The mbira, also called kalimba and zanza, is a musical instrument from Zimbabwe, used by the Shona people. It has a wooden board, often with a resonator, and metal tines that stick out at different heights. Players hold the instrument and pluck the tines with their thumbs, right forefinger, and sometimes the left forefinger. Musicologists call it a lamellaphone, a type of plucked idiophone. In Eastern and Southern Africa, many types of mbira exist, often played with the hosho, a percussion instrument. The mbira is important in religious ceremonies, weddings, and social events. In 2020, the "Art of crafting and playing Mbira/Sansi" was added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.

A Western version of the mbira, called kalimba, was created and sold by Hugh Tracey in the late 1950s. His design was based on the mbira nyunga nyunga and named after an older instrument called kalimba. The kalimba became popular in the 1960s and 1970s, partly because of musicians like Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire and Thomas Mapfumo. These artists used mbira with modern instruments such as electric guitars, bass, drums, and horns. They also played songs from traditional mbira music. Other people who helped spread mbira music include Dumisani Maraire, who introduced marimba and karimba music in the Pacific Northwest, and Ephat Mujuru, who taught mbira dzavadzimu in the United States. Recordings and writings by Zimbabwean musicians, like those by Paul Berliner, also helped share mbira music globally.

Joseph H. Howard and Babatunde Olatunji said that mbira and similar metal instruments are African in origin. They are found only in areas where Africans or their descendants live. Similar instruments were used in Okpuje, Nsukka, Nigeria, in the early 1900s.

History

Many types of plucked instruments have been used in Africa for thousands of years. These instruments originally had tines made of bamboo, but later, metal keys were created. It seems that these instruments were invented twice in Africa: a wooden or bamboo-tined instrument appeared on the west coast of Africa about 3,000 years ago, and a metal-tined lamellophone appeared in the Zambezi River valley around 1,300 years ago. Metal-tined instruments spread across Africa, becoming popular among the Shona people of Zimbabwe (from which the word "mbira" comes) and other groups in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. As the mbira spread, it changed in appearance and how it was used in society. Instruments similar to the kalimba existed from northern North Africa to the southern parts of the Kalahari Desert, and from the east coast to the west coast, although many groups in Africa did not have mbiras. There were thousands of different tunings, note arrangements, and designs, but a possible tuning and note layout of the original metal-tined instrument from 1,300 years ago is known as the "kalimba core."

In the mid-1950s, mbira instruments were used as the basis for creating the kalimba, a version adapted for Western use and marketed by ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey, which led to the instrument being widely shared outside Africa.

Acoustics

Lamellophones are musical instruments that have small, stiff pieces called lamellae. These pieces are played by plucking them. Unlike stringed instruments or wind instruments like flutes, the additional tones produced when a lamella is plucked are not in harmony, creating the mbira's unique sound. These additional tones are strongest when the lamella is first plucked and fade quickly, leaving a nearly pure tone. When one lamella is plucked, the nearby lamellae also vibrate slightly, adding more layers to the sound of each note.

Rhythm

Mbira music, like many traditions from sub-Saharan Africa, uses cross-rhythm. In the kutsinhira section of the traditional mbira dzavadzimu piece "Nhema Musasa," David Peñalosa explains that the left hand plays a repeating bass line, while the right hand plays a higher melody. Together, these parts create a melody that adds details to the 3:2 cross-rhythm, also called a hemiola.

Tuning

The African mbira and similar instruments often have the lowest notes in the center, with higher notes on the far left and right. This design helps players reach all the tines easily with their thumbs. However, traditional African tunings use notes that do not match the Western tempered scale. These tunings are often unique, with some adjacent tines forming a scale, while others may include notes that do not follow the pattern.

Historically, mbira tunings have not aligned exactly with Western scales. A seven-note sequence on a mbira may span a wider range of frequencies than a Western octave, and the intervals between notes may differ from those in Western music. Tunings have often been unique, with changes over time and among different players. Each mbira produces a distinct set of overtones based on the maker’s choices and the instrument’s construction. Some mbiras sound better when certain notes of a familiar tuning are adjusted. In recent years, as the mbira dzavadzimu has gained popularity in North America, Europe, and Japan, Zimbabwean makers have tuned their instruments more consistently for export. However, many variations still exist in Zimbabwe.

