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Object Description
| Instrument name | bolon |
| Instrument no. | 177 |
| Alternate image name | African harp 3 |
| Country/Area | Gambia |
| Culture Area | Mandinka people |
| K-S Classification No. | C41.21 |
| Short descriptive term | spike harp |
| Description | The bolon is a spike harp with four heavy rawhide strings. The body is made from a large gourd with the stem portion cut off, leaving more than half of the gourd. The opening is covered with goatskin with the hair intact. The skin reaches far around the gourd and is secured with rawhide and nylon cord stitched into the edge and reaching to points of attachment farther down the gourd. The neck is a pole of light-colored wood bent into a curved shape. It pierces the body vertically, parallel to the skin surface, emerging to form the tailpiece at the lower end. A large rusted nail inserted through the neck where it emerges at the top of the gourd prevents slippage. A slender piece of wood with four holes burned in it is mounted upright on the skin, its base nestled in a small patch of hide sewn to the goatskin. This is the string holder. The strings, of heavy twisted hide, are knotted in these holes and wrapped back and forth the neck. Tuning is achieved by sliding these wrappings up or down the neck. A rawhide cord between the top of the string holder and the tailpiece keeps the string holder from collapsing against the pull of the strings. At the tip of the neck it has been carved to a point to receive the brass socket of a large metal plate with wires threaded in the edgethe nyenyemo. This rumbles gently or sharply in sympathy with the strings, depending on how they are struck. The player sits on the floor, cradling the gourd between his knees, the neck curving towards him. He plucks the strings by hitting the gourd with his fists while allowing the thumbs to catch the strings. Sometimes a ring is worn on one or both little fingers to click against the gourd. For a video clip of the bolon, see Mande Music & Dance, DVD (2005) by Roderic Knight, Lyrichord Discs LYRDV-2001. |
| Materials | Gourd, wood, goatskin, twisted hide for strings, monofilament nylon, iron nail |
| Dimensions | height 93 cm (36.5 in.); neck 57 cm (22.5 in.); neck diameter 3 cm (1.5 in.); diameter of gourd 36 cm (14.5 in.); diameter of face 24 cm (9.5 in.) |
| Accessories | galvanized iron plate 23 cm x 14.5 cm (9 x 5.75) with brass socket attached and loops of wire threaded in holes around the edge. |
| Condition | good |
| Page prepared by | Niels Bantilan |
| Acquisition number | 1970.2 |
| Acquisition information | Made for RCK by Gambian bolon player Bakary Kamara. |
| Digital Publisher | Oberlin College. Library |
| Repository | Oberlin College. Conservatory of Music |
| Copyright Statement | The images and text in this database may be copied, distributed and transmitted without express permission for personal and educational uses, providing the materials are cited as follows: From the Roderic C. Knight Musical Instrument Collection, Oberlin College ( http://www.oberlin.edu/library/digital/knight ). For all other uses, please write the author at rknight@oberlin.edu. |
| Collection Name | Roderic C. Knight Musical Instrument Collection |
| Type | CompoundObject |
| Format | cpd |
Description
| Instrument name | full view |
| Instrument no. | i177 |
| Digital Publisher | Oberlin College. Library |
| Repository | Oberlin College. Conservatory of Music. |
| Copyright Statement | The images and text in this database may be copied, distributed and transmitted without express permission for personal and educational uses, providing the materials are cited as follows: From the Roderic C. Knight Musical Instrument Collection, Oberlin College ( http://www.oberlin.edu/library/digital/knight ). For all other uses, please write the author at rknight@oberlin.edu. |
| Collection Name | Roderic C. Knight Musical Instrument Collection |
| Digital Master Filename | Knight_i177.tif |
| Type | Image |
| Format | tif |
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