The alounloun is a Beninese musical instrument, used to play a type of music called adjogan. It is a stick with metallic rings attached, which jingle in time with the beating of the stick. The alounloun is said to descend from the staff of King Te-Agdanlin. The alounloun was established for the royal court in the Porto-Novo area; it was initially a symbol of the king's power that was later transformed into a musical instrument. It became a tradition to use the alounloun to honor eminent officials in the royal court. An alounloun is on display at the Royal Palace Museum in Porto-Novo.
Historical background
The alounloun originated as a staff symbolizing the power of the king of Allada. Te-Agdanlin, founder of the kingdom of Porto-Novo, inherited it from his father King De-Kopkon when he died. He took the alounloun with him during the migration towards southeasternBenin where he created the kingdom of Hogbonou. After he in turn died, the alounloun underwent various transformations depending on the taste and aspirations of each king. A descendant of Te'Agbanlin, De-Gbeyon, transformed the stick into a musical instrument during his reign. From that time on, it has been used to accompany songs paying homage to Porto-Novoan royalty, living or deceased. Roman Catholic evangelism and the Vatican II Council led Father Francis Aupiais, parish priest of Porto-Novo in the 1930s, to inaugurate an Epiphany procession through the city. The alounloun was played on this occasion in honour of Jesus. Today the alounloun is used to play a type of music called adjogan in formal, royal ceremonies. Adjogan music is also used in Catholic churches in the Porto-Novo area; in this case the royal insignia on the staff is changed from a bird crest to a Christian cross. The instrument is played only by women.
Physical characteristics
The alounloun is a finely worked iron bar about one meter long, covered in copper with rings that manually slide up and down the stick to produce music. It has a handle in the shape of a bird with a coiled crested neck as well as a spindle and a pad. It is an idiophone: that is, an instrument that produces sound by vibrating as a whole when the body of the instrument itself is struck, shaken, rubbed, plucked or stamped, without the use of strings or membranes.
