Introduction

Music is a potent tool for evoking the most intense emotions and uplifting people to a higher spiritual plane. Mbira, a musical instrument most commonly used in Zimbabwe by the Zezuru, a Shona ethnic group, serves as a means of communication with the ancestors. This musical instrument is widely used in Zimbabwe and many other African countries. This article conveys the traditional and spiritual core of the Mbira in Shona culture.   

What is the Mbira?   

Mbira is a musical instrument from the lamellophone family. It is a small, hand-held instrument made of Mubvumaropa or Mukwa trees, brown heartwood, sometimes known as African teak. The Mbira features a solid-bodied soundboard with metal beads or shells set on a metal plate. Since the Mbira creates a quiet sound, it is typically housed inside a resonator known as a deze. The deze is half a calabash gourd, and the mutsigo, a stick lodged between the two, holds the mbira in place. The instrument also has shells or beads on it, which create buzzing similar to an electric guitar’s fuzz tone. Today, the deze is typically fashioned of fiberglass rather than gourd, and bottle caps commonly replace the shells or beads on the Mbira. 

The Mbira is found all over Africa and goes by a variety of names. It is also made up of many shapes and forms. In Zimbabwe, there are five different names and types of Mbira: Mbira Dzavandau, Njari, Matepe, Karimba, and Mbira Dzavadzimu. The most common model is Mbira Dzavadzimu, which typically consists of 22 to 25 keys or more spread among three manuals, two on the left and one on the right. Mbira Dzavadzimu is typically played during traditional ceremonies. Mbira Dzavadzimu literally translates to “Mbira of the Ancestors.”

Spirituality of Mbira Dzavadzimu

The Zezuru, an ethnic group of the Shona in Zimbabwe like every other African ethnic group, have a strong bond with their ancestors. Mbira Dzavadzimu is an essential instrument which is used during traditional mabira ceremonies (bira singular) by the Zezuro and other Shona ethnic groups. Mbira Dzavadzimu’s melody during these ceremonies has the power to summon ancestral spirits, who appear and possess spirit mediums. During these traditional ceremonies, spirit mediums possessed by ancestor spirits confer with the living. This is the process by which mediums provide remedies to situations such as sickness and drought while also guiding individuals and the community. As a result, the Mbira is commonly referred to as Nhare, which means “telephone.” This is because it acts as a link between the worlds of the living and the dead. It invokes the ancestors, promoting connection between the two worlds.

Conclusion

Mbira Dzavadzimu is a powerful musical instrument that exemplifies Zimbabwean Shona traditions. The melody of the instrument has the ability to establish connection between the living and the dead. The Mbira Dzavadzimu is thus an important musical instrument in Shona and Zezuru spirituality.