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Nyonganyonga

ca. 1900
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 681
The nyonganyonga is a lamellaphone, an instrument consisting of thin metal or split cane tongues mounted on a resonating board or box. Depressing the free ends of the tongues with the thumbs produces a gentle ringing sound, sometimes augmented by jingling objects attached to the board. The instrument may be amplified by holding it in a hollow gourd. Tuning is accomplished by sliding the tongues in or out to change their vibrating length. Lamellaphones are distributed across sub-Saharan Africa and were brought to Latin America by enslaved Africans. They are known by many names that also may be shared with xylophones. Most names have word stems that include -mbila -mira -limba or -rima. Westerners, not recognizing differences in construction, have simplified the name to two regional terms, calling them either mbira or sanza.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Nyonganyonga
  • Date: ca. 1900
  • Geography: Zambesi province, Mozambique
  • Culture: Possibly Barwe People
  • Medium: Wood, shell, metal, beads
  • Dimensions: L 9 3/16 × W. 6 5/8 in. (23.4 × 16.9 cm)
  • Classification: Idiophone-Plucked / Depressed
  • Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
  • Object Number: 09.163.6
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Nyonganyonga, Barwe people (?), Wood, shell, metal, various materials, probably Mozambican
Nyonganyonga
Barwe people (?)
ca. 1940
Timbila, Wood, leather skin, and twine, Chopi people
Timbila
Chopi people
19th century
Mbila, Wood, leather, skin & twine, Chopi people
Mbila
Chopi people
19th century
valimba (xylophone), Wood, string, leather, Sena peoples
valimba (xylophone)
Sena peoples
19th century
Ibacarre, Tin, wood, Mozambican
Ibacarre
Mozambican
late 19th century

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