Country #6

 

Djibouti

 

(Pronounced Ja-booty)

 

 

 

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden

 

Capital: Djibouti

 

Where I will be staying: Djibouti, Djibouti

 

Other cities: Dikhil, Yoboki, Balho

 

Hotel: Sheraton Djibouti Hotel

 

 

 

Eating at: Le Paradis-Chez Darar

 

 

 

 

 Climate: desert, torrid, dry

 

Diseases: hepatitism, typhoid, malaria

 

Religion: Muslim

 

Language: French and Arab

 

 

 

Attractions:

 

Khor Ambado Beach

 

 

 

 

Tadjoura-the oldest town in Djibouti

 

 

Ali-Sabieh Desert

 

 

 

 

Music:

 

Two musical groups are in Djibouti: the Afar and the Somalis. The people who speak Arab and those who speak French.

 

The Afar music is simlar to the music of Ethiopia, with Arab influences.

 

The oral literature, like poetry, is very important to them, and is very musical.

 

 

Instruments include the tanbura, and the bowl iyre.

 

Click here to see them:

 

Instruments of Djibouti

 

 

 

The melody is rich and rustic.

 

They have seperate categories of song for wedding, boasting, praise, and war.

 

The national anthem is "Djibouti".

 

Video:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: .This is an Egyptian ancient bowl lyre, but it is the closest to Djiboutan music I could find.

 

 

 

Essay on the sound of Djiboutan Music:

 

 

 

This music is very sorrowful. It seemed melancholy, like something you would play at a tense time, like a funeral. It seemed bittersweet mostly, like a goodbye. I did like this music though.  It did seem to have a sweet side to it. It was a very light music. It actually reminded a lot of music you might hear in Europe.  Maybe you would hear this beautiful music in Italy. I think this is because most of the culture in Djibouti is French, since so many people speak French there. 

   I liked this music especially because of the sound of the instruments. The bowl lyre was so light and I wanted to listen to it all day! It was so peaceful, I loved it! It reminded me of a lullaby; it made me want to go to sleep! In a very good way, though.

    I also heard the tanbura, which was a soft, twanging guitar.  It could get fast, slow or in between, but sounded best when it was slow. It also sounded sweet and peaceful.  It reminded of a Spanish guitar, soft and slow.  I liked the bowl lyre best though.  

   Overall I really enjoyed this music. Even though I do enjoy new exotic music we have learned about during this project, I like how close this music was to something familiar, like a lullaby.