mbira

mbira
Name	mbira
Names	karimba, likembe, sanza, kalimba
Classification	Lamellophone
Background	plucked idiophone
Developed	precolonial Southern Africa
Related	marimba, sanza, kalimba (instrument), hokema

mbira The mbira is a traditional African lamellophone and plucked idiophone originating in Southern and Central Africa. It appears extensively in the musical cultures of the Shona, Chewa, Yao, and other peoples, and features prominently in ritual, social, and courtly contexts across regions such as Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, and Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ethnomusicologists, museum curators, instrument makers, and performers from institutions like the British Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and African Museum have documented its forms, tunings, and repertoire.

Etymology and Cultural Context

The name has multiple local terms including karimba, likembe, sanza, and kalimba used by groups such as the Shona people, Chewa people, Yao people, and Tonga people. Colonial-era collectors like Hugh Tracey and scholars such as Paul Berliner and Moseley (ethnomusicologist) recorded terms and contexts in fieldwork alongside accounts by missionaries from London Missionary Society and administrators of the British South Africa Company. Oral histories tie the instrument to royal courts like those of the Rozvi Empire and ritual specialists connected to institutions such as the Mwari religion and spirits venerated at sites like the Great Zimbabwe ruins.

Construction and Design

Traditionally crafted from hardwood soundboards, metal keys, and resonators derived from gourds, calabashes, or wooden boxes, the instrument's materials reflect trade links to sources like Zambezi River regions and workshops in towns such as Harare and Blantyre. Tunings vary regionally; tuners and makers influenced by figures like Hugh Tracey standardized scales in collections housed at universities including University of California, Los Angeles and University of Botswana. Luthiers have experimented with metal alloys, bridge designs, and amplification inspired by innovations at studios like Real World Studios and makers associated with NGOs such as World Music Trust.

Playing Technique and Repertoire

Performance practice includes interlocking patterns, polyrhythms, and cyclical ostinatos used by virtuosi like Dumisani Maraire, Chartwell Dutiro, and groups associated with ensembles from Zimbabwe National Ensemble. Techniques employ thumbs and forefingers, with variations documented in field recordings archived at British Library Sound Archive, Library of Congress, and collections curated by Hugh Tracey Archives. Repertoire encompasses bira ceremonies, secular songs, and dance accompaniments related to compositions recorded by artists such as Thomas Mapfumo, Stella Chiweshe, Alick Macheso, and collaborations with global acts at venues like Royal Albert Hall and festivals including WOMAD.

Musical Role and Social Functions

The instrument serves as a medium for spirit possession rites, ancestor veneration, and communal celebration; practitioners include spirit mediums affiliated with shrines in regions like Mutare and ceremonies paralleling practices observed in Lilongwe and Lusaka. Patrons and cultural ministries, such as the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture (Zimbabwe), have supported mbira masters in events alongside orchestras like the National Symphony Orchestra of Zimbabwe. The mbira's role intersects with colonial histories involving institutions like the Colonial Office and postcolonial cultural policy debates at universities including University of Zimbabwe and think tanks such as the Zimbabwe Institute.

Variations and Related Instruments

Regional variants include the karimba of the Zambezi valley, the nyunga nyunga popularized in pedagogical work by Moseley (ethnomusicologist) and performers like Dumisani Maraire, and the likembe found in Congo River basin ensembles. Related instruments worldwide include the marímbula in the Caribbean, the sanza across Central Africa, and the modern kalimba popularized through recordings and commercial models sold by firms linked to retailers in London and New York City. Comparative studies reference collections from museums such as the Musée de l'Homme and the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde.

Contemporary Use and Revival

Since mid-20th-century revitalization led by collectors and educators including Hugh Tracey and scholars like Paul Berliner, the mbira has experienced global adoption in jazz, world music, and experimental contexts. Contemporary artists and ensembles—ranging from soloists to orchestras—collaborate with international institutions such as Carnegie Hall, University of Oxford, Brown University, and festivals like Green Man Festival and Sundance Film Festival in cross-disciplinary projects. NGOs, cultural foundations, and labels including Real World Records and media outlets like BBC Radio 3 have supported recordings, pedagogy, and instrument-making ventures, while luthiers, conservatories, and community programs in cities like Harare, Cape Town, Seattle, and Berlin sustain transmission and innovation.

Category:African musical instruments Category:Lamellophones