13 Jun 2007

Mbira

The mbira is a Shona musical instrument consisting of a wooden board to which staggered metal keys have been attached. It is often fitted into a deze that functions as a resonator.

Mbira performances are usually accompanied by hosho (maracas). It is often played at social gatherings. The traditional mbira is usually made up of 22 keys on three different registers, two on the left and one on the right.

CONSTRUCTION
The mbira is constructed from 22 to 28 strips of cold or hot forged metal (minzwa) of varying lengths affixed to a hardwood gwariva or soundboard.

The gwariva is made from the wood of the mubvamaropa tree.

The gwariva has a hole in the bottom right corner through which the little finger of the right hand is placed while playing, allowing the right thumb and index finger to pluck the high notes from above and below the keys.

There are usually several bottle caps, shells or other objects affixed to the soundboard (known as machachara) which create a buzzing sound when the instrument is played.

The keys are arranged in three rows, two on the left and one on the right. The bottom-left row contains the bass keys, the top-left row the middle-range keys and the right row a combination of the secondary bass keys and the high keys.

SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE
The mbira is very significant in Shona culture and is the national instrument of Zimbabwe.

With an enduring history of over 1500 years, it has been traditionally played at social gatherings, or within the royal Shona Courts. However, the use of mbira has diversified in modern times.

In the ancient days songs for guidance, success in the hunt or battle, or for healing, were prevalent whilst today, one can listen to "new compositions" about love or politics.

ANCIENT SONGS

Nyamaropa - literally means "meat and blood" and is considered among the oldest of mbira music and might be the first piece composed for the instrument. Although it may have originally been a song to prepare for battle, it is now considered a hunting song.

Bangiza ("showing the way") - is understood to be a very ancient spiritual song and is reported to date back to the 14th-16th century, during the time of Munhumutapa

Karigamombe - means "invincible"

Mahororo - named after a small river in Zimbabwe, used to welcome hunters home after long hunts

Nhemamusasa - A musasa is a shelter hunters would build while away from their homes. Like Nyamaropa this song was also once associated with war, but is now used as a hunting song.

Kuzanga - The title means "to thread beads." It is a song about an old woman who stays in the forest alone, making beads for her ancestors. For the old woman, making beads is living happily and free from fear. Also known as Nhema (black rhinoceros)

Taireva - it expresses the importance of what is on your mind, and listening to your elders and is also a derivation of Nyamaropa

Marenje - a song typically played on the gandanga (mavembe) tuning of the mbira.

Chipindura - means "change" and is played in between other songs.

Dande - named after the place where salt was found

The clips are from the album Dzana Gwenyambira by africandrum2000@yahoo.co.uk

Bangiza