{"id":11910,"date":"2025-03-24T15:47:57","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T19:47:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lammuseum.wfu.edu\/?page_id=11910"},"modified":"2025-06-06T10:51:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T14:51:16","slug":"beyond-drumming-african-musical-instruments","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lammuseum.wfu.edu\/exhibits\/virtual\/beyond-drumming-african-musical-instruments\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Drumming: African Musical Instruments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A Cornucopia of Sounds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Africa is home to instruments of every family. Stringed instruments such as the plucked West African kora<\/em>, the bowed Ugandan endingidi<\/em>, and the South African musical bow, provide an array of melodic options, as do a variety of wooden xylophones. Mbira<\/em>, instruments sounded by plucking small metal lamellae, are emblematic of the southern range of the continent. Shakers and rattles, both worn for dancing and played separately, are found across the continent; some are made with natural materials, such as seeds and gourds, while others are made of metal. Flutes and horns, the latter associated with hunting traditions, round out the category of blown instruments. Each of these instruments has its own historical associations and roles. Finally, instruments imported and adapted from other places in recent centuries have played central roles in African music-making. European brass instruments that once occupied colonizing forces were repurposed into local wind band and jazz traditions, while electric guitars have formed the backbone of African popular sounds for over half a century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though some of these instruments have become popular outside of Africa\u2014shekere<\/em>, for example, are used in the North Carolina elementary music education curriculum\u2014many others are largely unnoticed outside of their communities in diaspora. This exhibit highlights many of these other instrument types. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This exhibit was curated by the students in Dr. Elizabeth Clendinning’s course “Introduction to the Music of World Cultures.\u201d It was on display from January 23, 2024 to January 25, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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