What is an African kalimba?
An African kalimba is a small, handheld musical instrument that originates from the continent of Africa. It consists of metal tines affixed to a wooden board, which can be plucked with one or two thumbs to create melodic and harmonic notes. Kalimbas have been around for hundreds of years, however they are still used today in traditional African music as well as in modern musical genres like jazz, rock and even pop. These instruments are believed to have originated from the Mbira instrument originating in Zimbabwe and other parts of Southern Africa. The word “kalimba” means “little music” in the Bantu language, reflecting its purpose as a smaller version of the larger mbira.