Tunings differ between families, focusing on the relationships between notes rather than specific pitches. The most common tuning in Zimbabwe and among non-Zimbabwean players is Nyamaropa, which is similar to the Western Mixolydian mode. Names for tunings may vary between families. For example, Garikayi Tirikoti created a "mbira orchestra" using seven different tunings, each based on a different interval of the same seven-note scale. These tunings include Bangidza, Nyabango, Nhemamusasa, Chakwi, Taireva, Mahororo, and Mavembe (with the exception of Mavembe and Nyabango, these are also names of traditional songs). The tuning closest to Nyamaropa is Garikayi’s "Nhemamusasa."

Common tunings include:

• Nyamaropa (similar to the Mixolydian mode): Considered the oldest and most representative in Shona culture, it emphasizes unity through music. It often involves two mbira players, singing styles like Huro (high, emotional notes) and Mahon’era (a soft, breathy voice), or both. A single mbira is usually not played alone in a performance.
• Dambatsoko (similar to the Ionian mode): Used by the Mujuru family. The name refers to their ancestral burial grounds.
• Dongonda: A Nyamaropa-tuned mbira where the right side notes are an octave lower than usual.
• Katsanzaira (similar to the Dorian mode): The highest-pitched traditional mbira tuning. Its name means "the gentle rain before the storm hits."
• Mavembe (also called Gandanga) (similar to the Phrygian mode): Said to have been created by Sekuru Gora during a funeral, though some players dispute this.
• Nemakonde (similar to the Phrygian mode): Shares the same musical relationship as Mavembe but is much lower in pitch.
• Saungweme: Features a flattened whole tone, approaching seven-tone equal temperament.

Variants

The mbira dzavadzimu, also called the "voice of the ancestors" or "mbira of the ancestral spirits," is a traditional instrument of the Shona people in Zimbabwe. It has been played for thousands of years and is often used during religious ceremonies and social gatherings called mapira (short for bira). The mbira dzavadzimu can play over one hundred songs, such as Kariga mombe.

A typical mbira dzavadzimu has between 22 and 28 metal keys attached to a wooden soundboard called gwariva. These keys are arranged in three sections: two on the left and one on the right.

When playing, the right hand’s little finger goes through a hole in the bottom right corner of the soundboard. The ring and middle fingers on the right hand stabilize the instrument from the back. The thumb and index finger of the right hand strike the keys on the right side. The left hand holds the left side of the instrument, with most fingers reaching slightly behind it. Both left-hand sections are played with the left thumb. Some mbira have an extra key on the upper left section, struck by the left index finger.

Small objects like bottle caps or shells, called "machachara," are often attached to the soundboard. These create a buzzing sound that is important in traditional settings because it is believed to attract ancestral spirits.

During performances, the mbira dzavadzimu is often placed in a calabash resonator called deze to make the sound louder.

The mbira dzavadzimu is very important in Shona religion and culture. It is considered sacred and is used to communicate with ancestral spirits. In some traditions, two people play together: one called kushaura leads, and the other, kutsinhira, responds. This ritual is called Bira. These ceremonies last all night and are used to ask spirits for answers. The notes in mbira music help participants enter a trance, allowing spirits to take over their bodies.

Albert Chimedza, director of the Mbira Centre in Harare, says about ten thousand people worldwide play the mbira.

The nyunga nyunga, which has 15 keys, comes from Manicaland in Zimbabwe. It was used for entertainment during social events. Jeke (Jack) Tapera introduced it to Kwanongoma College of African Music in the 1960s. Two keys were added to make 15. The nyunga nyunga is similar to the mbira dzavadzimu but has no hole in the soundboard. Its keys are arranged with pitches radiating outward from the center, not left to right.

Zimbabwe’s Dumisani Maraire created a numbering system for the nyunga nyunga. The upper row keys are numbered 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14, while the lower row is numbered 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15. Maraire brought attention to the instrument when he visited the University of Washington from 1968 to 1972.

