The ground-bow, also called an earth-bow or ground harp, is a musical instrument with one string shaped like a bow. It is classified as a chordophone, which is a type of instrument that uses strings to create sound. This instrument is found in cultures in equatorial and southern Africa, as well as in other cultures with African heritage. It is made by placing a flexible stick, such as a stripped sapling or branch, into the ground. A string is tied from the top of the stick to a resonator, which is a pit in the ground covered by a board or other material. Because it looks like a game trap or a toy, its use across Africa was often ignored. In 1933, Hornbostel classified it as a type of harp, even though it shares features with both harps and musical bows.

The resonator may be a pit covered by a board, with the string attached to it. Kruges described other designs used by the Venda people, such as tying the string to a stone placed in the pit, with the string passing through the board covering the pit.

The instrument is also known as kalinga or galinga by the Venda people. In their language, galinga means "a hole in the ground," while the origin of kalinga is unknown. It is called gayumba in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and tumbandera in Cuban traditions. The Baka people refer to it as angbindi.

In Cuba, the instrument is also called tingo-talango, which is an onomatopoeic name (a name that sounds like the instrument’s music). A song titled Tingo Talango by Julio Cueva describes how the instrument is made. The same name is also used for a song by Ñico Lora.

The instrument is now rarely used in its traditional cultures.

Playing techniques

The Kalinga instrument can be hit with a stick or plucked in different ways. The bow stick is bent to adjust the string's tightness, which changes the sound. It can be played by bending the stick, hitting it, and letting it go, creating a unique sound. The notes produced may not always be steady. The Kalinga is often used to provide a repeating rhythm that supports the choral music.