Mbira

Object/Artifact

Black Heritage Library

Mbira

A mbira/thumb piano made of wood with geometric carvings on the body, and thin strips of metal that are the keys. The metal strips vary in length to create different notes.

Name/Title

Mbira

Description

A mbira, sometimes known as a thumb piano, is an instrument made of a wooden body with a hole for resonance and thin strips of metal or keys that can be played by the user's thumbs. This model does not include a center hole. The metal strips vary in length to create different notes, and every third key is a slightly different color.

Use

Musical Instrument

Context

This link includes a history of the mbira and an audio recording of instrument. https://qwest.tv/media/discover-the-mbira-a-brief-history/

Collection

Instruments

Cataloged By

gifforde@findlay.edu

Created By

gifforde@findlay.edu

Create Date

September 26, 2023

Updated By

gifforde@findlay.edu

Update Date

September 26, 2023