Conical drum; bata; beater

Íyáálú bàtá 'mother drum', double membrane conical drum. The shell is carved from omo wood (Cordia milleni). The heads are of antelope hide. Each has two layers, lapped over a concealed hoop. The upper layer of each head is cut away to form a ring around the lower skin. This has a patch of black wax at its centre. The lacing links both heads, running through eight holes in each of them, and passing both above and beneath the concealed hoops. The lacing is of hide with vestiges of hair present. The interlacing is secured and tensioned by cross lacing encircling the central section of the drum. The drum has a carrying strap with a dyed crimson leather backing. The ends of the strap are wrapped round the ends of the shell beneath the interlacing. The smaller head is played with a beater (M14a-1992) made from a piece of stiff antelope hide, which still has hair on one side and has been cut into a pointed shape. The larger head is struck by the player's right hand.