Features July 30, 2020
A Gumbe Photo Essay
This is a photo essay of the travels behind our program "The Gumbe Story," a surprising tale of a square/rectangular frame drum and its music that begins with the Maroons in Jamaica, travels to Sierra Leone (via Halifax, Nova Scotia!) in 1800 and eventually reaches 17 African countries, including Ghana and Mali.
All photos by Banning Eyre (2019) unless otherwise indicated.
Accompong Town, Jamaica (Maroons)
![Accompong Gumbe - Edwin Peddie (1991) (photo by K Bilby)](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/Accompong-Gumbe-Edwin-Peddie-1991-photo-by-K-Bilby.jpg)
Accompong Gumbe - Edwin Peddie (1991) (photo by K Bilby)
![Accompong Gumbe - George Huggins at his workshop (1991) (photo by K Bilby)](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/Accompong-Gumbe-George-Huggins-at-his-workshop-1991-photo-by-K-Bilby.jpg)
Accompong Gumbe - George Huggins at his workshop (1991) (photo by K Bilby)
![Accompong Gumbe - George Huggins' workshop (1991) (photo by K Bilby)](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/Accompong-Gumbe-George-Huggins-workshop-1991-photo-by-K-Bilby.jpg)
Accompong Gumbe - George Huggins' workshop (1991) (photo by K Bilby)
Freetown, Sierra Leone
![The Maroon Church in Freetown](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-10-of-10.jpg)
The Maroon Church in Freetown
![Tabenu Cultural Group](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-1-of-1.jpg)
Tabenu Cultural Group
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-2-of-10.jpg)
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-1-of-10.jpg)
![Sabanoh Cultural Group](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-7-of-10.jpg)
Sabanoh Cultural Group
![Reuben and Grace Koroma (Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars)](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-8-of-10.jpg)
Reuben and Grace Koroma (Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars)
![We Yone Cultural Group](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-6-of-10.jpg)
We Yone Cultural Group
![Jollay, a gumbe-related style popular in Sierra Leone](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-5-of-10.jpg)
Jollay, a gumbe-related style popular in Sierra Leone
![Member of Dr. Oloh's Milo Jazz Band, displaying seated gumbe drum](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-4-of-10.jpg)
Member of Dr. Oloh's Milo Jazz Band, displaying seated gumbe drum
![Dr. Oloh's Milo Jazz Band (musical saw and gumbe drum)](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-3-of-10.jpg)
Dr. Oloh's Milo Jazz Band (musical saw and gumbe drum)
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_SL-1-of-1-3.jpg)
Accra, Ghana
![Ken Bilby and John Collins (first face-to-face after decades of friendship!)](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-13-of-14.jpg)
Ken Bilby and John Collins (first face-to-face after decades of friendship!)
![Charles Edzi Konu and Ken Bilby](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-2-of-14.jpg)
Charles Edzi Konu and Ken Bilby
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-3-of-14.jpg)
Tema All Stars (Daniel Alabi Derby's band) (photographer not known)
![Charles Kwame Edzi Konu and Worlali Konu of Hewale Sounds](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-12-of-14.jpg)
Charles Kwame Edzi Konu and Worlali Konu of Hewale Sounds
![Worlali Konu](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-11-of-14.jpg)
Worlali Konu
![Ni Tettey Leno Tetteh of Kusun Cultural Group](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-4-of-14.jpg)
Ni Tettey Leno Tetteh of Kusun Cultural Group
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-1-of-14.jpg)
![Wulomei](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-9-of-14.jpg)
Wulomei
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-10-of-14.jpg)
![Shadey Dance Ensemble (Kolomashi music)](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-5-of-14.jpg)
Shadey Dance Ensemble (Kolomashi music)
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-6-of-14.jpg)
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_GH-8-of-14.jpg)
Segou, Mali
![Daouda Doumbia, percussionist for Goumbe Dyiri](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_MALI-2-of-6.jpg)
Daouda Doumbia, percussionist for Goumbe Dyiri
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_MALI-1-of-6.jpg)
![](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_MALI-4-of-6.jpg)
![Moussa Coulibaly](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_MALI-5-of-6.jpg)
Moussa Coulibaly
![Goumbe Dyiri](https://afropop.org/client-uploads/img/_largeThumb/GUMBE_MALI-6-of-6.jpg)
Goumbe Dyiri