African thumb piano with metal or wooden tines fastened to soundboards of wood/steel or gourd and plucked by the player's thumbs and fingers
MaryMbiras are often played inside large calabash gourds which amplify the sound Mbira music is water music called "tuned raindrops" by Chiweshe
MarySome believe that each key of the embira contains a spirit such as father, grandfather, mother, or first child.The keys get hot when playing
MaryAs the keys grow hotter whilst playing the Mbira, the sound becomes sweeter until a given spirit is revelaed as a memory or a waking dream.
Mary