https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/items/8177
type: Item
type: MusicalInstrument
id: 8177
is public: true
owner: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/users/4
resource class: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/resource_classes/106
resource template: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/resource_templates/2
title: East African lyre
created: 2022-03-14T14:20:47+00:00
modified: 2022-11-11T19:27:25+00:00
media: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8188
media: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8193
media: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8189
media: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8190
media: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8191
media: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8192
item set: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/item_sets/7397
site: https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/sites/1
identifier: 6192
alternative: dita
alternative: goala
instrument category: chordophone
provenance: vetter collection
subject: 321.21
spatial: Africa
source: East Africa
medium: wood
medium: tortoise carapace
medium: string – synthetic
medium: membrane - mammal
format: 21.5 in. high 9.8 in. length of cross-yoke 6.5 in. greatest width of resonator 5.7 in. greatest depth of resonator 17.9 in. vibrational length of strings
description: Contextual Associations This bowl lyre is likely a dita that was originally integrated into the musical life of an ethnic group living in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region (hereafter SNNPR) of southwestern Ethiopia. Unfortunately, there is not much published information about Ethiopian lyre traditions other than for those of the krar and the other important Amhara lyre, the beganna (not found in this collection). This lyre could be a village version of the krar made by the musician who played it, but it does differ in subtle design details from the krar. Powne presents a drawing of an unnamed Male (or Maale, a people of the SNNPR) lyre with a membrane-covered tortoise-carapace resonator very similar to this one (p. 47). One online source consulted reports that the dita is used for circumcision ceremonies, by elderly people to accompany themselves as they sing about their lives, and during wedding celebrations (Música Para Ver). The instrument being described here appears to be of some age, but at some point in its existence it was probably removed from its original cultural context and transformed into an “African tribal” art object of interest to an international audience of collectors. Description The instrument’s resonator (detail #1) is made from the carapace of a leopard tortoise (a species widely distributed throughout the savannah region of East Africa) covered with a mammal skin (probably from a cattle) the edges of which are stitched together on the bottom of the carapace with thick twine (detail #2); the dita documented on the Música Para Ver site has an almost identical resonator. Several small rock chips have been placed inside the resonator to contribute a noise element to the sound of the instrument. The instrument’s string holder is constructed from three slender lengths of wood (species unidentified). Two of these are of approximately the same length (c. 21 inches) and form the two necks of the lyre. Each neck passes through a …
requires: one
contributor: Roger Vetter
language: EN
string carrier design: lute - yoke
resonator design chordophone: bowl with membrane soundboard
string courses: single
vibrational length: pressure bridge to tuning ring
string tension control: none
method of sounding: plucking (direct)
pitches per string course: one

https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/users/4
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https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/resource_classes/106
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https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8188
id: 8188

https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8193
id: 8193

https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8189
id: 8189

https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8190
id: 8190

https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8191
id: 8191

https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/media/8192
id: 8192

https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/api/item_sets/7397
id: 7397

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id: 1