Ngoma
/ˈŋɡoʊmə/noun
A traditional African drum, dance, musical performance, or communal ritual, depending on regional usage.
Did you know?Among several East and Central African peoples, ngoma traditions have been associated with healing ceremonies, trance, initiation, and communication with ancestors, although the word’s meaning varies widely by language and community.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Bantu
Proto-Bantu
*-goma
“Reconstructed root associated with drumming or a drum; the exact form and meaning vary across Bantu languages.”
Early Bantu languages
Bantu
ngoma
“A drum or drumming tradition, with the nasal prefix n- attached to the root.”
16th–18th Centuries
Kongo and related Bantu languages
ngoma / engoma
“Drum, dance, performance, or communal ceremonial practice in different regional traditions.”
19th Century
Swahili
ngoma
“Drum, dance, music, or a social and ceremonial gathering.”
20th Century
English
ngoma
“An African drum, dance, musical genre, or ritual tradition; adopted mainly through anthropological and ethnomusicological writing.”