A lecturer at Midlands State University in Zimbabwe suggested using letters for the nyunga nyunga’s keys. However, Maraire’s numbering system is still widely used.

Dutch composer Maarten Regtien used a nyunga nyunga in his 2014 piece Daddy Mbira – Mbira Penguin Talks, combining it with Western musical techniques.

The njari mbira has 30 to 32 keys and comes from Masvingo and Makonde in Zimbabwe. The nhare has 23 to 24 keys and was used in rituals to communicate with Musikavanhu or Nyadenga (God). The mbira matepe, with 26 keys, originated near the borders of Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Kalimbas in Brazil were first recorded in 1723 as marimbas, but they later disappeared. Modern kalimbas now exist in Brazil.

In Cuba, African lamellophones and the Cajón influenced the creation of the marimbula, though its history is unclear.

The Hugh Tracey kalimbas are tuned in the key of G. Their notes are arranged with the lowest notes in the center and higher notes on the sides. This layout makes it easy to play melodies and harmonies together.

Alternative tunings are possible because kalimba keys can be adjusted. Some tunings change the key, while others use non-Western scales. Composer Georg Hajdu tuned a Hugh Tracey kalimba to the Bohlen–Pierce scale, which divides a musical interval into 13 steps.

Examples of related instruments include:
– Array mbira: A modern instrument with up to 150 tines arranged by the circle of fifths.
– Gravikord: An electrified double harp inspired by the mbira, invented in 1986 by Bob Grawi. It uses a version of the Hugh Tracey tuning.

Other related items:
– Hugh Tracey treble kalimba: An octagonal mbira covering two octaves.
– Gaya Street Sunday Market, Kota Kinabalu: A location where similar instruments might be found.

In popular culture

The 1980 movie The Gods Must Be Crazy, set in Botswana, includes a character who plays the mbira.

In the 2010 video game Donkey Kong Country Returns, one of the main villains is named Krazy Kalimba. As a member of the Tiki Tak Tribe, which is based on musical instruments, his design includes a "crown" shaped like the keys of a kalimba. He uses kalimba music in a special chant to control animals.

On May 21, 2020, during Zimbabwe Culture Week, Google created a doodle to honor the mbira. The doodle allowed users to hear and play the instrument online. It also told the story of a young girl who learns to play the mbira. As an adult, she becomes a successful artist and inspires future mbira players.

General references

• Berliner, Paul (c. 1978). The Soul of Mbira: Music and Traditions of the Shona People of Zimbabwe. Berkeley: University of California Press.
• Fowler, Andy (2020). Discover Mbira: Ancient Zimbabwean Trance Music. Mbira Magic.
• Fowler, Andy (2015). Unlocking Mbira: Chord Progression and System of Mbira Workbook. Mbira Magic.
• Gahadzikwa, Fungai; Fowler, Andy (2016). Traditional Mbira Song Book. Mbira Magic.
• Howard, Joseph H. (1967). Drums in the Americas. New York City: Oak Publications.
• Kwenda, Forward; Fowler, Andy (2019). Learn to Play Mbira: Traditional Songs and Improvisation. Mbira Magic.
• Mutwa, Credo Vusa'mazulu (1969). My people: the incredible writings of Credo Vusa'mazulu Mutwa. Johannesburg: Blue Crane Books.
• Tracey, Andrew (1970). "The Matepe Mbira Music of Rhodesia" (PDF). African Music. 4 (4): 37–61. doi: 10.21504/amj.v4i4.1681. (Note: This article is the original source of the Matepe song Siti, as performed by the Zimbabwean Marimba group Musango.)
• Tracey, Hugh (1961). The evolution of African music and its function in the present day. Johannesburg: Institute for the Study of Man in Africa.
• Tracey, Hugh (1969). "The Mbira class of African Instruments in Rhodesia (1932)". African Music. 4 (3): 78–95. doi: 10.21504/amj.v4i3.1439.
• Warner Dietz, Betty; Olatunji, Michael Babatunde (1965). Musical Instruments of Africa; Their Nature, Use, and Place in the Life of a Deeply Musical People. New York City: John Day Company.