PRESENTATION OF THE GARAYA, ITS ORIGINS

(Toutéji)

The name of this instrument varies according to the traditions and cultures of the people who use it.  Each finds its name in his or her own language.  The instrument owes its history of origin to the Fulani or Foulbe people.
      
                 Origin of Foulani

    

       Regarding the complexity of the subject of the origin of Foulbe, following very complex characteristic traits, many authers have speculated on their origine. Some theories have shown that Foulbe came from some region of the North East of Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan...

      Many legends have been kept and recorded by Foulbe themselves (Nelson Ronal W. Hettinger, March 2000: 10.11)

      Among the most recent research, notably that of Boubou Hama on the origins of Foulbe, it is written:

    "the creation of the origin of Peul (Fulani) first of all started with their separation from Mediterranian races. In the moment that Peuls enter history, they had already formed a settled people located in Egypt or in the upper Nile valley, where, during centuries of migrations, all along the Sahara, they traversed the Berber world from which they borrowed much." (1968 :71)

               Birth of the Garaya

      According to gathered oral and written sources, with the origin of Foulbe  in the area of Niger, notably Massina, the Yillaga and Wolarbe, are situated as the cradle of their ancestry.  The history of the birth of the Garaya, as well as its evolution and trasformation can be better understood in this context. 

      The Yillaga and Wolarbe are a part of the Peul tribes Toroobe and Foulbe Jeeri.  The Yillaga are spread largely principally from Fouta-toro on the Massina to the East, all the way to the Adamaoua (in Nigeria and Cameroon), as well as the Wolarbe, the other Peul tribe.  These Foulbe nomads began their miagration during the period of the Islamic eclipse in Subsaharan Africa from the 11th to 18th centuries. (Nelson R.V., Hettinger, March 2000 : 17)

      In support of this research, E. Mohamadou, finds that :

"the evolution of their society was largely initiated before their departure from Mali and conserves the principle characteristics from the moment of their implantation in the Adamaou, contrary to those of the Wollarbe who, leaving earlier, would acculturate through contact of the two grand empires of Central Soudan: Bornou and Korafafa; thus it seems thus acknowledged that the Yillaga left the massina around the middle of the 16th century (1550-1600) to begin their penetration starting from Moubi in the direction of Logone and Mayo Kabi from the end of hte 17th century.…

      It is during the first half of the 17th century that the Yillaga arrived in the Diamare, after having cleared the bluff of Mandara coming from Moubi, after having traversed the territory of the Fali of the North, the Guidar, the Daba, the Moufu and other Guiziga... (E. Mohammadou, les lamidats du Diamaré et Mayo -louti au XIXe siècle (Nord Cameroun) 1988 : 17).

      All of this run-through of history allows us to situate the birth of the garaya in Egypt.

       There are certain instruments known about thanks to rock paintings and tools found in tombs.  Stringed instruments, were the subject of research that appeared in antiquity.  These intstruments (Lyre, Harp) dating from 3rd century BC.

      The Lyre (Arab) took a more modest form in Egypt (where it became the harp).  Its origins are often confused with those of the Lyre (Arab), a privileged instrument in Egyptian music.  It was dethroned by lutes in the 15th century (see T. Bernardeau, M. Pineau, NATHAN/2002 : 40,54).

Foulbe of the Niger River Bend and the Massina of Mount Mandara (Diamare Maroua) all the way to the Benoue (Garoua)

                                                       (toutéji)

                                                     (Pouttéji)

( Guidoré)

  From the middle of the 16th century, the Yillaga left Massina, spent some time in Bornou and penetrated by the middle of the 17th century the Diamare (Maroua).  The Ngoni (Lute with 3 chords) experienced all the influences possible and thus responds to the following names :

                    - Moloru (Lute with 2 chords and a sharp or high sound)

                    - Mukadu or Kumbiru (Lute with 2 chords and a heavy sound)

The Yillaga, the Wollarbe and the Garaya (Moloru)

      From the Niger River Bend in Massina where this instrument received its history and integrity, to the long legnth it traveled, passing through Bornou, many cultures and traditions influenced it.  It experienced, through the course of time, many transformations of its form, its sound, its style of play and especially its name.  Foulbe nomads always had in their company their musical instruments but at the beginning of the Peul people, this instrument was played by women.