A kontigi or kuntigi is a one-stringed African lute played by the Hausa, Songhai, and Djerma people. A three-string version called teharden is used by the Tamashek people.

The instrument is used in Hausa music, mainly in northern Nigeria and Niger, and among Hausa communities in Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon. It is also found among people who practice Islam across West Africa (see Xalam). The most well-known player of the kontigi is Dan Maraya.

Characteristics

The instrument has a body made from a calabash gourd, which is covered with skin and has a stick attached as the neck. In modern versions, the gourd is sometimes replaced with a can, such as a large sardine can. The Kontigi instrument has a neck with a metal disk surrounded by small rings that create sound when the instrument is moved or played. The instrument produces a high-pitched tone.

Performance

The instrument is used to play "praise songs" by professional musicians or by Griots in Nigeria. A famous musician named Dan Maraya used the instrument and recorded music albums. In Niger, children and men use the instrument to play alone.