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Sanza

This instrument was collected in the field by Antoinette and Diana Powell-Cotton, and is associated with the Gangela tribe. It is a lamellaphone known as sansa ("tchangi") made of a wooden board ("etchiti") without a resonator. The board has a central hole underneath the lamellas. It has fourteen lamellas ("voutali") made of iron alloy, of which some have dark beeswax underneath the touches, for fine tuning. The pressure bar and the bridge are also made of iron alloy, and the former is attached to the board with thin metal strips (iron alloy sheet). The backrest is made of wood. The bottom of the board has an twisted iron wire with two iron rattle rings. There is also a small cord of vegetable fibers on top.

  • Measurements:Length: 204mm; Width: 144mm; Depth: 24mm