The nyonganyonga is a lamellaphone an instrument consisting of thin metal or split cane tongues mounted on a resonating board or box. Depressing the free ends of the tongues with the thumbs produces a gentle ringing sound, sometimes augmented by jingling objects attached to the board. The instrument may be amplified by holding it in a hollow gourd. Tuning is accomplished by sliding the tongues in or out to change their vibrating length. Lamellaphones are distributed across sub-Saharan Africa and were brought to Latin America by enslaved Africans . They are known by many names that also may be shared with xylophones. Most names have word stems that include -mbila -mira -limba or -rima. Westerners, not recognizing differences in construction, have simplified the name to two regional terms, calling them either mbira or sanza.
cxd
<P>The nyonganyonga is a lamellaphone an instrument consisting of thin metal or split cane tongues mounted on a resonating board or box. Depressing the free ends of the tongues with the thumbs produces a gentle ringing sound, sometimes augmented by jingling objects attached to the board. The instrument may be amplified by holding it in a hollow gourd. Tuning is accomplished by sliding the tongues in or out to change their vibrating length. Lamellaphones are distributed across sub-Saharan Africa and were brought to Latin America by enslaved Africans . They are known by many names that also may be shared with xylophones. Most names have word stems that include -mbila -mira -limba or -rima. Westerners, not recognizing differences in construction, have simplified the name to two regional terms, calling them either mbira or sanza.</P>
Context
false