AFRICAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

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Most of these objects were originally described as if authentic.  Most were not. Those objects that have been vetted as authentic by outside experts (Christophe Rolley, Edith Mbella, Daniel Mato, Rand Ningali, Phil Warish and Ethan Rider) are labelled as such. Objects made for the market are labelled accordingly, and objects in our archives or on pages no longer on our website should be assumed to be inauthentic if not otherwise labelled.

 

MOSSI
Flutes

 

LOBI
Flutes

 

BWA
Flutes

SENUFO
Drum 4



African
Horn
Catalog

BAMILEKE,
Gong
Catalog

African
Mbira
Catalog



 Djembe
Drum
Catalog


 

Talking
Drum
Catalog
 

 

KUBA
Drum
Catalog

AFRICAN
Rattles Catalog

African
Gong
Catalog


DRUMS
Various Peoples

The catalogs below have all been sold and are left here fopr educational and research purposes.

 

IGBO
Drums
SOLD

 

African
Harps
SOLD

CHOKWE
Drums
SOLD


YORUBA
Gongs
SOLD

DAN
Drums
SOLD



BUYU
Castenet
SOLD

DAN
Drums
SOLD


YORUBA
Drums
SOLD

 

BAMILEKE
Drums
SOLD

YAKA
Drums
SOLD



ETHIOPIAN
Harp 1
SOLD

 
Photographs © Tim Hamill

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

African drums were musical instruments, ceremonial objects and means of communication. The large exhibit focuses on the traditional drums of the Yoruba, Senufo, Kuba, Chokwe, Bamileke, Igbo and other peoples, plus slit drums of the Yaka, Dan and Yangere. Other instruments, such as gongs, horns, kora, harps and mbira (thumb pianos) are also included. Most of the exhibit is visual; many pieces are not capable of being played, but some are. We also have contemporary jembe drums, talking drums and balliphones all intended for play. The drums range from everyday objects with monumental, simple forms to ornate pieces bringing status to the owner, connoting power and the honoring of ancestors. They all show the creativity and power Africans put into functional objects.

BAMILEKE, GONGS, Cameroon
BAMILEKE, HORNS, Cameroon    ARCHIVES ONLY
DAN, BELLS, Ivory Coast    ARCHIVES ONLY
ETHIOPIAN, HARPS, Ethiopia    ARCHIVES ONLY
FON, RATTLES, Benin
FLUTES Various peoples
GONGS Various peoples
HARPS Various peoples
HORNS Various peoples
LOBI, BELLS, Burkina Faso    ARCHIVES ONLY
LUBA, RATTLES, Dem. Rep. Congo
MBIRA (FINGER HARPS) Various peoples
RATTLES, Cameroon
TIKAR, HORNS, Cameroon    ARCHIVES ONLY
YORUBA, BELLS, Nigeria    ARCHIVES ONLY
YORUBA, GONGS, Nigeria    ARCHIVES ONLY

GO TO DRUMS and SHIELDS Exhibition
Oct. 3 - Nov. 30, 1996

GO TO AFRICAN DRUM EXHIBIT PAGE

GO TO ARTIFACTS PAGE

GO TO ARTIFACTS PAGE

GO TO AFRICAN FIGURES PAGE

GO TO NEW ADDITIONS PAGE

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