The ''obokano'' (also spelled ''obukano'') is a large bass bowl
lyre
The lyre () (from Greek λύρα and Latin ''lyra)'' is a string instrument, stringed musical instrument that is classified by Hornbostel–Sachs as a member of the History of lute-family instruments, lute family of instruments. In organology, a ...
from
Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
. It is used by the
Gusii ethnic group.
The instrument is made from a skin of a
cow or
goat
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the ...
and a
bowl
A bowl is a typically round dish or container generally used for preparing, serving, storing, or consuming food. The interior of a bowl is characteristically shaped like a spherical cap, with the edges and the bottom, forming a seamless curve ...
like structure curved out of a wood stump. It consists of eight strings whose tensions on the crossbar can be adjusted to produce different
tones. It has been described as "the double-bass of East Africa."
References
Further reading
*Hyslop, Graham. "Some Musical Instruments of Kenya." ''African Arts'', vol. 5, no. 4 (Summer 1972), pp. 48-55.
*Varnum, John P. "The Obokano of the Gusii: A Bowl Lyre of East Africa." ''Ethnomusicology'', vol. 15, no. 2. (May 1971), pp. 242-248.
External links
''Obokano'' audio sample''Obokano'' video''Obokano'' video
Lyres
Kenyan musical instruments
{{Lyre-stub