Manza balanga MO.0.0.10843

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© RMCA Tervuren - J. Van de Vyver
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In the RMCA music collection, there are 26 xylophones with wooden keyboards fixed to a main board, with several bridge boards placed between the wooden keys. These xylophones are resonated by calabashes (gourds) and do not produce a mirliton effect (the buzzing effect). The instrument was given the vernacular name 'manza balanga'. The manzas were owned by the chiefs and notables of the Azande people and were used in their court ceremonies.

Object dimension: 85 × 69 × 24cm, 2,5kg

Culture
Zande
Acquisition date
1913-01-22
Acquisition method
Collecte sur le terrain
Acquisition location
Manziga, Upper Uele