When I embarked on a month-long trip to Africa, little did I know that this short trip of mine would offer me an introduction of the unique musical instruments of Africa. To begin with, in Africa, there was music everywhere. Be it the melodious strains of flute or the beating of drums, Africa always had music in the background. So much so that my memories of Africa are soaked in music. Surprisingly, most Africans are experts at playing more than one instrument.
![African musical instruments kalimba and the talking drum.]( "African musical instruments kalimba and the talking drum.")
Of the instruments I got to see and hear, the most interesting looking was kalimba, a thumb piano. An ancient percussion instrument, kalimba was originally made with bamboo strips fitted against a wooden box resonator. Over time, however, these bamboo strips were replaced with metal keys. Played in different parts of Africa, kalimba is known by different names — mbira, mbila, mbira huru, mbira njari, hurdy gurdy, mbira nyunga, marimba, karimba, likembe and so on.
This instrument, played by plucking the ends of the metal keys with fingers, is handy to be carried along. According to my friends in Africa, kalimbas were carried around and played by the travelling Griots who were West African historians, storytellers, praise singers, poets and musicians who entertained people with their songs, dances, poems and stories. However, this instrument has come a long way since then, paving the way for ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey to design a westernised thumb piano in the mid-1900s. This modified version of the original kalimba has popularised it outside of Africa too. Since it is very easy to master the playing of kalimba, many music schools make their students learn this instrument before anything else. Also, it can be played either as a solo instrument or as an accompaniment with other instruments, singers and musicians.
One other traditional musical instrument no visitor to Africa can miss are the drums. Then there are varieties of them — talking drums, water drums, engoma drums, djembe and so on. Particularly fascinating is the origin of the name 'talking drums'. These drums are called so as the tribals use them to communicate with their counterparts who are almost 20 miles away from them. The sound of these drums can mimic the spoken language so well that even long conversations can be held easily, I was told. No wonder, the playing of talking drums was banned for many years by the slave traders in the United States who feared they would be used to incite rebellion among slaves. However, these talking drums don't just talk, but play music too, especially on certain social occasions, both solemn and happy, one of which I was witness to.
Popularly used by the Yoruba tribals of West Africa, the body of these drums are made of wood while both the drum heads are made of hide or fish skin with thin strips of leather running along the length of the drums. The loosening or tightening of these leather cords has an impact on the sound these drums produce.
Since music is an integral part of life in Africa, they revere their musical instruments. The interest with which they play them speaks volumes of the respect they have for them. Seeing is believing!
Of the instruments I got to see and hear, the most interesting looking was kalimba, a thumb piano. An ancient percussion instrument, kalimba was originally made with bamboo strips fitted against a wooden box resonator. Over time, however, these bamboo strips were replaced with metal keys. Played in different parts of Africa, kalimba is known by different names — mbira, mbila, mbira huru, mbira njari, hurdy gurdy, mbira nyunga, marimba, karimba, likembe and so on.This instrument, played by plucking the ends of the metal keys with fingers, is handy to be carried along. According to my friends in Africa, kalimbas were carried around and played by the travelling Griots who were West African historians, storytellers, praise singers, poets and musicians who entertained people with their songs, dances, poems and stories. However, this instrument has come a long way since then, paving the way for ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey to design a westernised thumb piano in the mid-1900s. This modified version of the original kalimba has popularised it outside of Africa too. Since it is very easy to master the playing of kalimba, many music schools make their students learn this instrument before anything else. Also, it can be played either as a solo instrument or as an accompaniment with other instruments, singers and musicians.
One other traditional musical instrument no visitor to Africa can miss are the drums. Then there are varieties of them — talking drums, water drums, engoma drums, djembe and so on. Particularly fascinating is the origin of the name 'talking drums'. These drums are called so as the tribals use them to communicate with their counterparts who are almost 20 miles away from them. The sound of these drums can mimic the spoken language so well that even long conversations can be held easily, I was told. No wonder, the playing of talking drums was banned for many years by the slave traders in the United States who feared they would be used to incite rebellion among slaves. However, these talking drums don't just talk, but play music too, especially on certain social occasions, both solemn and happy, one of which I was witness to.
Popularly used by the Yoruba tribals of West Africa, the body of these drums are made of wood while both the drum heads are made of hide or fish skin with thin strips of leather running along the length of the drums. The loosening or tightening of these leather cords has an impact on the sound these drums produce.
Since music is an integral part of life in Africa, they revere their musical instruments. The interest with which they play them speaks volumes of the respect they have for them. Seeing is believing!