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Njari without LT manual: "TIC 145"

C# / Db (closest chromatic pitch)
19
No buzzers.
Gwenzi Gwasera
Njanja
1970
From Andrew Tracey's Mbira Catalogue:
Njari, ZEZURU/NJANJA
Coll AT c 1970 at Chivu (then Enkeldoorn) from Gwenzi Gwasera, who made it.
Songs recorded and transcr. from him:
  • MAGONDE, C in G
  • NHIURA, C in D
  • MUZAZARANDA, C in C. Whenever he played this song, his aged father sitting in the corner nodded his head in time, remembering, so Gwenzi said, that this was the tune he played to court Gwenzi's mother, when he eloped (-tiza mukumbo).
Gwenzi later sent me a small buck horn and gourd with medicines in for good playing, including a coin for financial success.

From ILAM's Instrument Inventory:
Tray body, side walls, mostly white wood 19 notes incl. 4-note top rank on L side only. No rattle plate. Little finger hole is decorative only, echoing the design of the dza vadzimu, too small for use. Screw eye in back.
Purchased from Gwenzi Gwasera. Coll. AT 1972 from Gwenzi Gwasera, also recorded.

The Njanja were the people who introduced the njari to Zimbabwe from Mozambique in the 18th century, according to HT's research. This is probably the origin of the name Njanja. The names of the two brothers who introduced it were Mesama and Gotowi. HT label says Karanga but AT confirmed it is Njanja.

ILAM
Please get in touch.
Grahamstown, South Africa

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Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 1 of 10
Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 2 of 10
Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 3 of 10
Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 4 of 10
Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 5 of 10
Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 6 of 10
Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 7 of 10
Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 8 of 10
Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 9 of 10
Njari without LT manual C# / Db by Gwenzi Gwasera TIC 145, 10 of 10