Mbira, Kalimba, Lamellaphone. Whatʻs it all about?

Letʻs learn about a unique group of musical instruments known by many names, and why I donʻt call them "thumb pianos".
Iʻm still a student of this tradition, and though I have been playing mbira for over 20 years, I recognize my privilege as an American of African descent in the agency I have to produce videos like this. Always seek the voices and experiences of those from the culture itself when you can!
Photo credits:
Chugrad McAndrews
Jeremy Allen
Algirdas Gelazius. Shutterstock.com
Ishootmagic. shutterstock.com
Athol Lewis. Shutterstock.com
Dietmar Temps. Shutterstock.com
Video of me playing mbira by Hoku Uchiyama
Links:
Book and music purchase: store.mahea.com
Digital music purchase: / mahealani-uchiyama
Hand-made beaded jewelry: www.etsy.com/shop/ThandiweGar...
Purchase The Mbira, An African Musical Tradition from publisher: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
Purchase The Haumāna Hula Handbook from publisher: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance: www.centerforinternationaldan...
Support Zimbabwean music and musicians: www.mbira.org
Social Media:
/ mahealaniuchiyama
/ mahealaniu

[@XolaniMzilikazi-qy8vf]

Am Shona from Zimbabwe, we the shona invented the mbira , it’s within our blood 🩸 to play it .

[@Dancetera]

And it is such a beautiful creation. Thank you!

[@abeautifulheart]

Thank you for the beautiful video

[@Dancetera]

Thank you for viewing it@@abeautifulheart

[@abeautifulheart]

@@Dancetera 🌻🌻🌻

[@munyaradzinherera3383]

The only problem is for people to try and erase the word mbira to detach it from the owners or the pioneers. It's a shame

[@Undressful]

God bless you. I just have the kalimba and now I feel connected with african culture. I now understand it comes from Zimbabwe. Love to all african people from Bulgaria :)

[@Dancetera]

Thank you so much and many blessings to you as well!

[@RudoMoto]

Nice exposition on this family of instruments. One theory on it’s presence in various forms across Africa stems from the Bantu migration where people migrated from the present day Cameroon & Nigeria to Kenya/Tanzania in the east and Zimbabwe/South Africa in the south via the Congo. On the specific Mbira tunings, the main ones from ancient times are Nyamaropa , Nhemamusasa, Mavembe(Nemakonde), Matepe. Over time the tunings evolved and other new tunings are emerging e.g the Kutsanzaira tuning. It’s nigh impossible to name them all as it is itself an art and each artist expresses themselves in their own style. Generally though, certain songs play better on a certain tuning, e.g Nhemamusasa, Karigamombe, Bangidza & Mukatiende are typical Nhemamusasa tunings while Marenje plays better on Mavembe. Oh one can write a whole dissertation on the subject, not a single person can describe it all. Thanks for the lecture.

[@Dancetera]

Thank you for watching!

[@tatendampinda2147]

❤ i love mbira a very spiritual instrument .

[@experienceafrika]

Very educational. Thank you

[@Hermosaonlyy]

Thank you,Very resourceful❤

[@fryingpantothefacestudios6665]

This is an amazing video! You truly deserve more views and subscribers

[@eugenef0zzy]

So informative and this video is so re watchable!! Give thanks!!

[@ConejitoPequenito]

Thank you so much for the great explanation!

[@Dancetera]

Youʻre very welcome!

[@algaedrone1833]

So exciting! Thank you so much for this video! Honestly I’d consider this group to be the most ethereally beautiful musical instruments 😍

[@IsaiahLove777]

Thank you from Salem, Oregon.

[@Dancetera]

Thank you Isaiah!

[@eugenef0zzy]

Do you play? I am in Eugene OR

[@WORLDDRUMCLUB]

Lovely presentation and much needed perspective! Thank you!

[@Dancetera]

Thank you!

[@jayleetzvevo460]

❤❤❤❤As a Shona I'm humbled with your narrative The instrument has a Strong history the Time we where created as Humans this was the music playing behind. Not those lies that it's a big bang

[@Dancetera]

Thank you!

[@eddieosborne7768]

The information in this offering is well-delivered and on point! Many thanx!

[@hiker64]

You have brought so much knowledge to the west with your instruments and outreach my brother - Completely agree with your thoughts on this video.

[@toxic8705]

thanks for spreading culture

[@Dancetera]

Thank you for watching!

[@zaralbsstuff]

This video is much more in-depth than any source I've seen before, I love using the kalimba in my own music and I'm very grateful to hear more about it's origins and learn new things about how different a kalimba is from other similar instruments. The thing about the bottle caps was new to me, but very interesting. And please, in the future, try to not hard-pan your voice, it is a little weird to listen to a video that way.

[@Dancetera]

Thank you for the kind words. However could you kindly explain what it means to "hard-pan" my voice? I am not very techy and would like to learn how to makes my videos better.

[@kathleenborsch1312]

​@@Dancetera I looked up this term. Basically, it refers to recording a sound, like your voice or a section of a band, just on one "side" of the stereo listening experience, instead of evenly balanced between both earphones or speakers. (Personally, I thought you sounded fine.)

[@kalimba_fm]

Thank you so much for sharing this beauty and invitation for deeper understanding of the whole kalimba family 🙏

[@Dancetera]

Thank you for watching and for your kind comment!

