Museumofworldmusic.com

Africa

Instruments

Name: Asanda.

Type: Harp > Chordophone.

Region: Democratic Republic of Congo > Central Africa.

Acquisition Date: Years 1990's to 1995.

Acquisition Source: The African market, Vancouver B.C. Canada. They are now out of buisness.

AsandaDescription: The asanda is a chordophone and a member of the harp family. It is played to accompany singing and ritualistic chants associated to “ancient fertility rites”. The carving of a female deity on the top of the neck is an indication of this use. Some asanda do have two heads while the other asanda’s have single heads. Five strings are stitched from underneath the animal and tied to the ends of each wooden tuning peg. Each tuning peg is hand carved and also shows a similar face as shown on the head of the asanda. On my specimen of asanda cowrie shells are set into a substance likely to be pitch. The body is carved in a bowl shape and is from the same piece of wood as the neck. The hide is then prepared and stretched over the body. One sound hole is punched into the hide. The width of the centre of the body is 20.3 cm. The length of the asanda is 60.7 cm from body to head-stock.

 

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