Thumb Piano

Luba Style Sanza 12-Keyed

Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
Luba

Wood, metal
Early 20th century

Length: 215 mm; Width: 101 mm: Depth: 26mm
Idiophone - Plucked - Lamellophone

Luba style carved thumb piano (Sanza) from Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), with 12 metal tongues (lamellae). Shows expressive carved groove decoration and a nice patina from usage and age. The earliest thumb pianos in Africa appeared at least 3000 years ago in West Africa. It had bamboo keys (tongues)and were referred to as kalimba. Metal (tongue) lamellophones appeared later, around 1,300 years ago in the Zambezi River Valley. Today, according to the regions of their origin, these instruments are known by many different names: Mbira, Mbila, Hurdy Gurdy, Marimba, Karimba, Kalimba, Likembe, Sanza, and Okeme. Larger lamellophones from Africa, also called kalimba, appear in the Caribbean Islands and are called marimbula.

Owner:
Catalog#: AF-IDPL-19-36

© Hartenberger World Music Collection