The matepe is a type of mbira (lamellophone) from northeast of Zimbabwe and adjacent areas in Mozambique.
Regional variants include the hera and the madhebhe.
Created from strikingly simple elements, the otherworldly beautiful matepe music is without doubt among the most
complex and sonically rich on the entire African continent - nothing in the world sounds like matepe!
Hera made by Josam Nyamukuvhengu
Endangered heritage
For economic, social, and religious reasons, matepe music is severely endangered cultural heritage.
Over the course of four years of field research, Jocelyn Mory (then Moon) met
less than ten master musicians and only a few families keeping these traditions alive.
As Chief Goronga of the Zonke family in Nyamapanda puts it:
"If nothing changes, we are the last generation to play this music."
More about matepe
Zack Moon recently wrote a great overview
of the matepe family of instruments on mbira.org.
Andrew Tracey's seminal article The
Matepe Mbira Music of Rhodesia (1970) is the single most detailed academic study of the instrument yet.
All of his transcriptions in this article (and many more) are accessible on this website. See also Hugh Tracey
The Mbira class of African instruments
in Rhodesia
(1932).
Jocelyn Mory shares impressions and insights from their field work and many videos and pictures on their
wonderful research blog yelloweaver.com.
For news about matepe music, join the
Mbira Diversity group on Facebook.
Pertinent posts
are tagged as "Matepe".
Learning to play matepe
Please get in touch for assistance, or to add or update information on this list.
Zimbabwe - If you live in, or can visit Zimbabwe, Chaka Chawasarira
in Chitungwiza (Phone/WhatsApp +263 77 858 4527), and Anthony Zonke
in Nyamapanda (Phone +263-775330609; WhatsApp +263 77 678 9620) are knowledgeable masters and experienced teachers.
Other players which might be available for teaching include James Kamwaza, Mishek Nyamukuvhengu in Nyanhehwe
village (Rushinga), Ephraim Masarakufa in Mutoko, Mr. Silika Gomo in Chitungwiza.
USA - In the states, Joel Laviolette offers lessons,
and tutorial videos via Patreon.
Germany - Sebastian Pott (email
africaninstruments@gmx.de) teaches and builds mbira dzavazimu and
also matepe.
On your own - If you don't have a chance to study with a teacher, this website is the biggest public resource for matepe transcriptions.
Most material comes from the ILAM archives, Andrew Tracey's transcriptions of legendary
matepe/hera players like Saini Madera, Saini Murira, and Josam Nyamukuvhengu.
Buying a matepe
Prolific makers who regularly build matepe include
