The tengpenning is a single-skin speaking drum used by the Sissala and
was taken over from the Akan (Ashanti), where it is called
atumpan. (Prof. Dr. Kwabena Nketia
in: Drumming in Akan Communities of Ghana 1957).
The tengpenning drum is always played in pairs. The drum with the
lowest tone (tengpeng-niing) is placed to the left of the drummer
and is associated with everything female, while the drum with the highest
tones (tengpeng-bele) and the smallest of the two is placed on the
right of the drummer and is associated with everything male.
The tengpenning is usually played with two sticks, sometimes also with
one stick and the fingertips.
These drums are also called talking drums because they are used to
transmit messages. Traditionally everyone in the village has a name on the
speaking drum.
The drummer of the tengpenning is called tengpeng-duuro. The
drummer at the court of Tumu, however, is addressed by the Akan name of
Akarima (Akrama among the Dagomba). Since Akan (Twi) is a tonal language,
it is used to transmit messages; the talking drum has two tones, a high and
a low tone. Messages are transmitted with the tengpenning from one village
to another using riddles that have been learnt off by heart.
The tengpenning is also used to accompany different kind of dances
just like funeral dances and dances during wedding ceremonies.
© RMCA/Dominik PHYFFEROEN