Endege

{{Short description|Ugandan idiophone percussion instrument}} '''Endege''', also known as '''ankle bells''', are traditional idiophone percussion instruments widely used in various parts of Uganda. Idiophones are a category of musical instruments that produce sound primarily through the vibration of the instrument itself, without the need for strings, membranes, or external resonators. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ssebulime |first=Andrew |date=2024-09-01 |title=Embodying Tradition, Imagining Home: Baakisimba Dance and the Ugandan Diaspora |journal=Dance Chronicle |volume=47 |issue=3 |pages=486–505 |doi=10.1080/01472526.2024.2380972 |issn=0147-2526|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Mabingo |first=Alfdaniels |title=Model of a Dance Class Undergirded by Ubuntu Philosophy |date=2020 |work=Ubuntu as Dance Pedagogy in Uganda: Individuality, Community, and Inclusion in Teaching and Learning of Indigenous Dances |series=Critical Studies in Dance Leadership and Inclusion |pages=187–195 |editor-last=Mabingo |editor-first=Alfdaniels |url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-15-5844-3_11 |access-date=2025-02-20 |place=Singapore |publisher=Springer |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-981-15-5844-3_11 |isbn=978-981-15-5844-3|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Traditional Instruments of the Uganda people - text in English |url=https://www.face-music.ch/instrum/uganda_instrumen.html |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=www.face-music.ch}}</ref>

== Description and use == Endege are typically made of metal and consist of small, forged bells or jingles that produce sound when the wearer moves. Endege's small metal bells create sound through vibration when struck, shaken, or moved. These bells are tied around the ankles of dancers, producing rhythmic jingles that accentuate their movements and enhance the auditory experience of traditional dances. As idiophones, they generate sound through their own vibration, requiring no additional strings or membranes. The bells are lightweight and designed for comfort, allowing dancers to move freely while creating melodic, rhythmic sounds. They are often attached to adjustable straps, ensuring a secure fit around the ankles.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Żłobiński |first=Bartosz |title=Analysis of sound generation in sound idiophones |date=2022-02-15 |degree=thesis |publisher=The Institute of Radioelectronics and Multimedia Technology |url=https://repo.pw.edu.pl/info/phd/WUT3ac000ef867f42af8ba5d734f1b06033/ |language=pl}}</ref>

== Versatility == While primarily used as ankle bells, endege can also be worn on the wrists or shaken by hand, depending on the performance requirements. Their versatility extends to modern musical settings, where they are sometimes incorporated into drum sets or other percussion arrangements. As idiophones, they offer a wide range of rhythmic possibilities, making them adaptable to various musical contexts.<ref>{{Citation |last=Izikowitz |first=Karl Gustav |title=66. IDIOPHONES |date=2016-11-07 |work=Part 2 |pages=1365–1388 |editor-last=Sebeok |editor-first=Thomas A. |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110804423-037/pdf?licenseType=restricted |access-date=2025-02-20 |publisher=De Gruyter Mouton |language=en |doi=10.1515/9783110804423-037 |isbn=978-3-11-080442-3 |editor2-last=Umiker-Sebeok |editor2-first=Donna Jean|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Beyond their use in music and dance, endege also serves a practical purpose in some communities. When a child begins to walk, bells are sometimes tied around their ankles. This not only encourages the child to walk but also helps caregivers locate the child by the sound of the bells, ensuring they do not wander off or get lost.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ankle Bells – Duke University Musical Instrument Collections |url=https://sites.duke.edu/dumic/instruments/percussion/africa/ankle-bells/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mabingo |first=Alfdaniels |title=Beyond Collaboration: Making and Staging Connections, Co-Becoming, Co-Construction, and Relationships through African Dances in Tertiary Education |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15290824.2023.2298748 |journal=Journal of Dance Education |date=2025 |volume=25 |issue=2 |pages=187–198 |doi=10.1080/15290824.2023.2298748 |issn=1529-0824|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Katamba |first1=Francis |last2=Cooke |first2=Peter |date=1987 |title=Ssematimba ne Kikwabanga: The Music and Poetry of a Ganda Historical Song |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43562735 |journal=The World of Music |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=49–68 |jstor=43562735 |issn=0043-8774}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=HETEROSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS IN UGANDA. - ProQuest |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/5a458b7df86146da8dc06072b46f75c7/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=www.proquest.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Read also== * Ebinyege * Endongo

== References == <references responsive="1"></references>

Category:Ugandan musical instruments Category:Idiophones