Membranophones

When I was 12, I was fascinated by how important music was in my area and by how many artists came there. This is what motivated me to do some research on one of the instruments of this region, the kpezin.

The kpezin is a very important instrument in the social, cultural and religious life of the people of southern Benin. It is a pot drum with a sound box that has a long neck and a round base. The base is covered with wicker made of braided hair and it sits on a banana bark cushion, which is attached by four palm bark cords. The top has a diameter of 73 cm and is covered by duiker or antelope skin. The kpezin is often placed on a piece of wood when it is played in order to contain the various forces exerted on the fragile pottery. The same care is taken when it is being made. It is always stored upright when it is not being played.

The kpezin is an accompanying instrument. It is used for local dances, celebrations or funeral ceremonies. It is accompanied by the zinli, music from central Benin, to divert grieving relations. Most of the time, the drummers play under a tree. It attracts many people who are on the lookout for ghosts. The audience is very friendly, gesturing and clapping their hands, urging on the musicians who play this ingenious instrument so well. It is also played in religious settings where it is used for agricultural rituals and purification.

It is played primarily for community events in the Athiémé area (Mono Department) which is a distribution centre for the instrument.

The head of the kpezin, made of skin, can be hit in the centre or on the edges to produce different sounds during special ceremonies. This means that the kpezin can be played by anyone.

Each time I have an opportunity to see the kpezin, I am amazed at how cleverly it is made.

The kpezin or pot drum is a sound box with a long neck and a round base. It is covered with wicker made from woven hair and rests on a cushion of banana tree bark that is attached by four cords made of palm bark. There are two forms, the large called the kpezinnon or the small called the kpezinvi. They can both be played in the same group.

The kpezin is a very old drum since it was already part of the adjohoun orchestra brought from Allada by Dakodonou, the first king of Dahomey who died in 1645. This orchestra included a gong and two to four castanets as well as two kpezin. It was used during royal funeral celebrations. The kpezin was also one of the drums in the atcha orchestra adopted by King Glele of the same kingdom and was used for concerts in front of the palace.

The drum is a part of many orchestras including the chokoto, zinli, aglindjin, affahoun, azilihoun, etc. that are used during agricultural rituals, to purify markets and public places as well as for weddings, celebrations and various folk events. It is often found in the Fon, Goun, Mahi, Aïzo Adja and Peda ethnic groups in southern Benin.

In traditional circles, the kpezin, like many other musical instruments, is blessed after it is made. This azizahonou ceremony (Aziza is the god of song and music and honou means "at the door of") takes place in the bush late in the evening. The ceremony confers full power on the instruments.