Nzumari, Bung'o & Chivoti Wind Instruments in Kenya:
Asili (flute) - Luo
KENYA INDIGENOUS MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
They are also called aero phones.
They are played by blowing
These instruments have a permanent tuning which is acquired during construction
This is because upon constructions, wind instruments remain of fixed length, have a fix number of holes and a fixed blowing hole.
They vary in shape, size and material used to make them. They are grouped in the following sub- classes
Horns
They are made from animal horns or natural hollow or hollowed out wooden tubes. Among some communities horns are joined to a gourd. E.g.
Oluika- luya
Lalet-kalenjin
Oporo/tung’-Luo
Coro from the Kikuyu Community
Kikundit-kipsigit
Adet-turkana
Aluti-Teso
Flutes
Are made from materials such as bamboo, swamp reeds, twig or wooden tubes. Currently improvised using plastic tubes.
Flutes vary in length and number of finger / pitch holes from one community to another.
Other features that can be used to distinguish or differentiate flutes are:
closed at both ends
Open at both ends
Open at one end and closed at another end
Notched at the blowing end (part of the end is V-shaped)
Round at the blowing end
End- blown(also oblique)
Side blown (also traversaly blown-this means the blowing hole is at the side of the flute)
Indigenous flutes from the diverse Kenyan communities include:
End blown flutes (Oblique)
Muturiru from the Agikuyu
Auleru- Teso
Asili/ Odundu- Luo
Ndererut from the Kalenjin Community
Siwa
Ebune/Elamaru- Turkana
Traversely held flutes
Chivoti from the Digo, Rabai, Duruma (Mijikenda)
Ekibiswi- Kuria
Emborogo from the Kuria
Umwere- Kuria
Mulele- Luhya
2. Whistles
These wind instruments are made from hollow tubes or reeds which are bound together.
The different length makes it possible to produce different varied pitches when the instrument is blown e.g. biringi of Agikuyu, vilingi of the Akamba.
Reed instruments – Double reed instruments have two reeds at the mouthpiece which is made from reeds. The two reed instruments have a tip shield made out of a coconut shell of metal coin
The lip shield- holds the reed in place and prevents air from escaping. The reeds vibrate when air is blown into the instrument thus producing sound.
The Nzumari and the Bung’o played among some of the mijikenda community such as Digo and Rabai.
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