[@12fishcake]

Thank you for the wonderful explanation, I find it fascinating to learn about these unique instruments and what they mean to the people and cultures they originate from. Music has such a profound ability to connect us and bring people together, and the significance and purpose of the Mbira as you described perfectly illustrates this.

[@Dancetera]

So glad you found this video. Thank you so much for your wonderful comments!

[@taronlewis2131]

This is amazing queen! Where can I purchase an authentic mbira? The vibrations of this instrument truly give me added peace!

[@Dancetera]

Thank you so much! If you would like to obtain an mbira or get lessons, please contact me at [e-mail]

[@machotransandyravage]

Thank you so much for such a wonderful video! I'm so thankful to finally have an insight of the importance of these instruments. I first played kalimba as a child but had no idea of their cultural significance. Having bought another recently I thought it best to try and learn as much about them as I could, and you made that possible.

[@Dancetera]

Thank you so much! Iʻm really happy that you liked this video.

[@ArdeerMusic]

Brilliant video! Fantastically educational and inspirational too - it encouraged me to reach for both my Mbira Dzavadzimu & my Tracey Kalimba. I especially loved hearing the one piece played on the three different instruments and noticing just how much the progression changed from one instrument to the next. I would really like to learn how to play the Mbira Dzavadzimu better, as I've only ever really used it for jamming and sampling in my compositions. Perhaps it's time to look up a tune to learn on it! Thank you for making this video anyway - your soothing voice made it all the more enjoyable. ☺️🙏

[@Dancetera]

Thank you so much for sharing your kind comments! Iʻm so glad you liked the video!

[@ludgamedev]

Wonderful explanation! I buy a kalimba made in ocidental way but i wish research More about it and find your vídeo. Thanks for that! Greatings from Brazil. ❤

[@Dancetera]

Thank you for watching!

[@BCaroselli]

Thank you for this.

[@Dancetera]

You are welcome.

[@HMohr]

Amazing video. Love from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@Dancetera]

Thank you so much for watching and for your kind comment!

[@AvidBeats]

this is a beautifully written video - I am looking to learn the mbira or kalimba soon and this was an amazing insight to the history and details of both the culture and instrument itself. Thank you! 🎶💜💜💜💜💜💞💞💞

[@Dancetera]

Thank you so much for watching, and blessings to you on your mbira journey!

[@2krandolph]

very nicely done. Thank you

[@scotchbonnie4122]

This was a brilliantly done video. Thank you for this 🙏🏿♥️

[@Dancetera]

Thank you so much! So glad you liked it!

[@timebot000]

Greetings! Your video just popped in, and there you are playing dangurangu the same part i just learned and practice every day😊. I see you came out from Berkeley and so did i, long ago, is where i started learning Mbira! You are a gifted and disciplined Teacher, much Respect to you! We are so sorry about Lahaina, hope you and yours are well today ❤

[@Dancetera]

Greetings! Thank you so much for your subscription and for your kind comments! 😊

[@hiker64]

Wonderful!

[@Dancetera]

Thank you!

[@sandramorey2529]

Hi Mahea: Great lecture. We are always impressed with your scholarship. This is one instrument I have been strongly intimidated by for most of my adult life. I like your thorough & easy to understand trip through this wonderful and simple instrument. Mahalo. Sandi and Shim in Oakland Ca

[@Dancetera]

Thank you so much Sandi! Many blessings to you and Shim.

[@Dancetera]

By the way Sandi, if you ever wanted to try learning to play, let me know!

[@Vanessa-yp4pv]

Incredible, thank you so much.

[@RhythmInAfrica]

Thank you.

[@Dancetera]

Thank YOU!

[@jonsundell8061]

Thank you for your lovely music and explanation. I have been tgrying to decide what type of kalimba, karimba or mbira to buy for a Christmas present. I am a storyteller, and I would like to use some traditional songs to complement African stories. I hope it would not be considered inappropriate to combine mbira music with some stories. I am looking at a used mbira dzavadzimu.

[@Dancetera]

Thank you for your kind words. I would think mbira could be incorporated in story-telling, but I defer to any Zezeru who would care to comment on this.

[@kathleenborsch1312]

I have an interest in folk instruments of the U.S. and Europe, and how they "migrate". However, I'm only beginning to learn about the instruments of African cultures. I know that enslaved Africans brought the banjo to America. What about the kalimba family and others - were they not introduced during those early times as well? It just seems odd that a westerner introduced these instruments to the rest of the world. Thank you.

[@taylor3950]

My guess is that it’s because of the geography of the slave trade. Enslaved people were primarily West African while these instruments were more popular in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa. So my ancestors recreated and iterated on their string instruments (ngoni, kora etc) and developed the banjo.

[@kathleenborsch1312]

@@taylor3950 Thank you for the explanation. I don't know why I didn't think of that. I must study this more.

[@Dancetera]

Links and information in the description above!

[@handfp]

Hi Mahealani, this is a lovely video. What tuning is your mbira? As in nemamusasa, gandanga, dongonda, dambatsoko etc...

[@Dancetera]

Thank you so much! In the video I'm playing gandanga tuning.

[@billwesley]

I can't hear the speaking voices

[@raphaelmann]

The voice is panned hard right, so you might struggle to hear it if you're not hearing both stereo channels in reasonable balance.