Hand-held clappers are among a vast and varied
category of 'self-sounding' musical instruments,
known collectively as idiophones, that produce sound
without the addition of a stretched membrane or a
vibrating string or reed. The most common form of
clapper in the Benin corpus consists of a cylindrical
shaft surmounted by the figure of a long-beaked bird
with outstretched wings, such as this example. They
are played by striking the bird figure on its beak with
a metal rod.
The bird perched with outstretched wings on the
finials of this idiophone sounded on the occasions of
Ugie Oro court festivals is usually called the "bird of
prophecy" (ahianmwen-oro) and sometimes the
"messenger of god" (odibosa). Beginning with the
reign of King Esigie in the sixteenth century, the
sounding of clappers depicting the bird of prophecy
at Ugie Oro court ceremonies was regarded as a sign
that the kings of Benin were endowed with the power
to alter history.
- (SK.063)
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