingeneous attachement to link and secure the gourd to the bow. This attachment is a half coconut shell, locally known as ‘soumda’ or ‘soundar’.
This shell, that looks like a cup, is obtained by sawing a whole husked coconut in half at its equator and scraping out all the meat. The cup should fit snuggly on top of your gourd. A groove is cut on the top of the shell into which the bow is tightly fit.
Baget (Fr.Baguette)
The baguet is a small thin stick, roughly 20 cm long that is used to hit the string of the bonm to produce the sound. The baguet has to be made with a material that will not break that easily and bamboo was the preferred choice.
Kaskavel (Fr. cascavelle)
The kaskavel is small percussion instrument or a rattle which contains seeds, that is shaken to produce a rhythmic sound. It can either be attached to the baget or held separately. It is held in the same hand that its holding the baguet and shaken simulteneously to produce a rhythm.
Initially it was in the shape of a small box made out of pandanus leaves- feiy vacao. Some of Ton Pa’s kaskavel were made with a small match box, a small bottle or even the neck of the calbash. It was filled with different types of seeds. In fact, kaskavel gets its name from the ‘graines réglisse’ (the seeds of abrus precatorius) that is known as ‘cascavelle’ seeds in Réunion. The seeds of ‘cascavelle’ were also used for witchcraft practices. They are reputed to bring bad luck, but nowadays they are used for making jewelry. Other seeds that were used were ‘graines lagati ‘adenanthera pavonine-, and ‘graines kaspiant-cassia occidentalis.
The Bonm Players of Seychelles
There were four bonm players in Seychelles who contributed greatly to our knowledge of the instrument. These were Jacob Marie, better known as ‘Ton Pa’, Boboi, Dolfin Franset and Andrea Laporte, known as Dea. I have attempted to feature some of their works below:
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A documentary produced by SBC on Ton Pa.
One of Ton Pa’s performaces on stage– Mon Manman
Below I reproduce the introduction to the album titled: Ton Pa and Boboi: Mémoire Musicale des Iles Seychelles , as well as some of their music and songs..
“Jacob Marie, better known as Ton Pa, was a local artist who alongside Boboi, were called “the last story-teller musicians” of Seychelles. The concern at the time was that once Ton Pa and Boboi passed away, the tradition of playing the “bonm” and “zez” instruments would be lost in the country. The “bonm” was a simple bowed instrument without a resonator and the “zez” was a bowed instrument with a gourd resonator used to provide a steady rhythm to the narration.”
“It was with the intention of preserving folk music that Jean Bériac’s label, Expression Spontanée’s recorded the two men for posterity. The album “Mémoire Musicale des Iles Seychelles” came out in 1978 when Ton Pa was 75 years old and Boboi, 74. All the songs on the album were traditional, even if Ton Pa added his own personal version of such songs as Jellelo and Anne-Marie”.
Ton Pa 
Boboi
“Accompanying himself on the “zez”, Ton Pa delivered a stunning, mostly spoken vocal performance. Boboi’s performance was more intimate and melodic. He accompanied himself with the bonm“.
“The music that Ton Pa and Boboi performed were created on the outlying islands by workers who came from such places as Madagascar or the East African region. It was not uncommon in the days of his youth (he is said to have been born in 1903) that workers would come from such places to work in Seychelles’ archipelago”.
