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Calabash (percussion)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Calabash
Percussionist (Mamadou Sarr) playing the Calabash with the bare hand technique
Percussion instrument
Classification percussion
Hornbostel–Sachs classification111.3

In African music, the calabash is a percussion instrument of the family of idiophones consisting of a half of a large calabash gourd, which is struck with the palms, fingers, wrist or objects to produce a variety of percussive sounds.[1]

In Tuareg music, the askalabo[2] is a calabash "partly submerged in water, drummed to mimic camels' hooves".[3]

The calabash can also be used as a sound board: a finger piano (a flat board with a bridge on which prongs are fastened, that are then played with the fingers) can use a calabash for that purpose,[1] and the gongoma is a similar instrument, using saw blades on a bridge affixed over the calabash—the blades are plucked with the fingers, while the player taps the calabash with their other hand.[4]

A calabash can also be used as a resonator, in the case of the umakhweyane, a middle-braced calabash bow.[5]

Percussionists playing Calabash with both fists and fingers

References

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  1. ^ a b Nzewi, Odyke; Nzewi, Meki (2007). A Contemporary Study of Musical Arts: Theory and practice of modern African classical drum music. A Contemporary Study of Musical Arts: Informed by African Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Vol. 5. African Minds. pp. 1, 4. ISBN 9781920051686.
  2. ^ Peek, Philip M.; Yankah, Kwesi, eds. (2004). African Folklore: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. ISBN 9781135948726.
  3. ^ Davies, Sam (1 August 2019). "'My father said I should be looking after the cows': the first female Tuareg guitarist". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  4. ^ Kalani; Camara, Ryan M. World Rhythms! Arts Program presents West African Drum & Dance: A Yankadi-Macrou Celebration. Alfred Music. p. 38. ISBN 9781457422331.
  5. ^ Dargie, Dave (2007). "Umakhweyane': A Musical Bow and Its Contribution to Zulu Music". African Music. 8 (1): 60–81 – via JSTOR.
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