Shona Music and Dance

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Shona Music and Dance

• Mbira Music of Zimbabwe

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Zimbabwe

• Was British colonial Rhodesia until 1980
• War of independence from Britain 1966-1979
• Although English is official language, most speak
  Shona (Bantu language)

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Spiritual Beliefs

• Strong belief in presence of ancestors and their
  spirits
• Many different types of spirits, including family
  members, chiefs, non-relatives and animals
• Believe that evil spirits (witches) also exist

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The Bira

• Bira all-night, family-based ceremony with
  singing, dancing, and libations
• Considered primary means of communication with
  the spirit world
• Main instrument used mbiras

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The Mbira

• Set of long metal keys
• Soundboard with bridge to hold keys in place
• Resonator to amplify sound
• Jingles of various material made to buzz

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Player and Instrument

• Mbira can be intimate instrument
• Instrument faces player
• Instrument produces melody, rhythm, overtones,
  white noise
• The mbiras sound surrounds the player

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Mbira Music

• Short repeated phrases with small variations
• Emphasis not on dazzling improvisation but on the
  gradual development of a piece
• Usually 4 sections of 12 beats
• Songs structured on two parts leader (basic
  melody) and follower (variations)

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Principle of Interlock

• Playing technique (alternation of fingers)
• Leader and Follower parts
• Polyrhythms generated by 32 feel
• Polyphony generated by multiple melodic layers
• Singing, instrument and hosho shakers play in
  interlock none is the soloist

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Song Nhemumasasa

• Each melodic phrase 3 x 4 note unit 12 pulses
• One time through entire musical unit
• 3x4 3x4 3x4 3x4