Music worldwide

7 February 2007
Debby Korfmacher
ZIMBABWEAN MBIRA MUSIC
The mbira is a lamellaphone played by the Shona people of Zimbabwe, which plays an important
part in traditional culture. It is more than 1000 years old, and is an instrument of the ancestors.
The instrument
The mbira is a lamellaphone. This type of instrument can be found all over Africa (and
into the aribbean, brou!ht over by slaves", but differs everywhere in shape, form, tunin!
# repertoire, and has it$s own culturally specific name. In Zimbabwe, lamellaphones are
called mbira.
%amellaphones are sometimes also referred to as &thumb piano$ or &hand piano$ by
'uropeans.
There are ( types of mbira in Zimbabwe) kalimba, matepe, njari, mbira dzavaNdau,
mbira dzavadzimu (this type of mbira is also called zezuru mbira, mbira huru or nhare"
The mbira is put inside a deze (calabash" for amplification
*bira can be played as a solo instrument but is usually played in an ensemble. It is
accompanied by hosho (!ourd sha+ers", and sometimes also by ngoma (drums"
There are different mbira tunin!s) strai!ht or nhemamusasa, mavhembe,,
The Music
Mbira music is cyclical:
-ieces are not based on a fi.ed composition, but rather on a harmonic pro!ression within
a rhythmical framewor+ that is repeated over and over a!ain in cycles, much li+e an
ostinato pattern.
Traditional mbira son!s usually consist of /0part cycles. 1ol+ son!s are also adapted to
mbira2 they often consist of shorter, 30part cycles
Crossrhythms an! "olyrhythms
*bira music is polyrhythmic par e.cellence) patterns that have a 30feel are played
simultaneously with patterns that have a 40feel, which results in cross rhythms.
In 5estern musical terms, mbira music is in 678 or 1378
The different players within an ensemble and participants from the audience often ta+e
on different roles in this web of criss0cross rhythms, throu!h hand clappin! patterns,
hosho sha+ers, sin!in!, and the different instrumental parts.
Interloc#in$
The different musical parts interloc+ with each other.
The two hands that play one mbira interloc+ to create patterns.
cross0rhythms7polyrhythms
all0and response sin!in! patterns
%i&&erent musical "arts:
-ieces consist of innumerous musical parts that are combined. These parts can be divided
into two cate!ories) the lead and the accompaniment. The different players within an
ensemble usually fulfil these different musical parts.
Kushaura (lit. &to lead$") %eadin! part that defines the son!, sets the harmonic
pro!ression upon which the son! is based
Kutsinhira (lit. &to follow$") An infinite number of accompanyin! parts &followin!$ the
kushaura. The most accomplished players (gwenyambira" often play kutsinhira,
e.pressin! their virtuosity by constantly developin! the piece throu!h their flowin!
improvisations

The music is al'ays "artici"atory:
The &audience$ ta+es on an active role in the music ma+in! by sin!in!, dancin!, ululatin!,
clappin! their hands and stampin! their feet.
There are different sin!in! styles: kuyimba (sin!in!", mahonyera (non0verbal syllabic
sin!in!", huro (yodellin!", kudeketera (verbal, poetic son!".
all and response sin!in! patterns are created by everybody present. Somebody usually
ta+es on the role of lead sin!er (doin! the &call$", and everybody else present 9oins in with
the chorus (&response$"
Kupururudza (ululation", kutamba (dancin!", makwa (hand clappin! patterns"
The Conte(t
*bira is played at various reli!ious and secular events between which there is often little
distinction.

The ultimate performance conte.t for Shona *bira is the traditional reli!ious Bira ceremony) an
all0ni!ht spirit possession ceremony in which the ancestral spirits are called upon. -ro9ectin! its
sounds into the heavens the mbira has the power to attract the attention of the ancestors, and
creates the essential lin+ between the world of the livin! and the world of the spirits.
S"irituality
The ancestors are the spiritual owners and +eepers of the land. They are also the
benefactors of people$s welfare, and have !reat influence on daily life. They are often
consulted, and it is important to honour them on a re!ular basis. *usic is an essential tool to
communicate with these spirits (vadzimu or mhondoro) : they are &called$ by the mbira and
possess a Svikiro (medium" durin! a ceremony.
*bira music is also played for entertainment of the community) in beerhalls, clubs, bars, in
villa!es, etc.
Chimuren$a:
*bira played a crucial part in the fist and second himuren!a (liberation stru!!le" that finally led
to Zimbabwe$s independence in 1;80. <urin! the first himuren!a (18;6" the people were !uided
by the spirits throu!h two famous spirit mediums, Ambuya Nehan!a and Se#uru *a$u+i, who
were imprisoned and han!ed by the =ritish. <urin! the second himuren!a (1;6601;80", the
freedom fi!hters were a!ain !uided by the spirits. This time, the mediums were ta+en to
*o>ambi?ue to secure their safety, and this time Zimbabwe !ained independence.
<urin! the second himuren!a in the 1;@0s, a new style of popular music was developed which
was based on traditional mbira music. Traditional mbira son!s were adapted onto !uitars and a
dance band settin!. This style became +nown as &himuren!a$ and was pioneered by Thomas
*apfumo and the =lac+s Anlimited.
=ecause of her role durin! the liberation stru!!le, *bira has become a national symbol in post0
independent Zimbabwe.
Selecte! rea!in$s:
=erliner, -. 1;@8. The Soul o !bira: !usi" and Traditions o the Shona #eople o $imbabwe.
hica!o # %ondon) Aniversity of hica!o -ress
'yre, =. # B. Cendall. 1;;;. DBit, mbira and chimuren!a) play it loudED In) =rou!hton, S., *.
'llin!ham # F. Trillo (eds." %orld !usi": The &ough 'uide, (ol.): *ri"a, +urope and the
!iddle +ast. %ondon) Fou!h Guides.
Goddard, C. 1;;/. &The Soul o !bira twenty years on) a retrospect. -art 1$ ,ournal o the
-nternational .ibrary o *ri"an !usi"
Turino, T. 3000. Nationalists, /osmopolitans, and #opular !usi" in $imbabwe. hica!o #
%ondon) The Aniversity of hica!o -ress