Meaning
The middle drum of the three sacred Nyabinghi hand drums, which plays the steady, unchanging 'heartbeat' pattern that holds the rhythm together while the akete (repeater) improvises on top and the bass drum booms below. The funde's constant, grounding pulse is the backbone of Rastafari drumming and a root of the reggae 'one drop' feel.
Examples
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Di funde keep di steady heartbeat.
The funde keeps the steady heartbeat.
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Bass, funde, an akete mek di Nyabinghi.
Bass, funde, and akete make up the Nyabinghi drumming.
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Di funde nuh change, it hold di riddim.
The funde doesn't change; it holds the rhythm.
Origin
Of African origin; the steady middle Nyabinghi drum. See [[akete-drum]], [[nyabinghi]].
How it’s used
The steady 'heartbeat' middle Nyabinghi drum. See [[akete-drum]], [[nyabinghi]], [[one-drop]].