Kisaanji

Unknown

late 19th century · Wood, metal bridge · Musical Instruments

Kisanji (Cisaji), a lamellaphone with 18 tongues tuned with wax, and rattling metal rings. Lamellaphone is a term to designate instruments consisting of thin tongues of metal or split cane, 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, and amplified by holding the instrument in a hollow gourd. Tuning is accomplished by sliding the tongues in or out in order to change their vibrating length. Lamellaphones are distributed across sub-Sahara Africa and were brought by slaves to Latin America. They are known by many names that may also be shared with xylophones. Most names have word stems which 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.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 19th century

Medium

Wood, metal bridge

Culture

Chokwe

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889