Step #3 of a long term project to create a Krio language liturgy for the ELCSL is underway this week. After teaching pastors and evangelists how to read and write Krio (one year ago), and after working to translate the English liturgy into the Krio language (this summer), five ELCSL musicians are now working to compose music for Lutheran worship in Sierra Leone. The project is moving ahead at this point with on the ground support from a consultant with Lutheran Bible Translators.
Singing a new song: this is the team working together to compose music for Krio language worship: Betty Fanna, Halima George, Rev. Christopher Yanker, Tom Barnett (Jr.), and Daniel Mossima. They are practicing one of their compositions in this photo, using the papers to read the Krio words. In this process, the tunes are learned by ear and sung from memory, as only one of the team members reads and writes musical notations.
Daniel Mossima is the national youth president and a very talented musician.
On Monday, the team read through the liturgy in Krio and asked the Holy Spirit to bless and inspire the work ahead. One of the participants expressed the hope that music for the Lutheran liturgy would not simply replicate the pervasive styles and sounds of Pentecostal worship. We realized that we don’t yet know the sound or nature of a truly (indigenous) Sierra Leonean Lutheran worship style, but hope to set a process in motion for the ongoing development of “Lutheran” music in the Krio language.
Rob Veith, an ethnomusicologist with Lutheran Bible Translators is holding the microphone. Once the musicians have composed a song they want to remember, Rob steps in with his recording equipment.
After two and a half days working together, the musicians have composed 9 pieces of music for worship, including Krio language versions of the kyrie, “this is the feast,” the holy, holy, holy, and the Lord’s prayer. They were a bit tired as we wrapped up the afternoon session earlier today, but we all feel that the Spirit has been at work in these days. The team will continue composing as the Spirit moves, and next week we will begin teaching the songs to a special choir, with an eye to producing a CD for use as a teaching tool. We welcome your prayers as this project continues in coming days and weeks.
Singing a New Song, part 2
This past week ELCSL musicians continued their work preparing music for worship in the Krio language. Early in the week we gathered a small choir together to record the music that was written last week, and we also recorded a spoken version of the Krio liturgy – from the opening confession to the words of dismissal.
Recording of the new music was managed by Rob Veith who serves with Lutheran Bible Translators in Botswana. Daniel Mossima played the drums; David Kargbo and Halima George sang with the choir.
The recording session went smoothly at St. Mark’s in Calaba Town although we had to pause for rain delays a couple of times throughout our time together. (The sound of the falling rain became quite loud upon occasion.) The ELCSL is blessed with many talented and creative musicians, and the team that came together to “sing a new song” did a fantastic job composing and performing.
At the keyboard, Tom Barnett Jr. is the national music director. He will play a key role in teaching the new liturgical music to congregations.
We are now waiting to hear the final product: a CD of the new Krio liturgy and music which will be distributed to the congregations of the ELCSL. We will also look into producing cassette tapes as I am told that many people in the provinces do not have access to CD players. Along with the CD’s and cassettes, we will be distributing a written version of the complete liturgy and the new songs which will be useful for those who can read Krio.
Choir members Mariam Boima, James Tulley and Betty Fannah. We recorded with voice and percussion only.
The musicians who participated in this project have indicated a willingness to begin teaching the new music to their own congregations. Personally, I have been hearing echoes of the music all week; some of the pieces are, as they say in Krio, very “sweet.” Our most immediate goal will be to train a choir to lead worship in Krio for the ELCSL General Assembly in Bo, scheduled for early November. Teaching both words and music will be an ongoing process in coming months and years, but we’ve made a good start this week. I also hope the ELCSL musicians will be inspired to continue composing music so that Lutheran worship in Sierra Leone will remain vibrant and dynamic in giving praise and glory to God.
