The Traditional Mbira of the Shona People of Zimbabwe
© Taste of Southern Africa / Dennis Teoh
The mbira is the national instrument of Zimbabwe. It is a traditional instrument that has been played by the Shona people of Zimbabwe for over a thousand years. It belongs to a family of musical instruments classified as lamellophones, and it is played in a number of different cultures across the African continent, each with their own name for the instrument.
The mbira is an instrument of deep spiritual significance to the Shona people of Zimbabwe. It is played by plucking metal keys fixed to a wooden soundboard. The mbira instrument comes in different variations across Zimbabwe with names such as Nhare, Matepe and Njari. Collectively, these mbiras belong to one family of spiritual instruments and are referred to as Mbira Dzavadzimu, meaning mbira of the ancestors.
Mbira Dzavadzimu / Nhare
Nhare, pictured above, is often what people refer to when they say Mbira or Mbira Dzavadzimu. It is the most popular variant of mbira in Zimbabwe, and is made of 22 to 28 metal keys in three different registers, two on the left and one on the right. The keys are attached to a hardwood soundboard called gwariva.
Shells are traditionally attached loosely to the frame to create a buzzing sound when the instrument is played, which is said to resemble the sound of rain. Today, bottle caps are typically used instead of shells.
The keys of the mbira are traditionally made from iron ore which used to be smelted from rocks.
When played, the mbira is typically placed inside a large gourd or calabash called deze which acts as an amplifier for its sound. The deze is also adorned with shells or bottle caps, for additional buzz. The mbira’s metal keys are plucked using both thumbs as well as the forefinger of your right hand. Your thumbs pluck downward on the keys, whilst your forefinger plucks upward from beneath the keys.
You hold the mbira by the main wooden soundboard with the little finger of your right hand placed through a hole in the bottom right corner of the soundboard for balance, with the ring finger and middle finger reaching around the back to stabilise the instrument.
Mbira Music and Ceremonies
The mbira is a spiritual instrument, and in the traditional context, it takes centre stage at Shona ceremonies such as mabira (singular: “bira”) which are all-night ceremonies where a connection is sought with one’s ancestral spirits. At these ceremonies, the mbira is accompanied by percussion on hosho (traditional shakers) and drums, hand-clapping, singing and dancing.
The music played on the instrument consists of several interlocking and cyclical parts with poly-rhythmic complexity. There are typically always several players on the mbira involved. There are lead players who play kushaura melodies, and there are backing players who play kutshinira melodies. Together, the parts interlock creating a rich and complex sound.
The mbira remains a vital link to the past through songs that have been passed down from generation to generation over hundreds of years, and continue to be. Some of the most common mbira songs played include Mahororo, Nhemamusasa and Zvichapera. The culture around mbira playing lends itself greatly to improvisation, so no two performances are ever exactly alike.
Women and Mbira
Whilst traditionally the mbira was played by men only due to patriarchal structures of Shona society, Zimbabwean women have increasingly taken up the instrument in recent years. Female mbira players such as Beauler Dyoko and Stella Chiweshe are key pioneers who have opened the way for female players of the traditional instrument. Beauler Dyoko is credited as the first female traditional mbira music recording artist in Zimbabwe.
Other Types of Mbira Found in Zimbabwe
Njari
According to mbira.org, it is believed the Njari was introduced to the Buhera area of Zimbabwe from Mozambique around 1700 A.D. The instrument is said to have been re-tuned to be able to play the local music in Buhera used to call spirits in ceremonies, and subsequently spread to other areas of Zimbabwe.
Matepe
The Matepe variant of mbira is played in the north-eastern part of Zimbabwe, primarily by the Sena Tonga and the Kore-Kore subgroups of the Shona people. Matepe is sometimes also called hera, and when played, both thumbs and both index fingers are used. Four or five independent melodies are played simultaneously in traditional matepe music.
Nyunga Nyunga
Jeke (Jack) Tapera introduced the mbira nyunga nyunga to Zimbabwe in the 1960s through Kwanongoma College of Music (now United College of Music) in Bulawayo. The 15 key instrument originates from Tete province in Mozambique, but is today widely played in Zimbabwe having been popularised by Chiwoniso Maraire who brought it into the mainstream, as well as Hope Masike more recently. Mbira nyunga nyunga is very much a contemporary instrument and is not used in traditional ceremonies.
Mbira Nyunga Nyunga’s available from our online store, here.
Learn to Play the Mbira
There is a large community of mbira players around the world now, playing both the traditional mbira dzavadzimu as well as the more contemporary nyunga nyunga. If you would like us to connect you with a teacher near you, please get in touch!
Mbira Nyunga Nyunga lessons are available in the UK, and you can read more about them here.
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