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Kisanji (Cisaji)

Kisanji (Cisaji). Culture: Bateke. Dimensions: 17 × 3 1/2 in. (43.2 × 8.9 cm). Date: late 19th century. This Kisanji (Cisaji), decorated with a carved bird's head is a Lamellaphone. 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.
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Title: Kisanji (Cisaji)
Caption: Kisanji (Cisaji). Culture: Bateke. Dimensions: 17 × 3 1/2 in. (43.2 × 8.9 cm). Date: late 19th century. This Kisanji (Cisaji), decorated with a carved bird's head is a Lamellaphone. 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.
Technique/material: wood
Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Credit: Album
Releases: ? Model Release: No - ? Property Release: No
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Image size: 2751 × 4558 px | 35.9 MB
Print size: 23.3 × 38.6 cm | 1083.1 × 1794.5 in (300 dpi)
Keywords: AFRICA • IDIOPHONE-PLUCKED / DEPRESSED • IDIOPHONES • METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, USA • MUSIC INSTRUMENTS • MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS • MUSICAL_INSTRUMENTS • REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO • WOOD