The list of songs recorded in Mémoire Musicale des Iles Seychelles
Tracklist ( The tracks have not been separated- click on any of the highlighted links for full recording)
- A1 –Tonpa La Première Parole 3:16
- A2 –Tonpa Jellelo Et Anne-Marie 13:34
- A3 –Tonpa Katounou 3:52
- A4 –Tonpa Le Moutia 2:53
- B1 –Boboï Kandou 2:45
- B2 –Boboï Toc, Mon Cateau Nosibé 2:14
- B3 –Boboï Ça Qui Pour Moi, Pour Toi 2:38
- Contre-Danse
- B4a –Boboï Contre-Danse (A) 2:38
- B4b –Boboï Contre-Danse (B) 2:28
- B4c –Boboï Contre-Danse (C) 2:46
- B4d –Boboï Contre-Danse (D) 2:42
Other music and songs– Jacob Marie-‘Ton Pa’
Below are a few other songs and music from Ton Pa – Jacob Marie– from a CD entitled ‘Seychelles, Musiques Oubliées des Iles- Dances et Musiques de l’Ancienne France’. Produced by OCORA Radio France 1976-77 and recorded on Mahé, La Digue and Coetivy islands.
Please note that all quotes, explaining the songs, are extracted from the CD cover and are unedited.
This first track is entitled ‘Wilison’ and is performed by Ton Pa. “The lyrics full of humour, complacently describe a wedding attended by all the prominent people in the village. Bursting firecrackers, toward the end of the track, signal the ritual ‘lever de chambre’ which is an integral part of the wedding celebration. In the morning, the guests, who danced the night through, walk into the bedroom to the sound of music, watch the newly weds get up and stand witness to the happy (or otherwise) consumption of the marriage“.
Other music and songs–Andréa Laporte- ‘Dea’
This link to two of ‘Dea’ Andréa Laporte’s songs courtesy of filoumors.
http://filoumoris.com/dea-andrea-laporte/
Below is a song from Andréa Laporte, known as Dea.- from a CD entitled ‘Seychelles, Musiques Oubliées des Iles’.
Clémentine-” Yet another melody on the musical bow and a man’s voice, tells the story of a small-scale tragedy in a couple, with a man complaining about his wife’s frequent imbibing. The singer Andrea Laporte, nicknamed Dea, an old and well known musical arc player who wrote many local hit songs”.
Other music and songs–Dolfin Franset-‘Ptit frère’
Below are some songs/ music from Dolfin Franset, also known as ‘Ptit frère’. These songs and music are also from the CD entitled ‘Seychelles, Musiques Oublieés des Iles- Dances et Musiques de l’Ancienne France’.
Faida-” A melody for two voices and musical bow , is performed by Dulfin Franset and his wife, from Anse Sévère La Digue. They had not sung together for so long that Mrs Franset forgot they were supposed to sing in alteration. What’s more, the musical bow had not been used for a long time- it had been taken apart and store away in ‘la boutique’.(a corner) that they could not find the string for it and had to go out and buy one”.
Rosalie content Capitaine-” A sailor’s song set to a sega rhythm, sung by Dolfin Franset, who plays the musical bow”
Dodo Baba-“ A Lullaby sung with tenderness and humour by Dolfin Franset. The singer even goes so far as to allude in the song to his ‘fiole’ which probably contains some baby medicine to soothe the nerves. ‘Baba’ means baby in Seychellois’ Creole“.
The future
We have to make an extra special effort to revive the bonm. An idea would be to encourage competitions among the young and old, offering prizes for solo players as well as group performances. We should adapt and get more creative like incorporating the bonm in the popular music, a bit like what the Brazilians have achieved with the berimbau.
A personal note
I apologise for being gender biased in my description. I personally find it hard to be gender neutral when describing how to play the bonm.
Sources
- Chanteurs de rue : le bruit mat des pieds nus qui s’éloignent – La Réunion – Economie et société
- Approche Pour Une Etude Du Métissage Des Instruments De Musique De L’ocean Indien, Yu-Sion Live, Université De La Réunion
- Filoumoris.com
- Maloya and séga, slavery’s musical legacy https://www.portail-esclavage-reunion.fr/en/documentaires/plantation-society/historical-context/
- Seychelles News Agency
- Ministry of Youth and Culture- Seychelles
- Lenstitityon Resers Kreolofon
Any suggestions or comments about this post
I look forward to any contribution that would assist in making this post as accurate and comprehensive as possible.
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