Ọja – The Speaking Flute
Ọja is the most common Nigerian wind instruments. It is a carved flute, either made of wood or bamboo. The wooden Ọja is notched and end blown, while the bamboo Ọja, also notched, is side blown. Of the two types of Ọja, the wooden one is most common today.
The characteristic of Ọja is the high-pitched sound which it produces despite the fact that it is small in size. The biggest Ọja is about 26cm long, and the smallest is about 14cm long.
The size of an Ọja determines its pitch and the quality of sound determines the instrument’s function. The highest-pitched flutes, which are also the shortest, are known either as Ọja-mmonwu (flutes used for masquerade music), or Ọja-okolobia (flutes used for ceremonies of men who have attained manhood).
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The sound of both flutes is bright and they are used more for chanting than for singing. The difference between the two styles is that chanting is an extended form of speaking, while singing is purely musical.
The lowest-pitched flutes are known as Ọja-igede. Igede is a drum music used for burial ceremonies, and Ọja-igede is used in pairs with the male Ọja calling and the female Ọja responding.
The next Ọja, whose sound is halfway between the highest-pitched and the lowest-pitched ones, is known as Ọja-ukwe (the singing flute). This is used for women’s dances of all types.
In some musical performances Ọja is effectively employed for non-verbal communication with the audience. This could be in the form of cues, musical signals or mere encouragement of dancers and players to a more creative performance.
In other instances, Ọja is employed as a master instrument that conducts or determines a musical event or performance form. This is found in some masquerade performances such as Ojionu.
But on the whole, Ọja performs both musical and non-musical roles in Igbo land. It is employed in non-musical events and contexts as a talking instrument. As such it encodes significant messages within non-musical contexts. It is particularly used for salutations and praise on these occasions.
The Ọja flute is often used with other Nigerian instruments such as the ekwe, udu, igba, and gong. The Ọja is also played at home without other instruments, or in the evening as a serenade accompaniment while strolling with a friend or life partner.